KOSOVO votes in the first election organised by local authorities since the state's declaration of independence from Serbia today.
The poll takes place amid renewed tensions between rival ethnic Albanian parties, fears of fraud and a likely boycott from the Serb minority.
Kosovo's leaders and international officials have called for peaceful elections following incidents that
threatened to overshadow the vote.
Previous elections were held under the auspices of the UN, which took over control of Kosovo from Serbia in 1999.
In the latest incident, Nato peacekeepers were called in yesterday to disarm a hand grenade found outside an opposition party's offices in a northern town – highlighting the tensions as voters prepare to choose local councils and mayors in 36 municipalities, from among 74 parties and coalitions.
Police say more than 5,000 officers will be on duty for the vote to increase security.
Prime Minister Hashim Thaci's convoy was pelted with stones in an opposition stronghold and a mayoral candidate for the opposition escaped unhurt from an apparent assassination attempt after his car was ambushed in northern Kosovo.
The US embassy in Kosovo said it took note of the incident with "distress" and called upon the contenders to "refrain from all violence and provocations".
Several ethnic Albanian political parties, including the junior partner in the governing coalition, have warned of potential fraud, raising doubts about the aftermath of the vote.
So far, 63 countries have recognised Kosovo as a state – including America and most countries within the European Union. But Serbia has vowed to block further recognition, a move that has Russia's support.
Thaci told the country's public broadcaster in an interview on Friday that the vote was crucial for the new country's efforts to establish itself as a democracy and gain more recognition.
Some 1.5 million voters are eligible to vote, but analysts predict a low turnout and expect that very few Serbs will take part.
Serbs, who make up around 5 per cent of Kosovo's population, have regularly ignored Kosovo's elections, pressured by Belgrade to boycott the country's ethnic Albanian-dominated institutions.
EU police said on Friday they are investigating whether staff at the state's main vote counting centre tried to enter the building illegally ahead of the election.
The EU is not involved in the poll but the centre has access to computers that contain sensitive data.
Kosovo is Europe's poorest region, with almost 50 per cent unemployment from its population of two million.
