"Serbian govt., Serbs in Kosovo support compromise"

KOSOVSKA MITROVICA Minister without Portfolio in charge of Kosovo Aleksandar Vulin says the government and Serbs in northern Kosovo "are doing their best to achieve compromise." It concerns the staging of special sessions of municipal assemblies in the northern part of the province. "Serbian govt., Serbs in Kosovo support compromise" Vulin stated that the staging of special sessions in northern Kosovo is a matter regulated by certain laws, and added that representatives of the Serbian government and Serbs from northern Kosovo have done their best and are still doing all they can to reach a compromise so that the municipalities could begin their work. Vulin told reporters in Kosovska Mitrovica that the appointed Serb representatives are truly legitimate representatives of citizens elected by a majority vote, which is why there is no reason to bring up the issue of their legality. “Only a person who wants to see political instability in Kosovo and does not want the Brussels agreement to be implemented will object to the constitution of the municipal assemblies and the Community of Serb municipalities. Such people will always find or make up fresh reasons why some things should not be realized,” he said. Vulin said that Serbs in Kosovo need to have legal and legitimate representatives and added that the Brussels agreement needs to be respected. Those who attempt to hinder the constitution of municipal assemblies have to know that they are working to the detriment of these two goals, the minister noted. When asked whether only the state symbols are posing a problem to the staging of special sessions in northern Kosovo, Vulin recalled that negotiations are currently under way in Brussels and that the negotiating team should be given room to find a solution. Vulin underscored that the Republic of Serbia and Kosovo Serbs support a compromise, which they demonstrated by voting in the elections which were not called by the Serbian parliament speaker. OSCE was the one that carried out the elections and took care that the electoral materials and ballots are status neutral, not the Kosovo Central Electoral Commission, the minister said. “I do not want municipal assemblies in northern Kosovo and their constitution to be victimized because of Pristina's internal political issues,” Vulin said and recalled that the preparations for the elections would be in their full swing in Pristina in September 2014. Serbs in Kosovo did absolutely nothing contrary to the Brussels agreement and I want to call on them to make sure it stays that way, Vulin said. (Beta, file) Tanjug

"Serbian govt., Serbs in Kosovo support compromise"

Vulin stated that the staging of special sessions in northern Kosovo is a matter regulated by certain laws, and added that representatives of the Serbian government and Serbs from northern Kosovo have done their best and are still doing all they can to reach a compromise so that the municipalities could begin their work.

Vulin told reporters in Kosovska Mitrovica that the appointed Serb representatives are truly legitimate representatives of citizens elected by a majority vote, which is why there is no reason to bring up the issue of their legality.

“Only a person who wants to see political instability in Kosovo and does not want the Brussels agreement to be implemented will object to the constitution of the municipal assemblies and the Community of Serb municipalities. Such people will always find or make up fresh reasons why some things should not be realized,” he said.

Vulin said that Serbs in Kosovo need to have legal and legitimate representatives and added that the Brussels agreement needs to be respected. Those who attempt to hinder the constitution of municipal assemblies have to know that they are working to the detriment of these two goals, the minister noted.

When asked whether only the state symbols are posing a problem to the staging of special sessions in northern Kosovo, Vulin recalled that negotiations are currently under way in Brussels and that the negotiating team should be given room to find a solution.

Vulin underscored that the Republic of Serbia and Kosovo Serbs support a compromise, which they demonstrated by voting in the elections which were not called by the Serbian parliament speaker.

OSCE was the one that carried out the elections and took care that the electoral materials and ballots are status neutral, not the Kosovo Central Electoral Commission, the minister said.

“I do not want municipal assemblies in northern Kosovo and their constitution to be victimized because of Priština's internal political issues,” Vulin said and recalled that the preparations for the elections would be in their full swing in Priština in September 2014.

Serbs in Kosovo did absolutely nothing contrary to the Brussels agreement and I want to call on them to make sure it stays that way, Vulin said.