Chronology
10 June 1999 NATO confirms the withdrawal of security forces of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) from Kosovo, and subsequently suspends air operations against the FRY. On 10 June, Agreement between NATO and FRY transmitted to Security Council in S/1999/682. The Security Council adopts Resolution 1244, entrusting to the Secretary-General establishment of an international civilian administration in Kosovo, under which the people of Kosovo can enjoy substantial autonomy. Resolution sets up an unprecedented UN operation, the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), encompassing the activities of three non-UN organizations under the UN's overall jurisdiction. It consists of four substantive components or pillars: interim civil administration (UN-led), humanitarian affairs (UNHCR-led), reconstruction (EU-led) and institution building (OSCE-led). A NATO-led force is to provide an international security presence. 11 June The Secretary-General names Sergio Vieira de Mello (Brazil) as Acting Special Representative for Kosovo on an interim basis. 12 June A small team of UN humanitarian agency liaison officers accompanies the first NATO deployment, known as KFOR, into Kosovo. 13 June Sergio Vieira de Mello, upon arrival in Pristina, holds his first meeting with the NATO commander in Kosovo, Lieutenant-General Michael Jackson (United Kingdom). Arriving with de Mello’s advance team are representatives of UNHCR, WFP and UNICEF. KFOR secures various mass grave sites pending the arrival of investigators from the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). 14 June The Secretary-General presents a preliminary operational plan for Kosovo to the Security Council (S/1999/672). UNHCR begins distribution of emergency aid. 15 June UNHCR opens regional offices in Pec and Prizren as thousands of Kosovo Albanian refugees cross back into Kosovo by car, tractor-trailer and on foot. 16 June The Yugoslav Red Cross reports 24,000 Kosovar Serbs arriving in Serbia and 9,000 in Montenegro on this day. De Mello and Gen. Jackson make a TV appeal to Serbs not to leave Kosovo. 17 June Meeting with Sergio Vieira de Mello in Pristina, three Kosovo-Albanian political parties, the LDK, the LDP and the UCK, endorse the UN Mission in Kosovo and commit their support for a multi-party democracy in the territory. The UN stresses security concerns as spontaneous returns of Kosovar refugees from Albania and The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia surpass 34,000. 18 June The Secretary-General appeals to all Kosovars to show restraint, and urges Serbs to stay. 20 June De Mello announces his intention to set up a trust fund enabling UNMIK to respond immediately to emergency needs. 21 June The Secretary-General names Dominique Vian (France) as his Deputy Special Representative for the interim civil administration, and Dennis McNamara (New Zealand) as Deputy Special Representative for humanitarian assistance in Kosovo. The Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) signs an undertaking on demilitarization and agrees to modalities and schedule for this, to be monitored by KFOR.
22 June UNMIK, KFOR and the KLA meet as the Joint Implementation Commission to work out assembly and weapon storage sites for KLA demilitarization. 23 June De Mello briefs Foreign Ministers of France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom at the new UNMIK headquarters in central Pristina. He urges them to put police contingents at UNMIK’s disposal immediately. The European Commission estimates reconstruction costs at 500 to 700 million euros (or approximately $534 million to $748 million) a year for three years. 24 June The UN begins its first radio broadcast in Kosovo as part of its mass information campaign to appeal for tolerance and restraint on all sides, and calls upon Kosovars to work with the UN Mission. UNICEF pledges to enable every child to return to primary school in September. 25 June Some 50,000 refugees cross into Kosovo in a single day, bringing the total number of spontaneous returns to 300,000. 27 June The first 35 UN civilian police, redeployed from the UN Mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina, arrive in Kosovo amid reports of increasing violence in Pristina. 28 June UNHCR begins its organized repatriation of refugees. As the number of returnees overtakes the numbers outside Kosovo, aid operations inside the province are stepped up. 29 June UN civilian police are deployed to the five KFOR brigade headquarters in the regions. 30 June At a meeting of the Friends of the Secretary-General on Kosovo (France, Germany, Italy, Russian Federation, United Kingdom and the United States) in New York, Mr.Annan points out that timing of the hand-over of responsibility for public security from KFOR to UNMIK is "entirely in the hands of Member States", since it is they who supply the police. He also suggests that reconstruction could take 10 years. De Mello makes the first appointments to Kosovo’s new judiciary, naming nine judges to serve in a mobile court which will process the cases of those arrested and held by KFOR throughout Kosovo. 1 July Refugee returns top the half million mark. ICTY has over 100 personnel investigating mass grave sites. 