UNMIK/PR/607
PRESS RELEASE - 5 July 2001

Swiss Government Donates 1.4 Million DM for Minority Bus Project

PRISTINA - PDSRSG Gary Matthews today appealed to international donors to give financial assistance for the running of the minority bus project, which has been officially handed over to UNMIK Department of Transport and Infrastructure (DoTI) by UNHCR.

The Swiss government will contribute 1.4 million deutsche mark to run the project from July to October 2001.

UNHCR has been managing the minority bus service since 1999, with the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) as the implementing partner. It has 25 buses running on 11 routes, carrying nearly 30,000 passengers every month. The bus routes cover areas in Gnjilane, Pristina and Mitrovica.

Speaking at a ceremony at Gracanica this afternoon, where DoTI formally took over the project, Mr. Matthews said, "freedom of movement is a basic right anywhere. But it is particularly critical now that we are trying to get people back to their homes".

He acknowledged the "generous assistance" of the Swiss government and hoped that other donors will come forward to fund the project later in the year and next year. He complimented the UNHCR and DRC for the tremendous work they had done along with KFOR which provides security for the buses. He also noted the donation of seven buses by the German Government in April this year.

Dr. Peter Sutter, head of the Swiss Liaison Office in Kosovo, said he was happy that his government's contribution will help alleviate the "inhuman isolation of minority communities." But he said he was not happy with the fact that the Swiss taxpayers money was being spent for such a purpose. "This is wrong and the environment, which makes such a bus service a necessity must change," Dr. Sutter added.

Dr. Sutter said the Constitutional Framework for Provisional Self-Government has laid a sound basis for the future of Kosovo, especially because it contains a comprehensive set of provisions which guarantee and protect the rights and interests of minorities. He hoped the minority communities will grab this chance and participate actively in the process of jointly building democratic institutions.
 
UNHCR chief of mission Lennart Kostalainen said the project represented both a success and a failure --- success because it had assisted more than 400,000 people to travel but a failure because there is need for a project such as this at all. He called for not only continuing the service but if need be for expanding it.