UNMIK-UNHCR-OSCE-EU Press briefing, 9 March 2001
UNMIK Spokesman Sunil Narula
UNHCR Spokeswoman Astrid van
Genderen Stort
OSCE Spokeswoman Claire Trevena
EU Spokesman Reinhold
Brender
UNMIK Spokesman Sunil Narula
SRSG
SRSG Hans Haekkerup left for Sarajevo this morning to attend a meeting of the heads of the UN Missions and liaison offices in the region. These include the UN Mission in Bosnia, UNMIK and the liaison offices in Belgrade, Tirana and Zagreb. Mr. Haekkerup will be back tomorrow.
Working Group on Legal Framework
The Working Group on the Legal Framework is continuing its meeting today and there will be a statement from the chairman later.
Albanian prisoners released
In addition to the 25 prisoners released on Wednesday, there were six
more released yesterday. They returned from prisons in Prokupje (1),
Vranje (2), Zajecar (1) and Nis (2). Among the six released, two persons
are from Prizren and four from Pristina. We are expecting 17 more to be
released today. They will cross the border at Merdare around
noon.
Travel Documents
Portugal has sent a written confirmation accepting the UNMIK Travel Document. With this the number of countries which have recognized the travel documents has gone up to 20. These countries are: Austria, Denmark, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxemburg, Croatia, Greece, Finland, France, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Italy, Sweden, Romania, Portugal, Iceland, and FYROM.
ID Cards
About 50,000 ID cards have gone out so far. There are about 37 registration centres in the 30 municipalities, which have been covered. The list is outside and I would request you to publicise the numbers of the registration centres so that the people who registered in those centres can go and check if their cards are ready.
Education Department
The JIAS Department of Education and Science (DES) is introducing its strategy for the interface with local administration this month with a weeklong workshop, startzing on 23 March and two pre-workshop, introductory meetings on 16 March.
The workshop, starting on March 23, is a major step by the DES to include Kosovars in every aspect of education. It will be a meeting of all Municipal Education Directors, UNMIK Regional Education Officers, experts and facilitators, brought together in a participatory and problem-solving mode.
The purpose of the workshop is to provide a forum in which Kosovars take "ownership" of their training, that is, to identify the kind and amount of training they need to help meet their specific needs. Kosovars will also fine-tune the mode of operations between the Education Administration and the Municipal Education directors.
There will be a press release on this during the day.
UNMIK Police
A K-Albanian woman was killed after being shot in the head in Mitrovica South. It is believed to have been an accident. The police is investigating.
In celebratory firing on the occasion of 'the night of firing' on Wednesday night, a 22-year-old K-Albanian man Hasan Reacha, from Gjakove/Gjakovica, died after being struck in the head by a stray bullet in Skenderaj village. He was taken to the Pristina hospital but was pronounced dead before arrival.
There has been another theft of blank vehicle registration forms and four stamps from the Vehicle Registration Centre in Prizren. A safe containing these forms was stolen yesterday morning. Last time it had happened in Mitrovica.
Disinfectant fees
As we announced on Wednesday, the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development has established border and boundary disinfecting units at seven open road entry points in Kosovo. Barring UNMIK and KFOR vehicles, all others have to pay a fee for the use of the disinfectants. The fee is as follows:
All private cars with international number plates will pay 5 DM.
Private cars with FRY and Kosovo license plates have to pay 1 DM.
All trucks must pay 15 DM.
Press conference
Today at noon there is a press conference at the National Library of Pristina. This follows an international seminar on the situation of libraries in Kosovo, which was held yesterday. This seminar was organised by the Department of Culture in conjunction with the International Federation of Library Associations.
IOM
As part of a broader capacity building strategy for the Health Care System in Kosovo, a team of Swedish medical specialists gave a series of lectures on modern surgical techniques in ophthalmology, aesthetic and plastic surgery and cochlear implants. The lectures, organized by the IOM and the University of Linkoping in Sweden, took place at the University Clinical Centre in Pristina. A press conference on this will be held in the IOM HQ in Dragodan on 10 March at 10 a.m. All journalists are invited.
This was originally scheduled for last Monday but because of the border closure with FYROM, it had to be abandoned.
UNHCR Spokeswoman Astrid van Genderen Stort
FYROM-Kosovo border
On 8 March, UNHCR recorded a total of 890 refugees from FYROM. The latest group, totalling around 300 people, arrived en masse on Sunday and Monday (3 and 4 March) after shooting had started in and around their village. The refugees stated that they were taken by surprise and decided to flee to the mountains whilst the fighting was going on. In the evening when it was dark many of them returned to get their belongings and left on foot to Kosovo. The journey for many took 4-5 hours.
UNHCR has no information so far if any movement was reported following the attacks yesterday.
