07 October 2002 Monday Edition

CONTENTS

Steiner: Let people look back and see the progress achieved (Koha Ditore)

Koha Ditore reports that UNMIK chief administrator Michael Steiner spoke to Koha Vision, RTV 21 and RTK on Saturday. He said he foresees how to solve the Mitrovica issue with his seven-point plan and he believes the Serbs will get greater representation in the next elections.

The SRSG elaborated on the seven-point plan, saying, "They [Serbs] have to integrate and this cannot be done overnight; we have to make progress step-by-step." He said he is satisfied with the current progress in Mitrovica but "one more forward leap" remains, which he believes will be achieved. "You will meet with resistance from each side; those are the ones who will lose if the situation changes. We have to face this problem and overcome it because this is a resistance from the forces of the past. There is no doubt that these forces have a limited future," said Steiner.

Milan Ivanovic and Marko Jaksic have openly opposed the implementation of the seven-point plan. Serb Deputy Prime Minister Nebojsa Covic and Kosovo Assembly member Oliver Ivanovic have made remarks that Serbs in general oppose his plan for reunification of Mitrovica.

"I was in north, the COKMKFOR was there, and we all saw how the people reacted. People reacted positively because they are going to vote for the first time in local elections. Some are questioning the plan and others that are rejecting it; however, this doesn't petrify me," said Steiner.

NATO, EU and USA fully support the plan, which the SRSG finds encouraging because their support shows that this plan leads toward progress. "They support this plan not because they like me but because they see that it will bring prosperity; and I have to stress that I am very encouraged when I hear senior Belgrade officials call Kosovo Serbs to participate in Kosovo's local elections. Let us not forget whom these elections are for. They are for those that want to participate in Kosovo's political life," said Steiner.

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Rieder: This is the path of rescue for KEK (Epoka e Re)

Epoka E Re published the following account of their interview with German electricity expert Josef Rieder, who was appointed international manager of KEK by the SRSG Michael Steiner, after the disastrous fire at the Olibliq power station.

In an office with a luxurious table and chairs, such as Kosovar citizens can only see on TV, KEK chief Josef Rieder had reserved only twenty minutes for an interview with Epoka e Re. He said this should be enough for an interview, since many other more important tasks were waiting. "When I arrived here, I was very confused," he reportedly told Epoka E Re.

Old, but in appearance a gentleman in good shape for his age, Rieder told Epoka e Re about the big works being done at KEK. "I am drowned in daily work, because it is a very difficult job," he said, and he added that cooperation with locals is very good, especially with Mr. Hamiti. He then talked about the main points of his "mission" here, and the path to surpass the energy crisis in Kosovo, which it seems will continue for a long time.

"My first goal is to convince the citizens to pay for electricity," he said, and added that until now there was too much talk and not enough action; therefore, there wasn't any success.

The strategy of the KEK manager, whom many people called a "rescuer" from Kosovo's "infamous" darkness, at first sight doesn't look extraordinary. "Those who don't pay will be switched off from the power supply." Rieder says KEK will start with big enterprises, which carry the biggest percentage of indebtedness to the corporation.

"We do have a heart for consumers, but in front of their hearts we are going to place a power meter," Epoka e Re quotes Rieder as saying. Asked whether SRSG Michael Steiner's regulation for disconnection of power, would be applied to those who don't pay, Rieder said that it is the Kosovo government's responsibility to deal with this issue. "The government is the one to deal with social issues not KEK," he said.

Rieder's biggest hope for improvement of the power situation is at one of the Kosovo B blocks, which he expects to start working again in December 2002. "We expect that the companies engaged in the repairs to work as hard as they can," he said, rocking in his chair.

For a long-term plan, Rieder has only one aim: "We will reconstruct KEK."

"KEK should take its fate into its own hands. Italian, English or French taxpayers cannot pay Kosovars' bills to KEK. If [donors] see that Kosovars only take donations from them and don't take their fate into their own hands, they will lose faith in them," he said, obviously convinced of what he was saying. Rieder didn't give a precise figure for the amount of money that KEK had received from abroad. "I believe that VEAG (the German company responsible for the completion of works at KEK) knows very well where to spend the money it has taken in," he said.

Rieder said that Steiner's regulations have been extraordinarily helpful to him in fulfilling his duties. Asked whether the regulations were made because of where he came from, he said, "I don't know anything about it, but I don't believe that this was the case."

Rieder doesn't have an answer or a definitive plan for how KEK is to overcome the collapse, except by the payment of bills. He said that if things don't move at KEK, even donors who are at present carrying the main weight would run away. "I don't know if there will be other donors," he said; therefore, the only salvation is for the corporation to take things into its own hands.

