Media Analysis 10 September 2003

• Holkeri: Time of dialogue bet Prishtina and Belgrade is drawing near (Koha)
  
• Patten, Holkeri postpone Assembly's response to Serbia (Koha Ditore)
  
• Editorial: Difficult questions for UNMIK chief Harri Holkeri (Zëri)
  
• Hysa: Holkeri, blame, and Kosovars (Koha Ditore)
  
• Editorial: Green light for dialogue (Kosova Sot)
  
• Miftari: Training for talks between 'serious people' (Koha Ditore)
  
• Shala: Distancing after rapprochement (Zëri)
  
• UNMIK justify itself in bid for police cars (Zëri)
  
• Ibrahim Rexhepi: Other 'bosses' (Koha Ditore)
  
• Eight hectares of land sold for €425,235 (Koha Ditore)

Kosovo Media Highlights

Belgrade Media Highlights

Holkeri: Time of dialogue bet Prishtina and Belgrade is drawing near (Koha)
'I am close to an answer on when dialogue will start; I am counting the weeks and there are not many left, while the issue of mediation is less important,' SRSG Harri Holkeri reportedly said after meeting EU High Representative for the Common and Foreign Policy Javier Solana.

'The idea for dialogue was given at the EU Summit in Thessaloniki and the obligations for this dialogue have been taken. Now that the summer vacations are over the time for dialogue has come,' Holkeri added.

Commenting on the latest violent incidents in Kosovo, Holkeri said he was shocked by the killing of the KPS police officer, Hajdar Ahmeti. 'I am the son of a policeman and I know how painful it is when a man who has committed his life to the security of his own people is killed. We will leave no stone unturned to catch the perpetrators of this act and bring them to justice,' said Holkeri.

Koha Ditore reports that during his stay in Geneva, SRSG Holkeri met with former UNMIK chief Michael Steiner, and said that he would continue his work while relying on the frameworks that were set up by his predecessors.

Zëri quotes Holkeri as saying that dialogue between Prishtina and Belgrade will start in several weeks, despite the fact that the roles and positions of the Contact Group and the EU have not been clarified yet.

Zëri claims that SRSG Holkeri tried to leave the impression that everything has been clarified surrounding the start of dialogue, and that only details about the time and place remain to be sorted out. However, Zëri quoted its sources at the European Union as saying that there are a lot of things as yet unknown about the process of dialogue, both from the international community and the future negotiating parties.

Bota Sot quotes SRSG Holkeri as saying, 'I cannot move a single millimeter without consulting the political representatives of Kosovo.'

Patten, Holkeri postpone Assembly's response to Serbia (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore reported that the Presidency of the Kosovo Assembly has postponed until September 18 debate on the political situation in the country, in order to 'make room' for the address that SRSG Holkeri and EC Commissioner in charge of External Relation Chris Patten will give at the assembly on Wednesday.

The decision was made by the chairmanship despite the request of the PDK assembly group to include the political situation in the daily agenda.

Commenting on Holkeri and Patten's address, LDK senior representative Fatmir Sejdiu was quoted as saying, 'I think it will be direct information on the current trends, which can be important for Kosovo, therefore, this is a good opportunity for us as assembly members.'

PDK's Xhavit Haliti had a different opinion and he voiced his dissatisfaction with the decision. 'I think that postponing the session is postponing the transfer of competencies to the Kosovo Assembly and postponing the transfer of competencies vis-à-vis the citizens and institutions of Kosovo. This is done due to the lack of the will to harmonize issues that involve Kosovo and all of us,' he added.

Asked to comment on the issue, AAK deputy leader Bajram Kosumi said: 'Even though the debate on the political situation is general, the AAK parliamentary group perceives it as a debate on the attacks that were made by the Serbia's official politics in the last couple of months, and which are against Kosovo and the political processes here.'

Editorial: Difficult questions for UNMIK chief Harri Holkeri (Zëri)
Zëri cites western diplomatic sources as saying that today's meeting between UNMIK chief Harri Holkeri and EU High Representative Javier Solana could be crucial in determining the possible flow of talks between Kosovar and Serbian representatives.

The Contact Group has agreed on the role that Holkeri will play in talks between Prishtina and Belgrade on practical (or technical) issues. However, it is known that when the possible start of dialogue was mentioned in June this year, the famous European diplomat Javier Solana emerged as the person who could take over the organization of talks.

At that time, official Washington had voiced its willingness to join in talks together with the European Union. But it seems that many things surrounding the process of preparing talks have changed. According to these diplomatic sources, the latest tense relations between Kosovo and Serbia, caused first of all by Belgrade's latest political offensive and the serious incidents in August, has increased doubts that there can be progress in relations between Prishtina and Belgrade. For this reason, the backing of Holkeri as the official responsible for the start of dialogue is logical.

After the first round of consultations with Kosovar and Serbian officials and after the diplomatic tour, Holkeri will make his conclusions about dialogue only after the second round of talks with authorities in Prishtina and Belgrade. It is known that he is going to face a lot of questions, doubts and concerns in both Prishtina and Belgrade. The key issue here will be Holkeri's role and the topics that can be addressed in this period. According to western diplomatic sources, Holkeri could be the main figure in the current talks, because they are expected to focus on issues that are in the full competency of the SRSG. Whereas in the next stage, which will address political issues that would lead to the resolution of Kosovo's final status, the mediation of the US and the European Union will be inevitable.

