16 December 2002, Monday Edition

CONTENTS

Ambassador Kolby suggests normal society before status (Koha Ditore)

On the second day of their visit to Kosovo, the UN Security Council delegation travelled to Mitrovica, where they visited the newly opened UNMIK office north of the Ibër River. 'The Security Council wants a multiethnic Kosovo. There must be room for all and it is also important for everyone to try to be integrated,' said Danish Ambassador Ole Peter Kolby, head of the delegation, as they stood in front of the building where the former Serb parallel office was based and which now houses the UNMIK administration, Koha Ditore reported.

For more than two hours, the UN ambassadors heard about what was happening in Mitrovica from both UNMIK representatives and members of the civil society. 'They told us their stance and we conveyed the opinions of the Security Council,' said Ambassador Kolby, and he added that Kosovars should work together because 'once you make Kosovo a more normal society, then the economy will start to improve'.

Serbs standing on the side of the road watched as the delegation crossed to the southern side of town, while Albanians also watched from the Three Towers area in the north where they live. According to Koha Ditore, one of the Security Council staff complained that he had not seen any French soldiers, after having been told that French KFOR were responsible for Mitrovica. 'Have the Scandinavian countries taken more control?' he asked, pointing toward the UNMIK Police.

The SC delegation also visited Kosovo Police School in Vushtrri/Vucitrn. 'The forming of a functional police service is essential for every society. We must establish the rule of law in Kosovo, and this is necessary for all the citizens of Kosovo,' said Kolby. Then he reiterated the UN SC position: 'If you want to be part of society, then you have to become part of society. If you want to pull out from society and be isolated, there is no future for you. In every society with minority groups, it is the majority that has to tolerate and make possible for minorities to have full access to public services. At the same time, members of minorities must admit that they are a part of the larger society. This happens in many societies worldwide and this is what I recommend to the people of Kosovo.'

UNMIK chief administrator Michael Steiner gave the members of the delegation a KPS cap, saying, 'Take it, it's multiethnic!'

After returning to Prishtina, the UN SC delegation visited the Office for Returns and Communities and Prishtina municipality office. On Monday, the delegation was scheduled to hold a press conference at UNMIK HQ. Afterwards they were to leave for Belgrade where they will meet with FRY President Vojislav Kostunica and Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic.

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Shala: Power, then standards and status (Zëri)

Zëri carries an editorial by Blerim Shala who says that the perspective of Kosovar citizens, frozen and without electricity is different from standards and status and that UNMIK and Kosovar government should have an answer to this issue first.

An explosion in the centre of Pristina and the culmination of the crisis in the power supply is accompanying the visit of UN SC delegation. Current events in Kosovo, the character of the Kosovo Government, and Steiner's heretofore accepted concept of 'standards before status' were the focal points for the members of this superior body, which has, through Resolution 1244, taken it upon itself to look after Kosovo's until final status is resolved.

At their meeting with the UN SC Ambassadors, three senior Kosovar officials, President Rugova, Prime Minister Rexhepi and Assembly Chairman Daci announced three separate stances regarding Steiner's concept. Rugova said it was time to address Kosovo's status by the recognition of independence. Daci stressed that standards can progress in parallel with status, while Rexhepi supported the idea of standards before status.

Nevertheless, the perspective of a Kosovar citizen, frozen and without electricity differs a great deal from the standards and status. The only logical concept that derives from this difficult weekend is: Power, then standards and final status.

UNMIK and the Kosovar government should tell us what do they aim to do about this issue. What is happening with power in Kosovo is both shameful and unbearable.

Busek: EU hasn't forgotten Balkans, first we have to resolve status in Bosnia and Kosovo (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore carries an interview given by Erhard Busek, the special coordinator of the Stability Pact for southeastern Europe, to the Austrian daily newspaper, Kurir. Busek said that after the admission of new members, the European Union would not forget about the Balkans, but that before their eventual admission to the EU, the final status of Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina must be resolved.

