By KUNA,
Sarajevo : According to initial results of Kosovo’s local elections, the Democratic Party of Kosovo under Premier Hashim Thaci is with a slight lead, said head of the Central Election Committee (CEC) Nesrin Lushta Monday.
Lushta said the vote yesterday was of a special taste of democracy with scores of Kosovo’s Serbs casting their vote in the first election process organized by the Kosovar government.
The official told a press conference in Pristina that the vote was smooth and problem-free, including in the northern regions where the minority Serbs reside, and she hailed the Serb citizens for taking part in the elections despite the attempts of Serbia to convince them of a boycott.
In the remarks carried by Radio Kosovo, Lushta also said the fact that Serbs in more than 15 towns in the north actually cast vote indicates a positive change of position regarding Kosovo’s independence.
The Serbs, in nine constituencies, are now able to pick their representatives and have legal representation for their interests in a democratic manner in the fledgling state, she added.
Over 700,000 people cast vote in 2,000 polling centers across the country Sunday to pick representatives in 36 local councils in Kosovo.
Kosovo declared independence in mid February 2008.
Calling the new state “illegal entity”, Serbian officials have warned they will downgrade relations with any foreign government that recognizes Kosovo’s independence.