(1 Dec 2013) North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) peacekeepers heightened security in north Kosovo early on Sunday, as voters cast their ballots in the run-off for the first mayor of the Serb-run part of the ethnically split city of Mitrovica.
The second round of voting was scheduled after no candidate managed a 50 per cent threshold for outright victory in the first run-off on 17 November.
Elections have been held under tight security, after a vote on 3 November was derailed when masked men attacked staff and destroyed voting materials.
The incident was blamed on hardline Serbs who fear the vote endorses Kosovo's 2008 secession from Serbia.
NATO peacekeepers and the European Union (EU) justice mission members said they would support Kosovo police to prevent any further violence.
"We hope Serbia will stand by us as it has in the past. And we hope to win in these elections, as I am sure we will," said Mitrovica resident Milica Putnik.
The two main contenders going head to head on Sunday are hardline leader Krstimir Pantic and moderate Oliver Ivanovic.
Both candidates have said they will move to declare a Union of Serbian municipalities in Kosovo, a body that will give more autonomy to minority Serbs.
Past elections were boycotted, but Serbia agreed to support the vote as part of an EU-mediated deal with Kosovo to normalise relations.
On 17 November the turnout was said by officials to have been 22 per cent.
After casting his ballot, Pantic said he was convinced Serbia will continue backing the Serb minority.
"I expect that the citizens of Mitrovica will show their support for the politics of the Republic of Serbia," said Pantic.
"And I expect from the ones responsible for the voting to show seriousness and not cast any doubts on the electoral process at any time."
The plan to declare a Serbian municipalities Union has raised fears amongst ethnic Albanians that such a union would attempt to secede from Kosovo and return to Serbian rule.
Tensions are high between ethnic Albanian rival parties in several regions, including the capital Pristina.
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