The European Union has welcomed an agreement reached on OSCE facilitation of voting in Kosovo in the Serbian parliamentary and presidential elections. In a statement issued on Tuesday, EU Foreign Policy chief Catherine Ashton pledged full support to the OSCE for carrying out its facilitating role. She called on both Kosovo and Serbia to continue to cooperate with the OSCE in good faith so that the vote is held in a peaceful and orderly way. She also urged all sides to refrain from any action which may spark tensions. “EULEX will monitor the security environment and will execute its mandate in close cooperation with the other international and local organizations involved,” the High Representative said.
On Monday, Pristina and Belgrade reached an agreement to let Kosovo Serbs vote in Serbia’s presidential and parliamentary polls, which are scheduled to take place on May 6. The OSCE Mission in Kosovo (OmiK) will facilitate the voting. The plan is for the OSCE to provide the logistics, as Kosovo is opposed to the Serbian state playing any role in voting inside Kosovo. Serbian nationals living in other countries can vote in the presidential and general elections, in their country of residence. It is estimated that there are around 100,000 ethnic Serbs in Kosovo, making up about 5 per cent of the country’s population.
Full Article: EU Welcomes Facilitation Of Voting In Kosovo In Serbian Elections.
