UNMIK/PR/418

PRESS RELEASE - 16 November 2000

First Municipal President Elected

PRISTINA – The first President and Vice President of one of Kosovo’s newly inaugurated municipal assemblies have been elected.

Elected members in Novo Brdo/Novo Berde voted in the two officials at the first sitting of the assembly. Both jobs went to PDK members which had won 50 percent of the vote in the municipality. The LDK candidate for present lost by 10 votes to 7 after three rounds of voting.

The two nominated Serb representatives and one Roma delegate were present at the ceremony. As appointed members they are not entitled to vote for the president, but they are allowed to participate in all other votes.

The newly elected president pledged to work for ethnic reconciliation and with the two opposition parties – the LDK and the AAK – to ensure that democracy consolidates in Novo Brdo/Novo Berde.

Under the Regulation on Self Government the first meeting of the assembly has to take place 15 days after the election results have been certified. November 16th was the first day on which the meeting could take place.  But it is not necessary to elect immediately the President and Vice President.