What Internationals Say About North Elections

Following data published by the CEC, French Ambassador Olivier Guerot and the American Embassy in Kosovo have reacted.

Ambassador Guerot in a post in Titter has said that the least voter elections bring no political solution, until as a positive point mentions the professionalisation of the Kosovo Police, EULEX KFOR.

Also, Guerot has called for implementation of the Ohrid Agreement.

These so few voters' elections” do not bring political solutions. Sorry for the lack of participation by some parties. Positive: Kosovo police professionalism, Kfor / EULEX. Now we have to implement the Ohrid Agreement”, it has written.

For elections in the north, the US Embassy in Kosovo has issued a communiqué, where it is said this process was held in line with Kosovo's constitutional and legal requirements.

The embassy has said that “regrets” that not all parties have exploited the right to compete.

We support a variety of, comprehensive, multiethnic democracy in Kosovo and the elections supporting it. We regret that not all parties exploited their democratic right to participate in today's elections. Turnout helps to ensure that leaders are representatives of the populations they serve. The vote is a critical freedom of democratic societies”, said in the communiqué.

” We recognise the efforts of Kosovo election officials to make voting places available for citizens who want to exercise their right to vote, downplaying potential tension points. We also express our gratitude for the professionalism of the Kosovo Police, the EU Mission for Rule of Law (EULEX) and KFOR in ensuring a secure environment for elections”.

The US Embassy says they will engage with relevant parties for the next steps, and cites full implementation of the Ohrid Agreement.

We will continue to engage with all relevant parties for the next steps. We also reiterate our importance and commitment to the full implementation of the Ohrid” agreement, the communique concludes.

According to CEC preliminary data, the candidate of the Vetevendosje Movement in Northern Mitrovica, Erden Attic, won 66.5 per cent of the vote, or 519 votes in all. Lulzim Hetemi of VV's ranks won the 100-vote Leposaviqi chairmanial race, or 73.5 per cent of those who exploited voting rights.

Meanwhile, Swedish Ambassador to Kosovo Jonas Westerlund visited several locations yesterday in Leposaviq. He has said he expresses regret for not participating the Serbian List in the election.

This is the first time the Serbian List boycotts the elections. Then it is possible that elections will be held everywhere, probably in schools as before. The Serbian list participated in the election eight times. This is the first time they didn't participate, unfortunately. But according to the Kosovo Constitution, the elections must be held and that is the President's decision, Westerlund said.

In Zubin Potok, Izmir Zeqiri from the Democratic Party of Kosovo received 52.1 per cent of the vote, or 196 votes. Meanwhile, in Zvecan, Ilir Peci, but from the Democratic Party of Kosovo, won 60 per cent of the vote, or 114 votes. Independent candidate in this municipality, Slagjana Pantovic, who was the only Serbian candidate, won five votes, or 2.6 per cent.

According to the Kosovo Police, elections in the north were held without incident.

Kosovo Police” (PK), to this stage, successfully implemented the operational plan for the management of elections in the four northern municipalities of Kosovo, the process, which in terms of security is estimated to have passed smoothly and without any incident”, is said in the communiqué.