16 November 2002, Saturday Edition

CONTENTS

· Albanians in the Balkans are for dialogue and good neighborly relations (Dailies)
· Covic asked Rexhepi for forgiveness (Dailies)
· UNMIK Police has names of 70 Serb police that are active in N Mitrovica (Koha Ditore)
· Dukagjini Group: Court refuses bail (Dailies)
· Rada Trajkovic: Supporting Albanians is a strategic interest for Germany (Koha Ditore)
· Kosovo Police starts to be independent in Graçanica (Dailies)

Kosovo Media Highlights

Albanians in the Balkans are for dialogue and good neighborly relations (Dailies)

All dailies reported that Friday in Lucerne started the conference "Albanians and their neighbors" organized by American Institute - The Project for Ethnic Relations led by Allen Kassof. At this conference Kosovo is being represented by UNMIK chief administrator Michael Steiner, Kosovo President Ibrahim Rugova, Prime Minister Bajram Rexhepi, Kosovo Assembly President Nexhat Daci, head of PDK parliamentary group Fatmir Limaj, AAK chairman Ramush Haradinaj, Kosovo Assembly Vice-President Oliver Ivanovic and head of parliamentary Serb Coalition Povratak Rada Trajkovic. Politicians from Albania, Greece, Italy, Turkey, Macedonia, Rumania, Serbia, Montenegro, Switzerland and USA are attending the conference.

The conference discussed pre-announced topics, which are important for the future of the Balkans. How the problem of Kosovo's final status is approached; how to create an integrated multiethnic society in Macedonia after last year's war; the role of USA and EU in encouraging peaceful processes in the region; status of Albanians in Montenegro; Regional role of Albania and integration of the region into Euro-Atlantic.

Members of the conference were informed that the conference is going to be closed for the media to give a chance to sincere exchange of information between conference members.

Covic asked Rexhepi for forgiveness (Dailies)

All dailies reported that head of CCK and Serb Deputy Prime Minister Nebojsa Covic at the Lucerne asked Prime Minister Bajram Rexhepi for forgiveness for what was said after Rexhepi was elected Prime Minister and the 'information with the documents' sent to UNMIK, which accused Rexhepi of committing war crimes during the war in Kosovo. In front of the organizer and all present Covic expressed his regret for releasing that false information and shook hands with Prime Minister Rexhepi.

UNMIK Police has names of 70 Serb police that are active in N Mitrovica (Koha)

KFOR confiscated in northern Mitrovica 1.5 million dinars equivalent to 25,000 euros and the list with the names of Serb police that are operating in northern Mitrovica and this list was handed to UNMIK police told Koha Ditore a source within UNMIK. However UNMIK Police officials did not confirm this.

Our source told that the list contains 70 names of Serb police that are active in the most problematic part of Kosovo and that they receive their orders from Serb Police and government. "They are led by former traffic police officer Dragan Delibasic, while their improvised police station is motel Bisevac in northern Mitrovica," according to our source they are paid 350 euros a month and the money confiscated by KFOR was destined for their salaries.

UNMIK Police officials did not confirm nor did they refute that they have this list in possession. "We do not have information regarding such a list or information about Serb police in northern Mitrovica," said UNMIK Police spokesperson Soji Idowu.

Well-informed sources told Koha Ditore that Delibasic is directly tied with the head of the Serb Police general Svetisalv Djordjevic. The source also told that they are very well organized and each of them have hidden bunkers where they have considerable amount of ammunition and weapons. The large number of police officers was deployed after 8 April incident where 22 UNMIK Police were wounded. "After 8 April incident, 'Bridge Watchers' were eliminated by Serb authority after pressure was applied by international community and they were replaced by these police officers," said the source and added that Serb Interior Ministry released a confidential order to 70 police to work in northern Mitrovica and replace the Bridge Watchers.

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Dukagjini Group: Court refuses bail (Dailies)

Court body refused bail for five accused called the Dukagjini Group, even though according to defense lawyers during detention their clients were violated basic human rights ensured by European Convention, report all dailies.

After hearing all the arguments international prosecutor Camudoni Nyasulu took a one-hour break and when he returned with a verdict that accused are refused bail. Afrterward he held a two-hour discourse on the Europeans Court on Human Rights and how these ales are applicable because in the last session defense lawyers based their proof on this convention saying that basis human rights of the prisoners were violated. "I don't think that any law was broken or human rights were violated during detention," said the international prosecutor. "If the accused are freed they can influence or obstruct penal procedure," said Nyasulu.

"I asked you to release our clients on bail because of Milan Ivanovic case in Mitrovica," said defense lawyer Adem Bajri who offered double the amount that Ivanovic paid, "however if the need arise we can offer even more," said Bajri. "We offer you personal and financial guarantees to remove any chance of fleeing and as a mitigating circumstance is that Daut Haradinaj came of his own free will to the court," said Bajri.

