31 August 2002

· Macedonia report (Dailies)
· Two police version for the Gorazhdec 'battle'! (Dailies)
· Djindjic: It is a priority to start a dialogue between Belgrade and Prishtina (Zëri)
· No strike, SBASHK reaches an agreement with Education Minister (Dailies)
· Kosovo Assembly President Nexhat Daci visits Shtërpce (Dailies)

Kosovo Media Highlights

Macedonia report (All dailies)

Large police forces headed Friday afternoon from Skopje to Tetovo. Under suspicious circumstances the Albanian Agron Dehari was killed and one other wounded, police arrested two more Albanians. Boskovski's Lions are controlling every movement in the outskirts of Tetovo, report all dailies.

Police said that Agron Dehari was a victim of a clash between two Albanian gangs. His body was sent to the Tetovo hospital, said Dr. Rrahim Thaçi director of the hospital. All this happened after the blocking of the Tetovo-Gostivar road by Albanians Thursday night, when an unidentified group of persons kidnapped 8 men from a bus, 7 Macedonians and one Albanian. Three hostages were released among them was the Albanian bus driver. The kidnappers demand the release of arrested 4 Albanians. One of the kidnappers said, "The hostages are well" and it isn't their aim to kill them.

Representatives of NATO, OSCE, EU in Macedonia and presidents of the four Albanian political parties in Macedonia condemned the kidnapping and called for the immediate release of the hostages.

EU high representative Javier Solana condemned the kidnapping of the civilians and called for their immediate and unconditional release of the hostages.

Albanian government has harshly condemned the attempt by Macedonian governmental officials to arrest BDI President Ali Ahmeti. Albanian Foreign Ministry said that they support the democratic elections process in Macedonia and they condemn any effort to destabilize Macedonia.

International diplomats in Macedonia have expressed their worriers about the announced arrest on Ali Ahmeti. OSCE Ambassador Craig Jenness said, "Arresting BDI President Ali Ahmeti could lead to another war". PDSH President Arbën Xhaferi said, "Ali Ahmeti has the power to arrest those that are now threatening him with arrest".

Two police versions for the Gorazhdec 'battle'! (All dailies)

Police and KFOR on Friday did not give the reasons for the shooting in Gorazhdec. Communiqués released by both UNMIK and KFOR say that they were shot at and they returned fire, however no other details were released as to what happened on Thursday's conflict that lasted for four hours, report all dailies.

According to UNMIK Police in Prishtina, three police vehicles answered a call, which reported a shooting. "When they arrived at the scene, someone started to shoot at them. We believe that three individuals with AK-47's were shooting at the police," said UNMIK Police spokesperson Barry Fletcher. The police were caught in an ambush and called KFOR to assist them who answered positively to the call. KFOR patrol was also caught in the ambush and only after reinforcements arrived did the attackers flee.

UNMIK Police in Pejë released two version of the incident. The first version says: "UNMIK Police was guarding six Serbs while they were cutting wood, when unknown persons shot at them," and the second version says: "Gorazhdec police station received a telephone call by some persons cutting wood reporting shootings in the Serb zone".

Kosovo President Ibrahim Rugova released a statement in which he condemned the attack (see RTK report bellow).

Djindjic: It is a priority to start a dialogue between Belgrade and Prishtina (Zëri)

Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic told Fonet that one of the priorities of the Serbian government is the start of the dialogue between Belgrade and Prishtina, stressing that the status quo cannot bring a solution, reports Zëri.

"There will be a final solution in two or three years. For the moment this isn't happening anywhere. There is no exit strategy. Everyone is thinking: Let status quo last and it will bring some kind of solution. No, status quo cannot bring a solution," said Djindjic.

No strike, SBASHK reaches an agreement with Education Minister (Dailies)

Teacher's Union and Education Minister Rexhep Osmani reached an agreement that will enable schools to start as planned on Monday September 2, report dallies. (See RTK report)

Kosovo Assembly President Nexhat Daci visits Shtërpce (Dailies)

Kosovo Assembly President Nexhat Daci on Friday visited Shtërpce municipality and talked to municipal leader, reported dailies. (see RTK report)

RTK News Headlines

(19:30 edition)

Macedonia report: One Albanian killed, eight Macedonians kidnapped, security situation reaches the lowest point since last year