'I am not worried that the EU can forget about the Balkans. Balkan countries are making constant efforts to be integrated into the EU,' said Busek. 'The idea that problems of a divided Bosnia would go away within the EU are unthinkable, the same as the idea that Kosovo can be integrated without becoming an independent country,' he added.

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Palokaj: 'One Europe' without the Balkans would be same as present-day Kosovo with enclaves (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore carries an article by its correspondent in Brussels, Augustin Palokaj, who claims that the Balkans will remain an isolated enclave if it is not integrated into Europe. Palokaj writes:

It was both an interesting and historical moment when few minutes after midnight on Friday, the Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen made the triumphal announcement of the finalization of negotiations with ten candidate countries that have been called to join the European Union. Leaders of more than 25 countries lined up to take a joint picture under the sign 'One Europe', while the Danish host of the Copenhagen Summit did not forget to mention that Europe was being reunited and that this unbreakable process began after the fall of the Berlin Wall twelve years ago.

However, after the enthusiasm of journalists from Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Malta and other countries called forward to join the EU, the immediate answer that followed was what ought to be done with the Balkans. 'What will happen with Albania, will it also enter the EU, since you say that we have only one Europe and Albania is in Europe?' asked a colleague from Albania during the press conference, while the answer of the Danish PM clearly showed that he didn't deal with the Balkans. Rasmussen didn't even know the name of the process that the EU is applying in the Balkans to prepare them for a 'European future'.
A united Europe with enclaves
If we look at the map of Europe after the expansion, supposing that the current candidates will join the EU, then we can spot two or three enclaves on that map. One will be the rich enclave of Switzerland, which will remain outside the EU for democratic reasons; the second will be the enclave of the Balkans, which will remain outside the EU due to security reasons; and the third enclave will be the Russian territory surrounded by Poland and Lithuania in the Kaliningrad area. As long as it is like this, the word 'One Europe', which was the motto of the Copenhagen Summit, will be meaningless. It will become meaningful only if Europe wants to create a new sub-continent in the Balkans, or something in the form of a reservation. But we have witnessed statements saying that the existence of enclaves in the heart of Europe in the 21st century is shameful.

If the Balkans is not integrated in Europe, it will remain an isolated enclave, or even surrounded by military and police forces. Therefore, 'United Europe' will look like present-day Kosovo. In order to prevent this, the EU must seriously deal with the Balkans and not only practice its formulas. Maybe in the first six months of the coming year, they will shed some transparency in explaining the European future for the Balkans.

Greece, which will chair the EU in the next period, has announced that the Balkans will be in the priority of EU policies. Croatia has announced that it will seek formal admission to the EU as the most developed country in the region, and to test if the EU stays true to its words when it said that each country should be integrated individually and based on its own merits without having to wait for lesser developed countries.
EU finally claims concrete responsibilities in the Balkans
The EU summit in Copenhagen made another historical decision, which was left in the shadows of the invitation for admission sent to ten countries.

EU leaders have asked for this organization, which in the beginning of next year will have prepared and readied its rapid reaction forces, to take over the SFOR mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is now led by NATO. The EU is encouraged in this respect, since last year it reached an agreement for cooperation with NATO. When this happens, then Bosnia and Herzegovina will turn into the first EU protectorate. Bosnia would then have an international police and military mission led by the EU. At the same time, the high international representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina is also an EU representative. EU is the main donor for the economic development of Bosnia and Herzegovina. At the same time, in Macedonia, the EU has the majority of international monitors and it will soon take over the military mission from NATO, if there is need of a military mission. And let us not forget that Macedonia has signed the Agreement for Stabilization and Association, which is expected to go into force now.

The examples of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Macedonia should serve as preparations for Kosovo. For the time being, no one dares mention the replacement of NATO forces with EU troops in Kosovo, but it is clear in the civil aspect that the EU must take over the leadership of the international mission from the UN. The United Nations mission, known as slow, bureaucratic and with little sense of responsibility by most of its staff, cannot prepare Kosovo for European integration; this can be better done by Europeans, instead of by representatives who barely know where is Europe.