Epoka e Re asked Rieder about the 4.5 million stolen by internationals at KEK. After once again making himself comfortable in his chair, he said that "an UNMIK employee took it from KEK and it has been returned", but he didn't give any details of where the money ended up. "There is corruption at KEK, as everywhere else in Kosovo and the region," he offered, without explaining how he is going to fight it.

Asked about the difference between Germany's biggest power corporation, E-ON, and KEK, he said that the difference is huge and "pipes and chimneys" are not to be blamed for the failures here. "The most important thing for Albanians is their family, then nothing else, then much later, work," said Rieder, who wanted it to be understood that lightening and lack of coal are not the only cause of the ups and downs at the KEK power blocks.

"All KEK workers should understand that only when KEK is all right, can they be all right, too," said the KEK chief, adding that those who work well are always paid well.

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Not a single operator outside Kosovo has knowledge of Vala 900 (Koha)

"It is ridiculous that the international code is tied to Kosovo's status. There are satellite companies that have their own code; you don't have to be a country to have your own code," said former PTK director Agron Dida, who was removed from this post three years ago after he refused to sign the contract with Monaco Telecom, reports Koha Ditore.

"Can you imagine all those international calls that go through Monaco? If they get only one cent per call, can you imagine how much they have earned?" said Dida.

A Kosovar International Telecommunication Union (ITU) expert, Ismet Hamiti, says that the main criteria for an international code are for the applicant to be recognized by the ITU or the UN. "The chances of Kosovo receiving an international code depends on the commitment of the Kosovo Government and especially UNMIK. I don't know how things are right now; however, in 1999, some individuals at UNMIK took the wrong attitude, considering the international code a political issue," he said

Hamiti says the unresolved status is causing problems, but "if there is a will, there is a way". "UNMIK has to ensure Kosovo with an international code because this is the main condition for the development of communications in Kosovo," he stresses.

According to ITU expert, there is no need for the Monaco international code and "it goes against Kosovo's interests". He added: "We cannot say that Kosovo is using Monaco's code; the reality is that Monaco Mobile Telephone has expanded into Kosovo. Anyone calling mobile phones in Kosovo is in fact talking to Monaco. Not one single operator outside Kosovo knows that Vala 900 even exists."

Dida accuses UNMIK of having arbitrary contacts with Monaco Telecom. "Siemens offered everything that we asked and there were no conditions presented from their side as Alcatel did". Siemens offered a 30 million DM loan to meet all the investment needs. The interest rate was 4.5% over three years, with a one-year grace period. "For us, this would have been the best solution. Siemens had the best offer in every respect," he said. "Given the fact that Monaco has the code, it controls everything in Vala 900. Monaco controls the number of phone cards to be issued, the development of business, and PTK has no competencies in managing this system," said Dida.

Dida said he was surprised that Communications Minister Zef Morina had visited Monaco. "If it is true that Minster Morina visited Monaco Telecom, then this was a breach of the official post he holds. His first priority is to represent Kosovo and he cannot ask for aid from companies that have long-term interests in Kosovo," he said.

Minster Morina said that he went to Monaco to receive the needed support from Monaco Telecom and Alcatel in PTK's bid for an international code. Morina met in Paris with the Alcatel president and the French Deputy Minister for Information and Industry.

How can it be possible for Monaco, which has its own interests in Kosovo to call for an international code for Kosovo? asks Koha Ditore. Minister Morina justifies it this way: "When the tender is published, Monaco will apply as an operator and it might be that they are the ones that win."

SBASHK and government unanimous: No school on Monday
Elementary and high schools in Kosovo will not slated to open their doors to pupils on 7 October. The teachers' strike will continue for the sixth working day, according to sources within SBASHK, the teachers' union. "Until something concrete is offered, we will not end our strike. School will not start on Monday," said SBASHK General Secretary Zenel Zeka. He added, "When we are offered something acceptable, we will issue a communiqué," SBASHK is not expecting a miracle that will end the strike on Monday," reports Koha Ditore.

Zeka stressed that SBASHK has not met with the working group formed by the government. "Even if we do meet…this doesn't mean we will end our strike. Only if we are guaranteed…a pay rise will the strike end and teachers and pupils go back to school. We expect that Kosovo's highest institutions, the government and the assembly, are going to give to assurances for a teachers' pay rise," said Zeka.

"It is understandable that the strike will continue. Very little has moved, and we are working on forming a working group which will meet today with Prime Minister Rexhepi's advisor Ramadan Avdiu," said SBASHK president Agim Hyseni. Avdiu said, "We have met and talked, but there aren't any concrete names."

