Polls close in new vote in Serb-dominated Kosovo districts
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 17 November 2013 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Polls close in new vote in Serb-dominated Kosovo districts, 17 November 2013, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/52e658db8.html [accessed 6 June 2023] |
| Comments | All reference to Kosovo should be understood in full compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244. |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
November 17, 2013
By RFE/RL's Balkan Service
Voters prepare to cast ballots in the municipal elections at a polling station in the ethnically divided city of Kosovska Mitrovica on November 17.
PRISTINA – Polls have closed in a Serb-dominated town in Kosovo after a previous vote there was annulled due to violence.
Voters on November 17 elected local mayors and councilors at three polling stations in the town of Mitrovica, where masked Serbian ultranationalists destroyed ballot boxes and intimidated voters during the previous elections on November 3.
The authorities ramped up security to deter attempts to harass voters or invalidate ballots. Increased numbers of Kosovar and EULEX police along with NATO-led peacekeepers in Kosovo (KFOR) were deployed at the polling stations.
Zeljko Bojic, a Serbian commander of Kosovo police, warned that "any provocation or intimidation will not be tolerated."
Ahead of the vote, the U.S. ambassador to Kosovo told RFE/RL that security would be ramped up to deter attempts to harass voters or invalidate ballots.
Tracey Ann Jacobson said there will be increased numbers of Kosovar and EULEX police along with KFOR soldiers at the polling stations.
She said a lot of progress was made at the November 3 elections and that police were investigating 34 people accused of electoral fraud.
Polling stations opened at 7 a.m. and closed 12 hours later.
Results are expected during the course of the week.
With reporting by AFP and Reuters
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
