Govt. tells Serbs to shun Kosovo elections

The Serbian government has concluded that the conditions for Serbs in Kosovo to participate in local elections do not exist. The local polls in the province have been called for November 15. Govt. tells Serbs to shun Kosovo elections The Cvetkovic cabinet met in Belgrade this Thursday and said that the polls will not be organized in line with UNSCR 1244, and the constitutional framework for temporary self-administration. Human and Minority Rights Minister Svetozar Ciplic told reporters after the session that the ministers looked into the current issues in Kosovo and decided that the return of Serbs to the Kosovo police, KPS, came about with the implementation of the six-point plan, "which itself does not violate Resolution 1244 and the policy of a status-neutral position of the responsible international factors". Ciplic added that the government expects the Serb officers' return in the "areas south of the Ibar" to contribute to raising the level of security and establishment of the rule of law, "within the framework of Resolution 1244". The minister also said that the government considers the return of Serbs to the KPS as a "return to the state of affairs that existed before the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo". The Ministry for Kosovo and Metohija, Ciplic said, will continue its intensive cooperation with international peacekeeping missions in order to stabilize the conditions in the province. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic, who is on a visit to Poland today, said that the participation of Serbs in the fall elections in Kosovo would be tantamount to indirectly recognizing the province's independence. "Serbia recognizes neither the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo, nor the secessionist authorities in Pristina," he said. According to the minister, it is hard to imagine Serbs taking part in an election organized by those authorities, in violation of international law and UNSCR 1244. "That resolution has established the rules that must be respected," Jeremic underlined. Earlier today, Minister for Kosovo Goran Bogdanovic said that Belgrade was not considering supporting the local elections in Kosovo according to the Ahtisaari plan. At the same time, the authorities are not thinking about backing the participation of Serbs in the elections. He said that local elections were held in Kosovo on May 11 of last year, that were announced by the Serbian government, which means that Serb communities are functioning under legal leadership currently. “Serbia will remain true to its decision to never recognize Kosovo's independence and to use all legal and political measures to fight to preserve the sovereignty and territorial integrity of this part of our country,” Bogdanovic told Belgrade daily Vecernje novosti. Bogdanovic told the newspaper that this message goes not only to Serbs, but to all Kosovo residents, who must understand that Serbs have always lived there and that this is how it will remain. The minister said there was good will exists within the government to help Serbs return to the Kosovo police, KPS, but that Belgrade is negotiation the conditions under which they would not be working under the authority of Pristina. “We must talk with EULEX to solve the problems in the province. Especially because talks with the temporary Kosovo institutions, which we do not recognized, have been ruled out," he said. Bogdanovic also stated that talks with international officials regarding the six-point plan have intensified recently, adding that he is convinced that they would reach a solution very quickly.

Govt. tells Serbs to shun Kosovo elections

The Cvetković cabinet met in Belgrade this Thursday and said that the polls will not be organized in line with UNSCR 1244, and the constitutional framework for temporary self-administration.

Human and Minority Rights Minister Svetozar Čiplić told reporters after the session that the ministers looked into the current issues in Kosovo and decided that the return of Serbs to the Kosovo police, KPS, came about with the implementation of the six-point plan, "which itself does not violate Resolution 1244 and the policy of a status-neutral position of the responsible international factors".

Čiplić added that the government expects the Serb officers' return in the "areas south of the Ibar" to contribute to raising the level of security and establishment of the rule of law, "within the framework of Resolution 1244".

The minister also said that the government considers the return of Serbs to the KPS as a "return to the state of affairs that existed before the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo".

The Ministry for Kosovo and Metohija, Čiplić said, will continue its intensive cooperation with international peacekeeping missions in order to stabilize the conditions in the province.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić, who is on a visit to Poland today, said that the participation of Serbs in the fall elections in Kosovo would be tantamount to indirectly recognizing the province's independence.

"Serbia recognizes neither the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo, nor the secessionist authorities in Priština," he said.

According to the minister, it is hard to imagine Serbs taking part in an election organized by those authorities, in violation of international law and UNSCR 1244.

"That resolution has established the rules that must be respected," Jeremić underlined.

Earlier today, Minister for Kosovo Goran Bogdanović said that Belgrade was not considering supporting the local elections in Kosovo according to the Ahtisaari plan.

At the same time, the authorities are not thinking about backing the participation of Serbs in the elections.

He said that local elections were held in Kosovo on May 11 of last year, that were announced by the Serbian government, which means that Serb communities are functioning under legal leadership currently.

“Serbia will remain true to its decision to never recognize Kosovo's independence and to use all legal and political measures to fight to preserve the sovereignty and territorial integrity of this part of our country,” Bogdanović told Belgrade daily Večernje novosti.

Bogdanović told the newspaper that this message goes not only to Serbs, but to all Kosovo residents, who must understand that Serbs have always lived there and that this is how it will remain.

The minister said there was good will exists within the government to help Serbs return to the Kosovo police, KPS, but that Belgrade is negotiation the conditions under which they would not be working under the authority of Priština.

“We must talk with EULEX to solve the problems in the province. Especially because talks with the temporary Kosovo institutions, which we do not recognized, have been ruled out," he said.

Bogdanović also stated that talks with international officials regarding the six-point plan have intensified recently, adding that he is convinced that they would reach a solution very quickly.