Voting ends in Kosovo, Serbs stage boycott

Polling stations have closed in Kosovo today; unofficial turnout figure at between 40 and 45 percent. The fifth elections since the arrival of international peace-keeping forces in the province in 1999, and the first to be held using proportional representation with open ballot papers, have recorded up to 45 percent voter turnout, according to unofficial data released by parties. Voting ends in Kosovo, Serbs stage boycott Around 1.5 million residents were eligible to vote in assembly and local elections at some 2,200 polling stations throughout the province. No significant irregularities or incidents were reported. In northern Kosovo, only five of 40,000 Serbs eligible have voted today. In the central enclaves the turnout was somewhat higher, but still extremely low, with three percent of the 5,000 Serbs registered in Gracanica, Pristina and several other nearby villages voting by 5 p.m. Serbs are entitled to 10 deputies in the future Kosovo assembly. While UNMIK officials expressed their disappointment with the decision taken by the vast majority of Serbs to ignore today's elections, those Serbs who spoke to reporters about their decision stressed they did not wish to legitimize claims that Kosovo is a multiethnic society, while their rights are violated on a daily bases, and many of them cannot return to their homes and property in other parts of the province. And while Kosovo Albanian leaders who voted today hailed the elections as historic in relations to the province's future status and important for its democratic development, urging high voter turnout and stressing its importance, official Belgrade was clearly upset with the fact some Hague Tribunal war crimes indictees took part in the process. President Boris Tadic said it was "impossible to comprehend" that a Hague indictee could participate in elections in Kosovo. "I don't understand this, it goes contrary to reason," Tadic told a Russian television in an interview Saturday. "Can you imagine one of our citizens indicted by the Hague taking part in Serbian elections," Tadic said. Ramush Haradinaj, a former KLA leader, now topping the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo election list, is also standing trial at the UN court charged with 1998 war crimes against Serb, Albanian and Roma civilians. The indictment alleges kidnapping, illegal imprisonment, torture and murder. Representatives from the Central Electoral Commission and the OSCE mission to Kosovo stated earlier that all the necessary preparations had been carried out in an extremely short period of time to ensure that the elections run smoothly. In a statement to the media ahead of today’s elections, UNMIK Chief Joachim Ruecker called on the citizens to come out in their masses. “I’d like to see a big turnout as we’re at a decisive period, when leaders need to be legitimized once more by the people that they’re accountable to,” said Ruecker. KFOR troops and the police have also been undergoing rigorous preparations in order to guarantee security and prevent any possible incidents. KFOR’s French commander, Xavier Bout de Marnhac, said that all the necessary measures had been taken to guarantee the safety of voters at polling stations. “You won’t be able to see KFOR uniforms near polling stations because I don't think these are places for uniforms, though KFOR will certainly be on the ground, and also in locations close to polling stations,” said de Marnhac. Election results are expected in the next two or three days. A bloc of NGOs, following the elections via its monitors, will announce the first unofficial results as soon as polling stations close at 7 p.m. Today's elections were monitored by some 400 international monitors, 250 from the Council of Europe, and close to 25,000 local observers. DPA reports an estimate that the province currently has 2.1 million residents, 92 percent of which ethnic Albanians, 5.3 percent Serbs. Kosovo has the highest birthrate in Europe, of over 2.5 percent, an economy where per capita GDP is estimated at USD 1,500, and unemployment rate which different studies put at between 30 and 50 percent. A Serb woman, one of only a handful, votes in Kosovo (Beta)

Voting ends in Kosovo, Serbs stage boycott

Around 1.5 million residents were eligible to vote in assembly and local elections at some 2,200 polling stations throughout the province. No significant irregularities or incidents were reported.

In northern Kosovo, only five of 40,000 Serbs eligible have voted today.

In the central enclaves the turnout was somewhat higher, but still extremely low, with three percent of the 5,000 Serbs registered in Gračanica, Priština and several other nearby villages voting by 5 p.m.

Serbs are entitled to 10 deputies in the future Kosovo assembly.

While UNMIK officials expressed their disappointment with the decision taken by the vast majority of Serbs to ignore today's elections, those Serbs who spoke to reporters about their decision stressed they did not wish to legitimize claims that Kosovo is a multiethnic society, while their rights are violated on a daily bases, and many of them cannot return to their homes and property in other parts of the province.

And while Kosovo Albanian leaders who voted today hailed the elections as historic in relations to the province's future status and important for its democratic development, urging high voter turnout and stressing its importance, official Belgrade was clearly upset with the fact some Hague Tribunal war crimes indictees took part in the process.

President Boris Tadić said it was "impossible to comprehend" that a Hague indictee could participate in elections in Kosovo.

"I don't understand this, it goes contrary to reason," Tadić told a Russian television in an interview Saturday.

"Can you imagine one of our citizens indicted by the Hague taking part in Serbian elections," Tadić said.

Ramush Haradinaj, a former KLA leader, now topping the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo election list, is also standing trial at the UN court charged with 1998 war crimes against Serb, Albanian and Roma civilians. The indictment alleges kidnapping, illegal imprisonment, torture and murder.

Representatives from the Central Electoral Commission and the OSCE mission to Kosovo stated earlier that all the necessary preparations had been carried out in an extremely short period of time to ensure that the elections run smoothly.

In a statement to the media ahead of today’s elections, UNMIK Chief Joachim Ruecker called on the citizens to come out in their masses.

“I’d like to see a big turnout as we’re at a decisive period, when leaders need to be legitimized once more by the people that they’re accountable to,” said Ruecker.

KFOR troops and the police have also been undergoing rigorous preparations in order to guarantee security and prevent any possible incidents. KFOR’s French commander, Xavier Bout de Marnhac, said that all the necessary measures had been taken to guarantee the safety of voters at polling stations.

“You won’t be able to see KFOR uniforms near polling stations because I don't think these are places for uniforms, though KFOR will certainly be on the ground, and also in locations close to polling stations,” said de Marnhac.

Election results are expected in the next two or three days. A bloc of NGOs, following the elections via its monitors, will announce the first unofficial results as soon as polling stations close at 7 p.m.

Today's elections were monitored by some 400 international monitors, 250 from the Council of Europe, and close to 25,000 local observers.

DPA reports an estimate that the province currently has 2.1 million residents, 92 percent of which ethnic Albanians, 5.3 percent Serbs.

Kosovo has the highest birthrate in Europe, of over 2.5 percent, an economy where per capita GDP is estimated at USD 1,500, and unemployment rate which different studies put at between 30 and 50 percent.