UNMIK/FR/070/01
Election
Civil registration gaining momentum
Serb leaders in Belgrade are urging Kosovo Serbs both within and outside
Kosovo to register. Kosovo Serb politicians and religious leaders are
setting an example by registering themselves. Five Serbian political parties
have applied for certification, thereby paving the way for their own participation
in the election later-and giving Kosovo Serbs community-based parties
to vote for.
All of which should be good news for the UN Security Council, which last
week expressed its concern over the slowness of voter registration in
connection with the forthcoming general election in Kosovo on 17 November.
While registration started slowly, there has recently been a significant
upsurge in interest. As of last Thursday, The UN and OSCE recorded over
16,000 new registrants since registration began in Kosovo itself, more
than half of them estimated to be from the Kosovo Serb communities. Outside
Kosovo, interest appears even greater with nearly 35,500 new registrations
from displaced Kosovo Serbs in Serbia.
UNMIK observers believe that this is because, across Kosovo, political
and religious leaders are following Belgrade's advice to register. To
be sure, Belgrade and Kosovo Serb leaders have not yet decided whether
Serbs should actually use the opportunity to vote that registration enables.
But the commitment that Kosovo's Serbs should register is now clear. Both
FRY President Vojislav Kostunica and Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic
have publicly encouraged both Serbs in Kosovo and IDPs to participate
in the registration process.
For its part, UNMIK is also doing everything it can to encourage registration.
During August a UN/OSCE team registered the members of Patriarchy in Pejë/Pec.
Following that, in the Monastery of Deçan/Decani, a Mobile Team
registered 19 Orthodox Church leaders. Also during that week, Randjel
Nojkic, leader of the province-wide board of SPO registered and his family
made their out-of-Kosovo registration. Then the President of Federal Committee
for Kosovo, Momcilo Trajkovic registered in Registration Centre in Llapllasellë/Laplje
Selo. He in turn appealed to all Serbs from Kosovo, both those living
here and those displace in Serbia and Montenegro, also to register in
order to show the international community that Kosovo Serbs are acting
in accordance with Security Council Resolution 1244, he explained.
On Monday, Nenad Radosavjlevic, leader of the province-wide board of New
Democracy and President of the Leposavic Municipal Assembly, registered,
along with the Leposaviq/Leposavic DS Municipal Board Leader and the Leposaviq/Leposavic
DHSS Municipal Board leader. "First and foremost, I will register
as a Serb and then as the Head of the Municipal Assembly and the New Democracy
Party and I believe that we as Serbs should understand that registration
is in our own interest," said Mr Radosavjlevic.
With the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Pavle also calling
on Kosovo Serbs to help themselves, their families and their country by
registering. it was made clear that Serbian religious leaders also see
the advantages of registration. Bishop Artimije, after registering in
Graqanicë/Gracanica, called on fellow Serbs to do so as well, "I
think that registration means fulfilling your obligation as a citizen,
because our government made the decision that it is necessary to register
in order to know, both for ourselves and for others, how many Serbs there
are in Kosovo, including the expelled people who are Kosovars as well.
That's why I think this is a unique opportunity, especially after two
years, to finally find out the number of our people in this area, and
I hope, it will be of vital importance in finding future solutions for
the problems of Kosovo and Metohija."
UNMIK's perspective
The fact that many leaders who had initially opposed the process are now
registering has had its impact both in and out of Kosovo. "Things
were slow at the start, but with across-the-board endorsement and encouragement
from Serb leaders, it seems that there may now be more momentum to the
registration process. Of course, people should not wait until the last
minute if they want to register," says UN Director of Information
Simon Haselock.
UNMIK's worry is that while Serbian figures have increased approximately
ten times from the first to the fourth Monday of registration, there is
now little time left. Those who wait until the last minute are likely
to face long queues at Registration Centres. People who do not register
will find themselves left out, uncounted as members of Kosovo's Serbian
community and unable to exercise their right to vote when the time comes.
Until now, the Kosovo Serb voice has only partly been heard. Should Serbs
choose to join the election, Serb representatives will be in the Kosovo
Assembly, able to play their part in shaping legislation. With different
parties presumably winning seats, a wide range of Serbian perspectives
will be heard on a daily basis.
Registration is a statement to the world at large that Kosovo Serbs have
an interest in the future of Kosovo. There is also nothing that can be
lost by registering, officials point out. It does not mean an obligation
to vote. Furthermore, should the certified Serbian political parties choose
to contest the election, as seems their intention, they will mainly be
seeking the support registered Kosovo Serbs voters.
Whether or not a person decides to vote, Registering establishes him or
her as a habitual resident of Kosovo. Once people are counted as residents,
the administration of Kosovo will be better able provide services to their
communities. Registering in Kosovo does not effect a person's Yugoslav
or Serbian identity. All official documents issued by the FRY and Serbian
authorities will remain valid. In addition, those who register will receive
Kosovo identification cards.
All habitual residents of Kosovo over the age of 16 can register. To be
eligible, they should meet at least one of the following criteria:
· born in Kosovo,
· having at least one parent born in Kosovo,
· resided in Kosovo for at least five continuous years,
· resided in Kosovo for less than five years, but forced to leave.
Registration for all young people has yet to be conducted and can be
expected in the future.
All information that is provided by registrants will remain secure, UNMIK
assures are communities-in the case of Kosovo Serbs, they will be processed
by Serbian staff members at the Data Entry Centre in Graqanicë/Gracanica.
Before the data is transferred to Graqanicë/Gracanica, it will remain
secure in KFOR bases.
While there is no debating that registration started slowly, there has
been a significant upsurge in the number of Kosovo Serbs registering,
with the daily record for the number of people registering increasing
day by day. Unfortunately, it takes time to compile lists of possible
voters-so, those who think that they might possibly wish to participate
in the Election, as voters need to register now, UNMIK warns.
One other message should be clear: registering is not an endorsement of
the way things are at present. It is a way to declare that Kosovo Serbs,
as well as Kosovo Albanians, have a future in Kosovo, and that it is time
to improve conditions. True, people who register do not have to vote.
But equally, people who do not register will not be able to vote. The
message from the Serb leaders and the international community is: "Register
now and keep your options open."
Note for editors
The full document may be consulted online in English at http://www.unmik.org/. Albanian and Serbian
versions can be provided.
For a selection of photographs, please contact Mr Ky Chung at 038 504-604 ext. 5467