R Trajkovic: Supporting Albanians is a strategic interest for Germany (Koha)

What Serbs call "pro independence stance" by UNMIK chief administrator Michael Steiner has brought many reactions by Kosovo Serb leaders. Head of Serb Coalition Povratak Rada Trajkovic told Radio Belgrade "that Steiner is giving ambitions to Albanian separatists," and she accused Steiner of openly lobbying for Albanians, repots Koha Ditore.

UNMIK chief administrator Michael Steiner's statements during his stay in Germany are outside the lines of UN obligation in administering Kosovo and are influencing Kosovo's final status said Trajkovic. "This is in full support of Albanian lobby and even with strategic German interests," said Rada Trajkovic.

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Kosovo Police starts to be independent in Graçanica (Dailies)

"This will not be the only KPS Police Station to be independent. This process will continue in other parts of Kosovo, and such a police station will opened Tuesday 19 November in northern Mitrovica during UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's visit," said UNMIK Police Commissioners Stefan Feller handing over the first KPS Police Station that will managed and commanded by local police, report all dailies.

First police station to become independent is in Serb enclave Graçanica where both Albanian and Serb KPS officers work and patrol together. UNMIK police will continue to monitor their work.

For UNMIK Police Commissioner Feller this is a giant step in laying down the path toward democaarcy. "We are living a democratic place and police is one of the key relents and proof of a democratic country," said Feller. He added that security situation has changed for the better in Kosovo including parts where the majority are Serbs as it is the case with Graçanica.

"This will serve for good of security and the good of all Kosovo citizens" said head of KPS Col. Sheremet Ahmeti.

Kosovo Press Headlines
Koha Ditore
Front page
· Albanians in the Balkans are for dialogue and good neighborly relations
· UNMIK Police has names of 70 Serb police that are active in N Mitrovica
· What is good for Ivanovic isn't good for Dukagjini Group: Court refuses bail
· Kosovo is included in the regional trade in electric energy
· Xhema and Reynolds left the moment PTK finance was mentioned

Other headlines
· Internal investigation against Polish special unit (3)
· Moisiu and Trajkovski meet in Ohrid and Pogradec (3)
· Rada Trajkovic: Supporting Albanians is a strategic interest for Germany (3)
· A book by a man that saw things from the inside (4)
· Central European countries see their future in EU and NATO (5)
· Recommendations what has to be done at Prishtina University (5)
· Kosovo Police starts to be independent in Graçanica (6)
· Canada promises to continue aiding Kosovar education (6)
· Gjakove: One killed and three others wounded (6)
· Protests unsuccessful, students announce to block Tetovo-Skopje road (6)
· Foreign food products are dubious because they aren't checked (7)
· Hajdari: Quality of imported milk is suspicious (7)
· Limani: The tale of an abstinent (10)

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Zëri
Front page
· Balkan politicians debate in the Alps on the future of Kosovo and Albanians
· Polish police made a mistake in the date when they had to intervene in parallel Serb administration in Mitrovica
· Shala: A mental strike
· Feller wants for Graçanica to be a model for other KPS stations
· In the end Steiner to decide on the judges
· PTK continues to be untouchable for ministry competencies
· Court body refuses bail for Dukagjini Group

Other headlines
· Kosovo is integrated in European energy market (2)
· License for 700 driving instructors (2)
· Parallel Serb administration returns to work (2)
· KPC and IOM will aid the reserve (4)
· Experts propose to withdraw from procedure bill on telecommunication (5)
· KTA arbitrates between Ital-Kosova and IMN Kosova (5)
· KFOR with one brigade less but same manpower (6)
· Canadian project has trained 4,000 teachers and administrators (6)
· Children's rights in Kosovo are in the phase of institutional constituting (6)
· Tetovo: Government deaf on demands to release Ferati and Idrizi (7)
· Macedonia wants to return Kosovo to Serbia (7)
· Tetovo: More than 90% of population registered (7)
· Prague Summit should continue NATO policy of "open doors" (7)

Bota Sot
Front page
· Steiner: We have to hurry up on Kosovo's final status
· Rupnik: after self-government Kosovo is going toward its independence
· Kosovo signs memorandum on trading electric energy
· Fletcher: UNMIK Police and KPS have same aims
· Court decides to continue detention for the five accused
· We wish there will be no more political killings, rapes or threats
· UNMIK raid for dispersing Serb parallel structures was intentionally undermined

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Other headlines
· German Defense Minister to visit Kosovo in December (2)
· Covic asked Rexhepi for forgiveness (3)
· Ademi: PDSH is behind the incident in Shemshovo (4)
· Police experts start discourse in high schools (4)
· BDI insists on the national flag and changes on the state one (5)
· A private Miss Kosovo during Ramadan (5)
· Shepherd from Mirusha testified bout the horrors in Malishevë in 1999 (6)
· A key institution for reforming teaching (10)
· Debate on telecommunication problems without the presence of minister (10)

