PRISTINA -- European Union election monitors say that despite outbreaks of violence in the Serb-dominated north, attempts to sabotage Kosovo's municipal elections had failed.
Roberto Gualtieri, the head of the EU monitors, on November 5 condemned attacks on three polling stations in northern Mitrovica. But he said that the fact that some Serbs did vote showed an EU-brokered agreement on normalizing relations between Belgrade and Pristina is working.
U.S. State Department spokesperson Marie Harf said the voting went ahead "despite intimidation and violence aimed at blocking the democratic process."
The November 3 election was the first time voters in all of Kosovo were asked to choose local leaders since Kosovo seceded from Serbia in 2008.
According to preliminary results, some 22 percent of Serbs in the north cast ballots. Kosovo election officials said they would begin the process of verifying ballots from the four Serb-dominated municipalities in the north later on November 5.
Roberto Gualtieri, the head of the EU monitors, on November 5 condemned attacks on three polling stations in northern Mitrovica. But he said that the fact that some Serbs did vote showed an EU-brokered agreement on normalizing relations between Belgrade and Pristina is working.
U.S. State Department spokesperson Marie Harf said the voting went ahead "despite intimidation and violence aimed at blocking the democratic process."
The November 3 election was the first time voters in all of Kosovo were asked to choose local leaders since Kosovo seceded from Serbia in 2008.
According to preliminary results, some 22 percent of Serbs in the north cast ballots. Kosovo election officials said they would begin the process of verifying ballots from the four Serb-dominated municipalities in the north later on November 5.
