These elections provides an opportunity for the Serb community to further strengthen its position as an independent political factor in Kosovo. And this position ensures the community’s upper hand in the settlement of the problems of its everyday life. A boycott of the parliamentary elections would only be to the detriment of the Serb community in Kosovo and leave it stuck in a ghetto.
Serbia’s application for EU candidacy and the announced Belgrade-Prishtina dialogue have built a political context favorable to the Serb community in Kosovo. These new circumstances claim the Serb community’s more active stance towards its own future, particularly in the terms of lasting sustainability and development in Kosovo. And the achievement of these goals implies participation in the parliamentary elections scheduled for December 12, 2010.
By casting a ballot in these elections the Serb community secures political legitimacy and gets the opportunity to influence Kosovo’s sociopolitical scene and contribute to the strengthening of a multiethnic society. By exercising their voting rights Kosovo Serbs acquire democratic representation in the parliament and actively participate in the process of lawmaking and legal functioning of the Kosovo society.
The lesson taught by the local elections of 2009 should encourage the Serb community to further strengthen its position of an independent political factor in Kosovo. And this position ensures the community’s upper hand in the settlement of the problems of its everyday life. Many political actors in Serbia have changed their attitude towards Kosovo Serbs’ political participation despite the fact that the government still lacks courage and wisdom to appeal to Kosovo Serbs to participate in the elections. They are all aware that boycott of the parliamentary elections would only be to the detriment of the Serb community in Kosovo and leave it stuck in a ghetto.
New political circumstances and the international community’s resolve to solve the problem of minority communities in Kosovo are further guarantees of Serb and other minority communities’ successful integration into the Kosovo society.
Therefore, we once again appeal to all Kosovo Serbs to vote in the upcoming elections, which are their life-chance opportunity to remain and prosper.