Kosovo's local elections under way
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Voting is under way in the first election in Kosovo since the ethnic Albanian majority state declared independence.
More then 1.5 million people are eligible to vote in Sunday's local election for mayors and local council members in 36 municipalities, including the capital, Pristina.
There are fears that local Serbs will not join the vote.
Hashim Thaci, the prime minister, described the election as an "historical day" as he cast his ballot in the capital.
"I'm sure we'll have success and appreciate very much the participation of all citizens, in particular the Serbs of Kosovo," he said.
Analysts are predicting a low turnout and expect very few Serbs to vote due to pressure by the authorities in Belgrade and the influential Serbian Orthodox Church which have both called for a vote boycott.
Deda said there was a "high awareness of the importance of these elections", adding that "our central elections commission http://myprops.org/content/Potential-feud has done an oustanding job given the challenges it has to organise these municipal elections".
The elections are seen as a test of Kosovo's readiness to organise democratic elections on its own, having been run by the UN until it seceded from Serbia in February 2008.
Fatmir Sejdiu, the Kosovan president, called for a healthy turnout, saying: "This Sunday should prove to the world that Kosovo is a stable country that produces peace and stability in the region."
Kosovo's leaders and international officials have also called for peaceful elections following tensions between rival ethnic Albanian parties.
In the latest incident, Nato peacekeepers removed a hand grenade found outside an opposition party's offices in a northern town on Saturday.
Deda dismissed fears that the Serbs would boycott the election, saying: "The information I got is quite encouraging. We've had in some areas a susbtantial number of Serbs turning out to vote.
"It's better than what we had expected originally. I think the Serbs have understood that in order to improve their daily lives, they must participate in these local elections and have their own legitimate leaderships in the municipalities."
More then 1.5 million people are eligible to vote in Sunday's local election for mayors and local council members in 36 municipalities, including the capital, Pristina.
There are fears that local Serbs will not join the vote.
Hashim Thaci, the prime minister, described the election as an "historical day" as he cast his ballot in the capital.
"I'm sure we'll have success and appreciate very much the participation of all citizens, in particular the Serbs of Kosovo," he said.
Analysts are predicting a low turnout and expect very few Serbs to vote due to pressure by the authorities in Belgrade and the influential Serbian Orthodox Church which have both called for a vote boycott.
Deda said there was a "high awareness of the importance of these elections", adding that "our central elections commission http://myprops.org/content/Potential-feud has done an oustanding job given the challenges it has to organise these municipal elections".
The elections are seen as a test of Kosovo's readiness to organise democratic elections on its own, having been run by the UN until it seceded from Serbia in February 2008.
Fatmir Sejdiu, the Kosovan president, called for a healthy turnout, saying: "This Sunday should prove to the world that Kosovo is a stable country that produces peace and stability in the region."
Kosovo's leaders and international officials have also called for peaceful elections following tensions between rival ethnic Albanian parties.
In the latest incident, Nato peacekeepers removed a hand grenade found outside an opposition party's offices in a northern town on Saturday.
Deda dismissed fears that the Serbs would boycott the election, saying: "The information I got is quite encouraging. We've had in some areas a susbtantial number of Serbs turning out to vote.
"It's better than what we had expected originally. I think the Serbs have understood that in order to improve their daily lives, they must participate in these local elections and have their own legitimate leaderships in the municipalities."
