Serbs on Kosovo: Yes or no?

Serbs living in northern Kosovo are beginning a two-day vote on a referendum that poses a simple question: "Do you recognize the institutions of the so-called Republic of Kosovo in Pristina?"

Around 35,000 Serbs are eligible to participate in the referendum, which would effectively indicate their preference of recognizing the government of Kosovo or belonging to the Serbian government in Belgrade.

Nearly all Kosovo Serbs are expected to vote no on the referendum, which has no legal effect. However, it could lead to a worsening of already tense relations between Serbs and Albanians, and hurt Serbia's case for joining the European Union.

It has been nearly four years since the ethnic Albanian-dominated territory of Kosovo declared independence from Serbia. Belgrade refuses to recognize Kosovo's independence, despite much of the Western world - including the European Union - accepting it as an independent state. Serbia's Minister for Kosovo Gordan Bogdanovic opposed the referendum.

"It erodes our credibility and potential in negotiations with the international community," he said in an interview last week. "The result is known in advance, as we all oppose Kosovo institutions - then what is the point?"

Serbs living in the border region began last summer to block border crossings between Kosovo and Serbia, preventing Kosovo's customs agents from accessing check points and enforcing trade rules. The blockades have sparked violence, with one Kosovo policeman killed.

Voting on the referendum wraps up on Wednesday.

mz/msh (AFP, dpa)