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This is funny, the EU can constantly criticize us yet they can applaud Kosovo for election fraud. Its the EU police in Kosovo and still its a haven for criminals.
AUGUSTIN PALOKAJ
Acting Kosovar Prime Minister Hashim Thaci has declared victory for his Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) following the first parliamentary elections to be held in an independent Kosovo. He made the declaration before the country's electoral commission has published the preliminary results.
Exit polls signalled that the PDK had won most of the votes but the victory was overshadowed by reports of serious fraud in two municipalities in the Drenica region, a PDK stronghold. A 94 percent turnout was reported in Skenderaj while in the rest of Kosovo it averaged around 45 percent.
Other parties and NGO observers said such a turnout was impossible in any municipality since one-fifth of Kosovar voters registered on the electoral lists live outside the country. Observers reported that some polling stations had declared turnouts as high as 140 percent.
A statement issued by the US embassy said the ambassador, who had visited some polling stations, had personally witnessed irregularities in Skenderaj. "There were irregularities during the count that the ambassador observed, challenged and reported. The ballots in the box exceeded the number of signatures in the voters book," the statement said.
But the EU welcomed the peaceful way in which the elections had been conducted. High representative Catherine Ashton and enlargement commissioner Stefan Fule congratulated the Kosovar people and authorities for "the calm and orderly manner" in which the ballot was held.
"The participation of the Kosovo people of all communities is very welcome. Now it is up to the competent authorities to certify the results and to deal with complaints and appeals in line with the relevant laws and regulations," Ms Ashton and Mr Fule said in a joint statement.
The two EU officials now expect a new Kosovar government ready to start an EU-mediated dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina very soon.
The elections demonstrated the internal divisions of a society that broke loose from its former Serbian rulers and declared itself an independent state in February 2008. Turnout in the majority Serb areas of the north was around one percent, after the Belgrade government's call for a vote boycott.
However, there was a higher than expected turnout among Serbs in the rest of Kosovo, a sign that divisions run through the Kosovar Serb community as well.
Even if the PDK's victory is confirmed, it will need at least two more parties, including minorities, as coalition partners to create a new government.
AUGUSTIN PALOKAJ
Acting Kosovar Prime Minister Hashim Thaci has declared victory for his Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) following the first parliamentary elections to be held in an independent Kosovo. He made the declaration before the country's electoral commission has published the preliminary results.
Exit polls signalled that the PDK had won most of the votes but the victory was overshadowed by reports of serious fraud in two municipalities in the Drenica region, a PDK stronghold. A 94 percent turnout was reported in Skenderaj while in the rest of Kosovo it averaged around 45 percent.
Other parties and NGO observers said such a turnout was impossible in any municipality since one-fifth of Kosovar voters registered on the electoral lists live outside the country. Observers reported that some polling stations had declared turnouts as high as 140 percent.
A statement issued by the US embassy said the ambassador, who had visited some polling stations, had personally witnessed irregularities in Skenderaj. "There were irregularities during the count that the ambassador observed, challenged and reported. The ballots in the box exceeded the number of signatures in the voters book," the statement said.
But the EU welcomed the peaceful way in which the elections had been conducted. High representative Catherine Ashton and enlargement commissioner Stefan Fule congratulated the Kosovar people and authorities for "the calm and orderly manner" in which the ballot was held.
"The participation of the Kosovo people of all communities is very welcome. Now it is up to the competent authorities to certify the results and to deal with complaints and appeals in line with the relevant laws and regulations," Ms Ashton and Mr Fule said in a joint statement.
The two EU officials now expect a new Kosovar government ready to start an EU-mediated dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina very soon.
The elections demonstrated the internal divisions of a society that broke loose from its former Serbian rulers and declared itself an independent state in February 2008. Turnout in the majority Serb areas of the north was around one percent, after the Belgrade government's call for a vote boycott.
However, there was a higher than expected turnout among Serbs in the rest of Kosovo, a sign that divisions run through the Kosovar Serb community as well.
Even if the PDK's victory is confirmed, it will need at least two more parties, including minorities, as coalition partners to create a new government.
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