Despite big differences between Serbian President Boris Tadic and Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica, they agree on one thing, to hold both elections in Kosovo on 11 May, according to western sources.

UNMIK’s position is clear, that local elections can not be organized by Belgrade but only by UNMIK in Kosovo, and if they are held they will be annulled. Despite this, Belgrade has already decided where the polling stations in Kosovo will be opened.

Belgrade Serbian leaders seem to have it clear that UNMIK realistically will have it very difficult to hinder the local elections, since it has allowed the parliamentarian ones, and both elections will be held on the same polling stations. Therefore, it would be impossible to allow parliamentarian elections and to stop the local ones, Zëri reports.

Sejdiu criticizes Rücker for softness towards Serbia’s demands

Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu has criticized UNMIK’s Chief approach, the way he communicated to official Belgrade regarding Serbian elections. According to President Sejdiu Serbian local elections in Kosovo are not an issue that Serbia can decide on, and therefore they can not be held in Kosovo.
 
‘Serbian elections can not announce Serbia in Kosovo. So there can not be any elections. Kosovo is independent. Kosovo is an electoral zone by itself. It is UNMIK’s responsibility to answer to these initiatives which aim to destabilize Kosovo and to de-institutionalize it in practice,” Sejdiu is quoted as saying.

President Sejdiu, Prime Minister Thaçi and Assembly Chief Jakup Krasniqi met on Monday with UNMIK Chief Joachim Rücker and ICO Chief Peter Feith and made it clear to them that they do not want to see any Serbian elections being held in Kosovo.

Samardzic invites Rücker to announce local elections in Kosovo

The so-called minister for Kosovo, Slobodan Samardzic, has responded to the letter of UNMIK Chief Joachim Rücker, about the extraordinary parliamentarian and local elections that are going to be held on 11 May, which Rücker did not allow to be held.

According to Serbian media, in Slobodan Samardzic’s letter sent to UNMIK Chief Joachim Rücker, he says that “UNMIK is not capable of organizing and holding Serbian local elections in Kosovo, since Joachim Rücker himself has changed the elections regulation of the Martti Ahtisaari’s plan,” and according to Samardzic UNMIK has violated the Resolution 1244.

Further the paper reports that Samardzic in his letter wrote: “Therefore only Serbia and Serbian local institutions in Kosovo can organize elections in Kosovo”.

In the end, the paper reports that Samardzic forgot what he wrote in his letter and invited Rücker to announce these elections.

Comments (5)

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Tringa said:

President Tadic is using this election as a provocation, as many other instances when the Serbian government intentionally tries anything to ensure the stability in Kosovo is provoked. It is ridiculous, that a government would go to such heights to initially not allow for people to move on with their lives. Serbia is isolating themselves with every action it takes, whether political or other. It just goes to show the lack of caring in Serbia's part. If the Serbian government cared for its people and its neighbours in the Balkan they would stop making such unwise decisions and as well refrain from isolating itself into an island, while disallowing relations with any nations that recognizes or is in the process of recognizing Kosovo - which will soon be more than half the countries on Earth - sadly for Serbia they are only causing problems for themselves.

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April 22, 2008
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bluerose799 said:

The Kosova’s Independence is not a game. This is a reality. Those who are trying to Sabotage with Diversionistic acts, or Criminal Terrorist acts (Paramilitary of Mitrovica) should not be tolerated. Kosova’s Autonomy (Illegally and Unilaterally) was abolished by Serbia on July 5,1990. The borders of Kosva are well established and recognized. Now Kosova is again Independent. http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/62/094.html I can’t comprehend how a minority of 7% of the population, pretend to take off the land, the language, culture and the life of the rest of Kosova. Kosovars have the right to live free and independent in their land where they are born, generation after generation, live and will die. The status of two parallel governments in the North Mitrovica should end. Sooner better. This is Better for Serbia, Kosova, Balkans and the E.U. The UNMIK and KFOR has to deal with Northern Mitrovica in a more professionally way. If they lack experts of the Balkans region, we gladly are ready to help them.

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April 21, 2008
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strav said:

	No country by the name of Kosovo exists. UDI's don't count, they are not leagally sanctioned.
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April 16, 2008
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peterj said:

	Illegal self proclaimed Kosovo will never be an independent country. Albanians and everybody else who live in southern province of Serbia (Kosovo) are welcome to participate in legitimate elections on May 11th.
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April 16, 2008
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Flamur said:

Dear citizens, We shouldn't have to discuss this at all. More attention we give to this the more we dignify it. We have a Constitution. We have police and law that authorizes police to protect the peace. If that is attacked (such the so called serbian elections will do), we ought to follow our laws, our consitution. Serbs obviously know this but they are too stubborn to deal with our political elite because that means automatic recognition of Kosova. But we shouldn't worry about that now, shouldn't we??? It is their problem. Our problem will be much bigger if we don't show Belgrade how decisive are we and how determined we are to protect our contry. If they hold elections, there is only one way we can protect our sovereignty. It's up to Belgrade if they ant to know which way is it. Long live my country - Long live Kosova!

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April 15, 2008
Votes: +1