Loyal Serbs to turn their back on elections

Article reports that Kosovo’s elections on the 17 November 2007 threw into sharp focus the de facto partition on the ground that has yet to be addressed in negotiations over the future status of the disputed province. Ethnic Serbs, the largest minority, were expected to overwhelmingly boycott the voting for the 120-seat assembly in Pristina, the provisional capital of the ethnic Albanian-dominated province, UN and EU officials admit.

A party led by a former Kosovo Albanian guerrilla leader, Hashim Thaci, won the election, according to unofficial results. He promised to declare formal independence from Serbia after 10 December 2007 - the UN deadline for Albanians and Serbs to reach a deal.

IFES: Election Guide: Kosovo http://www.electionguide.org/countries/id/253/

Wikipedia: Kosovan parliamentary election, 2007 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosovan_parliamentary_election,_2007

BIRN: Press Release, 16.11.07: Serbia Supports Kosovo Poll Boycott http://www.birn.eu.com/en/113/15/5838/

Deutsche Welle, 18.11.07: Former Rebel Leader Vows to Bring Independence to Kosovo http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,2931322,00.html

Deutsche Welle, 16.11.07: Calls for Independence Dominate Kosovo Elections http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,2929386,00.html

BBC News, 17.11.07: Kosovo votes in general election http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7099040.stm

BBC News, 17.11.07: Kosovo's long-lasting legacy of war http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/7097022.stm

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