Serbia seen calling Kosovo Serbs to boycott elections

Nov 10, 2010, 9:15 GMT

Belgrade - The Serbian government is likely to call on compatriots in Kosovo to boycott early elections next month, the daily Danas said Wednesday, quoting a cabinet minister.

'Conditions do not exist' for Serbs in Kosovo to take part in the vote, Kosovo Minister Goran Bogdanovic told the newspaper. Other ministers and high-ranking already made similar comments.

He said Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic's government was likely to formally call Kosovo Serbs to boycott after a cabinet conference.

Elections in Kosovo were called some six months early, for February, but were moved forward even further last week, to December 12, after Prime Minister Hashim Thaci's coalition collapsed.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 and has been recognized by the leading Western powers. Serbia, however, continues to claim sovereignty over what it sees as its heartland province.

Albanians constitute a 90-per cent majority among the 2 million Kosovars. Huddled in enclaves, Kosovo Serbs already boycotted elections in 2007 and 2009 on orders from Belgrade.

Belgrade often accuses Kosovo's authorities and the Albanians of violating the basic right of the Serbs.

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