Kosova Sot
Front page
· How come Polish police intervened a day earlier
· Meeting Rexhepi-Covic applauded by all
· Which company stole 4.5 million euro from KEK?
· Why student participation hasn't been decided yet?
· Is there a mechanism to stop loan sharks in Kosovo?
· Kosovo with low export
· Five detained refused bail

Other headlines
· Incident at Serb Municipal Building - a Serb trick (3)
· Bill on telecommunication has many flaws (4)
· Only half of citizens in Macedonian registration lists (4)
· Who will govern Kamenicë and Rahovec municipalities (5)
· We are working in integrating MNB south west (6)
· High interest for new driving licenses (6)
· On Monday KPS members in northern Mitrovica (6)
· What challenges will new municipal government face (7)
· Bearpark signs memorandum on electric energy (11)

Epoka e Re
Front page
· Covic asked Prime Minister Rexhepi for forgiveness
· Lawyers called the accusation 'naked' and without judicial basis
· Post of the executive causes friction within LDK
· These are contenders for Kosovo justice
· Maloku: PTK to tell what are they doing with 600, 000 earned per day

Other headlines
· Rexhepi: Albanians are factor of stabilization in the region (3)
· Police is investigation what did polish unit do inside Serb municipal bldg (4)
· A giant step toward independence of Kosovo Police (4)
· Moisiu: Kosovo status is an international problem (4)
· German Defense Minister to visit Kosovo (6)
· More than 2,500 Kosovo teachers trained (9)
· Children are the window of our society (9)

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24 Orë
Front page
· Albanians are a factor of stabilization and they need to be supported
· When politics meddle in judiciary, justice is killed, say defense lawyers
· Nowicki: In 2004 a local will be in charge of the Ombudsperson
· Djindjic and Kostunica or Serbia caught in the historic pragmatism
· Dedushaj: People are consuming foods dangerous to health
· Commissions do not have offices, canteen the only democratic space

Other headlines
· University has a need for basic reforms (2)
· Premature intervention, undermines plan for dispersing Serb parallel structures (6)
· Mitrovica: One third of applicants for governmental pensions are Serbs (6)
· License for 700 driving instructors, 120 schools to receive them Monday (6)
Belgrade Media Highlights
· Special units went in for coffee (Politika/Tanjug)
· Annan in Belgrade on Tuesday (Politika/Tanjug)
· Covic demands measures to be taken against those responsible (Danas/Beta)
· Mini meets Krga (Danas/Beta)
· SNC calls for voting (Blic/Fonet)
· Appeal for protecting Cyrillic in Kosovo institutions (Radio TV B92)
· Idowu: Raid was a mistake (Vecernje Novosti/Fonet)
· Heaven for smugglers in the buffer zone (Nacional)
· Steiner in Lucerne (Nacional)

Other news:

· Association of Serbian Journalists sent a letter of protest to UNMIK and KFOR (Tanjug)
· UNMIK does not know why police raided Mitrovica municipality offices (Tanjug)
· Disciplinary measures over action in Mitrovica (Radio TV B92/Beta)

Special units went in for coffee (Politika/Tanjug)
The developments in the northern part of Kosovska Mitrovica, when Polish special police units intervened in the local government building cannot be described as a forced entry into that building, because they were invited in by the employees, UNMIK police spokesman in Pristina Barry Fletcher said. Fletcher set out that an initial investigation has shown the UNMIK Polish police was invited by the employees of the northern Mitrovica local government to come into the building for coffee and that after 20 minutes they had left the building.

Annan in Belgrade on Tuesday (Politika/Tanjug)
United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan will pay a two-day visit to Belgrade, starting Tuesday, where he will meet with top Yugoslav, Serb and Montenegrin officials and visit the ICY Belgrade office. Annan will be met at the Belgrade airport by Yugoslav Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic, after which he is scheduled to meet with Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica, Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic, Serbian Deputy Premier Nebojsa Covic and Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic.

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Covic demands measures to be taken against those responsible (Danas/Beta)
Head of the CCK Nebojsa Covic expects UNMIK's Chief Michael Steiner to take "energetic measures" against those responsible for Polish SPU raid on the Serb municipal administration building in northern Mitrovica. Covic told Beta that the situation in Mitrovica was stable, adding that it was "obvious" that yesterday's raid represented "someone's attempt to create a provocation." According to Covic, Steiner asserted that he was not acquainted with this, saying that UNMIK has immediately taken "adequate measures." "It is simply unbelievable that someone has taken such an action without informing the SRSG," said Covic. He added that in "sensitive areas" such as Mitrovica these provocations were very dangerous.

