The following is the full text of the Prime Minister’s remarks:

Firstly I would like to thank you, the journalists, for your ongoing coverage of this election period, including the campaign, Election Day and the reporting of election results. Thank you very much, personally and on behalf of the Government, for your untiring and high-quality work.

Today everyone in Kosovo should be very proud of our country’s success, for the success we have achieved in the local elections – the first held in independent, sovereign, democratic and multi-ethnic Kosovo. These are the first local elections in independent Kosovo, organized at the highest European and Western standards. The organization has been excellent – as I said yesterday and as I re-emphasize today – Kosovo has proven itself to be a champion of democracy in the region.

The local elections have definitely gone beyond their parameters.

Everyone took part in these elections. Proposals were put forward for the benefit of all the people of Kosovo, for the entire political spectrum, for all communities.

These elections were a referendum and a vote of confidence for the good governance in Kosovo.

The people and the institutions of Kosovo passed the test of democracy in independent and democratic Kosovo.

The local elections of November 15th were free, fair and democratic elections, with free competition, which were carried out with great maturity throughout the election campaign, on Election Day and with the administration of voting, as well as in the reporting of election results and the unanimous acceptance of the election results by the entire political spectrum.

Kosovo won, the people of Kosovo and the State of Kosovo were victorious.
 
It is particularly encouraging – and I thank all of Kosovo's citizens – for turnout in numbers greater than those in 2007.

I must thank everyone in the country, and all political parties and independent candidates, for their participation in these elections, elections which were for all communities.

I particularly thank, and I encourage in their new government position, the local authorities from the Serbian community who are now legitimate in a number of municipalities. I, as Prime Minister, the Kosovo Government and the Kosovo institutions are committed to implementing the Ahtisaari Plan.

Kosovo showed a mature democratic culture and a culture of state-building in these elections.

Kosovo demonstrated high standards, as these elections were organized by us locals, with international advice and full support.

This is the success of the State of Kosovo; we thank our international friends for their extraordinary support.

On behalf of the Government, I thank the entire international community, the United States of America, the European Union, all local and international monitors.
 
Today congratulations have been offered to the State of Kosovo, to our local institutions, for the people of Kosovo's mature culture of democracy. This includes messages of congratulations from Washington, from the European Union and from the authorities who work here in Kosovo, including the ICO. All of them consider that the elections had the highest European standards, the highest Western standards; they consider them excellent elections.

I want to thank the Central Election Commission. It has worked in a way that can be a model to others; it has worked to create a very good base for Kosovo’s democratic future.

I also want to thank the Kosovo Police for their very professional work, for their advice and suggestions, for their active participation in this national process. This is important for every Kosovo citizen.

I want to thank Kosovo civil society and the independent media – who showed professionalism decisiveness and bravery – in their meticulous work.

I want to re-emphasize that we are demonstrating a good example of our commitment, of the consolidation of our new state.
These elections have powerfully consolidated the Government and all its institutions.

With the full and effective success of our institutions, of our people – with these elections – we have come closer to Kosovo’s integration into the European Union and NATO.

We will continue with democratic reforms across the board, in politics, the economy and legislation. 

The Republic of Kosovo will soon have visa liberalization for all its citizens, along with trade relations and dialogue on Stabilization and Association.

We will continue with the highest standards of government, with good governance, with the rule of law, an uncompromising fight against negative phenomena, zero tolerance for corruption, with close cooperation with all international authorities.

I am looking forward to the priorities which we have at central level, but also at local level, with legitimate authorities, authorities which will continue with project implementation for the benefit of all citizens.

This is an historical success for the Republic of Kosovo, and for Kosovo’s institutions and its people.

Once again, I thank all the political parties and all the people of this country for this extraordinary success.

Thank you!   

Starting November 12, all foreigners entering Kosovo border crossings must possess a valid passport. This is a decision made by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kosovo. This also includes citizens of neighboring countries, Serbia, and Montenegro who have so far entered the border crossings in Kosovo with an ID card.

