Belgrade: Serbs Can`t Vote in Kosovo Poll

The Serbian government annouced that the November 15 elections in Kosovo have no validity and called upon Serbs in Kosovo not to vote.

Svetozar Ciplic, Serbian Minister for Human and Minority Rights, told media at a new conference on Thursday that no conditions existed for Serbs to vote.

“The Serbian government has considered the current problems in Kosovo and has concluded that the elections, scheduled by the temporary authorities of the Kosovo Albanians, are not in accord with Resolution 1244, nor with the Constitutional Framework for the temporary self-rule of Kosovo,” Ciplic told reporters.

Ciplic added that the recent return of over 300 Serb police offers to the Kosovo Police Service, is in accordance with the UN Secretary General’s six-point plan, “which is in accord with Resolution 1244 and the policy of status neutrality of international organisations.”

“I expect the return of the Serbs to the police force to increase the level of security and establish the rule of law within the framework of Resolution 1244,” Ciplic stressed.

He noted that the “return of the Serbs to the Kosovo police represents a return to the situation that existed prior to the unilateral declaration of Kosovo’s independence,” saying that the number one priority of the Ministry for Kosovo is to find a way to stabilise the situation in Kosovo through intensive cooperation with international institutions.

Vuk Jeremic, Serbian Foreign Minister, told the media that if Serbs participated in the autumn elections they would be indirectly recognising Kosovo`s independence. Jeremic said he could not imagine Serbs participating in an election where the authorities are in violation of international law.

“Serbia recognises neither the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo, nor the secessionist authorities in Pristina,” he told reporters while on a diplomatic mission to Poland.

“That resolution[1244] has established the rules that must be respected,” Jeremic underlined.

Goran Bogdanovic, Minister for Kosovo was quoted and saying that Belgrade would not support the local elections in Kosovo.

“Serbia will remain true to its decision to never recognise Kosovo’s independence and to use all legal and political means to fight to preserve the sovereignty and territorial integrity of this part of our country,” Bogdanovic told daily Vecernje Novosti.