Serbs might hold parallel Kosovo elections

[Crvena zvezda]

"Serbs might hold parallel Kosovo elections"17 September 2007 | 14:43 | Source: Beta BELGRADE -- A Kosovo Serb leader said Monday parallel elections may be held for the Serbs in the province.

President of the Serbian National Council (SNV) of northern Kosovo Milan Ivanović said there was a possibility of parallel elections being held, in the event that the assembly fails to call elections in some Kosovo municipalities.

According to him, Serbs would then vote in elections in some municipalities, independent of those called by UNMIK.

"The SNV is against participation in the Kosovo elections, at all levels. Those elections have been called unilaterally, without consultation with the Serb side or the Serbs. We should not participate in a vote that has been called by Kosovo’s separatist institutions," said Ivanović.

According to him, the Serbs "have nothing to do with these institutions," nor are those municipalities with a majority Serb population included within Kosovo’s budget.

"We belong to Serbia’s constitutional-legal system, and we can vote only in those elections called by the Serbian parliament. This applies both to parliamentary and local elections," Ivanović told the Palma Plus TV station.

Kosovo assembly and local elections are to be held on November 17, and the Serbian government and president have both advised the Kosovo Serbs against participating.

Nonetheless, by the deadline for submission of party lists on September 12, among the altogether 64 lists were 13 submitted by Serb parties, coalitions and civil initiatives.