Dailies report that during a debate organized in Gracanica on Monday, a group of Serbian intellectuals from Belgrade have called on Kosovar Serbs to not listen to Serbia and to participate in 15th November local elections in the Republic of Kosovo. Serbian intellectuals also advised that the participation of Kosovar Serbs in elections would be their best opportunity to improve their life conditions.

Sonja Biserko, chairperson of the Belgrade-based Helsinki Committee for Human Rights, said the situation of Serbs in Kosovo is extremely politicized. “Our goal was to explain to the Serb community in Kosovo that dialogue is the only way to move forward and they should be part of processes including the local elections on November 15th which are a very good opportunity for the Serb community to have a direct impact on improving their life conditions,” Biserko added.

 
Only three days before the elections, Biserko has arrived in Kosovo to directly call on Kosovo Serbs to participate in elections and not to allow Serbia to make decisions on their behalf.

“Kosovar Serbs should not lose this chance and should go out and vote because Serbia does not care about them,” Biserko was quoted as saying.