KOSOVO: SERBIAN PARALLEL MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRISTINA 000351 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/SCE, DRL, INL; NSC FOR HELGERSON E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL KV SR SUBJECT: KOSOVO: SERBIAN PARALLEL MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS REF: PRISTINA 146 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY. ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Special Serbian parallel municipal elections held in Kosovo on August 16 resulted in a lower than expected voter turnout. The Government of Kosovo downplayed the significance of these elections, notwithstanding substantial opposition and media criticism. END SUMMARY. PARALLEL MUNICIPAL POLLS HELD IN KOSOVO -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Elections were held August 16 to replace the parallel municipal governments of Pristina and Peja/Pec that had been disbanded April 3 by the Serbian government due to allegations of misuse of funds and unauthorized hiring (reftel). The elections for Pristina were held at 25 polling stations in the nearby Kosovo Serb enclave of Gracanica, and those for Peja/Pec were held at eight polling stations in the Kosovo Serb enclave of Gorazdevac. An additional 70 stations were opened for internally displaced persons (IDPs)/refugees in the Republic of Serbia. Turnout in Gracanica was 34 percent of the 10,397 registered to vote there, while turnout in Peja/Pec was a robust 65 percent of 1,017 voters. Tomislav Nikolic's Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) appeared to be headed for a plurality in Pristina (Gracanica) while a coalition around the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) led by current Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dacic seemed headed for a plurality in Peja/Pec, though results of IDP voting were not reported. TURNOUT FAILS TO MEET EXPECTATIONS -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Although some GOS representatives in Kosovo told us they expected a high turnout, this did not come to pass. Goran Arsic, CCK Chief for central Kosovo and an official of Serbian President Boris Tadic's Democratic Party (DS) told us on August 12 he expected an 80 percent turnout among Kosovo Serbs. He repeated his comments the next day to Kosovo Radio and Television. Randjel Nojkic, former Kosovo MP and director of the Serbian Post and Telecom office in Gracanica told USEP on August 17 that the turnout was low and less than expected. (Comment and note: while the issue of relations between Serbian parties is one for analysis from Embassy Belgrade, Nojkic said that the results in Gracanica would make it hard for the SNS to form a governing coalition. End comment and note.) GOK OFFERS MEASURED STATEMENTS -------------- ¶4. (SBU) No actions were taken by the GOK to block the parallel elections. Although Ramush Haradinaj's opposition AAK voiced strong opposition to allowing the elections to take place, and there was substantial criticism in the media, official reaction in the lead-up to, and following the elections was muted. The GOK spokesperson called the elections a "joke," and said the GOK would declare any Serbian elections in Kosovo invalid. While Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuci called on Kosovo Serbs not to participate, he indicated the government would not stop the elections from taking place. Presidential spokesperson Xhavit Beqiri stated on August 14 that no one should use force to stop the parallel elections from taking place, and that the GOK would continue to behave "responsibly and maturely." COMMENT -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Though the turnout by Kosovo Serbs in the August 16 parallel elections in Gracanica was lower than some contacts expected, the roughly 3,500 voters/34 per cent who came to the polls set fairly high thresholds for future Kosovo elections there. When inaugural polls are held in the new Kosovo Municipality of Gracanica, turnout should approach PRISTINA 00000351 002 OF 002 or exceed these levels or the election risks serious claims of lack of legitimacy. According to the best data available to us at this time, the share of Kosovo Serbs likely to vote does not exceed ten per cent. Yesterday,s elections are just one more reason why Kosovo,s November 2009 municipal elections should be held in its 33 extant municipalities only. END COMMENT MURPHY