Kosovo PM, Serbian party leader vote in local elex

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti cast his ballot on Sunday at municipal elections in which the ruling party, which has been in government for eight months, is aiming to capture the city hall of the capital, Pristina.

"As Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo together with my government, I promise that I will work and cooperate very closely with all the municipalities in order to strengthen the local governance," Kurti said after casting his vote.

About 1.9 million voters are casting ballots to elect mayors for 38 municipalities and some 1,000 town hall lawmakers.

Preliminary results are expected by midnight. In previous polls many of the communes have gone to runoffs, which take place in a month's time.

The main contest will be for Pristina City Hall for which the governing left-wing Self-Determination Party, or Vetevendosje!, has nominated its former health minister, Arben Vitia.

In North Mitrovica, Serb List candidate and leader Goran Rakic said, "As you can see for yourself the citizens of North Mitrovica from this morning came voting in their masses to cast their vote."

Electing local leaders in the north of the country, populated by a predominantly ethnic Serb minority, will attract much attention amid soaring tensions between Kosovo and Serbia following two incidents in the last two months.

Earlier this week Kosovo police clashed with ethnic Serbs during an anti-smuggling operation, and last month an issue over vehicle license plates was only resolved after mediation from the European Union and the United States.

KFOR (The Kosovo Forces) were deployed to the area, ending the spat.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 but Serbia doesn't recognise the move.