One Albanian killed, another heavy wounded and eight Macedonian Slavs kidnapped by unknown armed persons remains the outcome of heavy incidents that took place on the eve Thursday and early hours of Friday on the highway between towns of Tetovo and Gostivar in Macedonia.
Three of the hostages are reported released. The situation in Macedonia deteriorates swiftly as the country approaches elections day. According to the RTK Skopje correspondent, reasons to this incident should be found in those that took place few days ago: namely, killing of two Macedonian policemen, mass-arrest of Albanians in Gostivar, burning of Albanian flags and issuing of arrest-warrant to Ali Ahmeti, chairman of BDI, former NLA leader.
Representatives of foreign embassies in Skopje have demanded urgent release of the hostages after meeting with country's president Trajkovski. The same demand was vowed by four Macedonian-Albanian leaders: Xhaferi, Aliti, Ahmeti and Rexha.
In the RTK interview, Arbën Xhaferi DPA chairman viewed the actual situation "as gravely serious", while characterizing the arrest warrant against Ali Ahmeti from BDI as "deeply primitive move" by Macedonian authorities.
Xhaferi noted that "such acts ruin the image of democracy in Macedonia, while the open threats against Ahmeti can only cause increase of popularity of his party through mobilizing Albanians around it".
"This threats work against the vital interests of Macedonian state", Xhaferi was quoted as saying.

President Rugova statement on Gorazhdec attacks

(Presenter intro): President Rugova's statement on Gorazhdec armed incident on Thursday reads that "the act of attacks against KFOR and KPS are strongly condemned and that the perpetrators of these acts must be brought to justice. Such attacks are unacceptable, since the KFOR troops and police units are in Kosovo to serve to offer security for all the citizens."

PM Rexhepi's reaction on Serbia and Montenegro Clause regarding the future status of Kosovo.

"Constitutional Preamble of a state can not anticipate the future status of Kosovo", PM Rexhepi was quoted as saying in his reaction to the approval of final draft of new constitutional document signed between Serbia and Montenegro.
The RTK report continues with informative piece on the preamble, highlighting the clause by which "autonomous provinces of Kosovo and Vojvodina are included in the document as integral parts of Serbia".
Representatives of international community in Kosovo refused to comment on the preamble. UNMIK spokeswoman Susan Manuel was quoted as saying that "UN administration exercises its powers on the grounds of UN Security Council Resolution 1244, and that the issue of final status of Kosovo is still to be discussed in the future."
Report notes that Kosovo PMs office was not ready to comment on the news, citing PM Rexhepi as saying that he "refuses to speculate before seeing the complete draft of the document". However, he was quoted saying that "no preamble of another country can anticipate some final status of Kosovo".

Rexhepi: "They can draft their own constitutions. We do not relate our fate with their union. We would also demand from international community to reject such claims, since they go beyond the mandate of Resolution 1244."

Report cites a political analyst Enver Hasani that "what we are witnessing, is formation of Dayton II Agreement which establishes a formal union with divided entities."

Mitrovica: Four Albanian parties believe that mutual compromise can lead to faster solution to divided city
Kosovo Albanian political party leaders in Mitrovica vow for establishing a unified multi-party strategy on Mitrovica. "Only the unified approach to the problem of divided city and the rest of Kosovo can persuade UNMIK to perceive the entire problematic with more seriousness", local leaders of PDK, LDK and AAK were quoted as saying.
According to the report, the event that triggered such a standpoint was Ramush Haradinaj's visit to Mitrovica on Friday.
The AAK chairman noted, "a unified project on the problem is a necessity".
Haradinaj: "This is not problem of a political party, but a collective one. I think that gathering around a unified political strategy, including the AAK, will help a great deal in shaping the more successful approach to the problem of Mitrovica".
Faruk Spahija, Mitrovica mayor agrees with Haradinaj, stating that Mitrovica requires a broader coalition of political forces and a consensus on joint activity.
Spahija: "One political entity alone can hardly do anything, faced with the problem alike. A joint orchestrated strategy would prove much more efficient".
A similar approach was stated by the PDK branch chairman as well. According to Ahmet Tmava, "a common strategy has to be acknowledged and coordinated with form demands for dissolution of borders as an unacceptable concept".

Daci Visits Shtërpce, demands end of tensions and return to homes

Great efforts will be in place in the future to ensure successful economic recovery and revitalization of tourism in this valuable part of Kosovo, Kosovo Assembly Chairman, Nexhat Daci, told Shtërpce municipality officials, during his first visit to this tensions-riveted settlement.
Accompanied by the local Albanian mayor, Bahri Hyseni, Daci visited the hotels compound in Shtërpce and the surrounding area, once a distinguished winter-tourism resort.
Daci: I will plead for economic support and recovery of this area by Kosovo Albanians, encouraging them to visit such an invaluable place".

