Minister reiterates opposition to Kosovo vote

There are no conditions for Serbs to take part in the local elections in Kosovo on November 15, Minister for Kosovo Goran Bogdanovic told B92. Bogdanovic said that these would be the first elections organized against UNSC Resolution 1244. Minister reiterates opposition to Kosovo vote "Serbs who would take part in the elections should ask themselves how much that would help Serbia save Kosovo and Metohiija," he noted. “We cannot deprive anyone of their democratic right to vote and we don’t want to, but we are sending a clear message that there are no conditions for Serbs to vote in the elections because they are against Resolution 1244,” stated the minister. Bogdanovic added that he was "surprised by the fact that Serbs in the province had submitted as many as 21 lists, despite the clear message from the president and the government" that there were no conditions for the elections in the province. “Those Serbs who would take part in the elections should ask themselves whether they are helping the state of Serbia save Kosovo or weighing down on our fight to preserve our sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he said. The minister added that would have been invited Serbs to take part in the elections "had they been organized by any other status-neutral organization". He also said that the state does not intend to sanction those citizens who decide to vote on Sunday but that "politicians will have to choose between Belgrade and Pristina". The Serbian government only recognizes those bodies of local autonomy that were elected in May last year in the elections organized by the government, "even though we believe that there will be attempts to shut them down", Bogdanovic warned. Negligible Also today, State Secretary with the Ministry for Kosovo Zvonimir Stevic stated that he believes that the turnout of Kosovo Serbs in elections in Kosovo on Sunday will be "negligible". Stevic told Tanjug that he believes that the majority of Serbs will not take part in the local elections in Kosovo manifesting their opinion that the organization of the elections is directly aimed at strengthening of institutions of an illegal and unilaterally proclaimed quasi state, which is being illegally formed at the territory of the sovereign state of Serbia. “This is the stand of all state organs of the Republic of Serbia which ran local elections in May 2008 when local authorities in Kosovo and Metohija were elected and therefore Serbs are simply not interested in the elections that are to be held on Sunday since they already have their local authorities,” he said.

Minister reiterates opposition to Kosovo vote

"Serbs who would take part in the elections should ask themselves how much that would help Serbia save Kosovo and Metohiija," he noted.

“We cannot deprive anyone of their democratic right to vote and we don’t want to, but we are sending a clear message that there are no conditions for Serbs to vote in the elections because they are against Resolution 1244,” stated the minister.

Bogdanović added that he was "surprised by the fact that Serbs in the province had submitted as many as 21 lists, despite the clear message from the president and the government" that there were no conditions for the elections in the province.

“Those Serbs who would take part in the elections should ask themselves whether they are helping the state of Serbia save Kosovo or weighing down on our fight to preserve our sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he said.

The minister added that would have been invited Serbs to take part in the elections "had they been organized by any other status-neutral organization".

He also said that the state does not intend to sanction those citizens who decide to vote on Sunday but that "politicians will have to choose between Belgrade and Priština".

The Serbian government only recognizes those bodies of local autonomy that were elected in May last year in the elections organized by the government, "even though we believe that there will be attempts to shut them down", Bogdanović warned.

Negligible

Also today, State Secretary with the Ministry for Kosovo Zvonimir Stević stated that he believes that the turnout of Kosovo Serbs in elections in Kosovo on Sunday will be "negligible".

Stević told Tanjug that he believes that the majority of Serbs will not take part in the local elections in Kosovo manifesting their opinion that the organization of the elections is directly aimed at strengthening of institutions of an illegal and unilaterally proclaimed quasi state, which is being illegally formed at the territory of the sovereign state of Serbia.

“This is the stand of all state organs of the Republic of Serbia which ran local elections in May 2008 when local authorities in Kosovo and Metohija were elected and therefore Serbs are simply not interested in the elections that are to be held on Sunday since they already have their local authorities,” he said.