Washington D.C. – Ranking Member Eliot Engel, the senior Democratic member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, released the following statement regarding Kosovo’s recent municipal elections.

“I want to congratulate the citizens of the Republic of Kosovo who went to the polls on Sunday, November 3, to vote in municipal elections. The voting process was, in general, transparent, well-managed, and orderly, and turnout was relatively high throughout Kosovo. As such, these elections represent a significant step forward for Kosovo’s young democracy, the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia, and Kosovo’s path toward Euro-Atlantic integration.”

“However, I also strongly condemn the violence on election day in several locations in northern Kosovo. I call on the authorities to swiftly investigate and prosecute the perpetrators, who sought to prevent citizens from exercising their fundamental right to freely elect their representatives. I also urge the authorities in Belgrade to cooperate fully with Prishtina and EULEX in any investigation. Nevertheless, it is important to note that these incidents do not detract from what otherwise was a successful electoral process which will advance the prospects for stability and democracy in Kosovo and the wider region.”

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