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CONTENTS: 13 Oct. 2001 THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN The Democratic League of Kosovo held an electoral rally in Shala of Bajgora. "The LDK promises to win the majority of votes in the November elections. The LDK is committed that the Kosovo future parliament issues as soon as possible a formal statement acknowledging the independence of Kosovo," stated LDK Secretary General Nekibe Kelmendi for Koha Ditore. Koha Ditore quoted Kelmendi saying: "The issue of the referendum goes back to 1991. This year the people of Kosovo will vote for independence from the depth of their hearts. The LDK promises that it will hold a dignified stand during these elections in order to repeat the positive evaluation of our citizens and Kosovo just like it was during the last elections." According to Zëri, Kelmendi invited the electorate to massively participate in the elections. Kelmendi believes that the LDK's program will fulfill the Albanians' wishes for freedom and independence in Kosovo. According to Kelmendi, the institutions that will be created as a result of the November elections will serve the nation and the state. Kelmendi is convinced that the LDK will win the elections because it is capable of leading. Once it wins, the LDK will open its offices in the USA and countries of the European Union. Zëri informed that LDK would get engaged in helping the families, whose loved ones had died struggling for the freedom of Kosovo. The LDK will establish an institution to help these people. Koha Ditore quoted Kelmendi talking about plans and intentions of the LDK. According to her, the LDK will increase its cooperation with the international organizations, UNMIK and KFOR. It will do this based on the UN Security Council Resolution 1244. "Thereafter, the responsibilities for the law, order and security will fall upon the KPC and KPS. The LDK will get engaged to enforce these responsibilities." "All of the local and state structures should work to unite the separated city of Mitrovica. The LDK will also get engaged in revitalizing and returning Trepça to the hands of the local citizens," stressed Kelmendi for Koha Ditore. Zëri on page nine carried a report on the surprising action by PDK. In a rally that took place in the Sports' Hall in Prishtina, PDK Chairman Hashim Thaçi introduced the PDK's candidate for president, Flora Brovina. "As an activist who fights for women's rights, I am happy to be here - in the heart of the Balkans, Kosovo, and be a witness of yesterday's warriors opening the way for a women to become president of Kosovo. This is a victory for entire Kosovo and a very clear message for the world," stressed Brovina. Zëri quoted Brovina saying, "Hashim Thaçi and the PDK convinced me that they are working towards reaching universal values," stated Brovina, adding that these values have led the world forward and are the same values that will lead Kosovo towards the world. Brovina appealed for participation of the Serb minority in the elections and encouraged them to elect representatives, which will speak in their name and not in the name of Belgrade. "We are the majority and therefore it is our duty to equally integrate the minority in all institutions and events in Kosovo." Meanwhile, Koha Ditore quoted Thaçi saying: "This is all in the interest of Kosovo. Your vote should be a free vote for a free Kosovo." Thaçi reminded the participants that the PDK works toward fulfillment of the aspirations of the Kosovars and the legendary Adem Jashari about gaining independence. "The PDK enters the general elections with a clear vision of the challenges that are expecting us. In order to be able to turn these democratic aspirations into reality, the PDK presents numerous candidates," stressed Thaçi and assured that the PDK candidates guarantee that they would fulfill promises made during the electoral campaign. These candidates will establish genuine and democratic institutions, in which all of Kosovo's citizens, regardless of the policy they support or their ethnic background, will implement their equal rights," stressed Thaçi for Koha Ditore. Zëri on page nine carried a report on AAK Chairman Ramush Haradinaj meeting the media. Haradinaj is convinced that his alliance would win in the general elections and his party would be the first political entity in Kosovo. "The AAK has done some serious preparations and has very experienced people. Due to this, we believe that our party would win in the elections. However we will not consider our victory as a privilege or a sign that we should work alone. We will be ready to cooperate and co-govern with all other political entities in Kosovo's future parliament. We are also prepared to do the same thing with elected or suggested representatives of the minorities," stated Haradinaj. According to the paper, Haradinaj believes that the first week of the electoral campaign was very fair and without any problems. "We are convinced that the next few weeks will be similar: peaceful and tolerant. The AAK will be working for ensuring order and security, peace and stability and for the creation of a legal society, which we will govern based on the law. We will do our utmost to influence the stability in the region for the better and give our contribution in this aspect. The best service we can offer to the region is make Kosovo a stable country," stressed Haradinaj. "We will defeat poverty and unemployment. We will integrate our economy in the economy of developed countries. We will also deal with the issue of Mitrovica. It is our obligation and duty to be mature during our campaign in order not to change the situation for the worse. We are working towards the integration of all places in Kosovo, including northern Kosovo. The international community is doing the same thing," Koha Ditore quoted Haradinaj on page seven. According to Zëri, "It is a sin not to be talking about the independence today because independence is the aspiration of every Kosovar," stressed Haradinaj. According to him, "the mission of the international community is to teach the Kosovars to self-govern and make it possible for Kosovo to function as a democratic society with effective institutions, which will determine the future of Kosovo." "I appeal to Kosovo Serbs to participate in the general elections and present their concerns, worries and requests by democratic institutions. Thus making it possible for us to solve their problems in cooperation," stressed Haradinaj according to Zëri.
