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Democratic Party claims Kosovo victory
With our victory today begins the new century, Thaci told cheering supporters, six hours after polls closed. Partial results pointed to a 12 percent margin of victory, but well short of a parliamentary majority. We showed that Kosovo is ready to move forward towards freedom and independence, said Thaci, whose Democratic Party of Kosovo, PDK, was formed from the Liberation Army, which rebelled against Serbia in 1998. The PDK captured roughly 35 per cent of the vote in a ballot marred by record low turnout and a Serb boycott to protest against Albanian independence plans. Beaten into second place was the long-dominant Democratic League of Kosovo of late Kosovo independence icon Ibrahim Rugova, which won around 22 percent. All parties back a quick move to independence from Serbia for the breakaway province, which has been under United Nations rule and NATO protection since 1999. But in a sign that many voters see little difference in their ability to improve daily life beyond a declaration of statehood, less than half the electorate of some 1.5 million turned out to vote, the lowest showing since the 1998-99 war. These elections are not about Kosovos status, said Thaci, who is now clear favourite to become Kosovos new premier. We will declare independence immediately after Dec. 10. That is the date for a report by Russian, United States and European Union mediators on efforts to find a compromise between Serbia and Kosovos 90 percent ethnic Albanian majority. There is still no glimmer of a deal. Two negotiating sessions are set for Brussels and Vienna in the coming week. The election for the 120-seat Kosovo parliament is the third since NATO intervention in 1999. The campaign was dominated by party pledges to tackle 60 percent unemployment, minimal foreign investment and rampant corruption. The bid for statehood was never in question. Posted by: Steve White 2007-11-18 |
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| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=207933 |