Kosovo General News thread:

Shots Fired at Kosovo Election Candidate

Pristina | 13 November 2009 | Petrit Collaku

Gun shots were fired at the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, AAK, candidate for Mitrovica's mayor on Thursday evening.

Hysni Ahmeti was alone in his car traveling to Mitrovica to attend an election campaign event, when several shots were fired at his car at the village Supkovc, just before entering Mitrovica. Ahmeti was not hurt.
“There are no suspects and the motives are still unclear,” Besim Hoti, Kosovo police spokesperson for Mitrovica, told Balkan Insight. “There are no reports on people injured, while police noticed two bullet holes in the vehicle,” Hoti added.
The AAK has condemned the event, and has called it a ''murder attempt''. “The AAK, without prejudging the motives and perpetrators of this murder attempt, strongly condemns this criminal act that aimed to take the life of Ahmeti,'' said the party in a statement.
“The AAK will continue its work and engagements dedicated towards the good of the country, democracy and a safer future for all Kosovo people,” it added.
Kosovo’s President Fatmir Sejdiu condemned the attack, calling it ''frightful'' and ''insidious''. Sejdiu called on all political parties and people to refrain from any act threatening people's safety. “I call on all political leaders to influence their members and fans in order to avoid such acts,” Sejdiu said.
This is the second reported incidence of violence just two days before the local elections are to be held in Kosovo.
The first attack happened in Decan when the escort of Kosovo’s prime minister and the leader of Democratic Party of Kosovo, PDK, Hashim Thaci had stones thrown at him.

http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/main/news/23652/

Tension Grows in Kosovo Town After Shooting

Pristina | 24 November 2009 | Petrit Collaku

Gjakova's* municipal building in western Kosovo was fired at in the early hours of Tuesday morning, raising tensions in a town already divided by the recent election.

Kosovo police reported that windows were broken in the attack and that they found 15 shells of 7.62 mm calibre. Police described the case as a ‘threat to public safety’.

The Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, AAK, condemned the attack claiming that it was a criminal act towards Kosovo institutions and called its main political rival in the town, New Kosovo Alliance, AKR, to distance itself from the incident.

"AAK invites all political parties, even those from the opposition in this town, particularly the AKR branch in Gjakova, to distance themselves quickly from this criminal act against Gjakova municipality, a vital institution of Kosovo’s Republic,” AAK statement reads.

Gjakova has been at the centre of electoral fraud claims following the local elections on Sunday.

The preliminary results from the Central Election Commission show that AAK won 52.8 per cent, while AKR gained 40.7 per cent, ensuring the AAK candidate, Pal Lekaj, was elected mayor without the need for a second round.
The candidate from the coalition AKR and Democratic League of Dardania, LDD, Mimoza Kusari-Lila, has accused the AAK of electoral manipulation.
"Representatives of AAK in the Gjakova municipality have ensured a victory without the runoff for their candidate. In fact, this would not happen unless the polling centre would be well managed," said Kusari-Lila in a press conference last week.

She has released a video that shows officials from AAK and the Reformist Party Time, ORA, filling the ballot boxes in Demjan village, ultimately damaging her party’s outcome, she says.

AKR held a protest in Gjakova last week attracting hundreds of protesters.

http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/main/news/23956/