Centers for pluralism

17 November 2001 was a historic date for the citizens of Kosova. For the first time, they participated in free parliamentary elections, choosing from among 18 political parties, three coalitions, one civic initiative, and three independent candidates running for 100 of 120 seats in the Kosova Assembly. Twenty seats were reserved for minority parties as “set-asides”. Kosova Action for Civic Initiatives (KACI), building on its previous work in creating an NGO monitoring network for the municipal elections (see issue no. 23), set out to organize an intensive all-inclusive monitoring effort for the Kosova-wide elections that on election day mobilized 1,600 Kosovar citizens in the monitoring process' and covered 95 percent of the polling stations. Election Day activities, as well as all other aspects of the electoral process, were observed by the watchful eyes of these monitors under the slogan, “Sleep Barefoot: We are Monitoring the Elections,”2 KACI's assurance to the Kosovar electorate that it could trust the fairness and transparency of the elections. (Jehona Gjurgjeala, Sleep Barefoot — We Are Watching, fragment)