Kosovo's two coalition parties claimed victory in the country's first election since declaring independence, as the election commission postponed releasing complete results on Monday.

Kosovo citizens went to the polls on Sunday for the first time since the ethnic Albanian majority declared independence from Serbia last year and amid fears of a boycott by the Serb community.

A divided Serbia marks the 10th anniversary on Tuesday of NATO's bombing campaign against it over Kosovo with commemorations organised by its pro-West government and a separate nationalist rally.

Giant steel letters still spell out an exultant "NEWBORN" on a downtown square in Kosovo's gritty capital, but a year after the majority Albanian territory defiantly declared independence from Serbia, the elation has given way to frustration.

Kosovo marked the first anniversary of its declaration of independence on Tuesday with a special session of parliament and street parties tempered by fears of unrest amid nationalist Serb opposition.