UN hails Kosovo election 'success'

Few serious violations were reported

The international community has hailed Kosovo's first parliamentary election under UN rule as a huge success, just hours after polls closed.

The region's administrators said there were few serious violations or disruptions, despite some intimidation of Serb voters by hardliners campaigning against the election.

Rugova: Likely to be president

Official results will not come through for a few days, but the party of moderate Albanian leader Ibrahim Rugova is expected to emerge as the strongest, with Mr Rugova filling the new post of president.

The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which organised the vote, said turnout was around 63% among all eligible voters.

Turnout has been high among ethnic Albanians - who form the majority in the province - and also unexpectedly among Serbs, despite a reluctance by some to take part.

Some Serb leaders have been calling for a boycott, branding the assembly as a symbol of the Albanian march to independence.

UN officials have been hoping a high turnout could promote reconciliation between the two communities and lend credibility to Kosovo's new parliament in the eyes of the international community.

The 120-seat parliament will choose a president and approve a government with limited powers to run departments such as health, education, transport and culture. But it will not have the right to declare independence.

Long road

The BBC's Paul Anderson, who is in the capital Pristina, says for Kosovo's Albanian majority the election marks the end of a long road.

The last parliament was disbanded in Slobodan Milosevic's brutal crackdown on Kosovo in 1989.

Albanians, Serbs, other communities have to overcome the hatred, they also have to accept that their future is together here in Kosovo

Hans Haekkerup
UN mission chief

Albanians went underground, electing their own president to run their own affairs.

Now they will have international legitimacy concurred on their choice for representatives.

But UN mission chief Hans Haekkerup says the assembly's powers will not stretch to declaring independence and will be instrumental in helping people overcome hatred between their communities.