an hour agoEU urges consensus, opposition determination not to hold Serbian elections in Kosovo
Periskopi(4 years ago)
(4 years ago)The European Union urges Kosovo and Serbia to engage in negotiations and find a consensus needed for Kosovo Serbs' vote in Serbia's 3 April elections. This has refused to comment by the Government of Kosovo, while the opposition demands determination by Prime Minister Kurti for not keeping [...]
That has refused to comment from the Kosovo government, while the opposition demands determination by Prime Minister Kurti for failing to hold Serbia's elections in Kosovo.
European Union spokesman Peter Stano told Kosovo Press that the EU is willing to facilitate and provide ideas in line with European practices for voting Kosovo Serb citizens in the April 3rd elections.
However, he says it is up to the two sides to find an agreement and one according to him, was also told by EU special representative Miroslav Lajcak during the visit to Kosovo and Serbia.
The “belongs to both sides (Kosovo/Serbia) to engage in negotiations, and find a necessary consensus. The EU is willing to facilitate and provide ideas in line with European practices, but ultimately the responsibility to find an agreement belongs to both sides. The EU's special representative, Lajcak, did this very clearly to his counterparts during his recent visit to Pristina”, Stano said in a written response to Kosova Prees.
Resistent support for the Kosovo government for failing to allow Serbia's elections in the country to be held gives the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo.
Opposition MP Pal Lekaj says he will insist Serbia's elections are not held in Kosovo 3 April.
“As far as the referendum failure decision is concerned, we have backed Government, and if it comes the decision not to allow (Serbia's) elections to be held in Kosovo will be met in our support both the Alliance and the opposition. We will insist that those elections not be held in Kosovo”, Lekaj says.
On the other hand, the director of the non-governmental organisation “arise”, Arton Demhasaj, tells Kosovo that international allies will pressure for allowing Serbia's elections in Kosovo.
“There will be pressure to let go of the choice, but it remains to be seen in the Government whether it is possible afterwards and if there is stability behind the elections not to be held as was the referendum issue ... If the presidential elections were held in Serbia as held in the past, then we can say that nothing has changed in the approach to Serbia until we still allow it in the way it was held earlier”, he says.
Kosovo institutions on 16 January this year refused to hold Serbia's referendum on Kosovo territory. For this, Kosovo Assembly deputies even voted a resolution.
