Elections are taking place in Serbia today. The most touching situation is in Kosovo
Parliamentary elections are taking place in Serbia today. The most touching situation is in the region of Kosovo captured by Albanian separatists. In Serbian enclaves, people go to the polling stations as if it were a holiday - with flags and songs.
In total, there are about 100 thousand Serbian voters in Kosovo out of 1 million 800 thousand inhabitants of this region separated from the country. 140 polling stations are open to Serbs. Members of election commissions working in them are equipped with masks and gloves, as well as disinfectants, taking into account the quarantine measures in force in the region in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Direct control over the election process is carried out by the OSCE; this organization involved about five hundred of its employees and volunteers for this purpose. After the polling stations close, it is the OSCE members who will deliver the ballot boxes to the territory controlled by Belgrade - to the cities of Raska and Vranje for the counting of votes.
The sites themselves are guarded by the so-called “Kosovo police”, which, as OSCE representatives say, closely cooperates with them.
The highest voter turnout is observed in Kosovo (North) Mitrovica, Leposavici, Gracanica, Gnjilane, Lipljan.
“All polling stations are open on time, and, according to the information I have, the voting process is going well,” commented the leader of the local Serbian List party, “Minister of Administration and Local Government” of Kosovo, Goran Rakic. “The high turnout from early morning is a clear indicator that today is a day of democracy.”
“Every day our lives must improve, Serbian refugees must return to their native lands, have more opportunities to find work, Serbian communities must develop and establish stronger ties with Belgrade,” said the mayor of Gracanica, Srdjan Popovic, about the election-related hopes of the Kosovo Serbs.
PolitNavigator will continue to monitor the progress of voting day in Serbia.
Serbia is holding elections today. The most poignant situation is in Kosovo.