However, starting from now, one can foresee that there are going to be serious problems in this possible scenario of negotiations between Kosovo and Serbia. It is known that former UNMIK chief Michael Steiner had envisaged that dialogue between Prishtina and Belgrade would focus on practical issues, but the Serbian regime believed that these talks should also address some political issues, including the decentralization of power in Kosovo. Furthermore, based on the 'Declaration for Kosovo' adopted by the Parliament of Serbia, it can be expected that the Serbian side will address the issue of restating the Haekkerup-Covic Agreement (November 2001), especially the functioning of the High Level Working Group, and that would unable all kinds of talks. When these issues are proposed, Holkeri's mediation could no longer be efficient.

But if talks really focus on technical issues, then Belgrade might be totally uninterested in participating in talks.

On the other hand, in the last couple of days, Albanian officials have openly voiced their disagreement with Harri Holkeri's role as mediator in these talks. They have wanted Washington and Brussels to be the main leaders of the dialogue between Kosovar and Serbian representatives from the very beginning.

Hysa: Holkeri, blame, and Kosovars (Koha Ditore)
'The Special Representative believes that Kosovar citizens and their leaders must bear responsibility for crimes committed against minorities. Holkeri seems to have chosen the easiest path for carrying out his mandate in Kosovo: to accuse the others,' writes KACI Director Ylber Hysa in an opinion piece for Koha Ditore.

During an interview for the Belgrade-based Blic, the UN Special Representative for Kosovo gave a clear statement on the growing interethnic violence in Kosovo, especially crimes committed against minorities.

Among other things, Holkeri said that Kosovar citizens and their leaders remained the essential factor and that they must take their part in responsibility for giving up on violence and the implementation of rights for the members of minority communities.

Holkeri also said that the international community must remain stable in its position and that it was not going to be intimidated or withdraw from the implementation of its mandate according to Resolution 1244.

Reading these two messages by Mr. Holkeri allows one to comment on them as a message that best explains the approach of the chief administrator of Kosovo. The first is that Kosovar citizens and leaders are the ones who have the primary responsibility for the violence against minorities and the second is that the international community must not back down from implementing Resolution 1244. These two statements seem to contradict each other. First, Kosovar citizens and their political leaders cannot be considered directly responsible for the situation that has been created, as long as they simply lack the legal instruments to bear responsibility for the serious violation of the human rights of minority communities. This doesn't mean that the citizens of Kosovo, and especially their leaders, should not be there at all times to condemn the violence and to do whatever is within their competencies to prevent crime and lack of security. And Holkeri's criticism is, to some extent, valid for some Kosovar leaders who lack the courage to do more than write telegrams when serious crimes take place and which damage the Kosovar image very much.

But blaming Kosovar citizens for primary responsibility represents a lack of a basic sense of reality. In fact, it is more than this: it represents avoiding responsibility and transferring it to someone else, which is the easiest thing to do when a certain problem is not addressed in accordance with someone's competencies.

Consequently, nothing would have been made of Mr. Holkeri first and second statement if he had added to it the simple fact that in order to have a stable partner in fighting crime and providing security for all citizens, the international community must do exactly what is its duty according to Resolution 1244: and that is transferring competencies to local democratic institutions. Dividing up the work is probably more important than blaming the possible local partner.

In the same interview, the Special Representative said that he is less famous than Harry Potter, but he also said that he is older and more experienced than Potter. Maybe this is why Mr. Holkeri seems to have chosen the easiest way of carrying out his mandate in Kosovo: to accuse the others.

Editorial: Green light for dialogue (Kosova Sot)
Kosova Sot commented on the SRSG's recent meetings and the possibilities for the new dialogue.

After meetings that SRSG Harri Holkeri had in Geneva and Brussels, the green light actually came on for dialogue between Prishtina and Belgrade. Mr. Solana reconfirmed support for beginning of the dialogue between Prishtina and Belgrade on practical issues of mutual interest and also supported Holkeri's proposal for preparation of dialogue modalities in close cooperation with Prishtina and Belgrade.

Solana's spokeswoman, Christina Gallack, said that the EU is willing to host the dialogue between Prishtina and Belgrade. Starting with the logic that the host has the right, in one way or another, to mediate, for Kosovars, Washington is more preferable than Brussels.

However, the green light for talks is on and we can rightfully ask how prepared Kosovars are for these talks. This question implies unity and the level of representation and above all the preliminary strategy, which Kosovar institutions currently do not have. It is known that talks will be focused on practical issues of mutual interest, but we cannot ignore the fact that results from these talks will open path for talks on the final issue. Therefore, it is the last moment to understand the seriousness that dialogue with Serbia presents.

