Incidents in northern Kosovska Mitrovica

KOSOVSKA MITROVICA -- Aleksandar Vu�i� asked the international community on Sunday to "allow Serbia to intervene for 45 minutes and fix the situation in north Kosovska Mitrovica."

(Tanjug)

The deputy prime minister made the comment following an attack by extremists on one polling station during Sunday's local elections, Tanjug was told in Vu�i�'s office.

"Serb extremists broke two ballot boxes in Sveti Sava school as Serbs started going to the polls in a greater number in the evening hours," Tanjug said.

A fight broke out, the Kosovo police used tear gas, and the voting was interrupted.

Members of the OSCE Mission left north Kosovska Mitrovica in about 20 jeeps around 17:15 CET.

According to Tanjug's on-site reporter, "the OSCE staff was really scared, and some of them were carrying helmets and armors."

Unofficially, no one was injured.

Panti� requests hooligans be removed

Krstimir Panti�, Kosovska Mitrovica mayoral candidate of the Citizens' Initiative Srpska, called on Brussels and Belgrade on Sunday afternoon to remove bullies and hooligans from the streets of Kosovska Mitrovica and create conditions for the citizens to go to the polls.

"The first thing that I have to underline is the fact that the turnout of the citizens of Serbian nationality is pretty low. The reasons are numerous, starting with the fact that the international community has not done almost anything to secure fair and free elections and then obstructions from Pri�tina and efforts made by the ones who oppose the elections and try to intimidate the voters," Panti� said at a press conference.

Panti� called for maximum voter turnout in Kosovska Mitrovica in the next few hours in order to prevent ethnic Albanians from assuming power although they constitute a minority in the town.

He expressed resentment over the behavior of the international community on the election day as in spite of the presence of EULEX and Kosovo police bullies and hooligans have been allowed to be in the vicinity of the polling stations, where they threaten, swear and insult all who have decided to cast ballots on Sunday and choose the best option.

Local elections

Local election are being held on Sunday in Kosovo and Metohija, with 103 elections and a total of 7,932 candidates for municipal councilors participating.

33 Serb lists have also been entered. 6,000 policemen are securing the elections, and local and foreign observers are monitoring the voting.

The minister without portfolio in charge of Kosovo, Aleksandar Vulin, on Sunday afternoon warned that "if the turnout trend in the north of the province continued, it could lead to the authorities that Serbs don't want being elected."

The polls closed at 19:00 CET.