These are all things that the EU must think through and be ready to implement. It seems that Brussels lacks the will for and interest in a larger commitment or in taking over responsibilities in the Balkans.

However, there must be assurances that the EU commitment in the Balkans will aim to integrate the region in Europe and not to isolate it and protect Europe from the Balkans, such as the current situation in which the Balkans is close to being called the aggressor of Europe.
EU integrations cost less than wars
EU is spending more money in the Balkans than in eastern countries that have been called to enter the EU. However, in the Balkans, funds are poured into humanitarian assistance, military and police missions and for the fight against organized crime and not for long-term investment and economic development.

There is also a possibility that a lot of European money will be spent in the Balkans until 2006, and still clear results will not be seen. KEK is not the only example of the useless spending of 400 million euros, where the results equal zero. Funds were also uselessly spent in Bosnia and Herzegovina and elsewhere. EU interventions, be it police or economic or humanitarian aid, have proved to be only firefighting interventions that have cost more than the commitment for preparing countries to join the EU.

Now with the numerous challenges in the Balkans, the uncertain situation in Serbia, Kosovo's unresolved status, the problem of (non) cooperation with The Hague tribunal, and corruption and organized crime, very few believe that there can be new conflicts. The time has now come for Balkans nations and the EU to be jointly engaged in integrating this part of Europe into the EU.

But this must be done in an honest way. 'The worst situation is when Balkan leaders claim they are instituting successful reforms and we pretend to believe them,' said a EU leader, thus defining the two-facedness in relations between the EU and corrupt regional leaders. Now these relations are entering a new phase where everyone must increase the level of responsibility if we truly want to have a United Europe. The integration of new countries into the EU during 2004 and 2006 will cost the current EU countries 40.7 billion euro, while costs the new members themselves, 15 billion euro.

The price for this expansion will cost every EU citizen approximately 66 euros. From 1990 to 1999, Germany had to spend over 600 billion euros for its unification. Let's not mention the cost of military interventions in the Balkans. These interventions have brought some kind of peace, but they will be useless if Europe lacks the will to finish the job in the Balkans, the epilogue of which should be integration in a United Europe.

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Shala: Crisis in the optimists' camp (Zëri)

Zëri carries an editorial by Blerim Shala who says that Kosovo has many problems today but that the biggest problem is that there is no one to solve the problems. The full text of commentary follows:

Do you recall the permanent dialogue between the optimist and the pessimist who quarrel over the half-filled cup? The optimist sees the cup as half-filled and focuses on that, while the pessimist focuses on the half-empty cup.

For a long time in postwar Kosovo, the majority of us were members of the optimist camp. Whenever we faced various problems, we recalled the bitter experiences of the '90s, the war and its horrors, and we outlined the postwar achievements. We then came to the conclusion that we are all free and victorious over the half-empty cup, or the weaknesses that are unthinkable in present-day Europe.

However, it seems that the political group of optimists is being frustrated, diminished and even dissolved. The camp of pessimists is growing and this is evidenced by the ever-growing number of abstainers from the elections in Kosovo. Today, the abstainers are the party with the brightest future in Kosovo.

Almost every day we hear arguments that prove that we are drowning in the emptiness of weaknesses or that we have become its hostages.

But let's set aside theory and mention concrete cases. Big problems are a component part of our daily lives. The lack of electricity tops them all. Without it, or with the current electricity supply, we are saying goodbye to normality. Excuses and justifications are no good anymore. This is a huge failure of the postwar period.

The list of concrete problems is much longer: Social poverty, the lack of an economic future, the fragility of the middle class which must be the pillar of every society, organized crime, and corruption. An internal analysis of the European Union predicts that 2004 will be a year of huge economic crisis throughout the region. It appears that the crisis will occur sooner in Kosovo.