Humanitarian situation
It was generally noted that the host family size ranges from 8 to 15 people. The refugees arrived with nothing, with not even an extra set of clothing. Many refugees are staying in two-room houses, with one room serving as the sleeping area for the hosts and the other for the refugees. Therefore, some are sleeping 10 to 20 in one room. The refugees have received mattresses, blankets, some flour and some hygienic kits.
Interagency response
The ad hoc task force continues to co-ordinate regularly, responding to the needs. WFP will also be consulted this week in order to discuss the follow up on food after the ICRC's first emergency monthly coverage. The IMC mobile clinic visited Ljubiste.
FYROM update
UNHCR in FYROM reported that as of 8th March, UNHCR is aware of a total of 265 persons who have moved from villages in the mountainous area of FYROM bordering Kosovo (FRY) and to villages in the lowland of the country. In addition to the 240 persons who reportedly left on 5 and 6 March, reports indicate that 25 persons arrived from the village of Brest on 7th March.
As of 8 March, people are known to have moved from the villages of Malina Maala, Gozince, Lukare, Alashevce, Erkovac (Glaznija), Presnica (Glaznija) and Brest. They have been accommodated by relatives in the villages Aracinovo, Nikustak, Cherkeze, Romanovce, Lipkovo, Matejce, Cento and villages in the outskirts of Kumanova. Some own houses in these villages and towns and travel back and forth throughout the year. The Macedonian Government has reportedly, in co-ordination with the Albanian parties and the media, requested villagers not to fear and urged them to return to their homes.
Special Envoy
UNHCR Special Envoy Mr. Eric Morris spent the last week in Belgrade and met with the President's Office, the federal minister of Interior and Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Nebojisa Covic. Presently he is in FYROM meeting with President Boris Trajkovski.
OSCE Spokeswoman Claire Trevena
Elections Seminar
Yesterday the OSCE held a very successful seminar on the mechanics of the election system for political leaders and civil society representatives. The day long meeting covered various issues such as voting systems and constituencies. Its likely that further specialist briefings will be held for other specific groups in the coming weeks. These are being organised so that people involved in drafting the legal framework have a clear idea on the elections component of the framework.
CEC
The SRSG, Hans Haekkerup has re-constituted the Central Election Commission. Like last year it's comprised of nine local and three international experts, with the OSCE's head of mission Daan Everts acting as the chairman. The Central Election commission makes recommendations to the SRSG on election rules. It's also charged with supervising the conduct of the election to ensure it's conducted in a free and fair manner. There's a press release on this outside.
EU Spokesman Reinhold Brender
Successful tender
The Prizren Slaughter House has been successfully tendered. UNMIK has
signed a 10-year commercialisation lease agreement for the assets and
operations of the Progress Slaughterhouse and Meat Processing Facility in
Prizren. The Pristhina-based Fructus company will invest over 5
million DM in the facility, of which 1.2 million DM will be in the first
three years of the agreement. Investment will focus on improving the
facility's overall condition, the range and quality of its products and
substantial development of marketing and sales, including regional export
capability. The number of jobs at the Progress Facility will increased
greatly from the current number of less than 40 to a total of 216. By the
end of this year, the total number of employees will have doubled.
Fructus, one of the first private companies founded in Kosovo (1989) is
active in wholesale and retail of food products throughout Kosovo. The
company has extensive experience and connections in the former Yugoslavia,
especially in Macedonia and Croatia.
Power
Unit A4 is operating (120MW) as is the hydro-electric power plant at
Gazivode/Ujmani (16MW). Imports are coming in from Montenegro (200 MW) and
Bulgaria (100 MW-- from midnight until 07:00 hrs and 160 MW from 07:00 hrs
until midnight). Due to the limitation on the current flow because of the
damaged transformer at the B2 substation, partial load-shedding will occur
throughout Kosovo, at times of peak consumer demand, providing electricity
at 4 hours on and 2 hours off.
Donor support for
tractors
Yesterday, at the International Truck Company premises, Pristina, the Public Utilities Department released 15 tractors and trailers to the public utilities provider Higjiena Teknika. The European Agency for Reconstruction provided funded the purchase of the tractors (240,000 DM). The tractors will be used to collect solid waste in the areas normally inaccessible to the large garbage collection trucks.
Questions:
Q: In which municipality of Kosovo lies the village of Tanusevci?
SN: It does not lie in Kosovo
Q: So it is in Macedonia?
SN: It is in FYROM, yes.
Q: For OSCE: after your stated support for restrained action against ethnic Albanian rebels, are you satisfied with the operation led by the Americans that took place over the last three days?
CT: We asked for restraint and we want the border to be calm. This has primarily come from Vienna - we haven't had any reports yet whether we are satisfied with specific actions taking place. We are urging for it to be calmed down and we have shown our support for FYROM in its actions.
Q: How would UNMIK describe the current security situation on the border with Macedonia?
SN: It is a serious situation, and we would want it to calm down. We certainly do not want it to become "Kosovarised". The SRSG has been saying that it is a problem that does not have origin in Kosovo - it is from the other side of the border. We are very concerned about it because it does impact on the security and stability in Kosovo.