As for Hyseni, he reiterated ethnic tensions and problems on both sides of Albanian and Serb populations, with high percentages of displaced persons and unwillingness to cooperation".
Daci visited also a metal processing factory in Zveçan, where he met the Serb manager of the facility. Report noted that Daci entered an empty factory, since all Serbs who were working inside refused to meet him.
Manager explained to Daci that he went "at least ten times" to Prishtina "asking for help and assistance to the factory with no success whatsoever".
Daci promised to address the problem of the factory at the Kosovo Assembly.

Rexhepi meets Greek Office representative, discuss future aid to Kosovo

Greek government expressed its readiness to assist economic development of Kosovo. This was the mutual message that came up after talks that Kosovo PM Rexhepi held with Kristos Kontovounios, Prishtina Greek office head.

Rexhepi: If the countries of the region are interested in mutual cooperation, then the economy represents the very basis of it. I believe that future processes in Kosovo, such privatization, can be of an interest to the Greek business as well"

Kontovounios: "Firstly, we focus on helping the stability of Kosovo. Greek government would like to enhance relations with Kosovo government, understanding the privatization process ahead as crucially important for future economic development".

Rexhepi also expressed his gratitude to the efforts of the Greek Battalion with KFOR in ensuring the safe and secure environment for all the citizens.

Rexhepi rejects Daci's claims that Govt. passivity hampers the Assembly work on laws

'It is not true that the passivity of the government is hampering the process of approving and enacting laws by the Assembly", Kosovo PM Rexhepi was quoted as saying, following the statement by Nexhat Daci on Thursday that "government services are slowing down the pace of Assembly's activity".
Report notes that during the six-months time-span, Kosovo assembly managed to approve two packages of laws: the Law on Pensions and the one on Education.
Rexhepi: "There are no grounds for accusing the government for inaction. It is well known that procedures with the institution proceed with through inevitable bureaucracy. If the Assembly is ready to increase the pace of work, then the Government would submit draft proposals on future laws on every tenth day."

Family of the missing Kosovars rally in Prishtina

Simultaneous protest rallies took place today in Prishtina, organized by associations of the missing persons, and women from southwestern Kosovo (Dukagjini).
August 30th was the International Day of the Missing, therefore hundreds of family members of Kosovo citizens who are declared missing staged a protest march ion the centre of Prishtina.
While, the women group from Dukagjini area left flowers at the gated of Prishtina prison, demanding the release of former Kosovo Liberation Army members, arrested recently by the police.

No teachers strike after Union Leader - Minister Osmani meeting

There will be no general strike of teachers, previously announced for Sept. 2nd, by the so-called Education Trade Union.
According to Agim Hyseni, chairman of the union stated that he was reassured by the Ministry that "something will be done in regard to low salaries of teaching staff in the country".
After the meeting, which concluded with the decision in favor of general strike, Agim Hyseni held a joint press-conference with Rexhep Osmani, current Kosovo Ministry of Education head.
The school year will start on August 1st, except in some remote areas in which the schools are not yet prepared for full use.

Kosovo Press Headlines

Koha Ditore

· A group of Albanians kidnaps 8 persons, one Albanian killed, police threats with tanks (1, 2)
· CFA official finds irregularities in the purchase of furniture for Rugova's office (1, 3)
· International call for the immediate release of the abducted (2)
· Albania condemns the attempt to arrest Ali Ahmeti (2)
· Steiner, on Saturday to visit Mitrovica, Tuesday Deçan (3)
· No strike, SBASHK reaches an agreement with Education Minister (3)
· The Serbs that were attacked in Gorazhdec were cutting wood in some else's land (4)
· Fletcher: Korotenko will not command any more (4)
· Rugova condemned the incident in Gorazzhdec (4)
· Daci visits Shtërpce municipality (4)
· German defense minister visits Kosovo today (5)
· Mothers and daughter protest for the seventh time (5)
· Neighbors gain from failures in power plants in Kosovo (6)
· DTI calls for new regulations (6)
· Valentin express thanks to the Jashari family (7)
· Kakuk: They talked about Mitrovica issue (7)
· Serb education workers receive double wages and work with Serbian education program (7)
· KPC officer commits suicide (7)
· Kandic: double standards in the Serbian media (10)
· Why are we protesting in the streets? (11)

