Kosovo's Serbs still look to Belgrade

31/10/2006

Kosovo voters turned out in large numbers at the weekend to back the new Serbian Constitution, which refers to Kosovo as an "integral part of Serbia". SETimes correspondent Blerta Foniqi spoke to members of the Serb community.

By Blerta Foniqi for Southeast European Times in Pristina – 31/10/06

A Kosovo Serb in the village of Susica votes in the constitutional referendum Saturday (October 28th). [Getty Images]

Over 90% of Kosovo's Serbs participated in the weekend referendum on a new Serbian Constitution. Many see the vote as reaffirming Serbian sovereignty over Kosovo, even though international officials have said the constitution will not affect the status process.

"I am voting because Kosovo was and will remain part of Serbia," Ljubisa Djurdjic told Southeast European Times. "This is our will, and let it be."

Ethnic Albanians, who favour independence, make up the overwhelming majority of Kosovo's population. Nevertheless, this Kosovo Serb voter opposes any plans for a split.

Her husband, Milorad, agrees. "I will never vote for Kosovo's independence, but only for remaining under Serbia's authority."

A Kosovo Serb leader, Oliver Ivanovic, told Southeast European Times that the referendum is very important, because with it Serbs confirmed their stance that Kosovo is part of Serbia. "I appealed to all Kosovo Serbs to vote," he said. Albanians, who for years have boycotted elections held under Serbian auspices, were excluded from the weekend referendum.

During UN-brokered talks this year, Serbia has insisted that the most it would accept is "substantial autonomy". But the Kosovo Albanians reject any arrangement that would keep the province under Serbia's control.

Kosovo's leaders say it does not matter what Serbia has written in its constitution. "Very soon we will have our own constitution," says Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu."For us, only [UN envoy Martti] Ahtisaari's process is important."

"The future of the Serb citizens of Kosovo is and will be in Kosovo," Prime Minister Agim Ceku said, urging all of Kosovo's people to help move the status process forward.

That process will not be impacted by the constitutional referendum in Serbia, UNMIK head Joachim Ruecker said. The two processes are separate and unrelated, he added.

"The stance of UNMIK regarding the Serbian referendum is that it will not influence the current or future status of Kosovo," he said.