BRUSSELS
Kosovo leaders ordered a re-run of elections in three regions of Mitrovica after voting was disrupted due to attacks by extremist groups.
During talks mediated by EU High Commissioner for foreign policy Catherine Ashton, Kosovan Prime Minister Hashim Thaci and his Serbian counterpart Ivica Dacic agreed to repeat the local elections in three election centers.
Dacic urged Kosovan Serbs to take part in the upcoming elections, in a press statement he made after the talks on Wednesday. He warned, otherwise, Albanians may win elections in municipalities with a Serbian majority, leading to new conflicts.
Despite the calls to take part in elections, some people in Serbian minority of Kosovo had concerns that their voting would legitimize the independent state of Kosovo. Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in 2008.
Ashton also said that the EU would speed up negotiations for a breakthrough agreement in April envisaging Kosovan and Serbian normalization.
Next EU-mediated meeting of Thaci and Dacic is set for December 5, following second round of elections in Kosovo.
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