Second vote in Kosovo confirms ruling party win

Jan 10, 2011, 19:23 GMT

Pristina - A re-run of the December parliamentary election in select towns and cities of Kosovo has confirmed the victory of Prime Minister Hashim Thaci's party, officials said Monday.

However final results will have to await yet a third vote in one municipality.

Voters in five municipalities went to the polls on Sunday for a repeat of the December 2010 election because of evidence of widespread fraud.

Thaci's Democratic Party (PDK) remained the clear winner after Sunday's balloting, with 32 per cent of votes cast, compared with 33.5 per cent in the December election, according to preliminary results released by Kosovo's Central Election Commission.

Second place was taken by the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), with 24.7 per cent of the vote, a slight increase over the December result. The LDK is currently in a coalition government with the PDK.

Third and fourth place were taken by Self-Determination (Vetevendosja) and the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), with 24.7 per cent and 12.6 per cent respectively.

The percentages are based on numbers from the re-vote, together with valid results from the December poll.

The commission said that a third repeat vote needs to be conducted in Mitrovica and will take place on January 23.

Observers from the European Parliament on Monday voiced concern about certain aspects of Sunday's election.

'Although the vote took place in an overall calm atmosphere, reports of electoral fraud and intimidation were brought to the attention of the Delegation,' they said in a statement.

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