2 July The Secretary-General appoints Bernard Kouchner (France) as his Special Representative in Kosovo. He also appoints Jock Covey (USA) as Principal Deputy Special Representative, and Daan Everts (the Netherlands) as Deputy Special Representative for Institution Building. In Pristina, de Mello brings together Albanian and Serb leaders of Kosovo to discuss the pressing issue of security for all people in Kosovo. They issue a joint statement calling for restraint and respect for human life, which is broadcast on radio and television by UNMIK. The UN Mine Action Programme set up in Pristina reports thousands of requests from returnees for inspection of homes for mines and booby traps. 6 July The Secretary-General meets with Kouchner in New York. 7 July UNMIK estimates that approximately $15 million is needed to pay civil servants for a period of 3 months. 8 July Preliminary results of an UNHCR-led survey of 141 villages show 64 per cent of homes to be severely damaged or destroyed, and 40 per cent of water sources to be contaminated, many by household waste and human remains. UNICEF estimates that 40 to 50 per cent of schools have been damaged. A crop assessment mission in Kosovo finds a severe wheat deficit, an 80 per cent fall in corn production, and substantial loss of livestock. 9 July De Mello meets with OSCE officials and the UN Police Commissioner, Sven Frederiksen, to work out details for the recruitment of local police. UNMIK and 16 media organizations sign an agreement on space allotment and sharing of renovation costs for the Media House in Pristina. 12 July In a first attempt to reconstitute the workforce in Kosovo’s public institutions, drawing on all ethnic groups, 58 Albanians and 54 Serbs resume work in Pristina’s municipal building. The Secretary-General’s Report to the Security Council on UNMIK (S/1999/779) describes how four international organizations will be working together under UN leadership in the construction of a democratic Kosovo. The Secretary-General appeals to all Kosovars to demonstrate tolerance and fully cooperate in the endeavour, and calls on Member States to supply the urgently needed financial resources and personnel. 14 July Amid increasing reports of attacks on Serbs and Roma, Sergio Vieira de Mello issues a strongly worded statement appealing for an end to the violence. The World Health Organization releases estimates that mines and unexploded ordnance in Kosovo caused 130-170 casualties in the period 13 June to 12 July. 15 July Special Representative Kouchner arrives in Pristina and takes up his duties. The Acting Special Representative, Sergio Vieira de Mello, meets with Kosovo Albanian leader Ibrahim Rugova who has returned to the province earlier in the day. 16 July The UN brings together Kosovo-Albanians, Serbs and Turks for the first meeting of the Kosovo Transitional Council – a critical first step towards the development of self-government in Kosovo. Absent, however, are Ibrahim Rugova and his political party, the LDK. 19 July Recruitment begins for the Kosovo Police Service with distribution of application forms. As attacks continue on Serb and Roma minorities, UNHCR organizes a reconciliation meeting in Prizren. UNHCR reports that as many as 300,000 to 500,000 people may need help to weatherproof one room for winter. 21 July An UNMIK official meets with senior Serb and Albanian staff at Pristina University in an attempt to arrange for students to return to classes. Under the UNMIK proposal the University’s separate Serb and Albanian faculties will be combined. Kouchner issues a statement setting out plans for revival and development of Radio-Television Pristina and the independent media in Kosovo. KFOR reports 200 mass grave sites to UNMIK. ICTY has several teams of investigators on the ground to pursue the search for evidence. 23 July Outside the village of Gracko, near Lipljan,14 Serb farmers are shot dead as they work in their fields. 25 July A regulation vesting in UNMIK all legislative and executive authority in Kosovo is signed by Kouchner. Under "Regulation No.1", all persons undertaking public duties or holding public office in Kosovo are subject to internationally recognized human rights standards. 27 July In Geneva, UN humanitarian agencies launch an appeal for $434 million to finance humanitarian operations in Kosovo and neighbouring countries. 28 July In New York, the General Assembly authorizes the Secretary-General to spend up to $200 million on UNMIK operations. Kouchner, attending the funeral of the Serbs killed in Gracko on 23 July, says, "We have to find a way to stop the cycle of violence." After temporary interruption of services, Radio Pristina is back on the air with UNMIK assistance. 31 July & 1 August UN civilian police begin customs control at four posts on the international border between Kosovo and Albania, and The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. 2 August Some 400 employees return to work in the reopened post and telecommunications building in Pristina. Work begins immediately on plans for the quick restoration and eventual replacement of the telephone system. The first flight into Sllatina Airport, Pristina, brings 160 returnees from Switzerland directly to Kosovo to be transported to their own villages. Increased Serbian military activity on the Kosovo-Serb frontlines coincides with the departure of some 4,500 ethnic Albanians from southern Serbia into Kosovo. 