KOSOVSKA MITROVICA, PRIŠTINA -- Several hundred Serbs gathered near the bridge in Kosovska Mitrovica to celebrate the referendum results.
Source: B92, Beta
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Some Kosovo Serb representatives see yesterday’s vote in the province as no surprise, while Oliver Ivanović, Kosovo List leader, says the situation in Serbia proper is different.
“In Serbia many people have a more mature understanding of the constitution, which, while being important, is not the only important issue. Low voter turnout should serve as a warning to those who have decided to hastily adopt the constitution without prior pubic debate”, Ivanović says.
Kosovo team: Serbs, turn to the future
Kosovo negotiating team believes that the high Serb voter turnout was “regrettable”, and is convinced that the constitutional referendum will have no impact on the future Kosovo status.
”The response of the Serb community in Kosovo to this referendum is regrettable. But we must repeat that we have learned the games Serbia plays with important documents, such as the constitution”, Skender Iseni said.
He also relayed Kosovo institutions’ appeal for the Serbs to integrate and take part in the Kosovo processes.
Albanian language dailies report about the constitutional referendum and the celebrations in the wake of its adoption.
”Serbia adopts constitution with half of votes”, Koha Ditore’s headline read this morning. The Priština daily ran two other articles on the same subject.
Bota Sot’s article was entitled, ”Referendum and chanting to war criminals”, while Kosova Sot’s headline read, “Serbs ‘keep’ Kosovo”.
My friend and I will celebrate at our church the passing of this constitution and pray for a beautiful future for Serbia, a Serbia that fights to attain peace, protect its people, and stand up for justice.
(Vojvoda, 30 October 2006 22:04)
What strikes me about this article, and maybe it's the way B92 reported it, is that the Albanian newspapers in Kosovo greeted the referendum with the same type of indifferent scoffing as Serbian and pro-unionist papers did during the Montenegro referrendum. I remember seeing headlines like "In Montenegro, the Albanians have won!" from the Press, or "Ethnic Albanians...decided the Referendum" from Kurir. Now the Albanian newspapers pass this off as a celebration of Serbian war criminals and nationalist utopia.
Moreover, the idea that K-Albanians have brushed aside 90% of Serbs in Kosovo voting as 'regrettable" shows that the two sides are lightyears apart as far as a common solution to the Kosovo problem. If the Serbs are chanting "Kosovo je Srbija" that's an indicative sign that they have neither trust nor confidence in Pristina. Albanians keep convincing themselves that Kosovo will be theirs, and Serbs have symbolically affirmed that the land is theirs. What I see on both sides is a lack of any attempt at bridging the gap. Serbs made no gestures to the Albanians to vote. Everyone knew they would boycott, but to not even consider them a voting constituent in a region they want to keep as a part of their country is severely problematic. Likewise, Albanians have made no, absolutely NO, real gestures of integration or cooperation with the Serb minority. Ignoring the other side while blindly pursuing one's own goals and asperations, in my opinion, is the fundamental reason the two sides are so emotionally and diametrically opposed.
(Mike, 31 October 2006 02:05)
Vojvoda I could not have said it better. I pray for a brighter future but also look pragmatically forward.SAMO SLOGA SRBINA SPASAVA(Translation "Only Unity Saves SERBS).
(Jovan, 31 October 2006 03:57)
I agree (Vojvoda) we Serbs need to ALLWAYS remeber to work hard all way's, be kind to others even if they are not, Stay strong to our roots,culture, and our values....Be the best we can be. Saying that there are Serbs I strongly disaprove of and should change their veiws right away, These Serbs are one's who want to advocate a from of expansion (not needed) I am happy with Serbia being made up from Vojvodina,central Serbia, and Kosovo.....no more is needed. Also I dislike war crimminal supporters and bad political party supporters (socalists/communists,radicles)
I know I Serbs are far from only one's with this attitude (alot in Bosnians and Croatians feel this way) more so than Serbs.
So here is to Serbia!! a wonderful country with extrodinary achivments with more being made every day that goes by, Lets show the world what Serbs were like before 3 local wars and 2 world wars....and maybe just maybe one day The Serbian Kingdom will arrive over the sunrise and return to us :)
(*****, 31 October 2006 04:49)
Northern Mitrovica Serbs celebrating the referendum with slogans, such as; Ratko Mladic , it shows the serbs alining with most wanted war criminal. What do you excpect from people like that, but on mean time you hear how serbs and serbia in general is vey democratic state.
(Ahmet Isufi, 31 October 2006 14:49)
Atleast we dont point out our "war criminals" to be prime ministers or any other political position like others. Besides welcome to democracy, where free speech exists...
(Stevan, 31 October 2006 21:55)
TO: Stevan,
If you are refering to former PM Ramush Haradinaj, as everybody knows the minute he was indited he took the firts flight out of Prishtina went to Hague. If you are refering to present PM Agim Ceku he has not been indited on any charges, only Serbia did that but if you ask Serbs every Kosovar Albanina would be indited on all kinds of different charges. In this case you are sheltering the most wanted war criminal since second world war.
(Ahmet Isufi, 1 November 2006 13:23)