Mini meets Krga (Danas/Beta)
The acting chief of staff of the Yugoslav Army today toured the Merdare military base on the administrative border between Serbia and Kosovo with KFOR commander Fabio Mini. The tour followed a meeting of the Joint Committee for the Implementation of the Military-Technical Agreement at the Rudare Motel. Krga and Mini also held talks on cooperation between KFOR troops and Yugoslav Army units deployed on the border.

SNC calls for voting (Blic/Fonet)
SNC for northern Kosovo will call citizens to vote on 8 December, but it will leave to them to decide for which candidate to vote "in order to avoid divisions among the Serb people who need unity," SNC leader Milan Ivanovic said. "In order to speak about the final status of Kosovo, UNSCR 1244 should first of all be implemented into practice, implying a peaceful and democratic Kosovo and Metohija, without outvoting by the majority and the return of IDPs and expelled to the province," Ivanovic told Vranje OK Radio.

Appeal for protecting Cyrillic in Kosovo institutions (Radio TV B92)
The Raska-Prizren Eparchy most harshly condemns "the Albanian three years long aggressive campaign aimed at marginalizing the Serbian Orthodox culture, the Serbian language and its traditional Cyrillic script in Kosovo and Metohija." As an immediate reason to react the Eparchy mentioned, "recent refusal of the Kosovo Assembly to review objections on the telecommunication bill, submitted by Randjel Nojkic, just because it was in Cyrillic. It was totally inappropriate to react like this and represented a clear example of institutional discrimination," said a statement released by the Eparchy. The Serbian Orthodox Church appealed to the authorized International representatives "to protect the legitimate right of the Serb people living in Kosovo and Metohija to use their traditional Cyrillic script in administrative and social institutions" said the statement.

Idowu: Raid was a mistake (Vecernje Novosti/Fonet)
The raid by UN Police SU into the municipal building in Kosovska Mitrovica was a mistake, regional UNMIK Police Spokesman Soji Idowu confirmed. He said UNMIK Police initiated an internal investigation on this case. "We have grounds to suspect that somebody inside the UN Special Police is working against the plan and interest of UNMIK Police," said Idowu.

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Heaven for smugglers in the buffer zone (Nacional)
Gasoline smuggling in the border buffer zone between Kosovo and Montenegro is freely operating, even several months after UNMIK announced it would stop illegal trade. Criminals are using the conveniences of the so-called ground safety zone established by NATO between Serbia and Kosovo after it took control over this region in 1999. Dozens of gas stations operate in the ground safety zone between Kosovo and Montenegro, offering diesel for 40 cents per liter and gas for 50 cents, which is at least 30 cents lower from the prices in Kosovo. Nobody is trying to stop these traders. UN Police is not permitted to access this zone. The region where only lightly armed Montenegrin policemen are patrolling has become a real heaven for smugglers.

Steiner in Lucerne (Nacional)
We don't know how the final status of Kosovo will look like, but we know how it will not look like, UNMIK Head Michael Steiner said at the opening of the international gathering on the topic "Albanians and their neighbors" in Lucerne. According to him, "Kosovo will not return for sure to the status it had in 1999, there will be no division of Kosovo and it will not have independence without responsibility." Steiner favored the Balkan countries' inclusion into European development trends, pointing out that according to current events, it could happen that Kosovo remains "an enclave in the EU". The gathering was closed for the public after his speech.

Other news:

Association of Serbian Journalists sent a letter of protest to UNMIK and KFOR (Tanjug)
The Association of Serbian Journalists (ASJ) sent a letter to UNMIK and KFOR officials protesting their decision to stop providing escorts to the Serb journalists in Kosovo and Metohija. "As the only Serb journalistic association registered with UNMIK we call on our members to boycott all international institutions and officials in the province," said ASJ and announced that they would start the action as of Monday, when UN SG Kofi Annan is due to visit Kosovo.

UNMIK does not know why police raided Mitrovica municipality offices ( Tanjug)
UNMIK spokeswoman in Pristina Eleanor Beardsley told Tanjug she did not know why special police raided Kosovska Mitrovica municipality offices in northern part of the town and underlined that this had nothing to do with UNMIK police policy. UNMIK police are investigating the reasons for the raid of the offices by Polish SPU, Beardsley said, confirming that UNMIK chief Michael Steiner had told the Head of the CCK Nebojsa Covic that he had not been informed of the raid.

Disciplinary measures over action in Mitrovica (Radio TV B92/Beta)
UNMIK spokeswoman Susan Manuel said that disciplinary measures would be launched over the UNMIK Police's action in northern Kosovska Mitrovica. The action was not in accordance with the UNMIK police's policy and the UN administration was investigating how and why they entered the building, said Susan Manuel. She added that Polish SPU acted contrary to police procedures and regulations.