OK, we can all tell the story of why we are in this situation and who caused this, and then recharge our batteries and move on. This means that the optimist within us will once again be triumphant.

But the pessimist who says 'it could be even worse' will say that the main problem in Kosovo is comprised of the above problems. The worst thing is that Kosovar authorities, which have the legitimacy given them by the electorate, do not want to work for solutions seriously.

There is a question that we can ask each other in this respect: What was the main problem of the political and media scene in the last three to four weeks in Kosovo? We all know the answer: Day and night, we have all dealt with the issue of national and state symbols in Kosovo. And we said everything there was to say in this useless debate. The statehood of Kosovo doesn't depend on debate and symbols. If this were so, it would be easy. But all the energy, emotions and words were wasted on this debate, which, as a matter of fact, has its useful side: It shows who we are and what our politicians are like.

The absurdity of all this was proved when one of our central TV stations was broadcasting a public roundtable on symbols just as a car bomb exploded in the center of Prishtina. That night, we all forgot about symbols and flags and tried to understand whether those sights were scenes from CNN or part of our own reality.

We simply couldn't believe that this was happening to us, in Prishtina, in Kosovo.

A day later, Prishtina and Kosovo were almost without electricity.

This is the Kosovar reality. From the perspective of a realist, it is rather emptier than filled.

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B-2 out of production, reductions 2 on, 4 off (Zëri)

The second block of the Kosovo B power plant, which was expected to be stabilized by now, resulting in fewer power cuts, didn't produce a single megawatt of electricity yesterday. As it is, the block was fired up several days later than expected and started production at 200 MW/h, never reaching the full capacity of 300 MW per hour, reports Zëri.

'Leakage in the boilers at B-2 caused the block to stop production,' said a KEK dispatcher yesterday. If nothing unexpected happens, B-2 is supposed to start production again at midnight tonight, making fewer reductions necessary, according to KEK.

In jail for not paying for electricity (Koha Ditore)

KEK Distribution in Gjilanë is going after its debtors in a distribution area that covers Gjilanë, Kamenicë and Viti. 'For unpaid electric bills, KEK is prepared to bring 600 consumers to the Municipal Court and 68 cases to the Economic District Court in Gjilanë,' said the head of the judicial sector, Ismajl Jonuzi, Koha Ditore reports.

Jonuzi said that 136 cases have been prepared against consumers for stealing electricity from its electricity lines and for misuse of electricity in the three municipalities. Sokol Haziri, a counselor at KEK distribution in Gjilanë, said they were dissatisfied with lenient fines given by the courts. 'However, lately the courts have become harsher and there have been convictions with jail sentences of between two and four months of jail time,' he said.

KEK distribution in Gjilanë is conducting disconnections everyday and they say that SRSG Michael Steiner's disconnection order aids them in their work.

The head of KEK in Kamenicë, Selami Spahiu, stressed that consumers owe KEK 1.2 million euros. Serbs owe 400,000 and Russian KFOR owes 200,000.

Lipjan: Serbs owe KEK close to 300,000 euros (Koha Ditore)

Not a single Serb in Lipjan municipality has paid their electric bills in the three and half years since the war, say KEK officials in Lipjan. The overall amount the Serbs owe KEK is more than 300,000 euros, reports Koha Ditore.

Habib Agushi says that KEK officials in Lipjan don't have any way of reading the meters in Serb homes. 'This was suggested by KFOR [but] they told KEK in Lipjan that they will initiate the reading of the meters in areas populated by Serbs when the time comes, he said. Asked if KFOR prevents KEK from reading meters in Serb populated areas, the commander of Camp While said, 'KFOR doesn't stop anyone, Serbs or Albanians. The most important thing is that we pay for the electricity we use.'

Bill collector Ismail Rrahmani says that in Rubovc village, which is populated by both Serbs and Albanians, 'Albanians don't pay because Serbs aren't paying their electricity bills'.

