Former president of the Serbian Constitutional Court Slobodan Vucetic stated on Wednesday that the referendum in northern Kosovo is neither legal nor binding but the referendum issue has considerable political importance.

If roadblocks are removed and agreements reached in the dialogue are implemented, the results of the referendum could serve as a trump card in Belgrade's hands in terms of influence over the EU with a view to reaching a compromise solution for the north, Vucetic said in an interview for Tanjug.

The referendum would not be legal because status issues marked by state character do not fall under the jurisdiction of the municipal assembly and in this light, it would not have the genuine basis or legally binding force, Vucetic said and added that it is obvious that northern Kosovo municipal presidents are aware of this point but they count on its political importance.

Vucetic believes it is not good that the staging of the referendum has been announced for mid-February, that is just ahead of the deadline for the EU decision regarding Serbia's candidate status application, because, as he said, this will pose a major obstacle and problem for the Belgrade government.

Kosovo Serbs cannot accept the expansion of Kosovo institutions and are organising a referendum on this issue, but they cannot accept some other agreements reached in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, especially the request of the German chancellor which also echoes the will of the U.S. and the EU leadership to launch the process of abolishment of parallel institutions before the decision on the EU candidate status is adopted, Vucetic said.

He said that for as long as Serbs are using peaceful and democratic means to express the stand that they do not want to live under Pristina's government like ethnic Albanians have been doing for decades now, Belgrade will have a trump card in the talks with the EU.

Vucetic underscored that centres of some Belgrade parties which clearly have the greatest influence in northern Kosovo are behind the referendum.