Kosovo Serbs vote in referendum on Kosovo's government
(14 Feb 2012) 1. Wide of snow-covered main street in Kosovska Mitrovica 2. Wide of street with Serb flags flying from lamp posts 3. Close-up of poster calling on Serbs to vote, reads (Serbian): "Everything for Serbia, come out and say no." 4. Various interior shot inside polling station with documents giving out information about the referendum 5. Mid a woman showing her identification inside polling station 6. Close of identification card and person's name being found on the electoral roll 7. Mid woman casting her ballot 8. Mid of members of voting commission checking some documents 9. Close of ballot paper 9. Mid a man casting his ballot 10. SOUNDBITE: (Serbian) Nebojsa Minic, Kosovo Serb voter: "This is a way to show that the people are supporting all the blockades and barricades and are behind our (local) leaders who are not being taken seriously by many in Belgrade." 11. Various of Mayor of the Serb part of the divided city of Mitrovica, Krstimir Pantic, having his documents checked by election officials 12. Pantic casting ballot 13. SOUNDBITE: (Serbian) Krstimir Pantic, Mayor of the Serb part of the divided city of Mitrovica: "Unlike Kosovo Albanians, who are using violence and weapons, we are using pencils. I expect that the people will accept responsibility for them and for their families and that the international community will change its attitude towards Kosovo." 14. Mid a barricade on a bridge in Kosovska Mitrovica 15. Close a tent on the bridge, part of the barricade 16. Wide of street in Kosovska Mitrovica, with a banner reading (English) "Stop NATO" STORYLINE: Defiant Serbs in northern Kosovo voted on Tuesday in a referendum that is likely to overwhelmingly reject Kosovo's ethnic Albanian rule, further hindering Serbia's attempts to join the European Union. The EU, and even Serbia - which does not recognise Kosovo's declaration of independence in 2008- have urged the Serbs not to stage the two-day referendum that asks whether they accept Kosovo's government. But on Tuesday in Kosovska Mitrovica, many Serbs braved the cold to head to polling stations to cast their ballots. Krstimir Pantic, Mayor of the Serb part of the divided city of Mitrovica, cast his vote and then took the opportunity to criticise the Kosovo Albanians - alleging they use weapons and violence to settle their disputes while the Serbs in northern Kosovo use peaceful means. He hopes that " the international community will change its attitude towards Kosovo." Serbia's President Boris Tadic has said the referendum further complicates the ongoing dialogue with Kosovo's ethnic Albanians as Belgrade tries to make some concessions toward the Pristina government, a precondition for its path to an EU accession. EU officials will review Serbia's bid to formally become candidate in the coming weeks. Kosovo Serb leaders are mostly members of Serbian nationalist parties that want close relations with Russia and are against joining the EU. They want to split the northern region, which is under their control, and reunify it with Serbia. They see the referendum as a step in that direction. More than 80 countries have so far recognised the independence of Kosovo, including the United States and most EU nations. Serbs in the north last summer (2011) set up road blocks to defy the Kosovo government, clashing with NATO peacekeepers. Germany blocked Serbia's EU candidacy bid after the clashes, demanding that Belgrade dismantle its institutions in Kosovo and urged the Serbs there to integrate into Kosovo's society. Some 40-thousand Serbs live in northern Kosovo. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
