Defending the Serbs with translation (Vecernje Novosti)
The only Serbian representative in the future Kosovo Assembly, who speaks Albanian language, is Nenad Rasic, the leader of Progressive Democratic Party (PDS). On the other side none of nine MPs from the Serbian List speak Albanian language. Since Serbian is an official language, when Albanian MPs will address the Assembly, Serbian MPs will have to listen simultaneous translation. Official documents should be delivered to them in their native language.
The head of the parliamentary group of Independent Liberal Party (SLS) in the previous session Sasa Milosavljevic, who will this time also be among the MPs, stated that although he knows some Albanian words, he wouldn’t be able to participate in the parliamentary debate in this language. Earlier practice showed that Serbian MPs were receiving the documents in Albanian, but then they complained to the Commissioner for languages:
“I sent 105 letters to the addresses of various agencies, noting that public documents must be in Serbian. The texts of the Laws are published in both languages, but there are situations in which the Albanian and Serbian versions differ in the details. In those cases the English version is considered as relevant.”
Serbian Members of future Assembly from Strpce/Shterpce, Leposavic/ Leposaviq and Gracanica will travel to Pristina by their transport. According to Milosavljevic, so far Serbian MPs had no official transport, neither they faced problems on the way to the workplace. They have a car sticker for parking in front of the Parliament, which is also a sign that they work in a public institution.