Zëri on page three carried a column commenting on the relations of Serbia and Macedonia with Kosovo and the Albanians. Shala wrote: "Maybe the world changed after 11 September. But the Balkans probably did not. Everything in the world can change except Serbia's relations with Kosovo and the Albanians. After the horror that took place on 11 September, two things were obvious. On the one hand, we had a massive and sincere solidarity coming from the Albanian side toward America and the victims. On the other hand, we had the intensified efforts of Belgrade and Skopje to manipulate this tragedy. Aware of the fact that the Serb ammunition cannot influence the political developments in Kosovo and that the political relations in the Balkans are a consequence of the national and state policies within the political framework of the West to reach democratization and regional stabilization, Belgrade and Skopje tried to make up a 'scarecrow of Albanian terrorism'. We can easily say that Belgrade and Macedonian authorities did everything in their power, including directing numerous accusations towards the Albanians. They did all this for the purpose of removing Kosovo Albanians from their current positions and making the international community see them as losers. If that happened, Kosovo would have to pay a very high price. The Kosovar politicians would lose the historic chance of deciding on the fate of their own country, which would result in a tragedy because our precious land - Kosovo - would have to return under the claws of Serbia. During the last several months and with all the developments that have taken place in Presevo Valley and Macedonia, Belgrade and Skopje tried to make Kosovars look as if they were the main destabilizing factor in the region. These two 'democratic' capital cities tried to present Kosovars as a community that is bringing the 'Stability Pact' in danger, as the people who impede America and the West to bring peace in the Balkans. According to Belgrade and Skopje, Kosovo Albanians are also the source of regional terrorism and are implicated in the terrorism net of Osama Bin Laden. According to Serb Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinator for Kosovo Nebojsa Covic, about 100 Albanian terrorists in ten groups will attack Belgrade. Macedonian officials insist that the NLA is implicated in Bin Laden's terrorism net. Belgrade and Skopje use the well-known anti-terrorism campaign of the world as a way to strengthen the anti-Kosovar and anti-Albanian policies. Belgrade and Skopje's accusations most probably are the result of the frustration caused by the fact that after the great downfall of the Albanians' international position, Albanians are finally making progress and improving their international position. After all, Kosovars have a better position than the 'democratization of Serbia'. The international community today understands that the 'moderate' leaders of Serbia are not so 'moderate' after all. These leaders are only continuing Milosevic's policy. If several months ago, many international diplomats used to think that the crisis in Presevo Valley and Macedonia are 'exported' from Kosovo, the latest developments and events in these countries prove that there were real problems and these problems caused the Albanian reaction and armed rebellion. Regardless of the rumor that they are always ready to fight, Kosovo Albanian political leaders preserved public consensus for promoting the position of the minorities in the Kosovo's Constitutional Framework. They also supported two agreements for bringing to an end the conflicts in Presevo Valley and Macedonia. Belgrade and Skopje have never and will never reach this level of cooperation with the West. Nevertheless, the final exams for us lie ahead. Successfully holding the parliamentary elections, establishing a genuine government, stabilizing the political developments in Kosovo and the contribution of the Kosovar structures to the regional stability would strengthen Kosovo's position and create better circumstances for the West to acknowledge Kosovo's independence."
Several papers carried a report on the Yugoslav army arresting six KPS policemen. According to Koha Ditore (page four), national and international institutions confirmed that the incident took place along the Kosovo - Montenegro border. Several reporters, who went over to the border and tried to get some information about the incident, had great difficulties. "We do not know more than you journalists know," stated an UNMIK Policeman from India. According to the paper, several employees of an office along the border were the few people who had information. According to them, first there were fifteen masked Yugoslav soldiers who captured two Albanians, meaning the Yugoslav soldiers entered Kosovo's territory and arrested them all. Koha Ditore informed that an international policeman from Malaysia was with the KPS policemen. According to some people, the KPS policemen were badly mistreated, while the international received only several slaps in the face. According to Koha Ditore, the Regional Police Center issued a communiqué, which said that the KPS policemen were safe and not hurt. The officials believe that the policemen would be released today or tomorrow at the latest.
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