TIRANA, Nov. 19 – Albania’s top leaders hailed the elections held in Kosova as a show of democracy and also determination toward independence.
Kosova Albanians have shown their determination to break away from Serbia by backing the party of former separatist guerrilla Hashim Thaci in parliamentary elections, the Albanian government said.
“The citizens of Kosovo have voted for the installation of democratic institutions, the rule of law and independence for their country,” the Albanian government said in a statement after Saturday’s vote.
Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha and opposition leader Edi Rama sent messages of congratulations to Thaci, whose Democratic Party of Kosovo was well ahead of its rivals with 34 percent of the vote.
Berisha had phone conversations with Thaci and also Kosova President Fatmir Sejdiu on Monday.
Thaci has promised Kosovo Albanians, who comprise 90 percent of the Serbian province’s two million people, that he would declare independence at the end of the latest round of negotiations on Kosovo’s status late next month.
“These elections are not the victory of one party but of all the Albanian people of Kosovo, because it’s the democratic Kosovo which has won, the free and de facto independent Kosovo,” Rama said.
President Bamir Topi hailed the maturity shown from the Kosovar voters and political parties which he considered as the “most stable proof it is not different from the other people of free Europe.”
“Through a civil electoral campaign and impartial electoral process (they) proved they are capable of taking the responsibility of this country,” said Topi.
“Kosovars are determined in their road toward Brussels,” said Parliament Speaker Jozefina Topalli. “They showed they are capable of self-governing in a democratic way.”
“Kosova proved that the road of democratic process is irreversible, that the citizens’ free vote not only consolidated achievements but also undertaking of decisive steps together with the international community for the recognition of its final status and the creation of the necessary conditions for the new state of Kosovo to be included in the nations’ family,” said the foreign ministry in a statement.
