Newsroom
OSCE announces results: Kosovo elections within European standards
PRISTINA 28 October 2002
PRISTINA, 28 October 2002 - The Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Ambassador Pascal Fieschi, has announced the partial results from Saturday's Municipal Assembly elections.
The figures represent 87 per cent of the ballots cast in the elections. A full list of results can be obtained on the OSCE Mission in Kosovo website at www.osce.org/kosovo/elections.
"Overall the figure of participation looks better than the first estimate," said Ambassador Fieschi. "It demonstrates a remarkable participation in some municipalities as a result of political competition. The electoral process has been commended by international observers, and is well within European standards."
Ambassador Fieschi also took the opportunity to commend the great work done by local election officials: "They are the reason for the success of the elections."
"This is a good sign for future elections in Kosovo with increased local administration. Political parties, their leaders and their supporters, need now to respect the result and to move forward to take Kosovo into the future. The electorate has vested a great trust in your hands - an Assembly for self government - it is important that you use it wisely," he said.
The overall preliminary turnout in the elections, in which 1.32 million people were eligible to vote, was 54 per cent. However, turnout figures vary significantly across Kosovo's municipalities. Some municipalities even saw higher turnout than previous elections. In Kosovo, overall provisional figures reflect approximately a 58 per cent turnout, while the out-of-Kosovo turnout, including Serbia and Montenegro, was 14 per cent.
Counting is still going on at the Count and Result Centre. Ballots that were cast outside Kosovo and cast prior to Election Day are still being tabulated. Also still being scrutinised are the so-called conditional ballots. These allowed a person to vote if they had proof that they were registered voters but when their name could not be found on the final voters' list of the Polling Centre they visited.
The final result will be presented to the Central Election Commission and then will be certified by the UN Special Representative, Michael Steiner.
The figures represent 87 per cent of the ballots cast in the elections. A full list of results can be obtained on the OSCE Mission in Kosovo website at www.osce.org/kosovo/elections.
"Overall the figure of participation looks better than the first estimate," said Ambassador Fieschi. "It demonstrates a remarkable participation in some municipalities as a result of political competition. The electoral process has been commended by international observers, and is well within European standards."
Ambassador Fieschi also took the opportunity to commend the great work done by local election officials: "They are the reason for the success of the elections."
"This is a good sign for future elections in Kosovo with increased local administration. Political parties, their leaders and their supporters, need now to respect the result and to move forward to take Kosovo into the future. The electorate has vested a great trust in your hands - an Assembly for self government - it is important that you use it wisely," he said.
The overall preliminary turnout in the elections, in which 1.32 million people were eligible to vote, was 54 per cent. However, turnout figures vary significantly across Kosovo's municipalities. Some municipalities even saw higher turnout than previous elections. In Kosovo, overall provisional figures reflect approximately a 58 per cent turnout, while the out-of-Kosovo turnout, including Serbia and Montenegro, was 14 per cent.
Counting is still going on at the Count and Result Centre. Ballots that were cast outside Kosovo and cast prior to Election Day are still being tabulated. Also still being scrutinised are the so-called conditional ballots. These allowed a person to vote if they had proof that they were registered voters but when their name could not be found on the final voters' list of the Polling Centre they visited.
The final result will be presented to the Central Election Commission and then will be certified by the UN Special Representative, Michael Steiner.