A 12 April 2003 Beta News Agency article stated that the Democratic League of Kosova (LDK) was the party with the most members among Kosovo Albanians and that it remained "committed to achieving independence" for Kosovo.

The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) reports that the LDK retained its leading position in the 23 October 2004 elections in Kosovo, winning 45 percent of the votes and finishing ahead of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), with 29 percent, the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), with 9 percent, and Ora, with 6 percent (1 Jan. 2005). The LDK won 47 seats (ATA 9 Nov. 2004) in the 120-seat legislative assembly (Washington Post 24 Oct. 2004), followed by the PDK with 30 seats, while the AAK had 9 seats and Ora had seven (ATA 9 Nov. 2004). LDK leader Ibrahim Rugova (ibid.; EIU 1 Jan. 2005) is the president of the province of Kosovo (ibid.).

By virtue of the Constitution, the position of Parliamentary Speaker must be awarded to a member of the party with the most seats, in this case the LDK (ATA 9 Nov. 2004). In mid-November 2004, the LDK and the AAK formed a governing coalition (Koha Ditore 28 Jan. 2005; EIU 1 Jan. 2005). The coalition requires the support of several minor parties to obtain a parliamentary majority (ATA 9 Nov. 2004).

The UN Special Representative in Kosovo, Soren Jessen-Petersen, regretted the low turnout of Kosovo Serbs but "praised the organization of the election, which went off without violence" (Washington Post 24 Oct. 2004). BBC News also mentions that the Serb population boycotted the election (25 Oct. 2004).

Information on the treatment of the LDK members by members of other political parties or the population in general was scarce among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

One report from Kosovalive News Agency (KNA) cites sources in the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) as stating, "without revealing the names of [either] the victims [or] those making threats," that "some LDK officials have been threatened" (10 Feb. 2004). KNA adds that some Kosovo leaders consider unsolved political murders to have a negative impact on the political process (10 Feb. 2004). A former prime minister of Kosovo, Bajram Rexhepi, and the PDK chairman, Hashim Thaci, accused UNMIK and the Kosovo Force (KFOR) of favouring the LDK by not solving the murders (KNA 10 Feb. 2004). However, UNMIK and KOFOR representatives denied any bias, and a spokesman for UNMIK police stated that the number of unsolved murders was "very small" and would not affect the elections (ibid.).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

ATA [Tirana, in English]. 9 November 2004. B. Kada. "LDK and AAK on Threshold of Coalition." (FBIS-EEU-2004-1110/WNC/Dialog)

BBC News. 25 October 2004. "Rugova Triumphs in Kosovo Polls." http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3949293.stm [Accessed 26 Jan. 2005]

Beta News Agency [Belgrade, in Serbian]. 12 April 2003. "Kosovo: Democratic League Rejects Proposal of Moratorium on Province's Status." (BBC Monitoring/Dialog)

Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). 1 January 2005. "The Political Scene: Kosovo has a Controversial New Government." Country Report Serbia and Montenegro. (Dialog)

Koha Ditore [Pristina, in Albanian]. 28 January 2005. Sami Kastrati. "Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Denies Buying Post for 180 000 Euros." (BBC Monitoring/Dialog)

Kosovalive News Agency [Pristina]. 10 February 2004. "Kosovo Leaders Say Unsolved 'Political Murders' Affect Elections." (FBIS-EEU-2004-0211/WNC/Dialog)

Washington Post. 24 October 2004. Daniel Williams. "Serbs Boycott Kosovo Elections." http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A57465-2004Oct23.html [Accessed 26 Jan. 2005]

Additional Sources Consulted

Oral sources: Five oral sources from Belgrade (or with offices there) did not provide information within the time constraints of this Response: Council for Human Rights of the Center for Antiwar Actions (CAA), Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia, Institute for Balkan Studies, International Crisis Group (ICG), Lawyers' Committee for Human Rights (YUCOM). A spokesperson with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) could not provide specific information.

Internet sources, including: Amnesty International, Le Courrier des Balkans, Embassy of Serbia and Montenegro in Ottawa, Europa World Yearbook, Kosovo Information Center, Government of Serbia and Montenegro, Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia, Human Rights Watch, International Crisis Group (ICG), Political Handbook of the World 2002, Political Parties of the World 2002, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), WNC.