Kosovo Serbs in Mitrovica cast ballot again to elect town officials

Voters in the northern, Serbian part of Mitrovica town in Kosovo province, are casting their ballot once again to elect town officials on Sunday, as the election day two weeks ago was interrupted by violent incidents. On Nov. 3, masked extremists stormed voting poll in Sveti Sava elementary school in Kosovska Mitrovica, breaking the voting boxes, and harassing the election staff before they were dispersed by Kosovo police with help of tear gas. During the past weeks, the Serbian government pleaded on Kosovo Serbs to participate in elections for the first time since Kosovo unilaterally declared independence in 2008, but was faced with fierce opposition of some far right Serbian political parties and groups in North of Kosovo. The Serbian government opposes the independence of Kosovo, but regarding participation in elections was effected by the agreement Belgrade officials signed in Brussels in April 2013, which opened prospects of EU integration for Serbia in exchange for normalization of relations with Kosovo. This normalization process included participation of Kosovo Serbs in election processes organized by Pristina.