Kosovo’s president orders new elections in 4 Serb-dominated communities

Kosovo’s president, Hashim Thaci, has ordered four Serb-dominated communities to hold new municipal elections on May 19. Thaci said Monday the decision was taken “following consultations with political parties.” The move may aggravate already tense ties between Kosovo and Serbia, AP said. Four mayors from the Serb-dominated northern municipalities in Kosovo resigned in November to protest the Kosovo government’s 100-percent tariff on goods imported from Serbia. Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj has resisted international calls and said the tariff will only be lifted when Belgrade recognizes Kosovo’s sovereignty and stops preventing it from joining international organizations. Serbia says it won’t take part in EU-mediated talks on normalizing ties with Pristina until Kosovo lifts the tax.