se times
08/11/2010
If the Serbian government urges a boycott, it risks criticism from the EU, while encouraging turnout poses risks of its own.
By Igor Jovanovic for Southeast European Times in Belgrade – 08/11/10
If the Serbian government urges a boycott, it risks criticism from the EU, while encouraging turnout poses risks of its own.
By Igor Jovanovic for Southeast European Times in Belgrade – 08/11/10
Snap elections in Kosovo are less than five weeks and the Serbian government has yet to take a final position on whether to urge Kosovo Serbs to vote or boycott the election.
Belgrade is facing a difficult task. If it calls on the Kosovo Serbs to vote, it risks accusations from the nationalist opposition of indirectly recognising Kosovo's independence. If it urges a boycott, EU members may accuse Belgrade of reneging on its commitment to maintain good neighbourly relations in the region.
Divisions run deep both in Belgrade and among the Kosovo Serbs.
Serbian Minister for Kosovo and Metohija Goran Bogdanovic told Belgrade media that the government would take a clear stand on the issue, as a matter of national interest.
"No one should be in any doubt -- the Serbian government will, in a timely manner, decide and send a clear message to the Serbs," Bogdanovic said.
Ministry senior official Oliver Ivanovic said that the question is too important for Belgrade to decide in the short time it has left.
Serbian parties have differing opinions on whether the Kosovo Serbs should be urged to vote.
Certain members of the ruling coalition believe it is Serbia's duty to call on the citizens to vote, so as to have a crucial impact on their position and future in Kosovo. They dismiss claims that turning out at polling stations would mean recognition of Kosovo's independence.
Serbian President Boris Tadic's Democratic Party has not voiced a formal position. But a senior party official, Dragoljub Micunovic, said Serbs should not boycott the poll.
Right wing opposition parties -- the Democratic Party of Serbia (DPS) and the Serbian Radical Party -- are demanding that the government instruct Serbs to stay away. The DPS insists that any participation amounts to recognition and that Serbs would participate "only to their own detriment".
A similar rift exists among the Kosovo Serbs themselves. The representative of central Kosovo Serbs, Rada Trajkovic, said Belgrade should call on Serbs to vote or face criticism from the EU that it is "destabilising Kosovo".
By contrast, Serb organisations in northern Kosovo say a boycott is the only solution.
Regardless of the Serbian government's decision, Trajkovic said, a larger Serb turnout can be expected in central and southern Kosovo, while those in the north are likely to stay away.
Among political analysts in Belgrade, there is no single consensus.
Dusan Janjic of the Forum for Ethnic Relations told SETimes that the government should urge the Serbs to vote and that it may have already waited too long to have an impact.
"Had the government decided sooner, it could have spurred the Serbs to win all seats assigned them in the Kosovo parliament. Now it is too late for that. They will come out with several tickets, split the votes and win no more than 12 out of 22 seats in parliament," Janjic predicted.
Belgrade is facing a difficult task. If it calls on the Kosovo Serbs to vote, it risks accusations from the nationalist opposition of indirectly recognising Kosovo's independence. If it urges a boycott, EU members may accuse Belgrade of reneging on its commitment to maintain good neighbourly relations in the region.
Divisions run deep both in Belgrade and among the Kosovo Serbs.
Serbian Minister for Kosovo and Metohija Goran Bogdanovic told Belgrade media that the government would take a clear stand on the issue, as a matter of national interest.
"No one should be in any doubt -- the Serbian government will, in a timely manner, decide and send a clear message to the Serbs," Bogdanovic said.
Ministry senior official Oliver Ivanovic said that the question is too important for Belgrade to decide in the short time it has left.
Serbian parties have differing opinions on whether the Kosovo Serbs should be urged to vote.
Certain members of the ruling coalition believe it is Serbia's duty to call on the citizens to vote, so as to have a crucial impact on their position and future in Kosovo. They dismiss claims that turning out at polling stations would mean recognition of Kosovo's independence.
Serbian President Boris Tadic's Democratic Party has not voiced a formal position. But a senior party official, Dragoljub Micunovic, said Serbs should not boycott the poll.
Right wing opposition parties -- the Democratic Party of Serbia (DPS) and the Serbian Radical Party -- are demanding that the government instruct Serbs to stay away. The DPS insists that any participation amounts to recognition and that Serbs would participate "only to their own detriment".
A similar rift exists among the Kosovo Serbs themselves. The representative of central Kosovo Serbs, Rada Trajkovic, said Belgrade should call on Serbs to vote or face criticism from the EU that it is "destabilising Kosovo".
By contrast, Serb organisations in northern Kosovo say a boycott is the only solution.
Regardless of the Serbian government's decision, Trajkovic said, a larger Serb turnout can be expected in central and southern Kosovo, while those in the north are likely to stay away.
Among political analysts in Belgrade, there is no single consensus.
Dusan Janjic of the Forum for Ethnic Relations told SETimes that the government should urge the Serbs to vote and that it may have already waited too long to have an impact.
"Had the government decided sooner, it could have spurred the Serbs to win all seats assigned them in the Kosovo parliament. Now it is too late for that. They will come out with several tickets, split the votes and win no more than 12 out of 22 seats in parliament," Janjic predicted.
But the head of the Kosovo Compromise project, Aleksandar Mitic, has a very different take. "All political parties in Serbia should unite in advising Kosovo Serbs to boycott the election," he told SETimes. "But I am skeptical about the willingness of Belgrade authorities to call for a boycott, since they have shown during the talks on the UN General Assembly resolution that they care much more about the opinion of Brussels than the opinion of the Kosovo Serbs on the ground."
Though it appears to have rejected the idea, another option is for the government to take no formal stance at all but leave it up to individuals to decide.
Representatives of the Serb community are already guaranteed a minimum of ten seats in the Kosovo Assembly. Thus the election won't significantly affect the Serb community's situation or the day-to-day challenges Serbs face.
"It may help all communities in Kosovo if the issue remains as depoliticised as possible, particularly with talks between Belgrade and Pristina on the horizon," Ian Bancroft, the director of Transconflict, told SETimes.
This content was commissioned for SETimes.com.
Though it appears to have rejected the idea, another option is for the government to take no formal stance at all but leave it up to individuals to decide.
Representatives of the Serb community are already guaranteed a minimum of ten seats in the Kosovo Assembly. Thus the election won't significantly affect the Serb community's situation or the day-to-day challenges Serbs face.
"It may help all communities in Kosovo if the issue remains as depoliticised as possible, particularly with talks between Belgrade and Pristina on the horizon," Ian Bancroft, the director of Transconflict, told SETimes.
This content was commissioned for SETimes.com.
Δεν υπάρχουν σχόλια:
Δημοσίευση σχολίου