[ALBSA-Info] {QIKSH «ALBEUROPA»} NEWS: Rivals each claim lead in Kosovo elections (CNN, October 29, 2000)

[Wolfgang Plarre]

http://www.cnn.com/2000/WORLD/europe/10/29/kosovo.count/index.html

Rivals each claim lead in Kosovo elections

October 29, 2000
Web posted at: 6:00 AM EST (1100 GMT)

PRISTINA, Kosovo -- Counting of votes is continuing in Kosovo with the
two main ethnic Albanian parties both claiming an early lead following
the province's landmark municipal elections. 
     The Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), headed by Ibrahim Rugova,
said on Sunday that it had gained 60-80 percent of the vote in the major
municipalities. 
     But the militant nationalist Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK),
headed by former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) guerrilla commander Hashim
Thaci, said it was leading in five municipalities -- all former KLA
strongholds. 
     Preliminary results from Saturday's elections -- which were
boycotted by the Serb population in Kosovo -- are not expected before
Monday evening, with official results to be announced in eight to 12
days. 
     Despite months of preparation, the election process, organised by
the 54-nation Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, was
often chaotic. 
     Many voters -- including Rugova's wife -- were turned away because
their names were not on rolls, although they insisted they had
registered before the deadline. 
     But United Nations provincial administrator Bernard Kouchner said
he was satisfied. 
     "I am very happy," Kouchner said. "I met with a lot of people. They
voted for the first time in their life in free and democratic
conditions. 
     "There was a massive turnout. There was virtually no violence, no
provocations. There was a wonderful positive spirit. 
     "People of Kosovo, today you made me proud. It was the least
violent day in Kosovo since the U.N. came -- and with dignity and
tolerance and hope for the future." 
     The NATO-led KFOR peacekeeping force, whose 40,000 troops had been
put on duty for the poll, said it was one of the quietest days since the
Serbian province became an international protectorate in mid-1999. 
     Some polling stations stayed open longer than scheduled due to the
large turnout.
     Jeff Fischer, election director at the OSCE, said the turnout was
so high that the last ballot had been cast at 1 a.m. (2300 GMT) instead
of the earlier planned deadline of 7 p.m. (1700 GMT) on Saturday. 
     He could not give exact voting figures or preliminary results,
confirming they would be announced on Monday. 
     Some 5,500 candidates from around 20 parties were standing in the
elections -- all calling for independence for Kosovo. 
     But the polls were boycotted the province's 80,000 Serbian
population, with only 1,000 Serbs registering to vote, compared with
more than 900,000 ethnic Albanians. 
     Kouchner lamented the Serb boycott, saying it was influenced by
Milosevic's regime, but said he would appoint Serbs to municipal posts
later -- and possibly hold by-elections in Serb majority areas. 
     New Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica has declared that Kosovo
remains part of Serbia, while Serbia's government said the elections
were unacceptable because they served "one nation only," the Albanians. 
     The U.N. has administered Kosovo since June 1999 following the
78-day NATO bombing campaign in response to former Yugoslav President
Slobodan Milosevic's crackdown against ethnic Albanian separatists. 

The Associated Press & Reuters contributed to this report.
© 2000 Cable News Network.


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