Opposition Democrats claim Kosovo victory
Turnout at lowest since 1998-99 war
PRISTINA, Serbia - Hashim Thaci, leader of the opposition Democratic Party of Kosovo, claimed victory in the parliamentary election yesterday, making him the man likely to lead the breakaway province to independence from Serbia.
"With our victory today begins the new century," Thaci told cheering supporters, six hours after polls closed. Unofficial results tallied by independent observers pointed to a narrow majority that will leave Thaci looking for coalition partners in order to form a government.
His party, formed from the Kosovo Liberation Army that rebelled against Serbia in 1998, captured roughly 35 percent of the vote in an election marred by record low turnout and a Serb boycott in protest of Albanian independence plans.
In second place was the long-dominant Democratic League of Kosovo, with about 22 percent, followed by four other ethnic Albanian parties.
All back a quick move to independence from Serbia for the breakaway province.
It has been under United Nations rule and NATO protection since 1999.
But in a sign that many voters see little difference in their ability to improve daily life beyond a declaration of statehood, less than half the electorate of about 1.5 million turned out to vote, the lowest showing since the 1998-99 war.
"This is not about independence. Turnout was low because people are depressed. This is about the economic situation - no water, no electricity, no jobs," said analyst Berat Buzhala of the daily Express.
UN administrator Joachim Ruecker and election commission chief Mazllum Baraliu said turnout was 40 to 45 percent.
The Serb minority staged an overwhelming boycott, under orders from Belgrade not to legitimize a parliament threatening to declare independence within weeks.
"These elections are not about Kosovo's status," said Thaci, 39, who is now favored to become Kosovo's new premier.
"We will declare independence immediately after Dec. 10," Thaci said.
That is the date for a report by Russian, United States, and European Union mediators on efforts to find a compromise between Serbia and Kosovo's 90 percent ethnic Albanian majority.
There is no glimmer of a deal. Two negotiating sessions are set for Brussels and Vienna in the coming week.
Political analyst Agron Bajrami said low Albanian turnout suggested "people have grown tired over the past eight years with the lack of status or progress in their everyday lives."
"Most of the parties . . . have not convinced voters they have a solution to a situation most people consider a crisis." 