3 August With nearly 90 per cent of the more than 850,000 Kosovar refugees now returned, UNHCR under pressure to reach this population. UNHCR extremely concerned at the standstill in the aid pipeline arising from the imposition of a customs inspection fee on all goods crossing Macedonia. 5 August Pekka Haavisto, the leader of a joint UNEP/Habitat BalkansTask Force sent to Kosovo and Serbia at the end of July, urges action to redress the ecological consequences and potential health threats resulting from the conflict. His group found toxic and hazardous chemicals, including mercury, at several locations in Kosovo and Serbia. 6 August Basic health-care services have been quickly re-established, but serious concerns remain that animosities between Serb and Albanian hospital staff may be preventing equal access to health care. The government in Skopje informs UNHCR of its decision to waive the customs fee impeding aid flow across The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia since mid July. 9 August UNMIK makes the first ad hoc payments to civil servants. In Pristina five post offices are reopened, allowing Belgrade to resume payment of pensions. The first UN civilian police begin patrolling with KFOR. Several hundred police officers are still engaged in an induction course, while most of the 3,000-strong force is yet to arrive in Kosovo. 13 August UNMIK issues Regulation No. 2, designed as a preventive tool to deter violence, enabling KFOR and UNMIK police to detain or deport instigators of unrest. The move comes after UNMIK determines that recent unrest in Mitrovica was stirred up by both Serb and Albanian agitators brought in from outside. 16 August Waste collection and disposal begins in Pristina as part of a project for cleaning up the city and providing employment. 17 August UNMIK begins ad hoc payments to health professionals in Pristina. 18 August The Joint Advisory Council on Legislative Matters meets for the first time. Set up by UNMIK and Kosovar legal representatives, the Council’s purpose is to eliminate discriminatory laws from Kosovo’s legal framework. In a joint statement, UNMIK and KFOR leaders condemn as unacceptable the continuing acts of intimidation and murder of minorities in Kosovo, and say they are together taking extensive measures to protect those communities. UNHCR says it is evacuating Serb minorities in Kosovo only as a last resort in "urgent life-threatening" situations. 20 August UNMIK begins the voluntary resettlement of Kosovar Albanian families to their homes in Mitrovica. Appointments are announced to the UN-supervised Independent Media Board. 21 August In the second meeting of the UN-chaired Kosovo Transitional Council (KTC), Albanian, Serb and other Kosovar political leaders discuss ways to improve the security situation. Although the KLA is represented, leader Hashim Thaci does not attend. KTC decides to meet every Wednesday. 23 August In a first step toward assuming direct responsibility for law and order in Kosovo, UNMIK police take over law enforcement duties in Pristina. Acting upon a request from UNMIK, KFOR arrests three Serbs suspected of war crimes in the area of Orahovac. Investigations are launched immediately. UNHCR urges Kosovars to accept shelter kits for the weatherproofing of one room per house before winter. 24 August Tom Koenigs (Germany) is appointed as Deputy Special Representative for Civil Administration, replacing Dominique Vian. Koenigs to take up his duties on 6 September. As an exceptional case, UNHCR evacuates 28 elderly Serbs from Prizren to Serbia where they will be reunited with their families. 25 August UNMIK announces that rail service will be restored before winter. 30 August Richard Holbrooke, newly-appointed United States Ambassador to the United Nations, visits Kosovo and is taken to high risk areas to observe UNMIK police deployment. The Security Council issues a statement condemning violence against the civilian population, especially against ethnic minorities, as well as KFOR personnel. 31 August UNHCR issues shelter update covering more than 90 per cent of war-affected villages. Since some 50,000 of the homes that are beyond repair cannot be reconstructed before the onset of winter, UNHCR estimates a further 300,000 people will have to find accommodation with host families. Distribution of shelter kits on emergency basis continues with aim of reaching an additional 380,000 people. 1 September Some 400 schools open to provide "catch-up classes" in order to complete the interrupted 1998-99 school year. UNICEF estimates that the new school year will open some time in October. Regulations No. 3, 4 and 5 on establishing a customs service are issued amending previous laws; revenue collection to begin on 3 September, with monies to be allocated to the Kosovo budget. 2 September Report is published by FAO and WFP showing that Kosovo to face an agricultural shortfall and international food aid will be necessary for next six months. WFP plans to feed 900,000 people per month over that period. 7 September UNMIK police deployment crosses the 1,000 mark. Economic Policy Advisory Board set up to help craft economic legislation. Kosovo police academy in Vacitrin begins training candidates for Kosovo Police Service under OSCE auspices. 8 September Kosovo Transitional Council decides that the security situation continues to be worrying and agrees to create a Joint Security Committee to examine related issues in order to improve the security environment. 