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CONTENTS: 24 Oct. 2001 ELECTION CAMPAIGN ROUNDUP
Koha Ditore on page one carried a poll by the Kosovo Action for Civic Initiatives (KACI) on the way of voting in Kosovo. "The experience of the first free and democratic election campaign in Kosovo delivers a strange message for the candidates: the political parties don't have to spend huge amounts of funds during the election campaign, because more than half of voters don't even care about what happens during the campaign," it was noted in the beginning. The paper added that this was among the findings of a poll organized by KACI, the Prishtina-based non-governmental organization. The poll reportedly included respondents of all social categories and regions in Kosovo, who provided answers to 53 various questions. 63.8 per cent of those polled said that they have already decided how to cast their votes. 3.6 percent said that they would make the decision on the day of voting. "Another interesting finding," added the paper, "is that almost one-third of Kosovar families have agreed among themselves to vote for a certain party in the elections, whereas 48.2 percent of respondents emphasized that they are well aware of the fact that the entire family votes for one party." On the other hand, 64.7 percent said they voted based on their personal opinion and 28.2 percent said that they don't know for whom their family members voted. Almost one fifth of Kosovars (18.9 per cent) declined to identify who they voted for. The poll also showed that the party leader has influenced more than a half of the electorate (56.4 per cent) to vote for a certain party, whereas the party manifesto managed to convince only 41.8 percent of the population. The position of a given party on "the issue of Kosovo" has also affected the image of the party. Asked whether there were pressures in their environment to vote for a certain party, 14.3 per cent said there were, whereas 62.3 per cent said no. According to the paper, the poll also contradicted the idea that a member of a political party should by always vote for his/her party. Thus, during last year's local elections, 13 of the respondents who were members of the Democratic League of Kosovo voted for other parties or candidates. And nine members of the Kosovo Democratic Party did not vote for their own party. Nearly one-third of respondents (31.8 per cent) believes that the role of the media is very important during the election campaign. "Koha Ditore" is used as the most reliable source of information by 21.8 per cent of the electorate, "Bota Sot" is used by 17.3 percent, "Zėri" has 3.8 and "Rilindja" with 1.9 respondents. 90.2 percent of the respondents said they took part in last year's local elections. Approximately 94 percent said that they would vote in this year's 17 November parliamentarian elections. The Kosovo Popular Movement (LPK) has once again opposed the decision of Chief Administrator Hans Haekkerup to exclude two of its candidates from the 17 November general elections, and it also informed that it sent a letter to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and to other international bodies regarding the matter, reported Koha Ditore on page six. During a press briefing held Monday in Prishtina, LPK leader Emrush Xhemajli, was quoted as saying, "today, the Kosovo Popular Movement addresses the UN SG Kofi Annan and other international bodies regarding the arbitrary decision of Hans Haekkerup to remove its candidates from the election list." According to the paper, the LPK letter expresses the concern of the LPK membership and sympathizers regarding the unjust decision of Haekkerup and demanded that the decision be changed. "It is a political decision which is not based on local and international laws and it is not a result of a legal process. The decision was made with the intention of preventing the success of political entities in the elections," Xhemajli added. In addition, Xhemajli said that the decision of the chief administrator has no links with the decision of US President George W. Bush. Added Xhemajli: "we were not given a letter showing the connection between Haekkerup's arbitrary decision and the list of the US President. We have been prevented from flying to the US, but not to the elections." Koha Ditore on page seven carried a report from the promotional rally of the Balli Kombėtar in the town of Prizren. Addressing the numerous sympathizers, Kajtaz Fazliu, chairman of Balli Kombėtar, was cited as saying, "not accidentally we chose the town of Prizren to hold our promotional rally, which also marks the beginning of our election campaign." Fazliu also condemned the evil phenomenon that damages the Albanian nation and the recent attack against the party's deputy leader Gani Geci in Skėnderaj. Daut Bislimi, deputy leader of the party, was quoted as saying, "Balli Kombėtar will pledge to remove the beggar's bowl from the hands of teachers and professors and bring back their merited dignity."
