VZCZCXRO1908
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHBW #0429/01 1211203
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 301203Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY BELGRADE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0233
INFO RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEHBW/AMEMBASSY BELGRADE 0338

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BELGRADE 000429 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO PBTS PGOV PHUM PINR PREL SR
SUBJECT: SERBIA: ALBANIANS ON NATIONAL BALLOT 
 
BELGRADE 00000429  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
 
 
¶1.  Ethnic Albanian parties from southern Serbia gathered enough 
signatures to put them on Serbia's May 11 parliamentary ballot. 
Albanian participation had been at risk after the Serbian 
authorities increased the number of signatures necessary for 
minority party registration from 3,000 to 10,000.  In the end 
they were able to collect the requisite number of signatures 
only with the assistance of NGOs and other parties.  Clear USG 
messages and pressure from Pristina and Tirana were critical in 
encouraging electorate participation and, apparently, averting a 
boycott.  With Kosovo independence as a backdrop, Albanian 
participation in Serbia's elections is a significant 
accomplishment.  End Summary. 
 
 
 
Albanians on Ballot (With Help) 
 
------------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶2.  The Coalition of Presevo Valley Albanians from southern 
Serbia gathered more than the requisite 10,000 signatures and 
will appear on the ballot in the May 11 parliamentary elections. 
 This was a remarkable accomplishment, considering the 
government more than tripled the signature requirement from 
3,000 in the 2007 elections.  The coalition, led by incumbent 
Member of Parliament Riza Halimi (Party for Democratic Action -- 
PVD), received significant support from NGOs, ethnic Hungarians 
and the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).  The U.S. NGO National 
Democratic Institute (NDI), in particular, assisted the 
Coalition's outreach and logistical efforts to collect the large 
number of signatures.  On April 23, two NGOs, Civic Initiatives 
and Center for Cultural Decontamination, sponsored a 
Belgrade-based initiative to collect signatures.  Halimi 
confirmed to poloff on April 25 that the Coalition had secured 
placement on the national ballot and conveyed his thanks to the 
Embassy and U.S.-assistance partners for their "valuable 
support." 
 
 
 
Broad Coalition, No Boycott 
 
--------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶3.  The Coalition includes members of all major Albanian 
parties, and even those not on the list said they would not 
boycott the effort.  Halimi leads the list and outgoing 
Bujanovac Mayor Nagip Arifi (PVD) is second.  In a reversal from 
2007 elections, hardliner Jonuz Musliu (Movement for Democratic 
Progress -- LPD) is participating.  Presevo Mayor Ragmi 
Mustafa's Party for Democratic Albanians (PDSh) is not part of 
the coalition but assured the Ambassador on April 8 that his 
party would not boycott the elections.  In fact, a splinter 
group of the PDSh in Presevo led by party rival Nasir Aziri has 
joined the Coalition.  Skender Destani, who ran with Halimi in 
2007, is not in the coalition but has called on Albanians to 
vote for the list.  An OSCE official in Bujanovac, Shera Abdili, 
told poloff on April 29 that locals "were now focused on local 
elections" and there was "no sense" of opposition to the 
national list.  In addition, Abdili said, concurrent local 
elections will boost participation by Presevo Valley Albanians. 
 
 
 
"Critical" Pressure 
 
------------------- 
 
 
 
¶4.  Public and private messages to participate from Albania, 
Kosovo, and the United States made a difference.  OSCE 
Representative in Southern Serbia Martin Brooks told poloff on 
April 29 that Kosovo Albanian Ramush Haradinaj's influence was 
"critical" to Musliu and other hardliners' decision to 
participate -- or at least not boycott.  Musliu's decision to 
join the list followed his meeting with Haradinaj in Pristina 
and Haradinaj's April 15 public comments urging Presevo Valley 
Albanians to participate.  Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha 
 
BELGRADE 00000429  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
on April 1 called publicly for participation.  The Ambassador 
made support for Albanians' participation in Serbian elections a 
central theme of his public and private messages during his 
April 8-9 visit to Presevo and Bujanovac. 
 
 
 
COMMENT 
 
------- 
 
 
 
¶5.  This is a major success for multi-ethnic democracy in Serbia 
in the face of long odds.  Halimi and other moderates had been 
concerned that their efforts to get on the national ballot would 
prove futile and needlessly divert party resources from local 
elections.  Instead, Halimi now heads a diverse coalition and 
improves his standing as the key representative for Presevo 
Valley Albanians in Belgrade and to the international community. 
 The coalition will likely win one seat and return Halimi to 
parliament where he is well respected among his colleagues and 
has done a good job representing his constituents.  Thanks to 
support from Tirana and Pristina -- and the lack of a boycott -- 
winning two seats is now within reach.  End Comment. 
BRUSH