“Local elections most likely won’t be held in Kosovo”

Serbia’s Minister for Kosovo Goran Bogdanovic told B92 that local elections most likely would not be organized in Kosovo. “We do not want to violate (UN Security Council) Resolution 1244 and we most likely will not organize the local elections in Kosovo and Metohija,” he stressed. “Local elections most likely won’t be held in Kosovo” Bogdanovic noted that it was in the state’s interest to hold both local and parliamentary elections in Kosovo but added that “there would be great tensions, primarily if the local elections were held”. He pointed out that Serbia had support of the international community to hold the parliamentary and possibly presidential elections in Kosovo, noting that “even Pristina” showed some understanding. “We cannot organize any elections in Kosovo without the international community’s help. We do not want to violate (UN Security Council) Resolution 1244,” the minster underscored. He stated earlier that the Serbian institutions in Kosovo would not be closed if the local elections were not held and that international missions were responsible for the situation in the field. Serbian parliament Speaker Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic said on Saturday that the Serbian government was still negotiating with UNMIK about the possible holding of the elections in Kosovo. According to her, there are still no concrete agreements, especially when it comes to the parliamentary elections. She stressed that the government was obligated by the UN Security Council Resolution 1244 to reach an agreement with UNMIK. UNMIK Chief Farid Zarif has assessed that Serbia would violate UN Security Council Resolution 1244 if it organized the local elections in Kosovo on May 6 and that “the elections would therefore have no legal consequences”. Goran Bogdanovic (Beta, file) B92 Beta

“Local elections most likely won’t be held in Kosovo”

Bogdanović noted that it was in the state’s interest to hold both local and parliamentary elections in Kosovo but added that “there would be great tensions, primarily if the local elections were held”.

He pointed out that Serbia had support of the international community to hold the parliamentary and possibly presidential elections in Kosovo, noting that “even Priština” showed some understanding.

“We cannot organize any elections in Kosovo without the international community’s help. We do not want to violate (UN Security Council) Resolution 1244,” the minster underscored.

He stated earlier that the Serbian institutions in Kosovo would not be closed if the local elections were not held and that international missions were responsible for the situation in the field.

Serbian parliament Speaker Slavica Đukić-Dejanović said on Saturday that the Serbian government was still negotiating with UNMIK about the possible holding of the elections in Kosovo.

According to her, there are still no concrete agreements, especially when it comes to the parliamentary elections.

She stressed that the government was obligated by the UN Security Council Resolution 1244 to reach an agreement with UNMIK.

UNMIK Chief Farid Zarif has assessed that Serbia would violate UN Security Council Resolution 1244 if it organized the local elections in Kosovo on May 6 and that “the elections would therefore have no legal consequences”.