Early results indicated a low turnout as Macedonia held Sunday a referendum on whether to grant more right to ethnic Albanians in the country.

Macedonians voted on keeping or abandoning a Western-inspired districts-redrawing law. It would make the ethnic Albanians a dominant force in 16 of 84 districts.

But turnout must top 50% to validate the vote.

In the first three hours after the polling stations opened, only about 4% of the eligible voters had gone to the polls, Reuters said Sunday.

Polling stations closed at 7p.m. local time, and exit polls are expected no earlier than midnight.

The law is a key part of a peace deal under which Albanian rebels agreed to disarm three years ago. Thus, observes have said that the referendum posed a threat over the fragile ethnic peace in Bulgaria's neighbour on the southwest.

But the controversial law itself has fuelled Macedonian fury, and many said could provoke violent protests. During previous discussions of the deal, Macedonians launched mass protests that threatened to bring chaos to the streets of Skopje.