10 September Kouchner briefs the Security Council on UNMIK and asks for larger UN civilian police presence. 13 September UNMIK police takes over comprehensive policing duties in Pristina region. All sub-stations are staffed and more than 500 police officers deployed. World Bank team is in Kosovo studying 15 sectors of the economy for the targeting of future investment requirements. 15 September UNHCR 's winterization programme is well under way with half of the 16,000 shelter kits distributed. Some 500,000 blankets have been distributed with more than 300,000 still to be handed out. 16 September Secretary-General' s report to the Security Council (S/1999/987) on UNMIK warns that Kosovo gains "could easily be reversed" if pressing challenges are not resolved. 17 September Agreement reached with consortium of British companies on strategy for maintaining electricity and heat supply over the winter, as well as repair of existing power stations to prevent further breakdowns. 19 September Deadline for demilitarization extended by KFOR for 48 hours to allow for discussions on outstanding issues such as weapons regime, demobilization and transformation process for the proposed Kosovo Corps. Radio Television Kosovo, operated by the European Broadcasting Union, and employing both Albanian and Serb Kosovars, begins broadcasting from the territory. Customs control and revenue collection extended to the border with Albania. 20 September Agreement reached on transformation of KLA and final details of demobilization and weapons regime. Kouchner signs regulation creating Kosovo Protection Corps (KPC) as a civilian emergency service to consist of a maximum of 3,000 active members and 2,000 reservists, with at least 10 per cent of recruits to be selected from minority groups. KLA submits declaration to KFOR that it has complied with 21 June Undertaking on demilitarization; KFOR confirms that 10,000 weapons and seven million rounds of ammunition have been handed in. Weapons regime agreed upon will allow 200 small arms to the KPC for routine "site guarding", but the use of those weapons will be careful guarded by KFOR and UNMIK. 22 September Serbs stay away from the weekly KTC meeting in protest against creation of Kosovo civilian corps. Kouchner describes Serb non-participation as a "temporary setback" and expresses hope for an early return by Serb delegation. Joint Commission on Prisoners and Detainees, composed of experts in human rights law nominated by KTC, representatives of human rights NGOs, legal practitioners and family members of detainees, meets for the first time. Some 5,000 persons are missing or presumed detained in Serbia constituting a critical human rights issue in the territory. 28 September Grenade attack in marketplace of town close to Kosovo Polje leaves two people dead, 35 others injured. Kouchner condemns "outrageous attack", warning that "it puts in danger all efforts at democracy in Kosovo". Members of the Kosovo Transitional Council, including local Albanian leaders, meeting the following day, said they were "determined to stop those cowardly acts of violence against civilians" and pledged their commitment to a multi-ethnic society. 29 September The new UN Prosecutor for the International Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, Carla del Ponte, says that she will vigorously prosecute those responsible for war crimes in Kosovo. 1 October The United Nations "Blue Sky" public radio goes on the air, with a 24-hour mix of news, music and features. News bulletins, produced entirely by local journalists, to be broadcast daily in Albanian, with UNMIK news and features aired in both Albanian and Serbian. "Blue Sky" radio is operating under UNMIK's supervision, with editorial and studio facilities and technical support staff donated by the Swiss government. UNMIK and WHO present a detailed six-month plan to build a modern and efficient health care system in Kosovo. 5 October After funeral service for ethnic Albanians in Mitrovica turns violent, one Serb civilian is killed. Among those injured are eleven Serbs, three UNMIK police and 18 KFOR soldiers. Kouchner says "horrible act" reveals that security situation remains difficult in Kosovo. 6 October
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11 October
13 - 14 October
13 October
14 October
18 October
22 October
25 October
27 October
31 October
3 November
4 November
5 November
8 November
10 November
12 November
16 November
17 November
26 November
29 November
30 November
1 December
2 December
3 December
6 December
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10 December
13 December
15 December
16 December
17 December
18 December
21 December
27 December
28 December
30 December
31 December
4 January 2000
9 January
10 January
11 January
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18 January
21 January
24 January
25 January
26 January
27 January
28 January
1 February Principal Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Jock Covey, adjourns the meeting of the Interim Administrative Council, expected to launch the first four operational departments of the Joint Interim Administrative Structure (JIAS), following the failure of the Kosovo Democratic League to dissolve its "parliament" by 31 January as agreed under the 15 December agreement establishing JIAS.
