Dačić "to seek annulment of voting in north"

Source: B92, Beta, Tanjug

BELGRADE, BRUSSELS -- Prime Minister Ivica Dačić says he will seek the annulment of elections in northern Kosovo when he meets with Catherine Ashton and Hashim Thaci in Brussels.

(EU, file)

Dačić will also be joined on Wednesday by his first deputy, Aleksandar Vučić.
"At the meeting with Thaci and Ashton, one of the topics for discussion will be the annulment of elections in northern Kosovo and Metohija, as well as in all places where Serbs were unable to vote and where they were intimidated," Dačić told the telegraf.rs website on Tuesday.

He added that the start of activities to form the community of Serb municipalities will also be on the agenda.

Sources in Brussels are saying that a key topic tomorrow will be the consequences of Sunday's elections in Kosovo, in an effort to examine whether the voting will be repeated in northern Kosovska Mitrovica, so that the community could then be "properly formed."

Reporters from Brussels stress this is something that Belgrade is requesting, "because otherwise Albanian citizens could take power in northern Kosovska Mitrovica, which would make the setting up of the community practically and politically impossible."

This community of Serb municipalities is a key element of "permanent and substantial" normalization of relations and the implementation of the Brussels agreement between Belgrade and Priština. In December, after the second round of elections in Kosovo, this should be confirmed by the EU Council of Ministers and the European Council, in order for Serbia to begin membership negotiations in January.

Belgrade believes that elections in northern Kosovska Mitrovica must be repeated in their entirety because Albanians could take over "due to the very low turnout, intimidation, violence, the voting impeded by violence in three polling stations," as well as the fact that in two polling stations, in Suvi Do and Bošnjačka Mahala, "only Albanians voted, without the presence of cameras."

Well-informed EU and international diplomatic sources said the EU believes that it cannot be appraised that the failed elections in three polling stations in the north jeopardized the overall regularity of the voting throughout Kosovo.

According to reports, they, however, accept in part the opinion of some Serbian officials that "a political blow" has been dealt to the strong commitment of the EU, international factors, Belgrade, "and in words at least, also of Priština," aimed at securing a mass turnout of Serbs.