Kosovo Serbs protest to get votes in Serbia's April election

Hundreds of ethnic Serbs in Kosovo have staged protests to pressure the government into allowing them to vote in neighboring Serbia’s April 3 general election

PRISTINA, Kosovo -- Hundreds of ethnic Serbs in Kosovo protested Friday to pressure the government into allowing them to vote in neighboring Serbia’s April 3 general election.

Demonstrators gathered in Mitrovica, 45 kilometers (28 miles) north of Pristina, with banners reading “We want our human rights” and “Kurti won’t drive us away from Kosovo,” and marched to a bridge that divides the city. Most of Kosovo's ethnic Serb population lives north of Mitrovica, close to Serbia's border.

Hundreds of people also protested in Gracanica, a commune located 10 kilometers (6 miles) from Kosovo's capital where ethnic Serbs residents are concentrated.

Prime Minister Albin Kurti has said Kosovo and Serbia need to have a preliminary agreement on holding the election to permit the voting.