The target of the international community to convince Kosovo Serbs to participate in the elections is almost impossible, commented ZERI (p1 and 3). UNMIK Administrator Hans Haekkerup will go to Belgrade today and meet Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica. This meeting is supposed to decide whether Serbs will participate in the elections, lifting the boycott. Haekkerup will show Kostunica a 25-page document, which contains data on the international community's activities, especially in the aspect of improving living conditions of Kosovo Serbs in Kosovo. At least this is what international officials say while the Albanian leaders have no idea what the document is about due to the fact that they have not been consulted, reported Zėri . On the other hand, Kostunica said that he has issued a statement on developments in Kosovo and the conditions which will decide whether Kosovo Serbs will participate in the elections. Sources from the international administration say that it is possible for Haekkerup to sign this statement. "The media informed me that Kostunica has prepared a statement, the content of which I am not aware of," stressed Haekkerup, adding, "I will most probably sign the statement if it is in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1244, the Constitutional Framework and the legal institutions, which will result from the general elections." Albanian representatives at the IAC complained that the SRSG did not inform them on the content of the 25-page document and criticized the fact that Haekkerup is constantly meeting Serb officials. According to them, they learn about the meetings only after they take place. PDK Chairman Hashim Thaēi told the journalists that he "acknowledges the SRSG's right to communicate with every neighbouring country, including Serbia." According to him, Kosovar political leaders should not compete with each other in order to communicate with Belgrade, in effect with Kostunica. Thaēi expressed the hope that "there will be a consensus of Kosovar political parties regarding the great issues that concern Kosovo." AAK Deputy Chairman Muhamet Kelmendi asked SRSG to be more considerate toward the Albanian representatives at the IAC and consult them before taking specific steps such as travelling to Belgrade. Kelmendi admitted that this entity was not informed on the content of the letter. He repeated the fact that "Kosovo Serbs are not interested in stabilizing the situation in Kosovo because then they would have to admit the Kosovars' progress. Thus they are making illogical and unacceptable conditions," stressed Kelmendi adding that the Serb authorities are misusing the international community's will to cooperate with Serbs. According to Kelmendi, one of the concrete steps that Serbia can take is the release of Albanian prisoners from Serb prisons and trace the missing. The Albanian representatives asked Haekkerup to pass this message to Kostunica. Belgrade can also help to eliminate enclaves and assure freedom of movement for all Kosovo citizens. Another topic discussed at the IAC was the use of symbols, such as the Albanian flag. A great part of the meeting was devoted to the security situation in Kosovo, which according to COMKFOR Valentin, is good regardless of incidents taking place. As far as COMKFOR is concerned, the shooting that took place in Skėnderaj was a family incident. However, he did not provide any further information on this issue. "The security situation can stabilize further with the help of peaceful electoral campaigns," stressed Thaēi following the meeting. "It is not right for political parties to use the problems of Kosovo for their own ends. This time Kosovo, the political parties, their campaigns and the ordinary citizens are being attacked," stressed Thaēi. According to him, "the incident that took place in Skėnderaj damaged Kosovo, especially the PDK considering the fact that 90 per cent of the electorate on Skėnderaj supports the PDK. We requested the criminals and perpetrators to go to court and face justice." "We appeal for calm electoral campaigns and offer our citizens the possibility to elect the candidate that will have a seat in Kosovo's parliament," stressed Kelmendi. Following the meeting, Haekkerup repeated that UNMIK would not allow the establishment of parallel structures in Kosovo, which according to him, will also be a topic of discussion in Belgrade.
Zėri on page two carried a report on Yugoslav President Kostunica calling a meeting with the participation of the two leaders of the Belgrade government. The meeting resulted in the leaders approving a statement, which will serve as framework during the talks with UNMIK Administrator Hans Haekkerup. President of the so called Coordinating Centre for Kosovo Nebojsa Covic said that the statement includes three elementary points, which are supposed to bring back the trust and assure a normal life for Kosovo. "This statement analyses the situation in Kosovo after the arrival of UNMIK. It analyses the security, the issue of the missing and kidnapped persons and the possibility of Serb returns," stressed Covic. "The decision regarding Serb participation in the general elections is supposed to be made after the meeting with Haekkerup," stated Covic. UNMIK Administrator Hans Haekkerup will meet Kostunica today in Belgrade. Topics of discussion will be the issue of Serb participation in the elections and their perspective of the elections.
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