Residents of four Serb-majority municipalities vote on removing Albanian mayors from office

By FLORENT BAJRAMI and LLAZAR SEMINI
Associated Press

PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — Residents of four Serb-majority municipalities are casting their votes in a referendum on removing their ethnic Albanian mayors from office following last year’s mayoral elections, overwhelmingly boycotted by the Serb minority. The referendum — supported by the West — is an attempt to diffuse tensions between Kosovo and its neighboring Serbia. However, Kosovo’s main ethnic Serb party, Srpska List which has close ties with Belgrade, has called to boycott Sunday’s poll. For the mayors to step down, a majority vote is needed. Some 46,500 residents in four municipalities in North Mitrovica, Zvecan, Leposavic and Zubin Potok are expected to vote in 47 polling stations.