UNMIK/PR/821
Tuesday, 17 September 2002

Misinformation Behind Healthcare Workers’ Protests in Gracanica

PRISTINA - The recent series of violent protests in Gracanica was instigated by false information circulated in some Serbian media to the effect that the Prishtina Municipal Administrator, Mr. Ivo Sanc, had signed a document inviting 15 Albanian doctors to work at the Gracanica Health House. Such a document never existed, and no discussion of such a plan has ever taken place. Another piece of pernicious and totally false information has been propagated to the effect that Mr. Sanc, had supported a policy of “ethnic cleansing” in his previous post in Gjilan.

The protests began on Thursday, September 5, when a group of approximately 200 people, many of them former health workers, entered the Health House in Gracanica and forcibly expelled its current Director, Ms. Zorica Nedelkovic. Ms. Nedelkovic was lucky to escape without injury. Since then, these protestors have continued to illegally occupy the Health House. On September 7, UNMIK police helped organize a meeting with the Municipal Administrator from which the instigators of the earlier violence were barred. When the local representatives insisted on focusing on topics such as the future status of Kosovo and other items outside the MA’s remit, Mr. Sanc suspended the meeting.

On Wednesday, September 11, a crowd again gathered in front of the Health House, which is under the authority of the Department of Health and Social Affairs of the Pristina Municipal Administration and the Local Community Office (LCO), and began attacking an official UNMIK delegation led by Mr. Sanc, and Ilir Tolaj, the Director of the Municipal Department of Health & Social Affairs, who reacted with great restraint. As the delegation returned to its vehicle, the crowd continued to attack them verbally and also pelted them with eggs and pushed and hit some of them. Among the front line of protestors were former health department workers. Such acts are absolutely unacceptable.
The Prishtina Municipality will soon advertise 104 posts for the Gracanica Health House, some of whom may be part-time, including the post of Director and a new post of Deputy Director. The recruitment will be managed by representatives of the Municipality, a majority of whom will be from Gracanica, under international supervision. This recruitment will provide job opportunities to doctors and will improve health services in Gracanica. UNMIK Pristina Municipality’s ultimate objective is to provide Gracanica with permanent 24-hour emergency health services as well as specialised medical services including pediatrics, gynecology, stomatology, internal diseases, ophthalmology, and vaccination.