A visa will be stamped on the passports that citizens of Serbia must present at the border with Kosovo which will give them the permission to stay in Kosovo within a certain time.

Similarly is the situation at border crossings with Montenegro, where Kosovo Police allows only border crossing with passport.

Even with Albania is the same decision.

The decision is in accordance with the the Law on Foreigners which was ratified by the Parliament and entering into law signed by the President. The Law is part of a criteria which the Republic of Kosovo must meet for visa liberalization as well, inform the officials at the Interior Ministry.

In local elections held on Sunday, 45.36% of Kosovar citizens  have used  the right to vote  of 1.5 million eligible total number of voters, showing that the Republic of Kosovo is a young sovereign and growing democratic state in the Balkans peninsula.
 
The Republic of Kosovo Central Election Commission has estimated the successful organization of elections in Kosovo, an assessment that was also declared by international institutions, OSCE and namely foreign ambassadors accredited to the Republic of Kosovo.

Central Election Commissioner Lushta has made known that all polls are closed at 19:00, with exception of only five polling stations in Prishtina and in Mamushë, where even after this time there were citizens awaiting to vote at the polling stations.

Turn out in most cities has been well over 45 percent including among minorities, specifically Kosovar Serbs.

After one month campaign for local elections, the first after the declaration of independence of Kosovo, the election silence begins on Saturday at 00:00 a.m.

In local elections to be held on Sunday, over 1.5 million voters, citizens of the Republic of Kosovo, will be eligible to vote in 750 polling centers with over 2 thousand polling stations to elect new structures of municipal assemblies and mayors of municipalities with a new four-year term in the Republic of Kosovo. Elections will be held in 36 municipalities, including three new municipalities with Serbian majority, established under the decentralization plan.

Officials of the Central Election Commission have announced that there are total of 76 political entities who registered to participate in Kosovar local elections. This includes 37 political parties, 15 independent candidates, 18 citizen initiatives and two coalitions. Of this number, 34 subjects were from Albanian, 21 Serb minority community,  2 from Montenegrin minority community , three Turkish, a Roma, Ashkali two, an Egyptian, a Gorani and 7 Bosniak political entities.

Local elections expected to be monitored by over 20 thousand observers, mostly local, but there would be also foreign ones including European Parliament, Embassies and accredited foreign diplomats in Prishtina, NGO-s, etc.

On the eve of Sunday's municipal elections, the Republic of Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu said in a message addressed to the Kosovar citizens, underlining the Sunday's municipal elections as vital for the world's newest independent and sovereign country.

In his message, President Sejdiu thanked all the citizens "for allegiance to the Kosovar nation's democracy and citizenship" that have show over a month which lasted the electoral campaign.

The Republic of Kosovo President Sejdiu reminded the Kosovar citizens that their "local elections of November 15 are a major test of democracy for all of us Kosovar citizens, therefore, I shall invite you, that on this Sunday, to vote massively,  to get to polling stations and to determine yourselves who will lead you in your cities, municipalities during the next four years .. . They are an important test for the further processes of integration in the European Union, NATO and other international institutions." 

Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi today expressed confidence that Kosovo will successfully pass the election process after the independence, which he called an important test of democracy.

Speaking at the opening of regular session of the Government, Thaçi has congratulated all citizens of the Republic of Kosovo for the process of successful election.

"I would like to thank all the citizens and political parties of Kosovo for active and dynamic participation in the electoral campaign. I have full confidence that Kosovo and its citizens will provide this important test of democracy ", said Prime Minister Thaçi.

He has vowed that the elections were well prepared and will be a model for the region. "They represent a new success story of our new state.

Prime Minister Thaçi has invited, on behalf of the government, all Kosovar citizens for a massive participation on the election. Also Prime Minister invited all political parties and recognition acceptance of election results.

"We strongly believe in the full success Kosovo will score in November 15 elections," said Thaçi.