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Shaban Dragaj arrested, sent to military prison in Belgrade (all dailies)

Shaban Dragaj, 44, from the outskirts of Shipol near Mitrovica, was arrested for unknown reason on the Montenegro-Bosnia and Herzegovina border, report all dailies.

Dragaj was arrested while he was going to Bosnia and Herzegovina, according to information from Council of the Defence of Human Rights and Freedoms (KMDLNJ) sources in Mitrovica. According to the regional president of KMDLNJ, Halit Barani, Dragaj called his family on Saturday afternoon from the Military Prison in Belgrade. He informed them that he had been arrested; however he didn't give any details as to who arrested him or why.

Dragaj was an officer with the Yugoslav Army. He is currently head of the UNMIK Emergency Department in Mitrovica.

Supposed target of assassination attempt still afraid of former KLA (Koha)

Even though the motive for Friday night's bombing in Prishtina hasn't been revealed by police investigators, members of the Sekiraça family say it is possible that this was done by some former KLA member, reports Koha Ditore.

Enver Sekiraça's nephew, Salih, told Koha Ditore on Sunday that the whole family 'isn't in good terms with the KLA' because many in the KLA believe they used to collaborate with the former Serb regime. Salih says he doesn't know who might be responsible for the car bomb attack, but says he 'prefers for the investigations that are being conducted to be finished by the police'. He has also decided not to talk about possible motives or the individuals involved in explosion that left 32 injured.

Koha Ditore suggests that one motive for Friday's attack could be Enver Sekiraca's testimony in the upcoming Remi trial. Sekiraca's nephew says his uncle hasn't decided if he is going to testify or not. 'Enver was asked five or six months ago to testify against Remi. He didn't agree to do this. So far, he hasn't changed his mind; I don't know what he might decide in the future,' he said.

Even though his Enver Sekiraça's name is mentioned as a primary witness in the Remi trial, defense attorneys say they still haven't been informed officially about his testimony. 'At this time, the witness hasn't yet given testimony to the investigative judge…and we have no knowledge if the international prosecutor has demanded his testimony. Maybe he will be called in later by the prosecutor's office,' said a lawyer for the defense, Aziz Rezha.

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Sekiraça denies he is a witness in investigations against ex-KLA in Llap (Zëri)

Zëri carries an interview with Enver Sekiraça, who is being suggested as the possible target of the car bomb attack last Friday night in Prishtina. Sekiraça responded to Zëri's questions on whether he thinks that the explosion was a direct attack against him in light of his previous relations with the Kosovo Liberation Army.

Maybe you are aware that Kosovar media are mentioning you after the explosion Friday night in Prishtina?
Yes, yes, the media have no other business than to meddle in people's private things.

According to rumors, the car bomb on Friday night was meant for you?
I don't know what or who was the target, the bomb that was placed in another car that exploded near my car. It exploded while we were passing near by.

Do you believe that you were the target and have you previously received any life threats?
I haven't had threats over the phone or anything like that; however while back I was shot at. I was slightly wounded on my leg. There have been speculations that I'm an eyewitness and other things.

As you mention this, the media say that you are the prime witness against former KLA officers from Llap region. Is this true?
No, they know this isn't so; this is only street talk. Everyone knows where testimonies are given, in a court of law; and people sign their testimonies. There is a court seal, but I haven't done any such thing.

You are saying that in the upcoming trial that is going to start soon against the former KLA officers from Llap region you aren't a witness and you haven't ever been questioned by the investigation?
No.

You don't mind if we go into details about things that the media have said about you?
No, I don't.

There are rumors that during the war you were arrested by the KLA. Is this true?
I wasn't arrested, but I went of my own free will. I went in Llapashticë in my own vehicle.

Did you stay there, or were you detained. How did they treat you during your stay there?
When I went there, I was kept for two months and one week. They didn't treat that bad. But now I don't know what to say; it wasn't that good. Some people that I found there spoke of maltreatments, but while I was there I didn't witness anything in particular. Maybe some were beaten a little, but not like some people talk about it.