2 February
3 February
4 February
9 February
10 February
11 February
13 February
15 February
16 February
17 February
18 February 2000
19 February
20 February
21 February 2000
22 February
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24 February
25 February
27 February
28 February
29 February
1 March
2 March
3 March
6 March
7 March
14 March
15 March
19 March
22 March
28 March Interim Administrative Council endorses a draft resolution establishing the office of an Ombudsperson to promote and protect the rights and freedoms of all individuals in Kosovo. 29-30 March
30 March
31 March
2 April
3 April
5 April
6 April
10 April
11 April
12 April
13 April
14 April
17 April
18 April
19 April
24 April
27-30 April
1 May
2 May
3 May
8 May
9 May
10 May
11 May
15 May
16 May
21 May
23 May
27 May More than 250 women attend a conference in Pristina
aimed at raising women's participation in elections due in the autumn. Three Serbs, one of them a four year old boy, are murdered in a drive-by shooting in the village of Cernica, south of Gnjilane, one of a spate of attacks on ethnic Serbs. 31 May
1 June The application period for registration of political
parties intending to run in the autumn municipal elections ends with a
total of 28 parties registered.
4 June
9 June
UNHCR and OSCE publish "Update on the Situation of Ethnic Minorities in Kosovo" which urges giving priority to strengthening the police and improving the judiciary to deal with lack of security and restrictions on freedom of movement for minorities. 13 June
A large crowd of Kosovo Serbs storms the UNMIK offices
in Strpce, in southern Kosovo, destroying everything inside, including
computers, files, windows, doors and furniture. Subsequently, the head
of UNMIK, Dr. Bernard Kouchner, condemns the incident.
4 July The leader of the Kosovo Democratic Party (PDK), Mr.
Hashim Thaci, announces decision to freeze his party's participation in
the organs of the Joint Interim Administrative Structure, following the
29 June Joint UNMIK-SNC Understanding. The head of UNMIK, Dr. Bernard Kouchner, signs the
municipal elections law which provides for two years term, proportional
representation and at least 30 per cent female candidates. The head of UNMIK, Dr Bernard Kouchner, appoints Mr. Marek Antoni Nowicki, a Polish human rights lawyer, as the Ombudsperson for Kosovo. The Ombudsperson's office, an independent vehicle for Kosovars to seek redress from human rights violations and abuses of authority, is intended to remain after the departure of UNMIK. The Interim Administrative Council endorses the draft regulation on the structure and functions of municipal administrations throughout Kosovo. A Serbian cleric, accompanied by two relatives and
a child, is shot from a passing car near Klokot village in southern Kosovo.
The Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations,
Hedi Annabi, briefs the Security Council on Kosovo, focusing on the pressing
issues of security and preparation for the municipal elections planned
for October. A series of explosions and gunfire rock the city of
northern Mitrovica. The leaders of both Albanian and Serb communities
subsequently join UNMIK in condemning the violence. NATO Secretary-General George Robertson delivers a
strong message to both Albanian and Serb leaders that they must do more
to end the cycle of bloodshed in Kosovo and prepare it for a safe, democratic
and multi-ethnic future. Registration of Kosovo's population ends, with slightly
over one million people registered within Kosovo and some 180,000 registered
outside of Kosovo. The Serb community, numbering about 100,000. UN Food and Agriculture Organization and World Food
Programme publish a joint report on the rehabilitation of agriculture
in Kosovo. The report notes the quick recovery made in the past 12 months,
reflecting the considerable will and resourcefulness of Kosovo farmers
and timely assistance from the international community. The leader of the Serb National Council in Mitrovica,
Oliver Ivanovic, takes part for the first time in the regular meeting
of the Joint Committee on Returns, formed in May to assist Serbs to return
to Kosovo. 2 August Six people, including three Roma and three Albanians,
are killed in three separate incidents in Kosovo. The Interim Administrative
Council subsequently condemns the spate of violence, saying no effort
will be spared to bring the perpetrators to justice. UNHCR voices concern over the continued deportation
from Germany of members of Kosovo's ethnic Roman minority, following the
deportation of a Roma family. 4 August Three Serb prisoners charged with war crimes escape
from a hospital in North Mitrovica. 7 August UNMIK announces the appointment of Mr. Jean Guinard,
a retired French general, as the new Regional Administrator for Pristina. OSCE announces that the Central Elections Commission
has adopted the Electoral Rule, which requires all parties and candidates
contesting elections to disclose donations in excess of 1,000 deutsche
marks ($461). The rule also limits campaign spending to one deutsche mark
(46 cents) per voter in the municipality in which the parties or candidates
are contesting. 9 August UNMIK launches a public health campaign to address
rising levels of lead detected in the air and blood of people living and
working in the Mitrovica area. The head of UNMIK, Dr. Bernard Kouchner, announces the appointment of Simon Haselock of the United Kingdom as Temporary Media Commissioner, with powers to monitor and regulate the operations of the media. 10 August In a meeting with the Yugoslav Chargé d'affaires
at UN Headquarters in New York, UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping,
Bernard Miyet, demands that the authorities in the Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia grant the Organization access to two detained members of UNMIK.
