POLLING STATIONS IN KOSOVO OPENED

( Editorial: --> 1452 ) PRISTINA, March 22 (Hina) - Despite tensions, at 7am on Sunday, polling places throughout the Yugoslav province of Kosovo were opened for parliamentary and presidential elections, organised by Kosovo Albanians. More than one million Kosovo citizens are eligible to vote. The Serbian authorities do not recognise the elections. Out of 470 candidates proposed by 10 political parties and three associations, voters will chose 100 representatives for the new Kosovo parliament in 26 electoral units and 92 districts. Thirty representatives will be elected by a proportional system. The only presidential candidate is Ibrahim Rugova, who was put up by the Kosovo Democratic Alliance, the largest party of Kosovo Albanians. Sunday's elections are boycotted by three Albanian parties, headed by the Kosovo Parliamentary Party, whose leader is Adem Demaci. The party explained that the current dramatic situation was not suitable for elections. Kosovo Serbs and Montenegrins are not participating in the elections because they consider them to be illegal. The Yugoslav authorities prevented the arrival in Kosovo of numerous international monitors, including a 14-member US delegation and a delegation from Albania, whose visa applications were refused. The elections will not be held in three electoral units in the Drenica area, which is still under police blockade. Today's elections in Kosovo are the second elections organised by the Kosovo Albanians since the annulment of the province's autonomy by the Serbian authorities. The main election commission announced that the first temporary election results would be known tomorrow. (hina) rm 221044 MET mar 98