In an article published today in Blic, the largest circulation daily newspaper in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Bodo Hombach appeals to the electorate to use their vote in Sunday’s election. In an article for Blic, the largest daily newspaper in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (200,000 copies), Bodo Hombach has today appealed to Serbs to use their vote in Sunday’s elections. We are waiting to see whether the Serbian people will vote for a European future, he says.Making clear that the Milosevic regime has been responsible for driving a relatively prosperous and free country into ruin and war, Bodo Hombach emphasises that he will do all in his power to ensure the rapid integration of a democratic Serbia into the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe, which in turn opens the door to integration into the EU. The vote on 24 September will, says Bodo Hombach, decide among other things how quickly peace and stability can provide the basis for an economic recovery. No country can live in isolation to its neighbours without the population paying an intolerably high price, according to Bodo Hombach’s article. Since the Stability Pact came into being in June 1999 Yugoslavia’s neighbours have all come closer to Europe. Some are negotiating for EU membership, others for association to the EU.We will reach out our hand to the Serbian people, Bodo Hombach promises: we have been helping the democratic forces in Serbia directly for some time now, and we will intensify that after the elections. Note: the Serbian text as published in Blic can be found at http://blic.gates96.com (on home page scroll down to "Drustvo" and click on "Bodo Hombach"). A German version of the text is available on request from this office: please e-mail to Fabienne.Barbier@stabilitypact.org