Zëri

· Macedonia: Nearer to elections or war? (1, 3)
· Two police version for the Gorazhdec 'battle'! (1, 4)
· Shala: The pre-elections crisis in Macedonia (1)
· UN Security Resolution 1244 is a bible for Kosovo (2)
· Steiner today to meet with German Defense Minster (2)
· Tirana: Don't touch Ali Ahmeti (2)
· Albanian Government condemns violent acts (2)
· Latest events are part of the destabilizing scenario (2)
· Ali Ahmeti's arrest would only ignite another war (3)
· Solana and Robertson demand the release of the kidnapped (3)
· Djindjic: It is a priority to start a dialogue between Belgrade and Prishtina (4)
· Rugova condemns the attack in Gorazhdec (4)
· Serbs are asking for permit for mass return to Kosovo (4)
· The shooting happened in Dobërdol, 3 km from Gorazhdec (4)
· Shaban Isufi attacked the stewardess in the airplane (5)
· Shed light on the missing, or boycott elections (5)
· Kosovo Assembly President Nexhat Daci visits Shtërpce (6)
· Greek and Austrian diplomats met with PM Rexhepi (6)
· During campaign parties will be fined from 750 to 1,500 euros (6)
· Serb coalition Povratak is registered in Podujevo (6)
· Teacher's union decide not to strike (7)
· Freedom for KLA generals, freedom for our liberators (7)
· Damages from rain and hail storms over 1.2 million euro (7)
· Officials promise that they will deliver the flowers to the detainees (7)
· DAAD offers scholarships for students who want to study in Germany (7)
· There are no legal procedures in Rahovec municipality (8)
· Uncontrolled water - the source of many epidemics (8)
· KPC officer Fatmir Hoti commits suicide (11)

Bota Sot

· Tense situation in Macedonia, two Albanians killed and several wounded (1,3)
· A great deal of work awaits Michael Steiner (1, 6)
· Albanian mothers are calling: Where are our missing sons (1, 2)
· Education minister and SBASHK agree - school starts on Monday (1, 9)
· UN Chief Administrator returns from vacation (2)
· German Defense Minister Peter Struck to visit today Kosovo (2)
· Ger. Valentin will visit on Monday village Bardhosh (3)
· BDI: Government's threats will not make us retreat (4)
· Brayshaw and Gen. Milotat visited Mitrovica (4)
· An armed conflict near the Serb enclave Gorazhdec (4)
· Military Police duties transfer to UNMIK Police and KPS (5)
· Le Temps: Ali Ahmeti's arrest risk to stability in FYROM (4)
· Why did the agreement between Albanian and Kosovo customs dissolve? (6)
· Osmani: Education Ministry is a ware of the situation with wages (7)
· Started with the war in the Gulf, ends with the wounded Balkans (8)
· Gjilanë: A drug dealer arrested (9)
· Spectacular programs by Prishtina youth (9)

Kosova Sot

· Is war returning to Macedonia? (1, 2)
· Is radioactive material being imported in Kosovo? (1, 7)
· A preamble that pre-judges Kosovo's final status? (1, 3)
· Kosovo Assembly President Nexhat Daci visits Shtërpce (1, 3)
· Petition raised awareness: higher wages, school starts on Monday (1, 5)
· When will we have an anti-corruption law? (1, 9)
· A shooting in village Gorazhdec (2)
· Batllava lake aided by the British government (2)
· Nano: Macedonian authorities should stop with electorate panic (2)
· Mothers protest again in Prishtina: Freedom for liberators (4)
· Find our missing or we will boycott elections (4)
· Rexhepi meets the heads of Greek and Austrian offices in Prishtina (5)
· Crvenkovski: Yes, there were plans to divide Macedonia (6)
· Watch out for children traffickers (7)
· Xhaferi: The order to arrest Ali Ahmeti a primitive act (8)
· What are the consequences that Kosovar will bare from the high environment pollution? (9)

Epoka e Re

· Something happened in Lugmir (1, 2)
· Gen. Valentin expresses thanks to Jashari family and the KPC (1, 2)
· KPS officer Fatmir Hoti committed suicide (1, 3)
· Kosovo Assembly President Nexhat Daci visited Shtërpce (3)
· Haradinaj: Situation in the north is shameful (3)
· Neither Milosevic in the Hague or Kent in IREX cannot bring me down (4)
· If the martyrs were alive, they to would be arrested (4)
· Busek criticizes USA and EU (5)
· Why was KPC officer Bashkim Hamdiu arrested? (5)
· Kosovar leaders did not attend the meting (6)
· Kontovounios promises Greek aid for Kosovo (6)
· Tenth grade, during school year 2003-2004 (7)
· Peace threatened in Macedonia (8)

24 Orë

· Mothers and daughter held seventh protest (1, 7)
· We are optimistic that situation will change for the good (1, 2)
· Boskovski's paramilitaries killed Agron Behari (1)
· German Defense Minister today to visit Kosovo (1, 2)
· Greece will aid Kosovo's economic development (2)
· UNMIK, KFOR and Kosovo Government condemn incident in Gorazhdec (2)
· Haradinaj: situation in northern Mitrovica calls for serious acts (4)
· Kosovo is moving toward independence (4)
· Kosovo has servile journalisms (8)
· A ton of radioactive material sent to Serbia (9)

