Northern Kosovo Serbs to hold controversial referendum.

Serbs in northern Kosovo said Monday they would go ahead with a referendum this week, despite opposition from Pristina, the international community and even Belgrade.

"The referendum will be held Tuesday and Wednesday. ... We printed 35,000 ballots," Ljubomir Radovic, a member of the electoral commission that is organising the vote, told AFP.

Serbs in northern Kosovo called the referendum to underline their opposition to concessions that Belgrade has made to the ethnic Albanian government in Pristina during EU-brokered talks.

Some 82 polling stations in northern Kosovo municipalities where Serbs are in the majority will be open for 12 hours starting at 7:00 am (0600 GMT) both days.

Voters will answer "yes" or "no" to the question: "Do you accept the institutions of the so-called republic of Kosovo seated in Pristina?"

Turnout may be lower than expected because of a cold wave that is sweeping the Balkans, Radovic said.

The referendum has been denounced by Pristina, but also by Belgrade, where Serbian President Boris Tadic has said it was unconstitutional.

"The referendum ... cannot help solve the crisis," Tadic said, adding: "First of all, it is not in accordance with the constitution" of Serbia.

He added that the vote would "not contribute to dialogue" between Belgrade and Pristina and could "also jeopardise the security of our citizens who live in Kosovo."

The vote is seen as an act of defiance against the Serbian government, which many of northern Kosovo's 40,000 Serbs feel has been too conciliatory in the Belgrade-Pristina talks.

But Krstimir Pantic, mayor of the Serb-dominated part of the town of Kosovska Mitrovica, said the vote would bolster Belgrade's position in future talks with Pristina.

"The referendum will show that the citizens, and not only the leaders of municipalities, are opposed to the institutions set by Pristina. It will reinforce our position in the negotiations," he told AFP.

Belgrade and Pristina, which have been engaged in a dialogue under European Union auspices since March 2011, have already reached several accords addressing everyday problems created by Kosovo's unilateral proclamation of independence in 2008.

Brussels has insisted that Serbia make progress in its relations with Kosovo to further its bid for EU membership.

Neither Kosovo Serbs nor Belgrade recognise Pristina's independence, which is accepted by much of Europe as well as the United States and many other countries.