The outcome of the dialogue between Prishtina and Belgrade will depend upon how much the negotiating parties are prepared for the talks. It is known that political preparedness is important for the talks, without prejudging the outcome. The reality is that political preparedness is a particular problem for Albanians, when you consider Belgrade's statements for inclusion of Kosovo under the Serbian administration. Belgrade's recent provocation made dialogue a tough issue, because they aim is to make such talks unequal.

Miftari: Training for talks between 'serious people' (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore runs a commentary by Naser Miftari on the training of Kosovar officials for upcoming talks with Belgrade representatives.

I was sitting with a friend and joking that the independence of Kosovo was in Daniel Serwer's handbag in Hotel Prishtina. However, Friday night's talk turned out a little different when William Walker arrived in Prishtina on Monday to meet with Kosovar leaders and announce that he was going to give another training in October. And as the newspaper was being closed to publish on Tuesday, the list of trainers was growing, Gert Arens, Paul Williamson…

The Americans have split up the training and Daniel Serwer is going to train the 'moderate rightists,' while William Walker will train the 'extreme leftists,' all these 'serious people' to talk to Serbia's 'serious people,' such as Nebojsa Covic, one would think. Whereas the simple truth is that they are training us because our officials cannot negotiate, as can be seen with the strikes and other 'minor' issues.

The whole flux of 'intensive training' is happening at a time when the Kosovo Assembly makes no declaration, the Parliament of Serbia and Montenegro without any vote against, similar to the Serbian Parliament when it supported the conflict in 1999, says it supports dialogue, whereas Tirana has started seriously thinking about being involved in peacekeeping missions in troubled Balkans countries!

One guy was telling me last week that either we are doing great and we are not aware, or we are doing very poorly and we still aren't aware of that. This is the assessment of the majority of citizens here, while everything remains unclear. And outside all these frameworks, a Kosovar organization has recently concluded that the stress of Kosovars has declined. This organization has presented results, mainly positive, in somewhat complicated figures, but which are said to be definitively positive, because according to it the stress of people is declining. Even this organization has announced that in the future it is going to hold trainings!

Nebojsa Covic told the BBC that the Serbs had been ready for dialogue on Kosovo and Metohija since 5 October 2000. His chiefs have made similar statements. The other guy (Milosevic), who was in power before 5 October 2000, also used to talk constantly about dialogue. More than half a million killed, hundreds of thousands crippled for life and over two million refugees were the result of his willingness for 'dialogue with all'.

And the calls for dialogue that Serbs are making now are in reality the same, under the same conditions (Kosovo - a province of Serbia), except for the fact that their current calls are liked by Javier Solana and the international community, and all Serbs support this call, and, in fact, even we do, when we say 'yes' without addressing the issue of how this dialogue will be held. For this someone might see no other reason maybe except the fact that there is no reason to bomb them, at least not in the next five years. And I guess they could do that to us with the current system that we have.

'Covic told the BBC that he expects the ethnic Albanian community, which in the political slang is the Neighborhood, should be ready for talks, emphasizing that the level of talks will be 'between serious people'.

And while Covic and the other serious people in Serbia are ready to start talks, in these areas the 'serious people' are already being seen. Dialogue is finding the 'serious people' here at a time when many people are on strike for many things and in fact not even the strikes are functioning like they once used to.

In the meantime, in October, William Walker will train the 'extreme leftists', and they are undoubtedly 'very serious people', because without them 'nothing can be bought or sold' in Kosovo. And the 'serious people' are going to receive their diplomas when extraordinary elections will be held in Serbia. And to someone this still makes sense. In the end, who knows, maybe they are right. I only hope that when they go to the talks they won't take alcohol for the land of Kosovo, as that director did a couple of months ago.

Shala: Distancing after rapprochement (Zëri)
In an editorial for Zëri, Blerim Shala wrote that the 'agreement' between the education union and the Ministry of Education did not even last 24 hours. 'It seems that the leadership of the education union was not so close to the stances of the government as it pretended in the last couple of days,' Shala added.

On Sunday evening, after the joint press conference held by representatives of the government and the education union, Kosovar citizens thought that an agreement had been reached between government officials and the unionists and that the teachers' strike was over. It was pretty hard to understand all the messages in these public statements, which reminded one of the statements to the media after the peaceful agreements in the conflicts of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. However, all the officials who were facing the cameras, without which there is no politics around here, mentioned the word rapprochement of positions so much that it was logical to conclude that the children should be sent to school the next day.

But the 'agreement' didn't even last 24 hours. It seems that the leadership of the education union was not so close to the stances of the government as had been pretended in the last couple of days. Afraid of the possible consequences of 'giving ground,' the SBASHK leadership organized some kind of voting among teachers in efforts to resolve one problem by opening a new one: the relations between the majority and minority of teachers, or those who are on strike and those who support the idea of starting classes. If such voting were held among parents, who are quite rightly losing their patience, they would all certainly vote in support of ending the strike immediately and raising the salaries of teachers as much as possible. Such problems are not solved with voting or by the principle of the majority.

No society in the world would be able to function if any time the government or a union had to make a decision they turned to the voters to make the decision.

UNMIK justify itself in bid for police cars (Zëri)
Zëri reported reaction from international officials regarding the tender for the cars required for the Kosovo Police Service. Officials of the international administration called complaints from the Kosovo Government last week regarding irregularity in the KPS cars bids as 'mistake'.

