Kosovo: Candidates cast votes in snap polls

By Ekip, Talha Ozturk

BELGRADE, Serbia (AA) - The three prime ministerial candidates of Kosovo cast their votes in the sixth parliamentary elections of Europe's youngest country.

They cast their ballots in the capital Pristina.

Democratic League of Kosovo's (LDK) candidate Avdullah Hoti called on citizens to come out to vote while self-determination Movement's (LVV) candidate Albin Kurti said that people should vote for their country.

The voting process started at 7 a.m. local time (0600GMT) and will continue until 7 p.m. (1800GMT).

Democratic Party of Kosovo's (PDK) candidate Enver Hoxhaj said the voters will decide the future of Kosovo.

The snap election comes after the Constitutional Court ruled the parliamentary vote that saw Avdulah Hoti installed as prime minister was invalid because a lawmaker who made the new government's majority possible, Etem Arifi, was convicted of fraud.

Nearly 1.8 million registered voters will cast votes at nearly 882 polling stations, according to Kosovo's Central Election Commission.

The Assembly of Kosovo is made up of 120 deputies, 10 of whom are representatives of the Serbian community and 10 from other minority communities.

The Turkish community has two seats in parliament.

The former Serbian province of Kosovo declared independence on Feb. 17, 2008, and is recognized by more than 100 countries, including the US, the UK, France, Germany, and Turkey.