VZCZCXRO4462
OO RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSL RUEHSR RUEHVK
RUEHYG
DE RUEHPS #0351/01 2291622
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 171622Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY PRISTINA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9209
INFO RUEHBW/AMEMBASSY BELGRADE IMMEDIATE 0042
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK PRIORITY
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1707
RHFMIUU/AFSOUTH NAPLES IT PRIORITY
RHMFISS/CDR TF FALCON PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEPGEA/CDR650THMIGP SHAPE BE PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC PRIORITY
RUZEJAA/USNIC PRISTINA SR PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRISTINA 000351 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/SCE, DRL, INL; NSC FOR HELGERSON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL KV SR
SUBJECT: KOSOVO: SERBIAN PARALLEL MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS 
 
REF: PRISTINA 146 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY. 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  Special Serbian parallel municipal 
elections held in Kosovo on August 16 resulted in a lower 
than expected voter turnout.  The Government of Kosovo 
downplayed the significance of these elections, 
notwithstanding substantial opposition and media criticism. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
PARALLEL MUNICIPAL POLLS HELD IN KOSOVO 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Elections were held August 16 to replace the 
parallel municipal governments of Pristina and Peja/Pec that 
had been disbanded April 3 by the Serbian government due to 
allegations of misuse of funds and unauthorized hiring 
(reftel).  The elections for Pristina were held at 25 polling 
stations in the nearby Kosovo Serb enclave of Gracanica, and 
those for Peja/Pec were held at eight polling stations in the 
Kosovo Serb enclave of Gorazdevac.  An additional 70 stations 
were opened for internally displaced persons (IDPs)/refugees 
in the Republic of Serbia.  Turnout in Gracanica was 34 
percent of the 10,397 registered to vote there, while turnout 
in Peja/Pec was a robust 65 percent of 1,017 voters. 
Tomislav Nikolic's Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) appeared 
to be headed for a plurality in Pristina (Gracanica) while a 
coalition around the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) led by 
current Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dacic seemed headed 
for a plurality in Peja/Pec, though results of IDP voting 
were not reported. 
 
TURNOUT FAILS TO MEET EXPECTATIONS 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Although some GOS representatives in Kosovo told us 
they expected a high turnout, this did not come to pass. 
Goran Arsic, CCK Chief for central Kosovo and an official of 
Serbian President Boris Tadic's Democratic Party (DS) told us 
on August 12 he expected an 80 percent turnout among Kosovo 
Serbs.  He repeated his comments the next day to Kosovo Radio 
and Television.  Randjel Nojkic, former Kosovo MP and 
director of the Serbian Post and Telecom office in Gracanica 
told USEP on August 17 that the turnout was low and less than 
expected.  (Comment and note: while the issue of relations 
between Serbian parties is one for analysis from Embassy 
Belgrade, Nojkic said that the results in Gracanica would 
make it hard for the SNS to form a governing coalition.  End 
comment and note.) 
 
GOK OFFERS MEASURED STATEMENTS 
------------------------------ 
 
¶4.  (SBU) No actions were taken by the GOK to block the 
parallel elections.  Although Ramush Haradinaj's opposition 
AAK voiced strong opposition to allowing the elections to 
take place, and there was substantial criticism in the media, 
official reaction in the lead-up to, and following the 
elections was muted.  The GOK spokesperson called the 
elections a "joke," and said the GOK would declare any 
Serbian elections in Kosovo invalid.  While Deputy Prime 
Minister Hajredin Kuci called on Kosovo Serbs not to 
participate, he indicated the government would not stop the 
elections from taking place.  Presidential spokesperson 
Xhavit Beqiri stated on August 14 that no one should use 
force to stop the parallel elections from taking place, and 
that the GOK would continue to behave "responsibly and 
maturely." 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  Though the turnout by Kosovo Serbs in the August 
16 parallel elections in Gracanica was lower than some 
contacts expected, the roughly 3,500 voters/34 per cent who 
came to the polls set fairly high thresholds for future 
Kosovo elections there.  When inaugural polls are held in the 
new Kosovo Municipality of Gracanica, turnout should approach 
 
PRISTINA 00000351  002 OF 002 
 
 
or exceed these levels or the election risks serious claims 
of lack of legitimacy.  According to the best data available 
to us at this time, the share of Kosovo Serbs likely to vote 
does not exceed ten per cent.  Yesterday,s elections are 
just one more reason why Kosovo,s November 2009 municipal 
elections should be held in its 33 extant municipalities 
only.  END COMMENT 
MURPHY