Around the World: Kosovo

First local elections

Kosovo went to the polls yesterday for the first time since declaring independence from Serbia last year, with parties pledging to tackle unemployment, corruption, poor infrastructure and weak foreign investment.

The dominant groupings are Prime Minister Hashim Thaci's Democratic Party of Kosovo and President Fatmir Sejdiu's Democratic League of Kosovo, which are coalition partners in the government. Few expect the winners of the local elections to change the 40 percent unemployment rate and create jobs for 30,000 young people who enter the job market every year. "The independence issue is over, and people need jobs now," said Hasim Canolli, 60, after voting.