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CONTENTS: 12 NOV. 2001 SHALA: THE MOST IMPORTANT PARLIAMENT IN KOSOVO'S HISTORY
Zëri on page one carried a column by its editor-in-chief Blerim Shala, who wrote: "A week from today, we will all be aware of the content of Kosovo's first democratic parliament. All of Kosovo's parliaments since 1945 have been dealing with Kosovo's status. Beginning with the Parliament of 1945, which was forced to vote for the free unity of Kosovo with Serbia and Yugoslavia all the way to the parliament of 1990, which managed to adapt to the circumstances of time and sanction the Kosovars' will for independence. However, not one of these parliaments was legitimately voted-in. In the nineties, the parliamentary and presidential elections confirmed the peoples' will against Serbia and for the state of Kosovo. However, due to known reasons, the elections did not result in Kosovo's democratic government. The November elections will result in Kosovo's first democratic parliament, which will not be able to directly address Kosovo's final status, an issue of which Kosovo's citizens and politicians have been aware. They also know that the only way to reach independence is by addressing the political and economic problems and to find a solution for all of them. This will most probably lead to new relations with UNMIK. The Kosovars' subordination to UNMIK should end. Henceforth, there should be cooperation and collaboration. From 17 November, Kosovo's parliament and government should be the only places to deal with issues related to Kosovo."
The highest Kosovar-international institution is in crisis. Last Tuesday UNMIK Chief Administrator Hans Haekkerup could not assemble all of the regular IAC members, however, the chances of holding the last IAC meeting before the 17 November elections are very slim reported Zëri on page one and three. The IAC institution, which for the last two years had few problems last week "slipped" following the UNMIK-FRY agreement. The three Albanian IAC members harshly criticized the signed agreement between UNMIK Chief Administrator Hans Haekkerup and Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Nebojsa Covic. Last Tuesday PDK Chairman Hashim Thaçi went to tell this to Haekkerup personally and left after few minutes. The same occurred with LDK member Fatmir Sejdiu who opposed the agreement and also left the IAC meting. Albanian party leaders are not calling this a boycott, but only a way to bypass, or express better an action to compel UNMIK not to work without Albanian consent. Meanwhile, UNMIK said that this could be a boycott, however it has not forecast any future developments. UNMIK has announced that IAC has several things to do before the 17 November elections. A regulation on the procedure and the work of the parliament is waiting to be approved. Albanians opposed this and said that this document should be approved by Kosovo's Parliament. However, UNMIK has made clear that this regulation has to be approved before 17 November. Tuesday is very close and it is still not known whether the IAC will meet. Relations between Haekkerup and Albanian leaders after the signing of the agreement with Belgrade, and Haekkerup's insistence to approve regulation after regulation before Saturday, leave little hope that the meeting will be held. Albanian leaders have opposed the idea that because of elections and their engagement in the electoral campaign, the IAC should not meet this week. However there has been no official notice from UNMIK regarding this. A source within the international community said that there is a possibility that Hans Haekkerup will be the one to cancel the meeting. In this version, according to this source, only Haekkerup will sign the regulation on the work of the parliament, an action that would open the road for confrontation between UNMIK and the Parliament on the first session. The three Albanian political parties that participate in the IAC do not have a concrete stance regarding Tuesday's meeting. Meanwhile, they have similar viewpoints regarding Haekkerup's decision not to approve the regulation and that it should be approved by Kosovo's future Parliament. LDK Deputy Chairman Kolë Berisha said that LDK stands for cooperation with all fora. "We will go to the IAC meeting and we will express all of our agreements or disagreements". PDK Chairman Hashim Thaçi will decide on his eventual participation at Tuesday's IAC meeting. PDK Deputy Chairman Arsim Bajrami has expressed PDK's position that UNMIK Chief Administrator Hans Haekkerup does not approve any more regulations until the forming of the parliament. "We requested that regulation on the work of the parliament should be halted until Kosovo's Parliament is formed given the fact that this is a decision for the parliament and not Haekkerup". We are in the verge of elections and establishing a parliament, which should handle these regulations, added Bajrami. AAK Deputy Chairman Muhamet Kelmendi has clearly expressed the AAK viewpoint that the IAC should not meet before 17 November elections. "We had a individual meeting with Haekkerup. A decision was taken that before the forming of the parliament the IAC should not meet and no regulations be approved". According to Kelmendi during this period of time Haekkerup can approve of only technical regulations that deal with elections, voting poles, manner of voting, proclamation of elections results and similar issues. According to Kelmendi, "If Haekkerup approves a regulation during this period, it will not obligate us".
"We are very sorry about the murder of journalist Bekim Kastrati, who was only doing his job to the best of his ability," stressed the leader of UNMIK Investigating team in Mitrovica Marvan El Smahy, reported Bota Sot on page five. According to Chief of Investigating Unit Klaus Bunning, several suspects currently being questioned are not entirely honest. "This kind of behavior is impeding us. We would have more success if these people had more trust in the police," stressed El Smahy. He informed that until now, 12 statements have been made by persons who they believe are eyewitnesses and can help shed light on this case. "When the procedure is over, an international and not a local judge will take over the case because the case is specific," stated Bunning, adding, "the investigations are ongoing but due to the fact that we do not want to damage them, we have been silent. This is all we can say for the moment."
Kosovo Serbs began their electorate campaign for the 17 November elections reported Zëri on page four. In Llapnasellë a group of about 50 men prevented candidates of the Serb coalition Povratak. Serbs opposing the Kosovo elections prevented the holding of an electorate rally organized by Gojko Savic and Rada Trajkovic. Stones were thrown just they were preparing to hold their rally. Local Serbs boycotted the rallies in Graçanica and Zveçan. LDK held their closing rally in Gjilanë reported Zëri on page five. LDK's program is your program, a people's program a program for Kosovo
statehood, Kosovo's independence and a program for our friend that helped
us" said LDK Chairman Dr. Ibrahim Rugova in
Gjilanë.
"PDK is a modern party, democratically oriented. It is a party which Kosovo needs," said PDK Chairman Hashim Thaçi in Vushtrri. AAK held rallies in Sllovi and Gadime reported Koha Ditore on page seven. "The process of Kosovo' statehood will be fulfilled in cooperation with
our friends in the USA and Europe, however this process also has
opposition in Belgrade and others who are trying to show that KFOR, UNMIK
and all of the international community's efforts as a failure," said AAK
deputy chairman Bajram Kosumi. |