There are rumors that you were held inside a well for a long time?
No, there were no such things for me or any one else.

During your two-month stay, did you have any contact with KLA's highest officers from the Llap zone? Did you talk to anyone? Did someone interrogate you?
I was interrogated twice and it lasted 15 minutes.

Have told the police about this after the war?
The police questioned me twice or three times about this, but I didn't talk about it. They asked if I was arrested; it is a fact that I was and no one can deny this. It is a fact that I was there and eyewitnesses can testify to this. What I do know is that there were 22, some were released and later came others. Everyone knew that I was there. Whoever gave a statement to the police said that this guy was there, mentioning even my last name.

Have you personally met Commander Remi [in detention]?
I saw Remi on Bajram day when he visited Majac village. We didn't exchange words; he only entered the house where we were being held. He took one look at us and went outside. After he left, one of them said that a KLA soldier had made a mistake, that he misused some money and [then he said] that was commander Remi.

What did the KLA accuse during your stay there?
Nothing at all…

Nothing at all?
They were saying I was a tough guy; I carried a gun without a license. What do I know, nothing at all.

Mr. Sekiraça, have you ever had a license for a gun?
Never in my life. I never had one nor do I have it now.

According to rumors, you are mentioned as the person implicated in the killing of Hyzri Talla and Enver Maloku?
To tell you the truth, I don't know either of the two. I am not a politician or anything. I don't care about these things. All I care about is my home and my work. To work and earn money, I didn't care about anything else.

Can you tell us what do you do?
I trade as every Albanian does. I buy a car and sell with little profit and similar things…

We have information that after the war the police arrested you?
Yes, the police questioned me because there were rumors that 'he beat him, he did this, he shot him….' UNMIK police held me for 8 months in detention and I was released as innocent. Now it remains for them to compensate me for the time I was held in detention. My lawyer, Fazli Balaj, has written a complaint.

There are rumors that one of the reasons for the attack was loan sharking, your debts toward others and similar. Is there any truth to this?
No, no, I don't have anything to do with this. They are all lies.

There are rumors that you have raped women and done some terrible things before the war?
If these accusations are true, where are these people, were they killed after they were raped or are they alive and can testify, because I am not asking for mercy or forgiveness from anyone. If they exist, the police can take care of this. This is all misinformation to lose someone's immunity and label others.

Now that you have mentioned immunity, it is said that you have a silent protection from the highest officials in Kosovo Government?
No, absolutely none.

It is said that you have a letter from KFOR and that you are 'protected by them'?
No, not at all. If I were protected, two or three cases against me would not have happened in such a short time.

Have you ever had any contact with the Russian KFOR or anything similar in this aspect?
Not ever. These things would be known.

How old are you Mr. Sekiraça?
I am 29.

Can you describe to us once more the moment when you were at the vehicle when the bomb exploded?
We left the bar called Pro 1, which is near Pizzeria Guri. I was there with my nephews Naim Sekiraça, Driton Emini and a friend, Ekrem. We had coffee. There was a woman, her name is Emine, but she left earlier. When we stepped out of the bar, I told my nephew, 'I'll take you to your store'; and he replied, 'No, I've already called my brother and he is going to pick me up' and we parted, so we didn't go toward the vehicle. There were six or seven of us when we heard the explosion.

Did you notice the vehicle and do you think the bomb was activated by a remote control. What is your explanation?
It seems it was remote controlled, because in the middle of the town it cannot be done otherwise, even though I know very little about these things. Even if you showed me right now, I wouldn't know. I believe it was remote controlled, because whoever did this could not have been close because he would endanger his own life.

We have information that around three hours after you were admitted to hospital, the police caught a person in the building who wanted to throw a grenade in your room. Do you know anything about this?
I have no knowledge of this; this is the first time I am hearing about this.

Really?
Yes.

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