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LOCAL MEDIA REPORT: 25 Nov. 2001 CONTENTS:
AAK Chairman Ramush Haradinaj met the chairmanship leaders in Kaçanik on Friday evening. He did not seem a bit disappointed about the results of the general elections in Kosovo, reported Koha Ditore on page fourteen. "Kosovo's future parliament is a great victory for us. The electorate of the AAK has increased in many residential areas in Kosovo. We are not satisfied with the results because we have worked very hard. The same thing goes for you as well," Koha Ditore quoted Haradinaj. "We are committed to co-govern with all Albanian political components. As far as we are concerned, co-governance is a necessity. We have made the first steps and efforts in contacting the main parties of Kosovo in order to reach an agreement on co-governance. We will not enter a ruling coalition with only one party, regardless if it is the LDK or PDK," stressed Haradinaj. "Co-governance should take place before we elect the president of Kosovo. If not, then it would not be co-governance anymore. I am very optimistic that independence will take place," was Haradinaj's reply when asked if he believes that the LDK, PDK and AAK will enter a coalition in the event that Rugova is elected president. Whereas, Bota Sot on page seven reported on a meeting of the LDK Chairmanship in Gllogoc/Glogovac that following the announcement of the election results, the OSCE will correct errors which damaged the LDK, so that this party would not to have to deal with other parties' pressures regarding the LDK's role in various coalitions." According to the members present, the LDK's results in the general elections were not that good due to the very difficult conditions for the activists of the LDK to act and the permanent pressure applied to the members of the party ever since the war came to an end. Regardless of the results in our municipality, the LDK won and will therefore assure the process to establish Kosovo's state and democratic institutions Bota Sot reported. The LDK will develop the economy, culture, etc. Participants at the meeting congratulated Rugova on his third victory and wished him luck in his battle, which he begun some ten years ago, in gaining independence for the state of Kosovo. IBRAHIM RUGOVA TO VISIT PREKAZ SOON In a lengthy article about Ibrahim Rugova's proposed first post-war visit to Drenica, Bota Sot commented that although it is known for its courage and bravery, during the November elections legendary Drenica did not vote for a democratic Drenica, one without violence, murder or threats. But Drenica is not to blame for this the newspaper said. Albanians of Drenica witnessed the murder of the best men in this part of Kosovo. These men were the journalist of the national paper Bota Sot, Bekim Kastrati, and the bodyguard of Ibrahim Rugova, reported Bota Sot on page six. They were killed because they did not want the bad seed of communism to be present in Kosovo. Their wish was to return democracy and joy among the families and bring back the smiles among the faces of the people. Several groups of individuals managed to bring fear and panic among the Albanian population in Drenica by attempting to drown democracy in this part of Kosovo. Fact is that the Albanians of Drenica accidentally voted for those who turned out to be winners in this part of the Albanian land. There has been no end to crimes ever since the war came to end. People were kidnapped, killed, the LDK headquarters in Skënderaj were demolished several times and gunshots were fired toward the office during the electoral campaign. Numerous threats, beatings and everything possible took place toward the LDK activists. However, the violence reached the highest point with the murder of Bekim Kastrati, Besim Dajaku, and the wounding of Gani Geci. Bota Sot continued: All these violent acts were committed by individuals, who speak Albanian during the day and yet by night, try to think of ways to betray their compatriots. Maybe Drenica is beginning to forget or it is aware of everything but does not dare talk about it. Drenica knows that the most devoted soldiers are forgotten while others who appointed themselves officers and officials have built luxurious castles, own comfortable apartments and drive the most expensive cars. The people of Drenica know for whom they voted, but they had no other choice. Although not all Kosovars participated in the November elections, they showed that the Kosovo Albanians are determined to fulfill the wish of those who gave their lives for this sacred land. Kosovo Albanians voted for a democratic and independent Kosovo. Although Albanians of Drenica do not say it in public, they truly do support the calm and stable policy of the national leader Ibrahim Rugova. Once democracy has taken place, Rugova will visit Drenica. He will bring flowers to the grave of the legendary hero Adem Jashari and his family in Prekaz and Koshare. The Albanians of Drenica cannot wait for the visit of their president. It was impossible for President Rugova to visit these areas earlier due to the fact that he was very busy trying to assure Kosovo's full independence. However, once he becomes the president of Kosovo, Rugova will be the greatest Albanian man in Kosovo and he will take care of us. Although there are people who deny it, Rugova and Adem Jashari have been very close friends. There are facts that prove this and we should not forget that.
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