Preševo Valley votes on a joint list: over 12,000 voters in Preševo by early afternoon

Albanians of Preševo, Bujanovac and Medveđa voted on Sunday in Serbia’s snap parliamentary elections on a single list, the “Albanian Coalition,” number 17 on the ballot, which brings together eight Albanian parties.

Turnout through the day

According to Bujanovac’s Municipal Election Commission, cited by the local portal Bujanovačke and Albinfo, 6,133 people had voted by 12 p.m. The municipality has 44,665 registered voters and 59 polling stations. Commission chairman Leon Memeti said all polling stations opened at 7 a.m.; a damaged ballot box in Sejacë and a lack of lighting in Llillancë were fixed during the morning.

Klan Kosova reporter Altiana Zogaj reported that after a slow morning, more than 12,000 people had voted in Preševo past midday, with a similar picture in Bujanovac and no irregularities reported. In her view, with such high turnout one or two Albanian seats are likely.

Appeals from Pristina and Tirana

In the morning, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti urged Albanians in the Valley to vote en masse. “Discrimination, exclusion and oppression demand a firm democratic response,” he said, also asking Kosovo Albanians with voting rights in these municipalities to return home to vote. Similar appeals came from President Justina Shiroka-Pula and Assembly Speaker Albulena Haxhiu.

Albania’s Foreign Minister Ferit Hoxha also urged Albanians in the Valley to take part, telling them that “your voice carries weight.” Before the elections, list leader Shaip Kamberi had said turnout of up to 70% would give the coalition a good chance at a second seat.