03 November 2002

OCNTENTS

· Rieder: Competition will stabilize energy situation in Kosovo (Bota Sot)
· All Kosovo Government in training in Brussels (Koha Ditore)
· PDK accuses RTK for inciting hatred (Koha Ditore)
· Garanche: Mitrovica is the core of the problem (Koha Ditore)

Kosovo Media Highlights

Rieder: Competition will stabilize energy situation in Kosovo (Bota Sot)

Bota Sot carried an interview with KEK Top Manger Joseph Rieder.

Why lightning caused the fire at KEK?
I have not initiated any control regarding the fire at KEK. International experts have proven that KEK was hit by lightening who had no reason to protect or blame anyone. If it were different they would have stressed this in their report. We can exactly know when the lighting struck the power plant and we can find out why the fire broke out. I believe that fire protection was not very efficient because KEK did not have sufficient funds to spend in security.

Is KEK responsible for investment at the power plant?
Power plant here are little different from the ones I used to. A lot has been invested in equipment at KEK. The equipment that has been replaced weigh tons, they had to be transported from Germany and other countries. The millions of euros invested at KEK came from different donors and KEK officials did not have access to these funds. I do not have proof that all the funds were invested in KEK. If we say that all the funds were not used, than we have to blame someone. We can do this only if we have proof. Several months before the lightening hit KEK, 4.5 million euros were stolen and they were found in Gibraltar. Main suspect is Joe Trutschler. Until now 3.8 million euros have been returned and we are waiting for the rest of the money to return from Gibraltar.

Is everything going as planned, will we have next summer reductions?
We believe that staring next summer Kosovo will have sufficient electricity. If everything goes as planned there will be no more reductions. KEK hopes are oriented toward Kosova B, which is much newer. We cannot expect much stability from Kosova A given the fact that the technology there is very old. We have to build new electric plants. If there is efficient managing then KEK's value will rise. Consumers can help here by paying their electric bills. Mr. Steiner warned me that electric bills are not being paid in Kosovo. However now we have the regulation that allows us to disconnect consumers that do not pay electric bills. I believe that such regulations should have been approved sooner but now we have this regulations and the first consumer that has not paid their bills the OSCE was disconnected.

All Kosovo Government in training in Brussels (Koha Ditore)

From 5-7 November Kosovo will be without a government because the Prime Minister and all ministers will attend a seminar in Brussels organized by the European Union on integrating Kosovo into the EU, repots Koha Ditore.

"EU has invited all Kosovo minister to attend a seminar on 6 November and all Kosovo ministers have confirmed their attendance," said Prime Minister's permanent secretary Mehemt Hajrizi. Prime Minister Bajram Rexhepi and Minister of Finance will leave Saturday for Brussels to attend donor's conference.

"In the near future Kosovo will be integrated to the EU. Officials within the EU have stressed that no matter what Kosovo's final status, preparations for integration into the EU will start," said Hajrizi.

PDK accuses RTK for inciting hatred (Koha Ditore)

PDK held a meeting with its entire branch presidents where they evaluated very highly the electorate campaign and the elections, reports Koha Ditore.

PDK chairman Hashim Thaçi said that PDK is open to co-governing in all municipalities where they have won the majority. "We will not allow in any way to exclude or differentiate other political parties," said Thaçi.

Most of the branch presidents spoke critically of RTK and the way they presented the latest events and that RTK has become the headquarters of hiding organized crime while in 'special' programs the public opinion is being terrorized. RTK is lately inciting hatred among the citizens and the communities of Kosovo.

Garanche: Mitrovica is the core of the problem (Koha Ditore)

"Mitrovica is the core of all the problems in Kosovo," told Koha Ditore head of the French Office Bernard Garanche.

According to Garanche her are main denominators that show this: Slow economic development, lack of communication among communities, limitation of movement for internationals, UNMIK Police the KPS and displacement of families to their own property…

"These are grave problems and a miracle cannot be performed. The population was very tolerant and it should continue in the future, but I have to stress that the solution is in the hands of the local population, the Albanians and the Serbs," stressed Garanche.

RTK News Headlines
Kosovo leaders support decentralization at the SRSG Steiner dinner
Report focuses on the efforts by SRSG Steiner to explain the decentralization concept, followed by a wrap-up from the dinner he had on Friday evening with the leaders of LDK, PDK and AAK.

