"Srpska" candidate rejects election results

KOSOVSKA MITROVICA Civic Initiative Srpska ticket candidate for the mayor of Kosovska Mitrovica Krstimir Pantic says he "cannot accept the results of the repeated elections." Speaking on Monday, Pantic asked for "a more detailed investigation into what happened with the voting material." "Srpska" candidate rejects election results He told Tanjug said that there was "a redrawing of the electoral will of the people," and that results that have been published are "not in line with what people wished yesterday when they turned out at the polls." "Regardless of the fact that the Civic Initiative Srpska and I won, I cannot accept the election results. It is obvious that in the period from 19:30 until 24:00 hours, when the counting started, there were manipulations with voting materials," said Pantic. He explained that members of the election committee from his list "for full four hours had no contact with, nor could be in the vicinity of the ballot boxes, when the stuffing of the boxes and altering of the people's will most likely occurred." He said that the list also noticed irregularities even in the minutes taken about the voting, and that the number of people who voted did not match the number of valid ballots. "Obviously, it is quite clear that there were machinations and manipulations, and that this result, which is preliminary, does not reflect the real situation," emphasized Pantic. He said that a meeting of all candidates from the list of councilors would be held today and that during the day the Serbian government would be informed "about everything that has been learned" - after which it will be decided "what to do next." "As a candidate I cannot accept the results, regardless of the fact I've defeated Oliver Ivanovic convincingly. I know we had a lot more votes and I just cannot come to terms with the fact that on November 3 we were prevented by a group of people to come out to the polls, to now, when the state has done everything and created the conditions for the Serbs to express their will in a free and peaceful manner, have the OSCE and the international community rob us," said Pantic. He added that the OSCE was "directly involved in altering the will of the people," and that the Kosovo Central Election Commission "was not to blame." Pantic then pointed out that other candidate for the Kosovska Mitrovica mayor, who will run against him in the runoff, Oliver Ivanovic, "on Saturday held a meeting with the heads of the OSCE, just hours before the vote, and it would be good to explain to the citizens what he was doing at the OSCE headquarters and what he was saying." Pantic noted that Ivanovic's SDP "immediately after the closing of the polling stations began to celebrate," and said Ivanovic "plans to form a majority in the town's assembly with the help of Albanian parties." "There is reason for doubt, and it would be good to make a thorough investigation of what happened last night in the period from 19:30 until 24:00 hours. I cannot and do not want to accept these results even though I won," he once again stressed. (Tanjug) Tanjug

"Srpska" candidate rejects election results

He told Tanjug said that there was "a redrawing of the electoral will of the people," and that results that have been published are "not in line with what people wished yesterday when they turned out at the polls."

"Regardless of the fact that the Civic Initiative Srpska and I won, I cannot accept the election results. It is obvious that in the period from 19:30 until 24:00 hours, when the counting started, there were manipulations with voting materials," said Pantić.

He explained that members of the election committee from his list "for full four hours had no contact with, nor could be in the vicinity of the ballot boxes, when the stuffing of the boxes and altering of the people's will most likely occurred." He said that the list also noticed irregularities even in the minutes taken about the voting, and that the number of people who voted did not match the number of valid ballots.

"Obviously, it is quite clear that there were machinations and manipulations, and that this result, which is preliminary, does not reflect the real situation," emphasized Pantić.

He said that a meeting of all candidates from the list of councilors would be held today and that during the day the Serbian government would be informed "about everything that has been learned" - after which it will be decided "what to do next."

"As a candidate I cannot accept the results, regardless of the fact I've defeated Oliver Ivanović convincingly. I know we had a lot more votes and I just cannot come to terms with the fact that on November 3 we were prevented by a group of people to come out to the polls, to now, when the state has done everything and created the conditions for the Serbs to express their will in a free and peaceful manner, have the OSCE and the international community rob us," said Pantić.

He added that the OSCE was "directly involved in altering the will of the people," and that the Kosovo Central Election Commission "was not to blame."

Pantić then pointed out that other candidate for the Kosovska Mitrovica mayor, who will run against him in the runoff, Oliver Ivanović, "on Saturday held a meeting with the heads of the OSCE, just hours before the vote, and it would be good to explain to the citizens what he was doing at the OSCE headquarters and what he was saying."

Pantić noted that Ivanović's SDP "immediately after the closing of the polling stations began to celebrate," and said Ivanović "plans to form a majority in the town's assembly with the help of Albanian parties."

"There is reason for doubt, and it would be good to make a thorough investigation of what happened last night in the period from 19:30 until 24:00 hours. I cannot and do not want to accept these results even though I won," he once again stressed.