Q: You are very concerned about it, but what are you doing about it?
SN: We are really not doing anything about it - it is KFOR which is tackling the situation on the ground level. The international community is involved in trying to calm things down.
Q: KFOR keeps insisting that this is a political problem. UNMIK's role in this situation, is it political.
SN: It is a political problem for FYROM. We are concerned because it does impact on us. We are working with KFOR to see how to calm things down. The KTC and the IAC have issued statements condemning what is happening there.
Q: You say you are not doing anything about it. Do you think you ought to be doing anything?
SN: I just said that KTC has said something. They issued a statement last week.
Q: You just said that UNMIK is not doing anything about the situation.
SN: On the ground. We don't have forces. It is the KFOR which is handling the situation. Of course UNMIK is working on it - we are concerned about what is happening, but we are not talking to the rebels on the other side, we can't do that. That is not our job.
Q: So you will not speak to the rebels, even if that would calm down the situation there?
SN: I don't see why UNMIK should be talking to the rebels on the FYROM side.
Q: But the rebels were using Kosovo as a base, according to KFOR, and you just said that the problem doesn't come from Kosovo.
SN: They were using the territory, so now KFOR is trying to stop that from happening. It is being tackled at the level where it should be tackled.
Q: Does UNMIK have maps of the Kosovo border with Macedonia?
SN: I have to find that out.
Q: UNHCR: Are you worried with the possible influx of refugees? I would guess you have got contingency plans, but can you tell us what are the plans if the number of refugees on both sides of the border increases?
AvGS: We are of course worried, and yes, there are contingency plans. I won't go into detail, but we have temporary community shelters in the area. UNMIK will provide us with empty buildings in case there is a larger influx in the Vitina and Gnjilan area. We are hoping that it will be contained to that specific area but one never knows and it might spread out. We always have to prepared for the worst case scenario.
Q: Does UNMIK support or condemn NATO actions in a neighbouring, sovereign state inside Macedonia that took place over the last three days?
SN: I don't see why we should condemn those things. NATO is working on that developing situation. We work together with NATO. I don't see why we should be condemning those kinds of actions or saying anything more on that. The international community is involved in this. The whole issue is being discussed at the UN level by the Security Council.
Q: So you support NATO actions in crossing the border from Kosovo into Macedonia?
SN: NATO has denied that they crossed the border, and I think you should ask them that question and not me.
Q: I am a bit confused. I just came back after having been gone for a few months and I remember when Mr. Kouchner was the SRSG, he made frequent comments on the policies and politics of neighbouring countries: FRY, FYROM, Albania, U.S., Germany, many other countries. Why, as the representative of the United Nations, effectively governing this territory here, why does Mr. Haekkerup not feel that he needs to play a role in attempting to resolve the situation, which appears clearly to have sprung, to some extent at least, from Albanians from Kosovo?
SN: First, Mr. Haekkerup is not Mr. Kouchner. He has a different style. I think we must recognise that. Secondly, the UN is involved. The Security Council is looking at it. It is not as if the UN is involved at all.
Q: So you are saying that Mr. Haekkerup and the UN administration here will not be taking actions, for instance to try and develop a dialogue between Albanians within Kosovo and FYROM authorities - if you allow Albanians to cross the border to fight in Macedonia, perhaps there are issues you would like to discuss with them here?
SN: It is being discussed at every meeting of IAC and the KTC. If you look at what has been said in the last week you will see that Mr. Haekkerup has been talking to the local political leadership on this issue.
Q: How is Kosovo influenced?
SN: I think Kosovo territory has been used by the rebels on the other side and that is why KFOR is now trying to prevent that from happening.
Q: UNHCR: you just said that you are preparing if something happens there - to try to tackle the issues with the refugees. I've been there at least for four days and I haven't seen any real thing done by the UNHCR. I didn't observe any special preparations.
AvGS: I think you probably were in the wrong village then.
Q: I was in Debelde and I was very near Tanusevci. I don't know where you are making those preparations.
AvGS: We are definitely not in Tanusevci. We were last week in Debelde, and we worked with the refugees and provided them with whatever they needed, and now we are in another area in the Vitina municipality. They are working long hours every day to try and contain this influx.
Q: OSCE: Do you have any registered voters in Tanuevci?
CT: I don't think so. I haven't got the breakdown.
Q: The refugees living near the villages ..…..in the statements they made, did they say that they were fleeing because of fights or just because of rising tension?
AvGS: I don't have the detailed information of the internally displaced that are in FYROM at the moment. The ones who came from Malina Mala and Tanusevci reported shooting around the village. They were taken by surprise on Sunday morning when it started. Basically, when it started they fled up to the mountains, hid there during the day and came back later. They didn't report whether they saw one party shooting at another party and backwards, because obviously, they were hiding in the mountains. Of course, increased tension is always part of the reason for flight.