Kosovo’s first independent elections are being hailed a success – with some minority Serbs ignoring calls to boycott the polls.

“Everybody Wins” and “Festive Sunday” were headlines that summed up the mood in the capital Pristina Blerina Rizvanolli, a resident of Pristina said: “I mean the election in Kosovo has been democratic and fair and I also mean Kosovo proved to be a new state.” Ethnic Albanian Shyqri Nici said: “We expected changes and I think that we reached that goal, God willing, and the best part is that minorities also took part, especially the Serb minority.” In Mitrovica, a northern Serb enclave, there was little if any participation but in Gracanica 23 per cent of Serbs there did take part in the elections -seen as a key test of the fledgling nation’s viability. Hours after the polls closed, Prime Minister Hashim Thaci claimed his party had won in 20 of the 36 municipalities.More about: Kosovo

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