'It is mistake to say that there were irregularities,' UNMIK Pillar I spokesperson Neeraj Singh was quoted as saying.

UNMIK spokeswoman Isabella Karlowicz said that the tender from Central Procurement Unit for buying 850 cars announced in January was blocked because of 'internal disagreements'. 'It caused a delay in buying police cars and they need it urgently, therefore the police is withdrew from the tender,' Karlowicz said and added that UNMIK Pillar I had the full support of UNMIK's legal office.

Kosovo Government reacted last week because of an eight million euro grant to buy KIA vehicles. Prime Minister Bajram Rexhepi ordered the establishment of special commission, which will investigate regularity of the KPS cars bid. At the same time the Ministry of Public Services prepared a fifty-page file containing 'proved procedural violations' committed by the international officials involved.

Following the same issue, Koha Ditore quoted UNMIK spokeswoman Isabella Karlowicz as saying that the statements of PM Rexhepi and Public Service Minister Jakup Krasniqi of 'suspicion of procedural violation' in a tender for KPS vehicles were based on speculations and lack of understanding of legal dispositions on this matter.

Ibrahim Rexhepi: Other 'bosses' (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore carried an op-ed by Ibrahim Rexhepi who commented on the second round of the privatization process and surprises that people brought from background.

An artist bought two of the most important premises in the second round of the privatization. He will pay ten million euros into the KTA account in ten days time. Nobody thought that artist could be so rich. However, people are convinced that such artist has a promoter and that behind him is a rich person who doesn't want his name revealed.

But other enterprises were purchased by persons or private companies which do not have high reputations in the Kosovo market.

One week ago, the identity of the winners wasn't important. Only a curious person could notice the joy and unhappiness on the faces in the UNMIK cinema hall. In this way, he could have indications about new owners. Surely, the best analysts of the economic circumstances would ask, who are these people that are laughing so gratefully? People unknown in business.

While, you could recognize the names and surnames of the disappointed people, their businesses, their failures and successes, legal and illegal work…There were people, business images that were created after the war.

But these are KTA regulation about tenders. It does not respect name and CV of the offers. The prime criterion is price - money. Even without asking about its origin. Banks should do that, which give guarantees that the purchaser has clean money before he enters into this large financial transaction.

This kind of privatization brought a new structure of rich people to public attention. But it might happen that only exponents of rich people are identified who don't want their names published. The best thing would be if the purchasers were reputable names. But if they are only representatives, there will always be a big enigma. Positive and negative names from America, Europe, Africa, New York, Paris, Tirana, Moscow and Belgrade would be mentioned, but every one will be only fiction. It is very bad that our public opinion has a tendency to identify these peoples as exponents of suspicious businesses in the region, who still want to remain as an enigma. This enigma is easy to resolve, if you follow where the money comes from. This job cannot be done by everybody, but only by authorized institutions, banks.

On the other hand, it is believable that a few people have worked very hard and left 'bosses' with nothing. Four brothers that worked in the West for a long time and other brothers that run a business in Kosovo purchased a factory, which was said to be targeted by Germans. Or, tenants from shopping center in Mitrovica joined their capital and won the tender. Before the offers were opened, it was said that the purchaser was known; he is an Albanian who runs businesses all over the world.

But it seems that these anonymous people knew how to determine the prices of the enterprises. They took this competition seriously, and not like 'bosses' after war who were convinced 'that they were the best one'.

These people really surprised all the participants in the hall where offers were opened. The question of who are they and how they create so much money will circulate for long time. But it seems to remain without answer. People would mention names still suspicious from the region as the real owners of privatized enterprises in Kosovo.

In a way they are right. When several purchasers are analyzed you can reminisce about times when they worked as labour and secured existence with great difficulty. They did not inherit property or cash. Where did they come from? This question will remain for long time. Or there will be a short answer: how easily Kosovars can create money and wealth.

Tender for Tobacco industry is revoked, Serbs won't give 'Refrigerator'
Koha Ditore reported on problems that the privatization process in encountering in Gjilan region.

Privatization of two enterprises in Gjilan (Tobacco Industry and Refrigerator) has been nagged by problems. Either of the enterprises got final results and dilemmas about it are still present.

The Tobacco Industry had a low offer price, so the KTA revoked it, while the sale of Refrigerator, located in the Serbian enclave of Shlivove, which was bought by Hetem Bajrami, owner of Boletus Company, has been called into question by local Serbs.

First, the Tobacco Industry in Gjilan will go to tender again, because the first time only two offers were presented, while the KTA board wasn't happy with the price offered.

Agrokultura Company which Refrigerator is part of, has 130 workers and thousands of hectare of lands.

Tobacco Industry is a giant enterprise with four-hectares of land and units for milling, packaging and producing the cigarettes.

KTA officials were unhappy with the price offered from the first day of the offer, therefore the bid was revoked.

Musa Gashi will move stones of the mill in Skënderaj (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore reported that after first failed attempt to privatize the mill in Skënderaj, the next attempt seems to be successful.

