08/12/2010 (Agence Europe) - S&D Group calls for democratic elections. Next Sunday's parliamentary elections (12 December) in Kosovo, the first since the unilateral declaration of independence on 17 February 2008, must comply with international democratic standards and create conditions to move the country and the Balkan region as a whole forward, said the vice-president of the Socialist Group (S&D) of the European Parliament, Hannes Swoboda, in a press release published on 8 December. His colleague Jutta Steinruck, who will be part of the EP electoral observation mission on the ground, also stated that these elections constitute an excellent opportunity for the Kosovars to show the international community that they are capable of holding elections which comply with international and European values. (H.B./transl.fl)