The Interim Administrative Council endorses the draft
regulation on the establishment of the Department of Public Utilities,
which will handle the overall management, oversight and regulation of
public utilities in Kosovo. 12 August UNMIK announces that Kosovo-wide municipal elections
will be held on 28 October.
UNMIK announces the start of payments of much as 120 deutsche marks a month to some of Kosovo's poorest people as regular financial assistance from the Department of Social Welfare. 15 August The Interim Administrative Council endorses the regulation
amending the Kosovo Consolidated Budget for 2000, so as to re-allocate
resources to accommodate "emerging pressures" on the budget.
17 August
KFOR carries out a cordon and search operation, code-named
"Operation Ghibli," in which 10 Kosovo Albanians are arrested
for taking part in a criminal association and for illegal possession of
weapons. The search is the culmination of a long-term investigation carried
out by KFOR, which targeted a criminal gang involved in smuggling, extortion
and homicides. In an open discussion on Kosovo in the Security Council,
Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hédi Annabi
says concerns are growing over what is perceived to be politically associated
violence in Kosovo in the run up to crucial municipal elections. UNHCR reports that the rate of mandatory returns of
Kosovo refugees from Western Europe and other countries has increased,
getting close to 500 per week. Over 6,000 people had been forcibly returned
since February. A speeding car hits a group of Serb children in Skulanovo
village near Lipjan, killing one and injuring three others. Later, an
80-year-old Serb is killed by machine gunfire while tending his cattle
in Crkvena Vodica, the same village near Obilic where a grenade was thrown
into a group of children earlier in the month. The head of UNMIK, Bernard
Kouchner, condemns the series of incidents against the local Serbian community. Kosovo Serbs hold a peaceful meeting in Gracanica to
protest the security situation for Serb communities in light of the previous
day's incident in . UNMIK announces that an additional 2,000 troops will
be provided by member of the international peacekeeping force (KFOR).
1 September
UNMIK announces the suspension of the director of the
Mitrovica Detention Centre following the escape of 13 Kosovo Serbs, most
of them charged with war crimes. The head of UNMIK, Bernard Kouchner, says the UN will
not participate in, support, organize, or in any other way condone or
legitimize the elections organized for 24 September in Kosovo by Belgrade. UNMIK swears in Gary Garland of the United Kingdom as a new international prosecutor for Pristina and Ingo Risch of Germany as an international judge for Prizren, bringing the total to seven international judges and three prosecutors in the province. The Interim Administrative Council issues a statement,
on the eve of the 'Day Against Violence' to be observed the following
day throughout Kosovo, reiterating its abhorrence of any kind of violence. Shefki Popova, a correspondent of the newspaper, Rilindija,
is murdered in Vushtri. The head of UNMIK, Bernard Kouchner, accompanies
35 local children travelling for specialized medical treatment in France. Rexhep Luci, a respected Kosovar Albanian architect
and former director of the Department of Urban Development, Planning and
Reconstruction of Pristina municipality, is shot dead in Pristina. A tank containing 600,000 litres of sulphuric acid begins to leak at the rate of about 100 litres per minute at the Trepca industrial plant in southern Mitrovica, causing serious environmental problems. A week later, UNMIK announces the completion of the clean up of the deadly acid. The KTC joins the head of UNMIK, Dr. Bernard Kouchner,
in condemning the killing of Rexhep Luci on 11 September. In a joint operation in the Serb-dominated town of Gracanica, KFOR troops and UNMIK police seize illegal explosives -- which included bomb-making equipment and detonators --and detain three suspects believed to be serving or former members of the Yugoslav Special Forces. UNMIK subsequently appoints an international prosecutor, Gary Garland of Britain, to the case of the three suspects. UNMIK announces that security measures at the Mitrovica
detention centre have been tightened, following the escape of 13 detainees
earlier in the month. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan warns in his report to the Security Council that Kosovo's transition to self-governance could be in danger of being derailed by hard-line, principally Kosovo Albanian, extremists. The Secretary-General stresses, however, that UNMIK will not tolerate such acts which, if unchecked, could narrow the opportunity for mass participation in the 28 October municipal elections. UNMIK reports that the United Nations Headquarters
in New York has waived the immunity of an international staff member so
that the can be tried in a Kosovo court on allegations of indecent exposure. The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia elections take place
in 260 polling sites in Kosovo without the organization or support of
UNMIK which said they failed to meet international standards in their
preparation. At the end of the polling, the head of UNMIK, Dr. Bernard
Kouchner, tells a press briefing in Pristina that no more than 45,000
voters participated in the "so-called" elections and there was
no significant voting outside predominantly Serb areas. The head of UNMIK, Dr. Bernard Kouchner, signs a law
regulating the construction and alteration of all property in Kosovo.