The new owner of the Mill in Skënderaj is Musa Gashi. He bought the enterprise for €406,000 in the second round of KTA privatization. Workers are very happy because they recognize the new owner as a good businessman and from a good family.

'The new owner visited the Mill, together with a team of engineers, and recorded all necessary information,' said general manager Aziz Kertolli. The new owner said nothing apart from giving the message that he would try to save the premises of the Mill.

Workers and experts think that the Mill was sold very cheaply. They estimated that its worth is around €22,000,000. 'This is not even an approximate price, but the privatization process should go further,' Kertolli said.

The paper reported the opinions of workers who expressed their concern about their future. 'This price belongs to a medium-sized house, but not to an enterprise,' said Demir Thaçi, a worker.

Gashi visited the Mill and gathered information about the equipment. 'I think that the price is real. I need to make lots of investments because the mill hasn't worked for long time,' he was quoted as saying. Questioned about his future plans, Gashi said that 'the future consists of increasing the number of workers, not in decreasing them'.

Eight hectares of land sold for €425,235 (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore reported on the privatization of the first enterprise in Kamenica.

Lazim Krasniqi, owner of Ardhmëria Company from Topanicë, is new owner of former socially owned enterprise Eng Betony Company in Kamenica. Amongst five competitors, he offered the best price of €425,235, and he gained eight-hectare land in the 'golden part of town'.

Betony Company employs 110 workers, of which only 56 are currently working. The new owner does not hide his happiness about this company, but he is aware about challenges he may face. 'The situation in enterprise is generally chaos,' Krasniqi said and he added that the technology has deteriorated. However, he accepted that some part of the heavy machinery could be use for milling stones.

Krasniqi mentioned an amount of €250,000 that needs to be invested in order to for work to begin. First he bought new equipment in Switzerland, but without a location he couldn't work. 'The technology is all digitalized and with only three workers you can produce 55 types of concrete elements,' Krasniqi said.

'The workers need to understand the changes. If somebody remains out of work, he shouldn't get angry, because I can only hire the workers that I need,' Krasniqi concluded.

· Main Stories 10 September Holkeri: Time for Prishtina-Belgrade dialogue is drawing near (Koha)
· Robertson: Summer violence unacceptable and inexcusable (Zëri)
· Patten, Holkeri postpone Assembly's response to Serbia (Koha Ditore)
· Kosumi: Holkeri must choose - either chief administrator or mediator (Koha)
· Patten comes to Kosovo to call for end of provocations on final status (Koha)
· Zivkovic: Serbian Govt will publish book on Albanian terrorism (Koha)
· Belgrade's plan: Kosovo's integration in Serb political system (Koha)
· Hysa: Holkeri, blame, and Kosovars (Koha Ditore)
· Miftari: Training for talks between 'serious people' (Koha Ditore)
· Editorial: Difficult questions for UNMIK chief Harri Holkeri (Zëri)
· Shala: Distancing after rapprochement (Zëri)
· UNMIK accuses government for failure to recognize legal provisions (Koha)
· Electricity crisis to return to Kosovo next week? (Zëri)
· Dubrava inmates end hunger strike (Koha Ditore)
· AAK leader in Istog comments on recent tragedy in Dubrava Prison (Epoka)
· Buçpapaj: Jakup Krasniqi projects new killings and the execution of national newspaper Bota Sot

Kosovo Media Highlights

Holkeri: Time of dialogue bet Prishtina and Belgrade is drawing near (Koha)
'I am close to an answer on when dialogue will start; I am counting the weeks and there are not many left, while the issue of mediation is less important,' SRSG Harri Holkeri was quoted as saying after meeting EU High Representative for the Common and Foreign Policy Javier Solana.

Zëri quotes Holkeri as saying that dialogue between Prishtina and Belgrade will start in several weeks, despite the fact that the roles and positions of Contact Group and the EU have not been clarified yet. [further coverage in Media Analysis]

Robertson: Summer violence unacceptable and inexcusable (Zëri)
Zëri reports that SRSG Holkeri met NATO Secretary General George Lord Robertson in Brussels yesterday and discussed the security situation in Kosovo.

After he voiced his full support for the new SRSG for Kosovo, Robertson said that the violence during the summer had been unacceptable and inexcusable and that it presented a blockade on Kosovo's path toward Europe. 'Extremism and organized crime are the biggest enemies of Kosovans,' Robertson added.

Patten, Holkeri postpone Assembly's response to Serbia (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore reports that the chairmanship of the Kosovo Assembly has postponed until September 18 the debate on the political situation in the country, in order to make room for the address that SRSG Holkeri and EC Commissioner in charge of External Relation Chris Patten will give at the assembly on Wednesday.

The paper also reports that while LDK and AAK senior officials say that it would be good to listen first to what international officials have to say, the senior official of the PDK said that postponing the debate on the political situation is 'postponing the taking over of responsibilities.' [more in Media Analysis]

Kosumi: Holkeri must choose - either chief administrator or mediator (Koha)
Koha Ditore reports that AAK deputy leader Bajram Kosumi said Tuesday that during negotiations between Prishtina and Belgrade, SRSG Holkeri could be either the chief administrator of Kosovo or mediator, but not both.

