Kosovo shows it can hold elections in north, Serbs listen to Belgrade

The polling stations were opened, but from the outset, the citizens' extremely low interest in voting was observed. Only dozens of voters in the north have responded to the call of Kosovo institutions to vote.

The Central Election Commission announced that by 1500, the general exit in the election is 2.4 per cent, or 1092 out of 45,095 eligible citizens.

In northern Mitrovica, 597 voters or 3.3% have voted; in Zvecan there have been 145 voters or 2.07%, in Leposaviq 110 voters (0.83%) and Zubin Potok have voted 240 people (3.6%).

Police and State Prosecutor Willing

Kosovo police have become their operational schedules for this day and said they are taking all necessary actions and measures to provide security for the independence of the elections.

“The implementation of the operational plan is implementing conforms ahead stages aimed at creating a safe and secure environment for all citizens of the Republic of Kosovo during the voting process today, as we call it on the day (Z) where police officials are engaged in sufficient numbers”, police reported.

Police have encouraged citizens for co-operation and to report every case.

While the State Prosecutor is also overseeing this election process.

“Since the seventh morning of today, prosecutors along with the Kosovo Police are engaged, at police stations of four responsible municipalities, to monitor for the long run the election process, which are in a position to react in any case where there is obstruction of the voting process”, the State Prosecutor announced.

Also engaged in this election process are the presiding judges, who were told that “are on alert for each event”.

Svechla: A tendency to cross, elections will produce exemplary governance

Interior Affairs Minister Xhelal Svecla was notified by Mitrovica. In a direct connection to public television, he said there are no incidents and that he expects the day to end peacefully.

I'm in Mitrovica today and we're tracking the situation as far as security issues are concerned. The situation is stable, quiet. We have no incidents, and we expect the day to end peacefully”, Svechla said. He stressed that “sot does not note any tendency for passing the situation”.

Svechla said that in recent days Serbian citizens have become the awesome <x0pression not to come up in the election”.

The minister said that “these elections are different for many reasons”, as far as security is concerned. He said that in recent days Serbian citizens have been given a tremendous <x2-pressure not to come up in the election”, while he added that they expect the number of citizens who will exploit the right to vote.

But despite low turnout, Svechla said today's elections in four northern municipalities would produce exemplary “governance”.

The “will be an exemplary administration or governance of these candidates, who will restore the citizens' trust in the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo and all this boycott will make” unstable, he said.

To offer security, Svecla said the Kosovo Police have never been more prepared to “.

Kryeziu: These choices have legitimacy

Ismet Kryeziu from the NGO network “Democracy in Action” said the circumstances under which today's election process is under way do not guarantee free, fair and equal elections.

“I think that Democracy in Action at the beginning of this process has stated that there are no conditions and circumstances under which we are acting. There are circumstances guaranteeing free, fair and equal elections do not meet election standards. And today in this process, seeing Serbian citizens refuse to participate in elections and the small number that can't pass even fingers, I think this process is more improvised in the electoral process than a process guaranteeing the standards of fair and free choices that include communities”, he said of public television.

In addition to “judicial legitimacy”, Kryeziu said that “this process has neither political legitimacy”.

I don't think that this process to be called fair election process and to guarantee standards and the idea of why elections are being held”, he said.

Brnabeq attacks West, Vuciq satisfied with Serb non-participation

Serbia's prime minister, Ana Brnabiq, has published photos of containers serving as polling stations, expressing in English her indignation about holding elections in the north.

Remember this day. This is the day the last European ghetto is legalised and legitimised. These are the photos that really describe “the rule of law” and the true meaning of the <x3-> democratic selection” in Kosovo and the Metohija supported by the EU and Quinti. One hundred and forty-five, she wrote on Twitter.

While Serbian President Aleksandar Vuciq said low Serb turnout shows that they “will not serve the interests of others”.

Vuciq has named Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti “gauleter”, the term used to describe a senior leader in Nazi Germany.

“Elections are being held today for the occupator gaulet in northern Kosovo, where they aim to establish a government by two per cent. They wanted our consent for all this. I can proudly say that only a few Serbs have emerged in all four municipalities together so far. Serbs will not listen to anyone else and serve the interests of others. They want peace with all, to respect everyone, but above all to fight for the interests of their people”, Vuciq said, Serbian media report.

Voicing satisfaction with the boycott, Vucic said the Serb “dines will react to”.

The leaders of northern Mitrovica, Zvecan, Zubin Potok and Leposaviqi, along with Serbs in several institutions in the country, had resigned in protest of the Kosovo government's decision to reregister Serbian vehicles with illegal license plates at those RKS .

The extraordinary elections were initially scheduled to be held on December 18th of last year, but at the international recommendation, they were postponed amid incidents caused.

The European Union and members of the QUINT group United States, Great Britain, Italy, France and Germany have no longer called for elections to be postponed. They have only this time expressed regret that the Serbian List, which has received over 90 per cent of the vote from the Serb community and supported by Belgrade, has not taken advantage of the right to participate in the elections.