“Test of democratic maturity” for Kosovo

The international community views this as a test of Kosovo’s democratic maturity.

Polls suggest caretaker Prime Minister Hashim Thaci’s governing PDK party is ahead by a small margin in the country’s first election since independence in 2008.

They and their former coalition partners-turned-rivals the LDK, led by Isa Mustapha, have promised to lift the country out of poverty, bring unemployment down from its near-50 percent threshold and tackle rampant corruption.

The poll has highlighted Kosovo’s lingering ethnic divisions. Many Serbs are boycotting the vote, urged on by Belgrade which refuses to acknowledge Pristina’s autonomy.

Hopes were high back in 2008 when independence was declared. But since then, despite absorbing billions of euros in aid, Kosovo has made little economic progress of its own.

The arrest of the governor of the Central Bank back in July was a step in the right direction but as yet has had little impact.

Kosovo has the youngest population in Europe. Analysts are warning of more strife between the majority Albanians and minority Serbs if prospects do not improve.

Concerns over the economy have now replaced independence from Serbia as the main issue for voters.

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