'In these days, Holkeri must either be the chief administrator of Kosovo, a man of Kosovo that leads Kosovo and that protects its interests, or he can be a mediator. He cannot have both functions,' added Kosumi.

Patten comes to Kosovo to call for end of provocations on final status (Koha)
Koha Ditore reports that on the eve of his visit to Kosovo, EC Commissioner Patten said that the message he was going to bring to Kosovo was that 'ethnic tensions in Kosovo must not be allowed to damage political and economic progress'.

Patten also said that there is an urgent need to stop making provocations vis-à-vis the final status of Kosovo.

Zivkovic: Serbian Govt will publish book on Albanian terrorism (Koha Ditore)
Citing information broadcast by Belgrade-based Beta news agency, Koha Ditore reports that Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Zivkovic said Tuesday that by the end of the week, the Serbian Government would publish the 'White Book' on Albanian terrorism.

Belgrade's plan: Kosovo's integration in Serbian political system (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore quotes Rasim Lajic, Minister of Human Tights and Minorities in the Union of Serbia and Montenegro, as saying that Belgrade plans to fully integrate Albanians in the political system of Serbia and Montenegro.

Koha reports that Lajic also said that he was expecting an outburst of conflict and violence in Kosovo.

Hysa: Holkeri, blame, and Kosovars (Koha Ditore)
'The Special Representative believes that Kosovar citizens and their leaders must bear responsibility for crimes committed against the minorities. Holkeri seems to have chosen the easiest path for carrying out his mandate in Kosovo: to accuse the others,' writes KACI Director Ylber Hysa in an opinion piece for Koha Ditore. [full translation in Media Analysis]

Miftari: Training for talks between 'serious people' (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore runs a commentary by Naser Miftari who comments on the training of Kosovar officials for upcoming talks with Belgrade representatives. "It seems now that Daniel Serwer is going to train the 'moderate rightists,' while William Walker will train the 'extremist leftists,' all these 'serious people' to talk to Serbia's 'serious people,' such as Nebojsa Covic." [full translation in Media Analysis]

Editorial: Difficult questions for UNMIK chief Harri Holkeri (Zëri)
Zëri cites western diplomatic sources as saying that today's meeting between UNMIK chief Harri Holkeri and EU High Representative Javier Solana could be crucial to determining the possible flow of talks between Kosovar and Serbian representatives. [full translation in afternoon Media Analysis]

Shala: Distancing after rapprochement (Zëri)
In an editorial for Zëri, Blerim Shala writes that the 'agreement' between the education union and the Ministry of Education did not even last 24 hours. 'It seems that the leadership of the education union was not so close to the stances of the government as it pretended in the last couple of days,' Shala added. [full translation in Media Analysis]

UNMIK accuses government for failing to recognize legal provisions (Koha)
Koha Ditore quotes UNMIK spokeswoman Izabella Karlowicz as saying that the statements of PM Bajram Rexhepi and Public Services Minister Jakup Krasniqi on 'suspicion of procedural violations' in a tender for KPS vehicles, were based on speculations and lack of understanding of legal dispositions on this matter. [more in Media Analysis]

Electricity crisis to return to Kosovo next week? (Zëri)
Citing reliable sources at the Kosovo Power Corporation (KEK), Zëri claims that from the end of this week, the Kosovo B power plant will stop producing electricity, since B2 will be taken out of production for necessary repairs that will last at least three weeks.

Dubrava inmates end hunger strike (Koha Ditore)
Citing sources from Dubrava Prison and the Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms (CDHRF), Koha Ditore reports that after a chaotic week in Dubrava Prison, the inmates have stopped their hunger strike and that the situation is returning to normal.

Sources inside the prison also told the paper that the office of the Kosovo Ombudsperson and CDHRF representatives, led by human rights activist Adem Demaçi, have contributed to the stabilization of the situation.

AAK leader in Istog comments on recent tragedy in Dubrava Prison (Epoka)
Epoka e Re carries an interview with Jonuz Jonuzaj, leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) in Istog, who comments on the recent riot and the tragedy in Dubrava Prison.

'The tragedy that has occurred cannot be ended with the request to improve current conditions inside the prison. The prison is managed by a group of internationals, who have no professional expertise and no basic knowledge on our circumstances and conditions,' Jonuzaj added.

Buçpapaj: Jakup Krasniqi projects new killings and the execution of national newspaper Bota Sot
Bota Sot runs an editorial by Elida Buçpapaj who claims that Public Services Minister Jakup Krasniqi is trying to execute the newspaper Bota Sot by accusing it of cooperation with the ICTY at The Hague and the Belgrade regime.

Buçpapaj also claims that the murders of supporters of Ibrahim Rugova's political wing were announced by extremist leftists in their newspapers.

