UN chief urges peaceful completion of Kosovo elections

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon on Tuesday called for the peaceful completion of Kosovo elections, and urged an immediate investigation into attacks on polling stations.

"The Secretary-General is encouraged by the initial assessments of the municipal elections held on Nov. 3 throughout Kosovo made by the Central Election Commission, local and international observers, as well as the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo," said a statement issued here by Ban's spokesperson.

Ban welcomed the active participation of the Kosovo population, including the Kosovo Serbs, in the elections, which he said was "a key element of implementation" of the April 19 agreement between Serbia and Kosovo, under which Serbs should participate in local elections organized by Kosovo in exchange for the right to form the Association of Serb Municipalities, which would have extensive authorities in self-governance, economic development, health, and education.

The UN chief also condemned attacks on a number of polling stations in northern Mitrovica, including physical threats against election officers and voters, as well as the destruction of electoral devices, according to the statement.

Ban strongly deplored "any attempts to undermine the electoral process and the fundamental right of people to express their democratic will," while urging an immediate investigation of the attacks and calling on all parties concerned to work to ensure the peaceful completion of the electoral process in an atmosphere free of intimidation and violence.

Polling stations opened Sunday morning across Kosovo for election of heads of municipalities and representatives of local assemblies. The elections were the first for Kosovo Serbs since the region unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in 2008. Serbia refuses to accept Kosovo's independence.