UNMIK-JIAS Fact Sheet
Kosovo Transitional Council

The Kosovo Transitional Council (KTC) is the highest-level consultative body of the new Joint Interim Administrative Structure (JIAS). A key institution for the province's evolving democracy, it is also an important step on the road to the 'substantial autonomy and self-government' envisaged by Security Council Resolution 1244.

Through its diverse membership, appointed by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG), the Council acts as the link between Kosovo society and all the components of the JIAS. It is also a link between Kosovo society and other important players concerned with Kosovo's future, frequently being addressed, for example, by leaders of the international community. Increasingly, the KTC acts as the collective voice and representative of the people. participating in events such as International Women's Day, and issuing statements deploring violence and underlining the rights and security of all national communities.

Members are regularly briefed by senior KFOR commanders and the Police Commissioner on the security situation, and by the Co-Heads of the JIAS departments on developments in their areas of responsibility. judicial affairs, health and social welfare, education etc. They are also briefed on decisions taken by the IAC, and on IAC discussions of new regulations promulgated by SRSG Bernard Kouchner. In addition, the practical requirement for KTC members to participate in many meetings, engage in dialogue and serve on working groups means that the KTC also serves as a testing ground for democratic procedures and tolerance building in the institutions which, UNMIK hopes, will be exported throughout the new open society of tomorrow's Kosovo.

The present 35-strong Council membership can be divided into five groups (see complete list below): the main political parties, members of the IAC, religious community leaders, representatives of national communities and independents together with representatives of civil society. Since the beginning of April, when the KTC was joined by Serb representatives, the KTC has been able to address day-to-day issues of concern to all groups of Kosovars. Just beginning to be exercised also is the Councils' right to question the decisions taken elsewhere in the JIAS, in particular shedding light on the programmes and activities in the 20 administrative departments.

The Council engages in weekly discussions, whose comments and suggestions the SRSG and his four deputies take into account in their final decisions. Discussion topics include Kosovo's economy, education, post and telecommunications, the judicial system, local administration, local elections, detainees and missing persons, returning refugees and security issues.

As is customary in democratic systems, much of the detailed work is undertaken by a series of commissions and working groups. Four KTC commissions involving 15 members have been established to date:

• The group on Tolerance and Protection of Local Communities has the most delicate task. Its mandate: to find ways to encourage tolerance in Kosovo's post-conflict society and to recommend measures to diminish the high levels of residual violence.
• The group for Detainees and Missing Persons has to lead the efforts to clarify the fate of the missing persons, both Albanian and Serb, and to alleviate the problem of detainees in Serbian prisons. It is setting up a database and compiling information on missing persons.
• The Economic Affairs group has to follow the Interim Administration's handling of the economic affairs, receiving information from the departmental Co-Heads and reporting findings back to the KTC.
• The Education Working Group visits schools, meets with Co-Heads for Education and Science, and reporting findings back to the KTC.

The Council is serviced by a KTC secretariat with rotating membership that changes every two months.

KTC Members and their Affiliations

Political representatives:

Kole Berisha LDK (Democratic League of Kosovo)
Gjergj Dedaj PLK (Liberal Party of Kosovo)
Feti Grapci PRK (Republican Party of Kosovo)
Fatmir Limaj PDK (Kosovo Democratic Party)
(Not named) LKCK (National Movement for Liberation of Kosovo)
Januz Salihaj PPK (Parliamentary Party of Kosovo)
Mehmet Hajrizi LBD (United Democratic Movement)
Nazmi Halimi and Lazer Krasniqi PShDK (Albanian Christian-Democratic Party of Kosovo)
Kaqusha Jashari and Luleta Pula-Beriqi PDSK (Social Democratic Party of Kosovo)

Members of the Interim Administrative Council:

Hashim Thaçi - PDK (Kosovo Democratic Party)
Ibrahim Rugova - LDK (Democratic League of Kosovo)
Rexhep Qosja - LBD (United Democratic Movement)
Rada Trajkovic - SNC (Serb National Council - observer)

Religious communities:

Rexhep Boja - Muslim community (Chairman)
Mark Sopi - Roman Catholic Church (Bishop)
Father Sava Janjic - Serb Orthodox Church (observer)

Civil society/independents:

Shukrie Rexha - Association of Political Prisoners
Iak Mita - Mother Theresa Society
Hajrullahu Gorani - Association of Trade Unions
Pajazit Nushi - Council for the Defence of Human Rights and Freedoms
Sevdije Ahmeti - Centre for the Protection of Women and Children
Blerim Shala - Zeri newspaper (publishers)
Sonja Nikolic - Civic House/Radio Contact
Feriz Krasniqi - Former Rector of Pristina University
Ylber Hysa - Kosova Action for Civic Initiatives (KACI)
Ismail Kastrati - Kosovo Chamber of Commerce and Industry

National communities:

Randjel Nojkic and Dragan Velic - SNC (Serb National Council - observer)
(Not named) - SNC Mitrovica
Sezar Shaipi - TPP (Turkish People's Party)
Numan Balic - Party for Democratic Action (Bosniac)
Asim Puljic - Zaman (Bosniac NGO)
Sezair Shaipi - Turkish People. s Party
(Not named) - Second Turkish representative
Hadji Zulfi Mergja - Roma representative