Kosovo Press Headlines

Koha Ditore

Front page
· Holkeri: Moment of dialogue is coming
· Negotiators training, big hit in Kosovo
· Government says two victims, fighters says ten victims [Macedonia]
· Patten and Holkeri postpone K-Assembly's response to Serbia for a week
· UNMIK accuses government for non-recognition of law

Other headlines
· Security forces deny information on illegal movements [Macedonia] (2)
· BDI remains in government [Macedonia] (2)
· Zivkovic: Serbian government will publish book on 'Albanian terrorism' (2)
· Belgrade plan: Re-integration of Kosovo in Serbian political system (2)
· Kosumi: Holkeri to choose between SRSG and mediator (3)
· Talks with Belgrade mustn't touch status issue (3)
· Classes begin in several schools, strike is broken (4)
· No results from expertise (4)
· Road between Lipjan and Janjeve is blocked (4)
· Deadline expires, Kosova Airline will wait another month (5)
· Consumer debt has increased by €18,000,000 [KEK] (5)
· Coal miners include President 'in game' (5)
· Kadare: Moisiu's concern is asusual [Albania] (6)
· Additional funds for graduates from Western countries (6)
· Kline: Historic and cultural material is confiscated (7)
· Prizren: A woman disappears (7)
· Majority of school on strike, several schools begin classes (8)
· Malisheve: Rogers is not happy with results of amnesty (9)
· Istog: Prisoners halt strike, stabilization of situation begins (9)
· Gjakovë: Fake food items (9)
· Miftari: Training for talks between 'serious people' (10)
· Hysa: Holkeri, blame, and Kosovars (10)
· Holkeri: Albanian leaders should condemn violence (11)

Koha Ditore Economy section
· Who are the new owners
· Cartoonist worth €5,000,000
· Rexhepi: 'Other' bosses

Zëri

Front page
· Holkeri: Dialogue will begin in a few weeks
· Bill Clinton to visit Prishtina
· Kosovo may face energy crisis during weekend
· Shala: Distancing after rapprochement
· Patten and Holkeri to address Kosovo Assembly
· Who is SBASHK, organizer of teachers' strike?
· Nacional: Serbia and Montenegro becomes biggest US ally
· An unknown cave is discovered

Other headlines
· Independent body is established to investigate incident in Dubrava (2)
· UNMIK accepts complaints about airline bid (2)
· Patten to visit Kosovo and Serbia (3)
· Robertson: Violence during summer is unacceptable and senseless (3)
· UNMIK: Wait for Holkeri, he will show his position (3)
· Grave questions for SRSG Harri Holkeri (3)
· Kosovo is determined to fight against terrorism (4)
· UNMIK justifies itself in bid for police cars (4)
· KFOR: we are doing our job in this part of border (4)
· Third round of privatization begins today (5)
· Union is losing battle in Prishtina and other towns [teachers' strike] (6)
· A few municipality begin but some do not begin classes (7)
· Buxhaku: No crisis to pull out from government [Macedonia] (7)
· Trajkovic: Serbia missed address for resolution of Kosovo issue (8)
· One year later: decentralization (8)
· Holkeri interview for Belgrade based paper Blic (9)

Bota Sot

Front page
· Holkeri: I can't go a millimeter further without consulting K-representatives
· Holkeri talks with Switzerland authorities about Kosovo
· Independent body is established to investigate incident at Dubrava prison
· Mother Teresa Avenue will have new look
· Krasniqi plans new killings and execution of paper Bota Sot
· Aggressive documents that undermine Kosovo and entire region
· File of Shefki Popova is still with the court

Other headlines
· Absence of Ali Ahmeti (2)
· SRSG and Patten to address Kosovo Assembly (2)
· President Rugova promises assistance of Kosovo institutions and UNMIK (3)
· Buçpapaj: Anti-European visions from EU (4)
· Rugova meets Walker (4)
· Spahija: UNMIK should administer hospital (5)
· Mother, when will September 1 come? (6)
· Successful meeting between municipalities alongside of border (7)
· SRSG Holkeri could resolve problem on municipal property (7)
· Rugova: UNMIK/Kosovo institution should resolve problems of miners (8)
· Kosovo must have its representatives in world (8)
· Kosovo expresses solidarity with US war against terrorism (8)
· There are no civilian victims in Breze [Macedonia] (10)

Kosova Sot

Front page
· Holkeri: Dialogue with Belgrade will begin after few weeks
· Dialogue can start only as equals
· Strike has little political impact which is unnecessary
· What is true about postponement of airline company
· Kosovo Assembly won't discuss political situation this week
· KFOR denies claims of aggressive behavior during searches
· Girl, victim of attack
· Editorial: Green light for dialogue

Other headlines
· In shadow of tragic events (2)
· Brussels, the preferred place for dialogue (4)
· Rugova meets miners' representative (4)
· Government: Kosovo expresses solidarity on anniversary of 9/11 (4)
· Thaçi meets La Roche University representative (4)
· AAK supports privatization process (4)
· Who should manage situation in Kosovar classes? (5)
· Contradiction between teachers, strike, yes or no? (6)
· Prizren: Union is determined to strike (6)
· Second round of competition for admitting students to U. of Prishtina (6)
· Union criticizes salary increases 'just for the sake of it' (7)
· Strikers want to resolve their problem [miners] (8)
· Block 1 reconstruction to be completed at end of the October (8)
· KEK project in Peja shows good results (8)
· Viti: First refugees from Macedonia (8)
· General Çeku visits second KPC zone (9)
· Serbian parallel system still operates in northern part of town (9)