The "Rexhep Luci Regulation" requires municipal permits for
all building construction, including that begun after 10 June 1999. The head of UNMIK, Dr. Bernard Kouchner, briefs the
Security Council on the situation in Kosovo in an open meeting. He tells
the Council that the biggest problem in Kosovo is the situation of non-Albanian
communities, who are often still excluded from daily life and are under
great personal security risks. UNMIK mobilizes close to 300 teams to witness the Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia presidential elections in Kosovo. At the close
of the polls, the head of UNMIK, Dr. Bernard Kouchner, announces less
than 45,000 Kosovars voted in Kosovo. A fire destroys electrical transformers in the Trepca
lead smelter complex that supplies power to the nearby town of Zvecan,
in northern Mitrovica. UNMIK sets up an emergency task force to restore
electricity to Zvecan. 4 October OSCE announces the completion of the final voters list
for the municipal elections in Kosovo on 28 October. In total, 863,000
people living inside the territory and a further 38,000 outside Kosovo
are eligible to vote. Welcoming the news of changes in the Federal Republic
of Yugoslavia, the head of UNMIK, Dr. Bernard Kouchner, says he has already
established contact with the new Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica.
He says he intends to start a meaningful dialogue with the new government
to begin work on resolving crucial issues facing Kosovo, including detainees
in Serbia and the thousands of missing people. The head of UNMIK, Dr. Bernard Kouchner, tells the
General Affairs Council of the European Union in Luxembourg that the international
community should continue its military presence and economic assistance
in Kosovo, regardless of the change of government in Belgrade. Ahmet Sijariq, a staff member of the Department of
Civil Security and Emergency Preparedness is badly beaten by four unidentified
men in Klina, west of Pristina, as he was travelling to Pristina from
Peja, where he had been arranging testing for candidates from non-Albanian
communities to join the KPC. In a joint statement, UNMIK's Department
of Civil Security and Emergency Preparedness, KPC and the international
peacekeeping force (KFOR), condemn the attack saying they would not tolerate
such incidents. 12 October
8 December The Secretary-General appointed Hans Haekkerup (Denmark)
as his Special Representative for Kosovo. Mr. Haekkerup, currently Defence
Minister of Denmark, will begin his assignment on 15 January 2001. In
a statement announcing the appointment, Mr. Annan paid tribute to the
outgoing head of Mission, Dr. Kouchner, for "the inspirational leadership
and dynamism with which he led this extremely difficult and challenging
mission and for the remarkable success he has achieved there in its first
year and a half." Assistant Chief Constable Christopher Albiston (United
Kingdom) will take over as Civilian Police Commissioner of UNMIK, replacing
Sven Frederiksen, who will leave office in January 2001. 8 January 2001 The head of UNMIK, Dr. Bernard Kouchner, asks the World
Health Organization (WHO) to send a team of health experts to assess the
effects of depleted uranium resulting from the Balkans conflict of 1999. After leading the United Nations mission in Kosovo
for a year and a half, Dr. Bernard Kouchner, of France, steps down after
making what Secretary-General termed an "extraordinary contribution"
to the UN effort of rebuilding the conflict-torn land. Bidding farewell
to the people and leaders of Kosovo on 11 January, Dr. Kouchner makes
a final plea to all Kosovars to"stop the killings, " to renounce
violence and to strive to build a solid and long-lasting peace. UNMIK approves a new regulation on human trafficking,
making it a crime punishable by 2 to 20 years in prison. It also prohibits
trials in absentia for serious violations of humanitarian law. On his first day as head of UNMIK, former Danish Defence
Minister Hans Haekkerup highlights the need to speed up the preparatory
process leading to the first general elections, which he says should happen
"as soon as possible." A legal framework for provisional self-government
would therefore be one of his major tasks. Other priorities are to create
a secure environment for the return of Kosovo Serbs and to fight organized
crime. The World Health Organization (WHO) announces it will
send a team of experts to Kosovo to examine the possible effects of depleted
uranium used during the 1999 Balkans conflict. SRSG Hans Haekkerup calls on the Yugoslav authorities
to return all Kosovars without further delay to Kosovo, where they would
have their cases processed through a judicial review conducted under the
supervision of UNMIK.
