United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo UNOFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT

Briefing Notes, 29 October 2002

UNMIK Spokeswoman Susan Manuel
KFOR Spokesperson SQ. leader Tony Adams
UNMIK Police Spokesperson Derek Chappell
OSCE Spokesperson Sven Lindholm
EU Spokeswoman Monique De Groot

UNMIK Spokeswoman Susan Manuel

As you know, SRSG Michael Steiner has decided to postpone the meeting on decentralization which had been provisionally planned for Friday 1 November in Gnjilan, due to the low level of participation in the elections.

The concept of decentralization, however, which has been provided for by law (in UNMIK regulation 2000/45) and the Constitutional Framework, is likely to be developed later in some form across the whole of Kosovo.. It remains UNMIK's goal to bring government closer to the people and we will continue to work on that idea.

Next week the SRSG will go to Brussels for the donors conference on Kosovo. This conference will cover several areas in which donor funding is still needed for Kosovo, but in particular on the area of returns.

The two suspects in the Bytiqi killing in Suva Reka will appear before a Kosovar investigating judge by the end of the day tomorrow. An international prosecutor will pursue the case.

Pillar 1 for Police and Justice will hold a series of seminars aiming at helping journalists to cover judicial matters and criminal procedures.

The first lecture will be conducted by international prosecutor Michael Hartman who will talk about step-by-step criminal procedures starting from the moment of arrest until the end of a trial.

Editors are invited to send the journalists who normally covers court and judicial procedures to participate in this short seminar, which will take place on THURSDAY, 31 OCTOBER from 11.30 till 13.00 in UNMiK HQ auditorium, first floor. Please confirm your participation by email with Izabella Karlowicz, Public Information Officer for Pillar 1 at: karlowicz@un.org, or at 038 504 604 ext 5648

KFOR Spokesperson SQ. leader Tony Adams

(No remarks given)

UNMIK Police Spokesperson Derek Chappell

Elections

The municipal elections were held on 26th Oct and passed off with out any major incidents. The Police monitored the whole election process and barring a few minor incidents of Albanian flags being displayed at polling centres, no untoward activity was reported. The Police along with the OSCE resolved the issue by negotiating a peaceful solution. There were no serious interruptions to the voting process.

Murders

Three incidents of murder was recorded last week. On 26th Oct. at 1500hrs in Podujevo Village Pristina, a 72yrs old K-Albanian male shot to death a 22yrs old K-Albanian male. The reason for the murder is reported to be revenge killing over a family dispute. The suspect has been arrested.

The second murder took place on 27th Oct.at about 1345hrs in village Leshane in Prizren region. A vehicle containing four men, Mr.Uke BYTCI, president of Suva Reka Municipality, his two associates and a driver drove into the village as part of a celebration convoy. A dispute erupted with several persons, one of whom drew a gun and fired at Mr. BYTCI and his friends. Three were struck and fatally injured. They later died from their injuries while being taken to the Prizren Hospital.

Also taken to hospital with a gunshot wound was a K-Albanian male who is believed to be the suspect in the shooting. His injuries are not serious and he is now in the Police custody.

Police on 28th Oct made another arrest in Prizren in this case. The suspect happens to be a relative of the main suspect who was taken into custody on 27th Oct. and is believed to have been an accessory in the shooting.

The Police have recovered substantial evidence from the scene of crime including the gun. The motive behind the killing is believed to be anger at the result of the election.Police believe that we have in custody those responsible and there is no evidence at this time to indicate a wider conspiracy.

At Stefan Gjejou School in Dardania last Thurs day Oct 24th-an argument developed when three young men confronted another youth, in the school building at 1145 hrs. The argument led to a physical fight in the school car park in which a 17 yrs old male was stabbed in the neck. He received severe injuries and was taken to hospital.

On the 28th Oct. we were informed that he had died from the attack. Three male teenagers have been arrested for this murder and are detained for one month.

Prostitution Enforcement

Police on 22nd Oct raided a café bar and uncovered a prostitution racket in Glogovac, Pristina.Three male suspects were arrested and two women who had been employed to provide sexual services were rescued.

Illegal Drugs Seizure

In the ongoing crackdown on the possession and trafficking of illegal drugs, Police in Pristina recovered a quantity of marijuana during searches of houses and numerous street Kiosks on 24th Oct. Four persons were arrested on suspicion of trafficking narcotics. On 25th Oct. Border Police, along with Custom officers at General Jankovic border with Macedonia, seized 1 to 2 Kilograms of a suspicious white powdery substance from a truck entering Kosovo. The contraband may be narcotics and it has been sent to Bulgaria for laboratory tests. The shipments originated in Turkey. The Police have detained the Bulgarian driver of the truck.

On Sunday, 27th October, KPS officers identified a 19 yrs old man at Pristina Bus Station who appeared to be offering Marijuana for sale. He was checked and 1 Kg parcel of Marijuana was recovered from him.

Arrest For 2001 Murder

On 24 Oct Police closed a murder case that had been open for over one year. A 51yrs old K- Serbian male was located and arrested in Leposavic for the murder of a 72 yrs old K-Serbian male in Leposavic on 22nd June 2001.He is now in custody.

Monique De Groot, EU Spokesperson

Questions:

Q: For Derek. You said that murderer is 17 old male, underage, so he was arrested and detained for one month. What are the measures taken for underage people connected to murders – will they be detained just for one month or will they undergo a judicial process?

UNMIK Police: At time these people were taken into custody it was not a murder, it was a grievous attack; the victim has been stabbed in the neck. When the victim was taken to hospital we were advised that his injuries were life threatening the three suspects were identified and taken into custody pending the outcome of the medical treatment of the victim. The 17 year old died and the three other youths were given one month in detention by a local judge. Are you asking about the specific provisions relating to juveniles? There are two stages of juvenile under the Kosovo legal system. At the age of 17 the person may be detained. There are two important ages. They have not been sentenced; they have been detained pending investigation. At that time this person was stabbed in the neck we realized they have critical, life threatening injuries. The suspects were identified and for that reason they were kept n custody until we saw happened to the victim who sadly now has died. And at that age, yes they can be detained d in custody; hey are now involved in murder.

Q: Susan, the low Serb turnout represented a blow to integrate them in the political system. What are the next steps that UN will take to get Serb voice represented in the local municipal level?

UNMIK: As far as the plan for decentralization, which does not apply only to Serbs, that os being worked on. We don’t have any next steps to announce at this point, sorry.

Q: What will happen in the municipalities where the Serbs did not vote – will the Serb representatives be appointed by SRSG?

UNMIK: There are no plans at this point to appoint members of the assemblies.

OSCE But in the other assemblies it will be the municipal Assemblies that will elect Assembly presidents.

Q: Were you aware of any ongoing police investigation into Mr. Bytiqi prior to his death?

UNMIK Police; I am not aware of any ongoing investigation.

Q: Derek, it was reported one of the detainees was injured. Do you have report how he was injured?

UNMIK Police: This is from the shooting in Suha Reka? After the suspect had fires shots at Mr. Bytiqi and his friends and he ran from the scene there was fire returned at him. Who directed that fire is not certain but he received an injury to the lower arm from fire that was returned at him form the people at the scene.