To the Majority, Major Responsibility

To the question: What after these elections? - Ibrahim Rugova answers: The Democratic League of Kosovo (DSK) has been the most noticeable party in Kosovo, in options and well organized activity. The main aim of these elections was to create the democratic legitimacy of our Albanian representatives and representatives of other nationalities in Kosovo, because for the last two years, as you know, there has been no government in this area. Albanians have been expelled so that we have a government that does not function, doesn't exist. We will go step by step - first to constitute a parliament and then a government.

Does this mean that a solution to the Kosovo crisis is close at hand?

Well, yes, in some ways. We want this to be a peaceful and political solution. Anything else would be tragic to everybody, which is what we do not want.

With this aim, are you willing to sit down at the same table with Milosevic?

With regard to the question of dialogue, talks, he is there. Milosevic and his administration are there, which can be said for the rest of Serbia as well. Up till now they have completely ignored us as a political party. However, our answer to the question of dialogue is that it be between equals, unconditional. Up till now we have been an anathema for Serbia as a political party and as a people. In any case, here we are .

You recently said that you expected a peaceful hand-over of power.

This would be one of the first sensible steps on the part of both the Serbs and ourselves. In this way life, which has been paralyzed for years and which has been especially hard for us Albanians and not particularly easy for the Serbs themselves, would begin to function.

What will happen to the Serbs in Kosovo?

Let me make it clear - I don't call them a minority. We will treat everyone as nationalities, irrespective of whether it is a question of 200,000 or 10,000.

How do you view relations with Albania?

I will repeat: not only for now, but for the time to come, the best solution would be for an independent Republic of Kosovo, open towards Albania as well as Serbia, because Serbs are the second largest community in Kosovo. This applies to the other neighboring republics and states. The borders must be completely open. It should be clear that Kosovo will not go off to Mars or some other planet, like the nationalist-chauvinist philosophy implies, but will stay here where it is. It will be of use to Albania, Serbia, Macedonia, Montenegro. Life went on earlier when it wasn't a state. One must understand modern integration. It is encouraging that the world respects our choice of a peaceful, political solution, and not war, to overcome this difficult problem.