Security Council members condemn attacks by ethnic
Albanian extremist groups in southern Serbia and stress the need to bring
the perpetrators to justice. 1 February Kosovo Albanian leaders condemn violence in the divided city of Mitrovica through a declaration, also signed by UNMIK and KFOR, aimed at restoring calm to the troubled area. On 31 January alone, 20 members of international and police security forces (KFOR) were wounded in grenade attacks. Following an extensive review, experts from the World
Health Organization (WHO) find no firm evidence linking individual medical
cases in Kosovo to the use of depleted uranium munitions during the 1999
Balkans conflict.
For the first time in Kosovo's history, a woman is
appointed to lead the Post and Telecommunications Enterprise (PTK). She
is selected from a short-list of five candidates. A terrorist attack on a convoy of buses carrying Kosovo Serb civilians leaves 10 people killed and dozens more injured. Security Council members and SRSG Hans Haekkerup strongly condemn the attack. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) announces that traces of plutonium have been detected in the depleted uranium ammunition found at sites in Kosovo that were investigated last November. The agency says the findings are not cause for immediate alarm, but recommends precautionary measures to guarantee that the areas struck by depleted uranium remain risk-free. Secretary General Kofi Annan appoints Gary Matthews as the new Principal Deputy to the Special Representative to the Secretary General in Kosovo. In the Balkans for the last two years, he previously served as Deputy High Representative and Supervisor of Brcko, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and as Director of OSCE's Regional Centre in Mostar. UNMIK decides to set up Tax Collection Offices on the
Administrative Boundary Lines with Serbia, in cooperation with KFOR and
the UNMIK Police. The measure aims to stem the increasing amount of untaxed
imports coming from or through Serbia, thus placing at risk the ability
to maintain the Kosovo Consolidated Budget for 2001. SRSG Hans Haekkerup decides to appoint a representative
of the AAK (the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo) to the fourth IAC seat
reserved by regulation for a Kosovo member -- vacant since the resignation
of the LBD's Rexhep Qosja. The AAK ranked third in terms of votes collected
during the October 2000 municipal elections. UNMIK starts the second phase of identity card distribution,
during which 400,000 cards are to be issued. In his first international mission, the head of UNMIK, Mr. Hans Haekkerup, attends the Balkans Economic Cooperation Summit in Skopje, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. UNMIK unveils plan to transfer to the municipal level
all departmental functions carried out by its five regional administrations,
along with the budgetary and financial responsibilities for programming.
Reconstruction would also be taken over by the municipalities in conjunction
with the EU pillar. UNMIK welcomes the Amnesty Law approved by the Yugoslav
Parliament, which paves the way for the release of more than 100 Kosovo
Albanians detained in Serbian prisons.
6 March
The JIAS Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural
Development bans import into Kosovo of all live cattle, sheep, goats and
pigs and related products emanating from the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Border and boundary disinfecting units are ordered at seven open road
entry points into Kosovo and at Pristina international airport. UNMIK voices deep concern at the decision of the former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to stop civilian border crossings with
Kosovo in response to the fighting in the area. Ninety-nine detainees are released following the Law
on Amnesty, which was passed by the Parliament of the Federal Republic
of Yugoslavia on 26 February. The Interim Administrative Council expresses its concern
over the negative social and economic consequences of the closure of the
border between the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) and Kosovo,
and requests the FYROM authorities to re-open the border crossing points
to normal traffic immediately. SRSG Hans Haekkerup tells the Security Council it is
crucially important that Yugoslavia formulated a new policy towards Kosovo.
"The democratic leadership in Belgrade should send positive signals
but has not taken sufficient concrete steps", he says. After being
briefed by the SRSG, the Security Council calls for an end to all acts
of violence in Kosovo, "particularly those which are ethnically motivated."
It urges Kosovo's political leaders to condemn such actions and increase
efforts to create inter-ethnic tolerance. After meeting the head of UNMIK, Mr. Hans Haekkerup,
the leaders of the three main political parties in Kosovo call on Albanian
extremist groups in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to lay down
arms. More than 4,500 people enter Kosovo to escape the fighting. 3 April The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia reopens its
border with Kosovo, ensuring the delivery of essential goods and medicines. |