A major explosion happened in Obiliq/Obilic, at the power plant Kosova A. So far, three casualties are reported. The police confirmed this number of casualties. The explosion frightened the population of Obliq/Obilic who reported damages of their houses. In the meantime, a major number of KEK employees were sent at the emergency of the University Clinical Center of Kosovo. Officials there did not say if the number of casualties or injured, and only stated that the number of the workers who requested health care is minor.

The paper’s editor-in-chief Agron Bajrami writes that most of the promises made in the election campaign were of economic and social nature while political issues, like the north or dialogue with Serbia, were pushed to the margins of discussions. Even the EU integration was viewed more from the administrative and economic aspect as if everything depended on fulfillment of technical criteria and the will of the government in Pristina.

The Head of the European Union (EU) Office in Kosovo, Samuel Zbogar, noted in a front-page interview, that the upcoming elections will be the first since the successful completion of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the EU and Kosovo, and it is normal to expect that European standards will be upheld in the voting process. “If there is political will, Kosovo can have elections in accordance with European standards”, said Zbogar. He added that the way these elections are held will also determine how Kosovo’s EU integration process will proceed.

Germany and its partners will have zero tolerance towards any fraud that could happen in this Sunday’s elections, said the German Ambassador to Kosovo, Peter Blomeyer. He stressed that it would have been better if Kosovo had approved election reforms before actually heading to the polls, but last year’s local elections showed that the process can be free and fair even without the reforms in place. “This requires goodwill from all participants in order to strictly respect rules and ensure a regular election process”, said Blomeyer.

KTV’s editor-in-chief Adriatik Kelmendi claims that if candidates running in upcoming elections were really as they portray themselves to be Kosovo would not be in the state it is – one of the least developed countries in Europe.

Kelmendi says that everything seen during this election campaign is easily compared to a beauty contest but warns the voters not to be deceived by the beauty of the promises they are hearing stressing that their memory should be longer than the ten-day campaign.

Kosovo’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tried to nominate Sami Lushtaku’s lawyer, Ingo Rich, Consul of Honor in Duinsburg. Minister Enver Hoxhaj gave his approval for this decision, however, the idea and the effort remained only an attempt, because Germany did not allow this, being that Ingo Risch is a German citizen.

British Ambassador Ian Cliff, in a front-page interview for the paper, said that election fraud, as it happened in 2010, would be a setback for democracy in Kosovo and a very bad thing for its European integration. However, he said that the last local elections had given him hope that the upcoming ones would be free and fair. “If the message of political parties reaches activists on the ground that fraud is unacceptable, then I think we will have free and fair elections”, said Cliff.

Halil Matoshi today writes of reasons why the 8 June vote should go to the Democratic League of Kosovo. He says that LDK governance would not be revolutionary or miraculous but would be a significant and permanent change in the good of the citizens.

Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci called today for free, fair and democratic elections on 8 June. Thaci told the government meeting today that on 8 June the will of the people needs to be respected and that this would prove the consolidation of the state of Kosovo.

Thaci thanked all citizens and political parties for a peaceful campaign and open competition. “I think that through this campaign the society of Kosovo is showing that we are fostering our democracy and proving that the state of Kosovo has a safe future,” he added.

The President of the Republic of Kosovo, Atifete Jahjaga, hosted today the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Mr. Edmond Mulet.

President Jahjaga informed Mr. Mulet about general developments in Kosovo, the dialogue process with Serbia, and the early general elections, which will be held this Sunday. She stressed that all citizens should exercise their right to vote and elect their legitimate representatives.