13 October 2002 Sunday Edition

CONTENTS

· Serbs boycotting elections - a plausible option (Koha Ditore)
· Steiner: You have done your part of the job, we will do ours (Koha and Bota)
· Teachers want guarantees and a law for leveling public salaries (Koha Ditore)
· Mitrovica-Burim-Pejë road is blocked (Koha and Bota)

Serbs boycotting elections - a plausible option (Koha Ditore)

According to Beta news agency there are three options for Serbs in Kosovo in regard to Kosovo local elections: One is participating only in municipalities where Serbs are a majority and second is the organizing of "Serb elections, third and most possible is boycotting them," reports Koha Ditore.

Kosovo Serb officials told Beta this decision is a consequence of "UNMIK not understanding the basic rights and an environment where Albanians are fully dominating and the reality that Serbs are voted against in every Kosovo institution". "Kosovo Assembly is the best example where all Serb needs are excluded," told Beta a Serb official who asked to remain anonymous.

"Kosovo Serbs voting in the first round of presidential elections for Seselj is a warning to the international community and the authorities in Kosovo that they haven't ensured the minimum of conditions for minorities to feel secure and a part of the Kosovo society," quotes Beta its interlocutor.

"It will not be our fault if a decision is made not to participate in elections," said Oliver Ivanovic after Kosovo Serb officials met in Belgrade with ambassadors of the USA, Russia, France, Germany, Italy and Great Britain. According to Beta Kosovo Serbs members of the Kosovo Assembly complained to the foreign diplomats, "we have been marginalized every time there was a vote at the assembly".

According to Oliver Ivanovic, "Steiner's plan on Mitrovica shows that he [Steiner] did not have a good will and wasn't worried of our problems and requests".

After meeting the ambassadors Oliver Ivanovic opposed the invitation that G-8 has made to Prime Minister Bajram Rexhepi. "We evaluate that this decision was improper and a very dangerous precedent in inviting Kosovo Prime Minister Bajram Rexhepi and at the same time not inviting anyone from the Serb community who do not agree with his viewpoints," said Ivanovic.

Steiner: You have done your part of the job, we will do ours (Koha and Bota)

Steiner spent Saturday afternoon in Podujevo. He walked through the main street and met with bystanders who did not hide the surprise and the admiration for the number one decision maker in Kosovo. After the walk through Podujevo streets Steiner visited Agroprodukt a mushroom processing plant, reports Koha Ditore.

"I would love if the Kosovo economy and production becomes as successful as this factory," said UNMIK chief administrator Michael Steiner while visiting Agroprodukt. "We hope to convince the countries in the region that we are for economic cooperation, because Kosovo is not an island and Kosovo needs to cooperate with countries in the region".

Agroprodukt workers asked Steiner to improve the procedure for exporting goods from Kosovo because this is an obstacle for Kosovo producers. "You have done your part of the job, we will do ours," was Steiner's reply.

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Teachers want guarantees and a law for leveling public salaries (Koha Ditore)

SBASHK leaders said on Saturday that they want a guarantee that 44 euros offered as aid for school teachers is a step toward negotiation for the start of school which has now entered the 12th day, reports Koha Ditore.

SBASHK President Agim Hyseni said that they want a written agreement with Kosovo Government. According to Hyseni Kosovo institutions should be more engaged in solving this problem. The teachers are determined to go all the way and they will not end the strike.

"Starting Monday all University professor will be on strike," said Xhafer Xhaferi head of the University of Prishtina Union.

Mitrovica-Burim-Pejë road is blocked (Koha and Bota)

As consequence of heavy rain, the bridge over Drini River has been damaged and thus the Mitrovica-Burim-Pejë road has been blocked. Burim town center is flooded, reports Koha Ditore.

Kosovo Press Headlines
Koha Ditore
Front page
· Serbs boycotting elections - a plausible option
· Teachers want guarantees and a law for leveling public salaries
· Serbs oppose G-8 invitation to Prime Minister Rexhepi
· Student complaints arrive at the commission
· Palokaj: The week that turned Kosovo backward
· One Macedonia - aim of the LSDM-BDI coalition

Other headlines
· Starting Monday University of Prishtina on strike (2)
· Steiner: You have done your part of the job, we will do ours (3)
· Thaçi: Pejë incident damages political process (3)
· Current problems not to be carried to new municipal governments (4)
· Waiting for the final Monday (5)
· Education Ministry demands that all school start work on Monday (5)
· Mitrovica-Burim-Pejë road is blocked (5)
· KFOR confiscates weapons in village Gadime (6)
· Sejdiu: LDK will fight for a democratic state (7)
· Thaçi: Vote for PDK it will make you municipality successful (7)
· LPK opens campaign in Kaçanik (7)
· PSHDK starts electoral campaign in Gjilanë (7)
· Bukoshi's PreK holds rally in Skenderaj (8)
· PD: We are a party of principles not promises (8)
· AAK discusses economic issues with Pejë voters (8)
· PSHDK shows Deçan that they are for Kosovo's independence (8)
· PDK is engaged for a better future (9)
· Kosovo citizens do not have whom to vote for (9)

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Bota Sot
Front page
· People of Kosovo must understand that KFOR is engaged as ever
· German Bundeswher will remain in the Balkans
· Business competition leads toward economic development
· Starting July 2003 only valid license plates in Kosovo will 'KS'
· Albanians in Manastir are left at God's mercy
· He has led Serb criminals before
· Will students from Tetovo University be allowed to continue studies in Prishtina

Other headlines
· Avni Elelzaj killed in Pejë (2)
· Krasniqi: With LDK and President Rugova toward independence (3)
· Negotiating teams have divided ministerial posts in Macedonia (3)
· Steiner visits Podujevo (3)
· Floods in Pejë, several bridges damaged (4)
· Many robberies in the last 24 hours (4)
· Swiss police arrest two Albanians (4)
· Our aim is to form a police without any bias (5)
· A census in Macedonia from 1-15 of November (5)
· I will vote for myself not any political party (6)
· PreK held a promotional rally in Skenderaj (8)
· LDK is intensifying electoral campaign in Gjilanë (8)
· Prizren's municipal leaders close to the citizens (8)
· Gjergj Dedaj opens electoral campaign in Dragash (8)
· If debts aren't paid, there will be no heating (9)
· A successful KFOR operation (9)
· AAK in Podujevo: We are engaged in making changes in municipalities (9)