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Vienna, 31 August 2007 – Kosovo’s leaders and UNMIK head Joachim Ruecker agreed Thursday (July 26th) that local and parliamentary elections will take place in Kosovo in November. Although there are some concerns that elections could be an obstacle to resolving Kosovo’s status, the two processes can move together, Ruecker said after meeting with Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu. The exact date for the vote has not been selected.
Sejdiu promised that the authorities “will closely monitor the status process” to ensure the elections do not interfere. He stressed that Kosovo’s government, parliament and negotiating team will continue their work until the vote, and that there is no danger of an institutional vacuum.
“Kosovo Assembly will not be dissolved at the moment of the announcement of parliamentary and local elections,” Sejdiu said.
He added that the assembly, the negotiating team and Kosovo’s government will carry on with their respective duties, and cease functioning two days before elections.
“In that way all institutions will have legitimacy. Once the electoral results are officially proclaimed, the new assembly will hold its inaugural session,” Sejdiu said.
The mandate of the Kosovo Assembly will expire this November.
Parliamentary elections were to be held in November 2006, but then UNMIK chief Soren Jessen-Petersen postponed them due to, as it was said at the time, “negative effect they could have on the status settlement.”
ECIKS