Kosovo Elections

The former Kosovo Albanian guerrilla leader Hashim Thaci declared victory Sunday, Nov. 18, in Kosovo's parliamentary polls and immediately repeated the promise that independence from Serbia is coming shortly.

"A new era is starting," Thaci said early Sunday. "The citizens of Kosovo have sent a message to the world that we are a democratic country and society."

With votes from 90 percent of polling stations counted, the Democracy in Action group said Thaci's PDK was leading with 34 percent, beating the once-dominant Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) into second place with 22 percent, Reuters reported.

Thaci said the polls showed the province was ready for independence from Serbia -- a view that regularly receives high support among Kosovo's majority ethnic Albanian population.

Status talks to continue

The vote was held just days before an important set of negotiations in Brussels to decide the future status of the southern Serbian province, whose independence Belgrade's fiercely opposes. Chances of a breakthrough, however, are slim.

"I don't think anyone is that hopeful of a breakthrough on Tuesday," one diplomat told Reuters, adding that EU members would in try to overcome national differences on whether to recognize any future Kosovo independence claim.

LDK, the largest party in the province, formed 18 years ago by the late creator of the Kosovo Albanian independence movement Ibrahim Rugova, was punished by voters and collected only 22 percent of the votes.

LDK is, however, expected to remain in power as the junior partner in a grand coalition, as Albanian leaders will want to forge a strong government quickly in time for the end of a round of UN-sponsored talks on Kosovo's status with Serbia on Dec. 10.

Albanian politicians are united in the view that Kosovo must become independent immediately and their compatriots, who make up 90 percent of the 2 million Kosovars, think the same.

Low voter turnout

The newcomer Alliance New Kosovo (AKR), founded by millionaire businessman Behgjet Pacolli in 2006, came in third with 12 percent of the votes and may also figure in a future coalition.

The elections were marred by a record low turnout of 45 percent, which was attributed to disillusionment of voters not only just by the elusive sovereignty, but by everyday issues which include huge unemployment, poverty and even regular power blackouts.

"Turnout was low because people are depressed," said analyst Berat Buzhala of the daily Kosovo Express. "This is about the economic situation -- no water, no electricity, no jobs."

Ethnic Serb boycott

Saturday's poll, which included voting for 30 municipal assemblies and mayors, was also marked by the comprehensive boycott by the provinces 120,000 ethnic Serbs. Nearly all of them followed Belgrade's orders and kept away from polling stations. Many fear they would be driven out of an independent Kosovo.

The boycott, however, meant the Serbs lost control over the five municipalities with mixed population in which they were a majority. The situation in the exclusively-Serb municipalities is unclear.

By comparison, in 2001 Serbs had won 11.3 percent of the votes and, with seats guaranteed for minorities, they had 22 representatives. In the upcoming assembly they may take only the 10 seats reserved for them, Belgrade analysts said.

Saturday's elections were the third since a UN administration and a NATO peacekeeping force assumed control over Kosovo in mid-1999.