Soundbites: Eleanor Beardsley, on the fact that "everyone endorses the concept of decentralization which is useful for all of the Kosovans, not only members of particular communities, whether education on local issues".

Report emphasizes the topic of the return of the Kosovo Serbs as one of the key issues that have been discussed at the dinner.

PDK accepts elections results, accuses RTK of "Terrorizing Public Opinion" and "Triggering Civic and Ethnic Violence"
In a party meeting chaired by Hashim Thaçi, PDK chairman on Saturday, the topics that were discussed regarded local elections results and the electoral coverage of elections in the media.

PDK leadership addressed the issue of media coverage as "generally fair", with the specific focus on the RTK reporting as "inciting ethnic and civic violence", and "terrorizing public opinion with its political shows".

In a statement issued from the PDK meeting, RTK was labeled as being biased, unprofessional and harmful to the public.

PM Rexhepi goes to Brussels for donors conference
The draft proposal of main priorities of the donors' focus will be presented at the Brussels conference by Kosovo PM Bajram Rexhepi and Trade and Industry Minister, Ali Sadrija.

In a short interview for the RTK, Rexhepi states, "for the first time, the Kosovo leadership is able to define priorities in regard to donors approach to assistance of the country".

Soundbites: Rexhepi, on the education and health care service as focal points of assistance. Rexhepi also mentioned energy and telecommunications as crucial fields that need improvement.

Rexhepi was also quoted as saying that the delegation will also request a separate telephone area-code for Kosovo, as well as establishment of a domestic airlines company.

Kosovo Press Headlines
Koha Ditore
Front page
· Belgrade to face soon new conflict with western countries
· All Kosovo Government in training in Brussels
· British Foreign Minster Jack Straw to visit Kosovo on Wednesday
· Bugajski: America and Russia a commodity of a marriage
· PDK accuses RTK for inciting hatred
· Private houses have to be brought down to make an urban plan for Hospital neighborhood

Other headlines
· UP Board with new proposal for student participation (2)
· Isufi: Kosovo needs urgently legal infrastructure (2)
· Brothers Karic help Albanian TV in Presevo (2)
· One bomb, three organizations (3)
· Swedish KFOR soldiers return home with less uranium (3)
· American University will temporarily start work in Aktash III (4)
· Bukoshi promises to aid American University (4)
· Macedonia forces withdrew from village Cerova, danger from unexploded mines (5)
· Lam Breznica dies in Bujanovc (5)
· Why 22 Auto-Prishtina employees cannot go back to their work places (6)
· Albanian Office for tourism in Prishtina closes down (6)
· Albania: KESH announces new prices for electricity (6)
· AAK feels it has been damaged, however it will recognize election results (7)
· Haxhimisa: Kosovo judicial system has improved professionally (7)
· Garanche: Mitrovica is the core of the problem (7)
· Serbs in Prilluzhe attacked UNMIK Police (7)
· Gjakovë MA hasn't fulfilled many decisions (8)
· Red Cross aids 127 families (9)
· Hunters shouldn't hunt bear borders (9)
· Borba: Albanians came from Caucasus in the 11th century (11)

Bota Sot
Front page
· Gen. Lute: I do not know of a single example that after a war to have such progress as in Kosovo
· Rieder: Competition will stabilize energy situation in Kosovo
· Steiner: Kosovo is ready for decentralization of local government
· Whom does LKÇK serve?
· Menduh Thaçi promotes demagoguery and disloyalty
· Minister Osmani met with school directors
· Steiner calls Shvimmer to sent a CoE mission for decentralization

Other headlines
· British Foreign Minister Jack Straw to visit Prishtina Wednesday (3)
· PM Rexhepi and Minister Sadriu today leave for Brussels (3)
· USA greets Albania's efforts to join NATO (3)
· Skopje: Discussions for NATO remaining next year (3)
· Shabandulla: Kolasinac ordered the killing of my three sons (4)
· A group of Serbs seriously injured an UNMIK Police officer (4)
· LDK in coalition with PSHDK will govern Gjakovë (4)
· LDK won in Vushtrri (4)
· With joining of MNB south and west, 600 German soldiers will leave (5)
· Why OSCE used proportional system for local elections (5)
· Why there is fear for politicizing political crime (5)
· Prishtina University with Zero students (6)
· More than 194,000 traffic fines (6)
· Political crime in Kosovo remains of Marxist-Leninist (8)
· University books an Achilles Heel (9)
· Damn those that killed Ukë Bytyçi (9)