Kosovo vote amid ethnic Serb boycott concerns

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.

• Primary Source

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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