Serbian minister repeats opposition to Kosovo vote participation
There are no conditions for Serbs to take part in the local elections in Kosovo on November 15, Serbian Minister for Kosovo Goran Bogdanovic said.
(KosovoCompromise Staff) Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Bogdanovic said that these would be the first elections organized against UNSC Resolution 1244, as they will be organized by the Kosovo Albanian authorities in Pristina.
"We cannot deprive anyone of their democratic right to vote and we don't want to, but we are sending a clear message that there are no conditions for Serbs to vote in the elections because they are against Resolution 1244," stated the minister.
"Those Serbs who would take part in the elections should ask themselves whether they are helping the state of Serbia save Kosovo or weighing down on our fight to preserve our sovereignty and territorial integrity," he said.
The minister added that would have been invited Serbs to take part in the elections "had they been organized by any other status-neutral organization".
The Serbian government only recognizes those bodies of local autonomy that were elected in May 2008 in the elections organized by Serbia, "even though we believe that there will be attempts to shut them down", Bogdanovic warned.
