Joachim Ruecker, the UNMIK Chief yesterday reiterated that local Serbian elections in Kosovo are illegitimate and that no parallel administration can exist in the province. He said that UNMIK would react “in line with Kosovo laws” if anybody tried to form parallel authorities.

In an interview, Ruecker said, “Everybody agrees that it is against Resolution 1244, and that it is impossible for Serbia to hold local elections in Kosovo.”

The UNMIK chief insisted, “As far as the parliamentary elections are concerned, our position remains as it was in 1999. We won’t support them or interfere with them. As far as the local elections are concerned, the question is whether Serbia will try to hold local elections in line with laws that cannot be implemented in Kosovo. Local elections contravene Resolution 1244, aren’t registered by UNMIK, and their results won’t be valid if they are held.”

He said that UNMIK had made every possible effort to persuade Belgrade not to hold elections in Kosovo, and that it was supported in this aim by the UN and the most important EU countries.

When asked what UNMIK would do if the elections nonetheless went ahead, Ruecker replied that the international mission would “react in line with Kosovo laws” at attempts to form parallel administrative structures.