Belgrade Media Highlights

Glas: Kosovo Serbs urge support for mass return

An association of Serbs displaced from Kosovo has urged the Yugoslav president and Serbian Prime Minister to back an announced plan for mass return to the province. In an open letter today, the association called for agreement between Vojislav Kostunica and Zoran Djindjic on "the problem of Kosovo, the return of the expelled, and the preservation of Serbia's integrity. The association has said some 100,000 Serbs will attempt to return to their homes in Kosovo on September 14.

Danas/Vecernje Novosti: Families of missing want truth

Coordinator of the Association of families of missing or kidnapped persons in Kosovo and Metohija Simo Spasic expressed dissatisfaction with the results of the international community in determining the fate of missing Serbs and other non-Albanians in Kosovo. He pointed out that the most recent numbers of missing and kidnapped non-Albanians rose up to 1900. The Associations of families of missing persons from Krajina and Kosovo and Metohija sent a letter to the UN and Secretary-General Kofi Annan, to local state organs, the ICRC, and the International Commission for Missing Persons to help them to find out the truth about their missing family members.

Tanjug/RTS: Raskovic-Ivic says 10,000 Serbs fled Kosovo since March

The Serbian Refugee Commissariat has issued 10,000 new refugee identification documents to Serbs from Kosovo since March this year, which means that there is a negative balance in the return of Serbs to the province, Serbian Refugee Commissioner Sanda Raskovic-Ivic has said. "That is the number of people that have left Kosovo and addressed the Commissariat for help," the Commissioner said late Thursday in a broadcast on RTS. She said that just a few hundred Serbs had returned, and in conditions where they are not guaranteed safety or freedom of movement.

Blic/Danas: Six bodies unearthed in the village of Tomance

Blic reported that the Eparchy of Raska and Prizren of the Serbian Orthodox Church declared in a statement that a well had been dug out in the village of Tomance near Istok and that six bodies had been found. The Eparchy stressed this has confirmed its findings that a mass grave containing bodies of the murdered Serbs is located in the village. Danas quoted the Eparchy's informative service that it learned the fact from the sources close to UNMIK's investigation team and enclosed a photograph (published by both Danas and Blic) of the location it received seven days ago.

BETA/Radio Kosovo: Daci visited Strpce

President of the Kosovo Assembly Nexhat Daci paid visit to the municipality of Strpce and spoke to the local officials. "The main purpose of my visit is to give my support to the economic development of the municipality of Strpce, as it is endowed with the natural beauties, which should be enjoyed by all Kosovo's citizens, regardless of their ethnicity," Radio Kosovo quoted Daci. He has promised that he would help to all non-functioning public institutions in Strpce to restart their work as soon as possible. Beta has learnt from the Serb sources in Strpce that they consider Daci's visit, "as just another political provocation", similar to the previous visits of the Kosovo Albanian leaders.

Radio Jugoslavija/Tanjug: Serbs from Gorazdevac pressurized to change the inscription on a monument
UNMIK is exerting pressure on Serbs in Gorazdevac near Pec, to change the inscription on a monument commemorating 14 Serbs, ten of whom were murdered by the KLA and four killed in the NATO bombing in 1999, local Serbs told Tanjug. UNMIK claims that the inscription on the monument, which reads: "It is easier to die than to be buried alive" inspires "inter-ethnic hatred". The Eparchy of Raska and Prizren issued a statement in which it is emphasized that many monuments devoted to former KLA members, which glorify terrorism and hatred towards Serbs, have been built all over the province. There are some 1,000 Serbs currently living in Gorazdevac, in total isolation and under constant KFOR protection.

Nacional: Djindjic vs. Covic

Nacional has learnt that Premier Djindjic's "spin doctors" are preparing a media campaign against Deputy Prime Minister Nebojsa Covic, accusing him of being involved in the cigarette smuggling operations in southern Serbia and northern Kosovo. This campaign would be launched by Podgorica based daily "Publika" in case the coalition DAN decides to openly support Kostunica's presidential bid. Nacional asserts that Djindjic has already indirectly informed Covic that he would have a lot of explaining to do if he would side with Kostunica. The last warning to Covic was released in Publika on Thursday, August 29, saying that Covic had spent his vacation on a luxury yacht in Croatia. A separate media campaign would be launched against Dragoljub Micunovic as well, allegedly super-informed sources confirmed to Nacional.