Brussels, 05/11/2013 (Agence Europe) - EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton, responding to the results of the local elections on 3 November in Kosovo, announced on 5 November a further meeting with the Serbian prime minister, Ivica Dacic and his Kosovan counterpart, Hashim Thaci. This meeting will take place on Wednesday 6 November in Brussels and will “discuss the next steps in the electoral process as well as the next steps in the implementation of the April Agreement” (reached on 19 April).
Incidents during election must be investigated “without delay”
In a press release, Ashton strongly condemned “the violent incidents in polling stations of Mitrovica north” during the elections. She pointed out that “all voters have the right to participate in elections in a safe and secure environment, free of violence” and said that the incidents should be investigated “without delay”. The Serbian minister responsible for Kosovo-Metohija, Aleksandar Vulin, said on 4 November that the Serbian citizens who had provoked the riots and prevented the elections taking place would be held accountable for their actions as soon as sufficient evidence had been gathered. He stated that the call to boycott the elections had failed.
Ashton congratulated the OSCE and EU observation mission and emphasised that “their assessment confirms that in most parts of Kosovo the elections took place in an orderly manner”. She also congratulated the voters in Kosovo for their participation in the elections, which were “crucial for Kosovo's future”. (CG/transl.fl)