First official results in Kosovo election announced
(Lubomir Kotek/OSCE)Counting started as soon as the polls
closed. (Lubomir Kotek/OSCE) Photo details
PRISTINA, 19 November 2001 (OSCE) - The Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Ambassador Daan Everts, has announced the preliminary results of the Assembly Election held on Saturday, 17 November.
The figures show that the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) won 46.29 per cent of the vote; the next largest percentage went to the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) with 25.54 per cent, while the newly-formed Kosovo Serb political entity, Coalition Return, came in with 10.96, the third highest percentage. The third-largest Kosovo Albanian political entity, the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), received 7.82 per cent.
"This was an extraordinary election", Mr. Everts said. "It has been highly commended by the international observers. Let's hope that the next stage - the implementation of the results - is also an example for the world."
"Political parties, their leaders and their supporters, now need to respect the result and to move forward to take Kosovo into the future. The electorate has vested great trust in your hands - an Assembly for self-government - and it is important that you use it wisely", the Head of the OSCE Mission said.
The turnout in the election, in which 1.25 million people were eligible to vote, was 63 per cent. Among the Kosovo Albanian community, the turnout was 65 per cent while in the Kosovo Serb community within Kosovo the turnout was 46 per cent. In Serbia proper, the turnout was 57 per cent, and in Montenegro it was 56 per cent.
Counting is still continuing at the OSCE Mission in Kosovo's Count and Result Centre outside Pristina, Kosovo's capital. Ballots which were cast outside Kosovo are still being tabulated. One planeload of ballots is due to arrive in Kosovo on Tuesday, 20 November. In addition, the so-called "conditional ballots" are still being scrutinized. These allowed a person to vote if they had proof that they were registered voters but their name could not be found on the final voters' list of the polling centre when they visited it.
The final result will be presented to the Central Election Commission and will then be certified by the Head of the United Nations Mission in Kosovo, Hans Haekkerup. The Provisional Assembly has to meet within a month of the certification of the final results.
The figures show that the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) won 46.29 per cent of the vote; the next largest percentage went to the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) with 25.54 per cent, while the newly-formed Kosovo Serb political entity, Coalition Return, came in with 10.96, the third highest percentage. The third-largest Kosovo Albanian political entity, the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), received 7.82 per cent.
"This was an extraordinary election", Mr. Everts said. "It has been highly commended by the international observers. Let's hope that the next stage - the implementation of the results - is also an example for the world."
"Political parties, their leaders and their supporters, now need to respect the result and to move forward to take Kosovo into the future. The electorate has vested great trust in your hands - an Assembly for self-government - and it is important that you use it wisely", the Head of the OSCE Mission said.
The turnout in the election, in which 1.25 million people were eligible to vote, was 63 per cent. Among the Kosovo Albanian community, the turnout was 65 per cent while in the Kosovo Serb community within Kosovo the turnout was 46 per cent. In Serbia proper, the turnout was 57 per cent, and in Montenegro it was 56 per cent.
Counting is still continuing at the OSCE Mission in Kosovo's Count and Result Centre outside Pristina, Kosovo's capital. Ballots which were cast outside Kosovo are still being tabulated. One planeload of ballots is due to arrive in Kosovo on Tuesday, 20 November. In addition, the so-called "conditional ballots" are still being scrutinized. These allowed a person to vote if they had proof that they were registered voters but their name could not be found on the final voters' list of the polling centre when they visited it.
The final result will be presented to the Central Election Commission and will then be certified by the Head of the United Nations Mission in Kosovo, Hans Haekkerup. The Provisional Assembly has to meet within a month of the certification of the final results.