Elections send Kosovo talks into ‘final stage’

The EU has expressed its disappointment after Kosovo Serbs boycotted parliamentary elections over the weekend, and urged the parties concerned to engage constructively in negotiating the final status of the Serbian province.

In a statement on 18 November, the EU foreign policy representative, Javier Solana, welcomed the fact that elections to Kosovo’s parliament were conducted “in line with international standards”. 

Former guerrilla leader Hashim Thaci and his Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) won 35% of the vote, ahead of 22% for the ruling Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), in Saturday’s (17 November) elections.

However, the high representative also expressed his concern over “the low turnout, which reflects a widespread dissatisfaction of the population with the political elite”.
Voter turnout hit a record low, with only 43% of the 1.5 million voters casting their ballot. 

A boycott lead by the Serb minority living in Kosovo added to the weak participation rate. “I regret the non-participation of the Kosovo Serb community and Belgrade’s calls for a boycott,” Solana said.

Thaci had promised during the election campaign to “immediately” declare independence after the 10 December deadline for the current round of talks if he was elected. But the EU wants to give the talks a last chance before any unilateral move is made. “We urge the democratically elected authorities to work constructively for a sustainable status settlement as well as to facilitate progress on European integration,” Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn stated on 18 November.

Albanian leaders are pushing for an independent status for the Serbian province. But while the US has voiced its support for an independent Kosovo, the EU – which is to take over from UN supervision – remains divided over a possible recognition of an independent Kosovo. EU foreign ministers are to pass conclusions on Kosovo when they meet in Brussels today (19 November 2007).

Negotiations on the future status of Kosovo are now entering a the final phase ahead of the 10 December deadline, when the Contact Group is to report back to the UN. The Contact Group includes the UK, France, Italy, Germany, the US and Russia, but the current round of talks is led by a troika made up of EU, US and Russian representatives, facilitating talks between Belgrade and Pristina.

A final settlement of the status of Kosovo remains uncertain after negotiations at the UN Security Council failed. Russia had earlier rejected a UN resolution that would give de facto independence to the Serbian province, which has been under international surveillance since 1999.

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