Kosovo Serbs say 'No' to ethnic Albanian rule

Serbs in northern Kosovo have overwhelmingly rejected Kosovo's ethnic Albanian rule in a referendum, the vote results showed Thursday, further jeopardizing Serbia's bid to join the European Union, .         

The Kosovo Serb electoral commission says 99.7 percent of those who voted in the two-day referendum said "no" to the question whether they accept Kosovo's government.         

The EU, and even Serbia  which does not recognize Kosovo's declaration of independence in 2008  have urged the Serbs not to stage the plebiscite because it could hurt Serbia's attempt to get EU candidacy.           

Serbia's top negotiator in talks with Kosovo, Borislav Stefanovic reiterated on Thursday that "the referendum will have no effect whatsoever."       

"Dialogue is the only way to solve problems and it (dialogue) will continue," Stefanovic said.          

Local Serb official in northern Kosovo Krstimir Pantic said "the referendum sends a clear message" about how the majority of the Serbs feel.        

The Serbs in northern Kosovo last summer 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 urging the Serbs there to integrate into society. Some 40,000 Serbs live in northern Kosovo.        

EU officials will again review Serbia's candidacy in early March, and the decision will be important for the pro-Western government in Belgrade which faces a challenge from the nationalists ahead of the elections this year.              

Kosovo Serb leaders there 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 of Kosovo, 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 recognized the independence of Kosovo, including the United States and most EU nations.

AP