Kosovo vote amid ethnic Serb boycott concerns

Author (Corporate)
Series Title
Series Details 03.11.13
Publication Date 03/11/2013
Content Type

Municipal elections were held in Kosovo on the 3 November 2013.

Ethnic Serbs were encouraged by both Kosovan and Serbian authorities to take part for the first time since independence was unilaterally declared by Kosovo from Serbia in 2008. Kosovar Serbs were concerned that if they voted it would legitimise the independent state of Kosovo.

The vote was seen as a test of the country's political maturity as it sought peace with Serbia and closer relations with the EU.

However, France24 and other sources reported that the elections were marred by violence and low turnout, undermining the fragile EU-brokered agreement between the Balkan country and Serbia.

Deutsche Welle reported on the 7 November 2013 that fresh elections were to be held in ethnic Serb areas in northern Kosovo after the violence and intimidation of a few days earlier.

Source Link Link to Main Source http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24792859
Related Links
ESO: Background information: Kosovo on Serbia row: 'Much ado about nothing' http://www.europeansources.info/record/kosovo-on-serbia-row-much-ado-about-nothing/
Deutsche Welle, 03.11.13: Kosovo holds key municipal elections http://dw.de/p/1AAkj
EU: EEAS: EU relations with Kosovo http://eeas.europa.eu/kosovo/
EEAS: Press Release, 31.10.13: Statement by EU High Representative Catherine Ashton ahead of Kosovo elections http://eeas.europa.eu/statements/docs/2013/131031_02_en.pdf
France24, 03.11.13: Local elections in Kosovo marred by violence http://www.france24.com/en/20131103-kosovo-local-elections-marred-violence-low-turnout
BBC News, 03.11.13: Kosovo votes amid violence and ethnic Serb boycott fear http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24798397
ESO: Background information: Facilitated dialogue in the Balkans vindicates the EEAS http://www.europeansources.info/record/facilitated-dialogue-in-the-balkans-vindicates-the-eeas/
OSCE: OSCE Mission in Kosovo http://www.osce.org/kosovo
OSCE: Press Release, 02.11.13: OSCE Head of Mission condemns physical assault on candidate for Mitrovica/Mitrovicë North mayor http://www.osce.org/kosovo/107764
OSCE: Press Release, 31.10.13: OSCE Secretary General calls on Belgrade and Pristina to ensure smooth running of municipal elections in northern Kosovo http://www.osce.org/sg/107725
Euronews, 04.11.13: Violence in Kosovo election undermines Belgrade’s attempts to normalise relations with Pristina http://www.euronews.com/2013/11/04/violence-in-kosovo-election-undermines-belgrade-s-attempts-to-normalise-/
EUObserver, 04.11.13: Violence fails to stop first ever Kosovo-wide election http://euobserver.com/foreign/121969
Deutsche Welle, 03.11.13: Polling station attacked as Kosovo votes http://dw.de/p/1AAyZ
EurActiv, 04.11.13: Kosovo elections marred by violence http://www.euractiv.com/enlargement/kosovo-elections-marred-violence-news-531485
Toute l'Europe: Revue de presse, 04.11.13: Municipales au Kosovo: le test de normalisation voulu par l’UE se heurte à la résistance des Serbes http://www.touteleurope.eu/actualite/revue-de-presse-municipales-au-kosovo-le-test-de-normalisation-voulu-par-lue-se-heurte-a-la-r.html
Politika / Koha Ditore, 04.11.13: Violence in the north, fireworks in Pristina (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/news-brief/4293151-violence-north-fireworks-pristina
Der Standard, 05.11.13: Election chaos ruins chances in Kosovo (via Euro|Topics) http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/aehnliche/archiv_article/ARTICLE132903-Election-chaos-ruins-chances-in-Kosovo
Delo, 05.11.13: Kosovo remains a Gordian knot (via Euro|Topics) http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/aehnliche/archiv_article/ARTICLE132912-Kosovo-remains-a-Gordian-knot
EEAS: Press Release, 05.11.13: Statement by EU High Representative Catherine Ashton on the elections in Kosovo http://eeas.europa.eu/statements/docs/2013/131105_01_en.pdf
Deutsche Welle, 05.11.13: Election violence in Kosovo hits Serbs hardest http://dw.de/p/1ACJJ
Deutsche Welle, 07.11.13: Kosovo’s Serb north to vote again http://dw.de/p/1ADY2
Blog: LSE EuroppBlog, 13.11.13: Kosovo’s troubled local elections highlight the problems caused by leaving the territory’s legal status unresolved http://bit.ly/18q2lG5

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