Meanwhile, University of Prishtina professors say that they haven't decided if they are going to join teachers' strike. "If these bad conditions continue, we shall join in," said Prof. Hajredin Kuçi.

The fact stands that Kosovar teachers are the lowest paid in Europe and with the worst working conditions, according to a report by Education International, compiled for International Teacher Day.

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Strike as the first news (Zëri)

Zëri carried an editorial by Blerim Shala who wondered whether a long-term strategy for Kosovo politics and economy exists at all. If not, he says, all Kosovars will become hostages to social problems.

Teachers' strike seems to be the most important event in the election campaign, even though in principle there is no point of intersection for these two phenomena. We can all notice that the news of the strike is being followed with much more interest than the election campaign of our political entities.

The announcements that preschool and university teachers will join the strike point to the fragility of social stability in Kosovo, if we can speak about such a thing at all.

In fact, up to now, politics has dominated everything in Kosovo. And Kosovo policy remains hostage to big notions and empty promises. The situation in education is only the tip of the iceberg, what is visible. The price of the crisis in education will be paid for years; while we are paying the price of healthcare every day, with the tragic end for those who are ill, which is a consequence of negligence, stagnation and irresponsibility, prompted by low wages.

The strike in education raises many questions, which altogether make up the main question: What kind of Kosovar society do we actually want to build? Do we have any long-term political and economic strategy at all?

Many people here could say that we are straining our heads over big issues in the days when the euros and cents of teachers', doctors', and law clerks' salaries are being counted. But if we don't look a bit further, and if we don't deal with immediate reactions to daily challenges, we will find that we are all becoming hostages to social problems.

Kosovo Election Campaign Coverage

Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK)

LDK held campaign rallies in Malisheva region. Jonuz Kastrati, president of LDK branch in Malisheva, said, "We ask for your vote because we have the most popular president in the Balkans." Bota Sot charged that PDK activists "misused and stimulated" children from the village to throw stones at participants at the LDK rally in Hoqa (Prizren).

Kosovo Democratic Party (PDK)

Hudajet Hyseni and Basri Musmurati presented PDK's plan for Lipjan villages. They reportedly said that "corruption and family relationships at municipal offices will disappear". Epoka e Re reported on the PDK rally in Skënderaj in which PDK officials recounted their achievements and promised new projects.

At the PDK rally in Ferizaj, Hajdin Abazi said, "We don't suffer from careerism and we don't want to keep posts for old people, but we want to enable new generations to lead Kosovo in step with Western Europe."

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Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK)

The daily papers report that Joseph DioGuardi, president of Albanian-American Civic League, the Albanian lobby in Washington, was present at an AAK rally in Fushë Kosovë. He was quoted in Koha Ditore as saying, "There's no other solution but the independence of Kosovo and this should happen right now. Kosovo's only serious partner is America." 24 Orë quotes him as saying, "When I need a strong voice from Kosovo, I call, who else but, Mr. Ramush Haradinaj."

The dailies report that Ramush spoke at an AAK rally in Gjakova region, saying:"We, as a nation, are working to build a state, but this is a long process which has phases. One of these phases is the 26 October elections. They are very important because independence at the local level will be achieved."

Regional Update
Macedonia

Crvenkovski is offering BDI the same ministries that PDSH use to have

On Friday, LSDM made a concrete offer to BDI of the Ministries of Justice, Transport and Communications, Health and Local Government, and also the post of vice president in charge of political systems in Macedonia. This was the LSDM's latest offer in the process of forming a coalition following the 15 September election, reports Koha Ditore.

Xhaferi supports Ahmeti entering the government

Arbën Xhaferi has pledged his full support to BDI president Ali Ahmeti in his work in the new government. Xhaferi met with Ali Ahmeti on Friday night at PDSH branch in Tetovo, a meeting called by Ahmeti to ask for Xhaferi's support in forming a coalition during a parliamentary vote. Xhaferi has given his personal, and his party's, support to BDI and Ali Ahmeti, reports Koha Ditore.

Former NLA soldier in detention for 30 days

According to Koha Ditore, Macedonian Police continue to disregard the Amnesty Law for former NLA members. Sadulla Duarku, a member of the BDI Presidency, was arrested Saturday on charges of high treason, endangering Macedonian territorial integrity, and crimes against the civilian population.

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Albania

Durrës: 16 Kosovars arrested with fake passports

As part of an anti-trafficking campaign that well underway in Albania, police have arrested 16 Kosovar Albanians in possession of fake documents. Most of those arrested told the police that they had purchased their "visas" in various towns in Kosovo and that they paid between 1,000 and 2,500 euros for the falsified documents, repots Koha Ditore.