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U.S. Ambassador: Repeat Kosovo Elections Will Be Secure


Police gather outside a polling station in a school after unknown persons attacked the site during the municipal elections in the ethnically divided city of Kosovska Mitrovica on November 3.
Police gather outside a polling station in a school after unknown persons attacked the site during the municipal elections in the ethnically divided city of Kosovska Mitrovica on November 3.
PRISTINA -- The U.S. ambassador to Kosovo says increased security at repeat elections in northern Mitrovica will deter attempts to harass voters or invalidate ballots as occurred earlier this month.

Tracey Ann Jacobson told RFE/RL on November 14 that "there will always be extremists" but many people are working "to create a more calm security presence" for voters on November 17 at the three precincts in the northern part of Mitrovica that gangs raided and spoiled the vote in during nationwide municipal elections on November 3.

Ethnic Serbs who oppose Kosovo's independence are in the majority in that part of Kosovo.

Jacobson said there will be increased numbers of Kosovar and EULEX police along with KFOR soldiers at the polling stations.

She said a lot of progress was made at the November 3 elections and that police are investigating 34 people accused of electoral fraud.

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