Kosovo Serbs voted in Serbia’s presidential elections
(All monitored broadcasters, Klan Kosova & KTV)
All TV broadcasters covered Serbia’s presidential elections in Kosovo held on Sunday.
Kosovo Serb citizens exercised their right to vote in 90 polling centres that were opened at 07:00hrs on Sunday morning. Four vote collection centres were open within the territory of Kosovo, respectively in Mitrovica/Mitrovicë, Leposavic/Leposaviq, Strpce/Shtërpce and Gracanica/Graçanicë. After casting their votes, Serb citizens said that they expect positive changes in the future.
The Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Ambassador Jan Braathu, visited vote collection centre in Mitrovica/Mitrovicë north. Braathu said that these are not elections but, as he said, it is a vote collection process that is being done in agreement with Kosovo institutions.
90 polling stations have been opened in 20 different locations; while according to information from the OSCE, there are over 106.000 Kosovo Serbs that have the right to vote.
In its main news edition Klan Kosova reported that majority of polling centres were closed by 20:00hrs on Sunday and that no major irregularities were reported.
Klan Kosova also reported that after the request of Serbian Republic Electoral Commission, the entire election material will be transported to Serbia, and it will be counted in Raska and Vranje.
Kosovo Police announced that it has designed a special plan to ensure transport of the election material to Serbia and avoid potential incidents.
The election process was enabled and monitored by the OSCE, whose officials facilitated this process, RTK1 reported.
Online media reported late on Sunday that according to the OSCE data, voter turnout in Serbian elections in Kosovo was 39.2 per cent.
In the later news editions, TV broadcasters reported that leader of Serbian Progressive Party and Serbian Prime Minister, Aleksandar Vucic, declared his victory in the presidential elections held in Serbia on Sunday.
According to the polls, Aleksandar Vucic got over 50 per cent of votes and won elections in the first round of voting.
KFOR supported Serbian elections in Kosovo
(Kallxo.com)
KFOR reported that it has offered support to the OSCE, Kosovo Police, and EULEX for welfare of voting in Serbian presidential election.
The international peacekeeping force in Kosovo (KFOR) informed that it has contributed to an effective execution of the Serbian elections in Serb populated Kosovo, in support of OSCE and local security providers.
“While KFOR static and mobile presence was guaranteed in vicinity of the eight most important collection centres identified by OSCE, coordination with the Kosovo Police, EULEX, and OSCE was excellent,” this Force said in a press release.
“In accordance with its current mandate, KFOR continues to act impartially, prudently and firmly to contribute to the maintenance of a safe and secure environment for all the people of Kosovo,” the release ends.
COMKFOR: KSF transformation a political issue
(Klan Kosova)
Commander of KFOR, Giovanni Fungo, considered political situation in Kosovo as stable. COMKFOR also commented transformation of Kosovo Security Force (KSF) into an Army, stressing that this is a political issue and that KFOR is not involved in this process, Klan Kosova portal reported.
He said that KFOR remains committed to guaranteeing of peace in Kosovo.
“KFOR is committed to preserve peace and stability and to have a multi-ethnic Kosovo as stipulated in Resolution 1244,” COMKFOR Fungo said.
Haradinaj: Court might decide in coming weeks
(Most monitored broadcasters, RTK1)
AAK leader, Ramush Haradinaj, said he doubts that on Thursday the Court in Colmar will take decision on his extradition to Serbia.
“You may never know, but my feeling is that they will not rush. Court will look into information requested by Belgrade, and decision might be taken in the coming weeks,” said Haradinaj in an interview for AFP.
Two Albanians attacked in Mitrovica/Mitrovicë north
(Most monitored broadcasters, Klan Kosova)
Two Albanians have been physically attacked by a group of Serbs in Mitrovica/Mitrovicë north. The incident happened at around 17:30hrs on Sunday while the two young Albanians were walking in the centre of Mitrovica/Mitrovicë north town.
Kosovo Police spokesperson for Mitrovica/Mitrovicë north, Besim Hoti, confirmed the incident to Klan Kosova.
“Two Albanians have been attacked by a group of Serbs while they were taking a walk. No gunshots were fired, while the two victims suffered minor injuries. Motives of the attack are not known; however, according to the victims, they were attacked because they were Albanians,” Hoti stated for Klan Kosova.
Quoting KosovaPress news agency sources, KTV portal reported that attackers are members of a so-called “Mosto-klinci” [Bridge-Kids] group.
“Two Albanians have been punched and kicked without any reason by several young persons while they were walking through Sumadija square. At the moment of the attack, the victims were speaking Albanian between them,” sources told KosovaPress.
No one has been arrested in relation to this incident yet.
PDK and LDK have not submitted proposals on electoral reform
(TV21 & RTK1)
Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi announced that he will soon submit the proposals of political entities on electoral reform to the Assembly. But political parties have not submitted any proposals on this issue because, according to them, aside from the initial initiative there was no continuation of the process.
Besides the opposition parties, who boycotted the electoral reform initiated by President Thaçi, the ruling coalition partners PDK and LDK said that there was no extensive work done by the Working Groups established by the President, aside from the initial initiative.
PDK caucus leader Zenun Pajaziti said that they are ready to discuss a proper electoral reform, but he stressed that they cannot do this without the involvement of all political parties in this process.
“It was an initiative of the President that not all political parties were willing to join. We are ready to sit and discuss everything that we can do to amend the electoral system on the interest of citizens. If all political parties do not have the will to do this, then it is impossible only for us to do it,” said Pajaziti.
He confirmed that his political entity did not submit its proposals on electoral reform, because, according to him, there were no roundtables on this issue, and they did not have an address where to submit their proposals.
LDK MP Sadri Ferati also says that except the initial initiative no extensive work was done by the Working Groups. He says that LDK did not submit its proposals because, as he said, there was no continuance of President’s initiative.
However, civil society claims to have submitted its proposals in this process initiated by President Thaçi.
Albert Krasniqi of Kosovo Democratic Institute says that they have recommended lowering or removing the electoral threshold for independent candidates.
Opposition parties have boycotted this process from the start and announced that they will also oppose this initiative in the Assembly.
Apostolova: Freedom of expression based on fact-checking
(TV21& Klan Kosova)
On the occasion of International Fact-Checking Day, Head of the European Union Office in Kosovo Nataliya Apostolova said that office she leads is interested to support Kosovo media, Klan Kosova portal reported.
“It is our interest to develop and support Kosovo media in line with our principles. Freedom of expression is based on finding verified facts and offer the real truth about the issues to the public,” said Apostolova.
German Ambassador to Kosovo Angelika Viets said that free media that report correctly are the fundament of democracy, adding that citizens need true facts. Viets urged media outlets to be responsible in their reports.
