PRISTINA, Kosovo—Kosovo police say a parliamentary candidate from Prime Minister Hashim Thaci’s ruling party was shot dead in an apparent assassination as he walked out of a restaurant.
Police said in a statement Sunday that Elvis Pista—a flamboyant politician recognizable for his spiked hair—was shot four times at close range shortly after midnight in the western town of Orahovac, his hometown.
Authorities believe a handgun equipped with a silencer was used. The killing comes amid heightened tensions between political rivals after June 8 parliamentary elections.
Thaci’s party won the most votes but lacks a coalition partner to form a government. Rival parties have vowed not to govern with Thaci, citing widespread corruption and mismanagement.
Final results were not in from Pista’s race. Preliminary results showed him leading.
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