Can Belgrade influence the elections to be held in Kosovo?

These reactions of officials in Pristina come after warnings by Belgrade's appointed authorities that they will visit Kosovo, at the time when it is moving towards holding elections on October 6th of this year.

Jethlir Zyberaj, adviser to the minister in the resignation of foreign affairs, Behgjet Pacolli, tells Radio Free Europe that the country's institutions will not give permission to enter Kosovo for any representatives of other countries, particularly Serbia's officials, aiming to organise campaign in Kosovo.

“Absolutely, no state representative of any other state can come and campaign here. This is an extremely sensitive period. In this case, warnings by Serbian Government officials that they will come to Kosovo and conduct election campaigns are not understood. In fact, they're understandable to us, because they tend to constantly strain the situation, create internal tensions here. But Kosovo institutions will never allow the election process to be damaged”, Zyberaj said.

He added that Kosovo institutions are in full co-ordination even with the international community to ensure a quiet electoral process, where citizens will be guaranteed free voting. Consequently, according to him, Serbian citizens cannot be pressed by any means and by no one how to vote, as he said, will vote according to his will.

Regarding warnings of a possible visit by Serbia's president, Aleksandar Vuciq to Kosovo in the coming period, Zyberaj has responded this way: “over this time no person will be allowed, aimed at straining the situation. No man behind him has destabilizing goals, will be allowed to enter Kosovo”, Zyberaj said.

However, political affairs connoisseur Petar Miletic, former Kosovo Assembly deputies from the Serb community's ranks, speaking of Radio Free Europe, stresses that Belgrade, either less or more, has always had the impact on the election processes in Kosovo.

According to him, it will likewise be in the current election process.

I think there's never been any greater influence than it has now. It is evident that the Serb List is an organisation that is under full control of the Belgrade authorities. In any case, it is the most dominant political structure (Serbs) in Kosovo. All resources are used for people to stand in elections and vote for the Serbian List”, Miletic stressed.

Regarding the Kosovo authorities' warnings that they will not allow entry into the country of Serbia's officials, during the time of the election process, Miletic stressed that even if this happens, it will not have much effect.

For more, according to him, Kosovo authorities want to show that however they are asked, when it comes to the Serb community in Kosovo, but that all of this, as he says, is more directed towards the Albanian electorate.

Miletic estimates that the statements of both Belgrade authorities, but also those of Pristina, also show the thought of both sides.

“The policies of both governments, both Serbia's and Kosovo, are policies of conflict, policies of aggression, policies of non-compliance. Both feed each other with such actions and statements, and all this goes in favour of those who do not want the normalisation of relations between Belgrade and Pristina, first of all, between Serbs and Albanians”, Miletic said.

The Serbian list, which in the past term of the legislature, has had nine of the ten MPs representing the Serb community in Kosovo, as well as in local elections, has won in the country's ten Serb majority municipalities, continues to have the support of official Belgrade, with its help being founded.

Besides this political subject, the October 6th early parliamentary elections have already been presented to the coalition “Liria” (Sloboda), which consists of two Serbian political parties -- the Kosovo Progressive Party and the New Kosovo Party. By September 6th, when the party's certificate deadline expires, it is expected to be announced for participation in the elections, few more Serb political subject, the Independent Liberal Party.