Epoka e Re

Front page
· Patten comes to say stop talking about status
· Holkeri: I don't feel like Harry Potter
· Maloku: 'Moderate Albanian' today like 'Honor Albanian' yesterday
· Pettifer: London's and Kosovar confusion
· Commander Hoxha swear for revenge
· Gjilan: municipal assembly is transferred to court
· Luma: Aggression from Shumadija and worthless announcements

Other headlines
· Holkeri: Dialogue will begin in few weeks time (2)
· Security situation will be discussed next Thursday (3)
· AAK in Istog: Internationals to blame in Dubrava (5)
· Lipjan: Serbs block road and beat Albanians (5)
· Teachers require sustainable solution and end to pressure (6)
· Government discusses Trepça (6)
· KFOR: We are correct during searches (7)
· UNMIK accepts complaints on airline tender (7)
· Kosovo expresses solidarity with America and American people (7)
· SBASHK: Vlora Hajrizi is sacked (10)
· Muharremi: Return of Belgrade's arrogance (11)

Belgrade Media Highlights

· Annan warns SC (Blic)
· Holkeri with Solana on Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (Vecernje Novosti/Beta)
· Zivkovic announces "White Book" on Albanian terrorism in Kosovo and not about Labus (Vecernje Novosti)
· Chris Patten rushes dialogue on Kosovo (Balkan)
· SNC on the situation in Kosovo and Metohija (Politika)
· School attendance halted (Glas/Srna)

Annan warns SC (Blic)
UNSG Kofi Annan has warned the SC that the safety situation in Kosovo in mid July deteriorated, and that the targets of disturbance and attacks, apart from Serbs, have also become UNMIK and KFOR representatives. Annan pointed out to the SC that the Serbian Army and Interior Ministry respected and fulfilled all regulations of the Military-Technical Agreement, while KPC members continued to skip work in large numbers, still do not fulfill the minimum of the set operative conditions.

Harri Holkeri with Solana on Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (Vecernje Novosti/Beta)
UNMIK Head Harri Holkeri has stated that in a few weeks time it will be known when, where and how the dialogue between Belgrade authorities and the provisional self-government in Kosovo will commence, and added that he "surely has his part of responsibility in this." After he met in Brussels with EU High Representative Javier Solana, Holkeri voiced resoluteness to do everything to halt the wave of violence, for which the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue is of key importance. Holkeri said that as UNMIK head he also had "his part of responsibility" for the latest wave of "violent incidents, some of which had been committed for clear ethnic reasons."

Zivkovic announces "White Book" on Albanian terrorism in Kosovo and not about Labus (Vecernje Novosti)
The opening of new affairs does not interest us, said Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Zivkovic, thus denying the statements in some media. The Serbian government will present to the public by the end of the week the "White Book" that will be devoted to the problem of Albanian terrorism in Kosovo and Metohija. The government of Serbia is ready to start the dialogue with Pristina even today, and when it will start depends on the Albanian side and the international community, said Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Zivkovic. The prime minister has also stressed that entrance into the EU will bring a solution to many of our problems. "Only this way, for example, can the status of Kosovo and Metohija be resolved, said Zivkovic. Asked whether "the insisting on cooperation with Brussels means giving up cooperation with Washington, Zivkovic concluded that our goal is entrance into the EU, but that it has been clear for a long time that the solution of all our problems in Europe depended both from Brussels and Washington.

Chris Patten rushes dialogue on Kosovo (Balkan)
European Commissioner Chris Patten will stress in talks with the leaders of UNMIK and local provisional institutions in Kosovo "the necessity to stop with the provocative stories on the final status" of Kosovo, and to concentrate efforts on "the speedy launching of a constructive dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina on the issues of mutual interest." The European Commission in Brussels has announced this, stressing that the EU will give "its full part" in that.

SNC on the situation in Kosovo and Metohija (Politika)
The safety situation in northern Kosovo has deteriorated and is contrary to the assessments given to the public by UNMIK and KFOR. Explosions and shootings from firearms, hand and rocket launchers can regularly be heard in the region of Drenica and Bajgora, near Stari Trg in northern Kosovo. At this point, Albanians in Kosovo possess 20,000 pieces of legal arms that is, in fact, in the hands of KPC and KPS members so that they are abusing arms on a daily basis in the crimes against Serbs. UNMIK and KFOR ought to increase their forces, and not reduce them along with assurances that the situation in Kosovo has improved. SNC leader for northern Kosovo Milan Ivanovic stated this at a press conference in Zvecan.

School attendance halted (Glas/Srna)
The inhabitants of the Serb village Dobrosin near Lipljan have decided to forbid children to attend school in the local school until Friday, 12 September. It was concluded at a gathering to address a request to UNMIK and KFOR to place permanent checkpoints at the crossings in this village from Lipljan and for a KFOR patrol to constantly secure the school premises. If KFOR and the UN police do not respond positively, the inhabitants will block the road between Lipljan and Janjevo and will permit traffic so that children could safely attend school. This decision has been brought following the attempt to kidnap Dusica Popovic.