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Briefing Notes, 03 December 2002
UNMIK Spokesperson Simon Haselock
KFOR Spokesperson
UNMIK Police Spokesperson Derek Chappell
OSCE Spokesperson Alexander Benz
EU Spokeswoman Monique De Groot
UNMIK Spokesperson Simon Haselock
24 Turkish correctional officers have joined Kosovo detention centres in Pristina, Dubrava and Mitrovica. This takes the total number of international correctional officers to 40. The others come from Germany, Italy, Bulgaria and Austria
Visit of the North Atlantic Council - Press conference by SRSG and NATO Secretary General Lord Robertson in UNMIK HQ at 1445 hrs on Thursday 5 December 2002
HPD deadline for filing claims has been extended from 1 December 2002 to 1 June 2003
KEK press opportunity with the SRSG tomorrow (Monique to announce details—Mechthild in Press Office dealing with it).
KFOR Spokesperson
UNMIK Police Spokesperson Derek Chappell
Homicides
On 30/11/02 in Pristina city, an elderly K-Albanian woman was found dead inside her home. No suspect has been identified but the motive appeared to be Burglary. The autopsy has confirmed the victim was suffocated.
On 29/11/02 at about 22:15h in a village in Pristina Region, a K-Albanian
man armed with a pistol shot and killed a K-Albanian man. The motive involved
a dispute between the murder victim and the suspect. Police have arrested
the suspect and recovered the weapon.
Flag Day
Thursday, 28/11/02, was Albanian Flag Day. Ethnic Albanians across Kosovo celebrated without significant incident. The Serbian news media is reporting that “Albanian extremists” damaged gravestones in an Orthodox cemetery near Kosovo Polje during a “ceremony” on Flag Day. Police have inspected the cemetery, accompanied by a Priest from the local monastery who pointed out 44 gravestones that might have been recently damaged. The Forensics Unit photographed and examined each of the gravestones. No major damage was confirmed. No flags, symbols, or graffiti were found. The local police station had extra patrols in the area for the 24 hours of Flag Day and no ceremony was conducted at or near the cemetery. The news reports are false.
Dangerous Weapon
On 27/11/02 in a village in Pristina Region, an 11 year-old K-Albanian
girl lost her leg while playing with a rocket launcher. The victim apparently
found the rocket launcher in the fields.
Illegal Drugs
On 27/11/02 in Pec town, police confiscated 9.8 kilograms of Hashish and 4.5 kilograms Marijuana during a vehicle search. The occupant of the vehicle was arrested.
EU Spokeswoman Monique De Groot
Energy
Three of the A units are currently working plus the HPP Gazivode together producing roughly 300 MW.
Kosovo B2 will be back on line very shortly. SRSG and Mr. Rieder will go out for a visit to the B plant Thursday morning. Media are invited to accompany this visit a media alert with further details will follow.
The schedule, applied only at times of peak demand, remains at 4 hours with electricity and 2 hours without electricity.
The daily energy update report can now be found on the UNMIK web page:
http://www. unmikonline.org
We continue to urge the citizens of Kosovo to save energy as much as possible and not to leave electric appliances switched on when not in use.
Customs
UNMIK Customs Service has commissioned four new specially equipped vehicles for its Mobile Support (Anti-Smuggling) Unit. As of last week those four cars are operational and a further six are being prepared at present.
Each car carries a crew of a Team Leader and 3 officers, who all have received full training in Customs Procedures and advanced search methods from International staff. The cars are also extremely well-equipped with sophisticated search equipment used to find spaces constructed in vehicles in which smuggled goods can be hidden.
The idea of the Mobile Support Team vehicles is to provide a highly visible, very recognisable and effective preventive tool for the Customs Service. A press release with pictures of the cars will be send out later today.