Vulin: OSCE status neutral or no elections
(Klan Kosova & RTK)
It seems that the issue of the Kosovo state symbols in ballot papers and election material is concerning Belgrade authorities as well as Serb politicians within Kosovo.
Head of the Serbian government Office for Kosovo Aleksandar Vulin was categorical in his announcements that Kosovo state symbols in ballot papers of 3 November elections will be completely unacceptable to Serbia. He emphasized that the OSCE should be status neutral, or there will be no elections.
According to him, in order to participate in elections, Serbs do not have to recognise the state of Kosovo or become its citizens.
“The Agreement is status neutral and Serbs will accept the November 3 ballot papers only on such conditions and without any symbols,” Vulin said.
On the other hand, Kosovo Assembly MP Rada Trajkovic says that the OSCE will have a key role in organizing of 3 November local elections, and that ballot papers will not contain state symbols.
“According to me, the OSCE will have the key role not only in Kosovo north but also with displaced Serbs from Kosovo. I think that ballot papers should be neutral in order for Serb citizens to have a motive to turn out in these elections; however, the upcoming elections will not be like this,” Trajkovic stated.
According to Trajkovic, the election system in Kosovo is very important.
“The only positive thing is that in these elections it will be voted for the individual, so citizens will be able to elect their representatives, either from the single Serb list or other entities interested to run in these four municipalities. North Serbs turn out in elections is very important to me. This will be possible only with Belgrade’s support,” Trajkovic added.
The controversial Serb businessman with origin from Pejë/Pec, Bogoljub Karic, announced that he and his family will vote in 3 November elections in Kosovo, Klan Kosova reported.
Ivanovic: Kosovo not interested for Serbs’ participation in elections
(RTK, TV21, KTV)
Former state secretary for Kosovo at the Serbian government Oliver Ivanovic says that Kosovo is not interested for participation of Serbs in the local elections on 3 November.
According to him, Prishtinë/Pristina is doing all it can to have the smallest numbers of Serbs possible, as the agreements were not achieved and there will be little time for their implementation.
On the other hand, Serbian analyst Dusan Janjic said that Serbs are obliged to turn out in elections.
“Kosovo north Serbs, same as all Serbs of Kosovo, are obliged to turn out in elections because this is also an obligation that derives from the Brussels’ Agreement signed on April this year between Dacic and Thaçi,” Janjic said.
Thaçi: We have called for end of EULEX mandate
(Klan Kosova, TV21)
Kosovo government has sent the transition strategy to Brussels. This strategy envisages transfer of executive functions from EULEX to the institutions of Kosovo. The strategy includes sixteen fields in which EULEX has executive, mentoring or monitoring functions. Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi made these stances public in an interview with TV21.
Speaking about talks with Serbia, Thaçi said that Brussels is putting pressure on Belgrade to accept the agreement on telecom and energy, as well as to respect integrated border management.
Automatic gunfire heard in Kosovo north
(Klan Kosova, TV21)
After midnight on Saturday, near the main bridge over the Ibër River, automatic gunfire that lasted for several minutes was heard.
According to reports, at around 01:10 after midnight another powerful explosion was heard in Mitrovicë/Mitrovica north, but he authors or the exact location of the explosion are not known.
Carabinieri Unit has announced that the device was thrown in the Ibër River at that are no human casualties,” media reported.
