Serbian President says referendum is not helpful for country’s interests

Serbian President Boris Tadić said Tuesday that the holding of a referendum in northern Kosovo is harmful to the interests of the state of Serbia.

Tadić said that he understands the need of the Serbs in northern Kosovo and Metohija to express their political will, but also pointed out that local governments cannot do more than the state in resolving the problems of the population in the southern Serbian province.

This move by leaders of the municipalities in northern Kosovo can only reduce the potentials of the state, and is not in the interests of Serbs in the province, Tadić said.