PRISTINA, Dec 13: Ethnic Albanian leader Ibrahim Rugova failed in an initial bid to win the Kosovo presidency on Thursday, as minority Serbs and hardline Albanian parties refused to support him in the province’s new parliament.

Rugova, whose Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) won the largest number of seats in the province’s elections on Nov 17, was the only candidate nominated for the top post.

Of the only 70 ballots cast in the 120-seat assembly, 49 supported Rugova, while 21 were considered invalid after Serb deputies crossed out their ballots in protest.

Rival parties including Hashim Thaci’s Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo led by former rebel commander Ramush Haradinaj did not vote at all.

The PDK wants a power-sharing agreement on the makeup of the next government before offering its support to Rugova for the presidency, a PDK deputy said.

“We would support Rugova, but only if an agreement is reached between the Albanian parties on the creation of joint power-sharing”, said PDK member Arsim Bajrami.

The Povratak (Return) coalition comprised of 22 Serb deputies also spoiled their ballots or voted against Rugova amid complaints they had not been consulted on his candidacy.

“We voted and voted against” said Serb deputy Rada Trajkovic. “Povratak will not support any candidate because no party has consulted us on choosing a candidate that would represent us all,” she said.

Other minority groups represented in the assembly also boycotted the vote and called for it to be postponed until a power-sharing agreement was reached.

Thaci’s party also said it would not nominate a candidate to challenge Rugova until the government is set up.

“We are ready for an inclusive government but feel the conditions have not yet been created and we will not nominate a candidate and will not support the one that has been nominated,” PDK member Jakup Krasniqi told the assembly.

A two-thirds majority of 81 votes is needed to elect the president.

But that requirement falls to a majority of 61 votes if the assembly fails to elect a president after two rounds of voting.

Kosovo has been under UN administration since Serbian forces pulled out of the province following the NATO war against Yugoslavia in 1999.

The United Nations will have a final say on most issues including whether to dissolve parliament and call new elections, but the assembly will show whether local leaders can work together.—AFP