All for participation, except Belgrade

Three days are left until the Kosovo elections. Analysts predict that the turn out will be great, but there are no predictions on how many Serbs would vote. Regardless of the Belgrade recommendation, the European Commission says that it is very important for Kosovo Serbs to participate in the elections. All for participation, except Belgrade The EU also expects that the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina will start after the new Kosovo government is formed. The EC encouraged all Kosovo citizens, regardless of one’s nationality to use their democratic right and vote on the parliamentary elections, scheduled for Sunday, December 12. “We hope that the elections will be fair and democratic. Also, we hope that the Kosovo citizens will vote on these elections. Additionally we hope that a new government will be formed after the elections, which will enable the reforms in Kosovo to continue according to the European agenda,” said Angela Filote, the spokesperson for the EU Enlargement Commissioner. Filote also expects that after the elections the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina will commence. According to the Pristina Foreign Policy Club research, it is expected that the turn out will be around 70 percent of the registered voters. Director of the Club, Veton Suroi told Voice of America that there is virtually no possibility for a coalition between the Democratic Party of Kosovo and the Democratic League of Kosovo. Surroi stated that it is evident that there is an interest for the Serb community to participate in the government and to improve their lives. “I believe that it’s very counterproductive, and I would call it a very stupid practice, that people are not just called not to participate but also to violently prevent them from voting,” says Surroi. “The turnout of Serbs has shown, in municipalities where they voted, and in the central level, that things can be practically changed, and beyond that Serbian nationalism, the interest of local Serbs is to improve the living conditions,” he added. According to him, almost all Kosovo parties are ready for a dialogue with Belgrade, and Vuk Jeremic, the minister of foreign affairs, expects that after the elections conditions will be met for the dialogue to start. “I hope that, in future through the dialogue process which is about to start, we’ll find a way to find the only solution which will make it possible for both sides to accept that final compromise which will not curtail neither Belgrade’s path not the path of other West Balkan countries to join the EU,” said Jeremic. The US will provide technical support to the EU during the dialogue, said Thomas Countryman, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs. According to him, the beginning of the dialogue would not be easy and it could not really start before the elections ended and the government in Pristina was formed.

All for participation, except Belgrade

The EU also expects that the dialogue between Belgrade and Priština will start after the new Kosovo government is formed.

The EC encouraged all Kosovo citizens, regardless of one’s nationality to use their democratic right and vote on the parliamentary elections, scheduled for Sunday, December 12.

“We hope that the elections will be fair and democratic. Also, we hope that the Kosovo citizens will vote on these elections. Additionally we hope that a new government will be formed after the elections, which will enable the reforms in Kosovo to continue according to the European agenda,” said Angela Filote, the spokesperson for the EU Enlargement Commissioner.

Filote also expects that after the elections the dialogue between Belgrade and Priština will commence.

According to the Priština Foreign Policy Club research, it is expected that the turn out will be around 70 percent of the registered voters.

Director of the Club, Veton Suroi told Voice of America that there is virtually no possibility for a coalition between the Democratic Party of Kosovo and the Democratic League of Kosovo.

Surroi stated that it is evident that there is an interest for the Serb community to participate in the government and to improve their lives.

“I believe that it’s very counterproductive, and I would call it a very stupid practice, that people are not just called not to participate but also to violently prevent them from voting,” says Surroi.

“The turnout of Serbs has shown, in municipalities where they voted, and in the central level, that things can be practically changed, and beyond that Serbian nationalism, the interest of local Serbs is to improve the living conditions,” he added.

According to him, almost all Kosovo parties are ready for a dialogue with Belgrade, and Vuk Jeremić, the minister of foreign affairs, expects that after the elections conditions will be met for the dialogue to start.

“I hope that, in future through the dialogue process which is about to start, we’ll find a way to find the only solution which will make it possible for both sides to accept that final compromise which will not curtail neither Belgrade’s path not the path of other West Balkan countries to join the EU,” said Jeremić.

The US will provide technical support to the EU during the dialogue, said Thomas Countryman, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs.

According to him, the beginning of the dialogue would not be easy and it could not really start before the elections ended and the government in Priština was formed.