CONTENTS
KOUCHNER: RESOLUTION 1244 IN POWER UNTIL SPRING
ELECTIONS
ALBANIAN HUMAN ACTIVIST FLORA BROVINA RELEASED FROM
PRISON
POLITICAL PARTIES COMMENT ON DEMAÇI'S TRIP TO BELGRADE
SAFET
MEROVCI - ONE OF THE TWO TREPÇA DEPUTY DIRECTORS
ÇELAJ: FLORA, ALBIN,
DEMAÇI
KOUCHNER: RESOLUTION 1244 IN POWER UNTIL SPRING
ELECTIONS
The chief of the United Nations mission in Kosovo, Bernard Kouchner, assessed that the success of local elections in Kosovo presents the end of an era for the international community, but he added this does not imply the end of tensions in Kosovo, reported Koha Ditore on page two citing Belgrade's Beta news agency.
"We must be very careful because there will not be stability in the Balkans as long as there are tensions in Kosovo. However, the danger of conflict still exists," said Kouchner during an interview for the French daily paper "Le Monde". "We just turned on the machine for establishing peace. The duty is not over with this. Twelve hours of voting cannot end to twelve centuries of conflicts," he added.
Kouchner said that political leaders in Kosovo are now well aware that they are in a race for democracy with Belgrade. "They know that even the slightest delay would be very damaging. Now election results must be applied in the ground".
Commenting on UN SC resolution 1244, Kouchner said that the resolution remains in power until next elections and until the establishment of a real autonomy. "Most probably, it will be required to organize an international conference for the final status of Kosovo, but not this year and not before elections," concluded Kouchner.
ALBANIAN HUMAN ACTIVIST FLORA BROVINA RELEASED FROM PRISON
"As soon as her feet touched Kosovo's soil, the kisses and caressing of her son covered her forehead and gray hair. Mother and son stood in each other arms for a long time. Two and a half years had passed since they saw each other for the last time. Even their tears had run dry from the suffering of being far from each other. And in that mixture of longing and kisses with her son, husband and family members, it seems to have crossed Flora Brovina's mind that she did not give kisses to someone else as well - the soil of Kosovo - which she hadnt stepped on for nineteen months. She kneeled and with the pleasure of a hungry person, she kissed three times the asphalt that links her fatherland with the country that kept her behind bars for nearly 2-and-a-half years, her and thousands of her fellow countrymen only because they have different blood and are of another nation," noted Koha Ditore on page one in a report describing the release of Flora Brovina, the Albanian doctor and poetess.
"I didnt want to leave prison because I was convinced that I would stay there until all were released. The rules were such that I could not be given amnesty and held under arrest at the same time," said Brovina. "They will all soon be released, within ten days," she said referring the other Albanians in Serbian prisons.
POLITICAL PARTIES COMMENT ON DEMAÇI'S TRIP TO BELGRADE
Koha Ditore on page three carried reactions by Kosovar political entities on Adem Demaçi's trip to Belgrade and his press briefing there.
Kosovar political forces evaluated that the visit by the former KLA political representative was irresponsible.
Demaçi did not consult anyone before making this "hasty" decision, the paper said. And Kosovar politicians see this as a private trip by a person who only represents himself, and an a visit not without consequences.
Naim Maloku, chairman of the Kosovo's Center Liberal Party (PQLK), was the harshest towards the "Albanian Mandela" saying that this is not the first time that Mr. Demaçi did such irresponsible acts. "I do not criticize his trip to Belgrade, however this frightens me that this would open the doors to Yugo-nostalgia and others will use this as an excuse and say if Demaçi went why can't we," said Maloku. Maloku said that Demaçi is known for his oscillations and he noted that during the war when he could not explain the situation, he said "the fairies told me to do so," surely the "fairies told him to go to Belgrade this time," said Maloku.
Luljeta Pula-Beqiri chairwoman of Social Democratic Union (USD), also called the move wrong. According to Pula-Beqiri, "Adem Demaçi's trip to Belgrade was to premature and very pointless. This is very damaging for Kosovo at this fragile moment. Not a single independent Serb intellectual has found it fit to publicly ask forgiveness from the Albanians people for the crimes that Serbs committed in Kosovo. I do not understand this, this is not politics," said the USD Chairwoman.
LDK, which won the majority of votes in the local elections, categorized the trip as the individual act of a person that only represents himself. "This is his individual issue, and for that reason it does not deserve any comment," said Naim Jerliu LDK vice-president. "It is evident Mr. Demaçi did not represent anyone on this private visit to Belgrade".
Kosovo Democratic Party (PDK) and Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) gave similar evaluations: "this is an individual issue," not deserving discussion.
"PDK does not have a comment'," said one member, while Bajram Kosumi AAK vice-president said, "this was a private trip and not worth mentioning".
Adem Demaçi a charismatic Kosovar politician, who spent 28 years in jails during the Serb regime, is the first Kosovar Albanian intellectual to visit Belgrade.
With LDK's victory on 28 October, "Yugoslav" (paper's quotes) President Vojislav Kostunica said that he is ready to negotiate with what he called "moderate Albanian forces lead by Dr. Ibrahim Rugova".
However, Rugova said few days ago that it is to early to have talks with Belgrade, and that Kostunica has to release Albanian prisoners held in Serb jails.
SAFET MEROVCI - ONE OF THE TWO TREPÇA DEPUTY DIRECTORS
Zëri carried on page four a report on who will run the Trepça mining plant.
According to an agreement made between the UNMIK and Trepça workers syndicate, the Trepça Management Board should be formed and will consist UNMIK and local experts. Albanian sources gave Zeri the list of Albanian and Serb representatives who will be members of this board and the names of two Albanian and Serbs who will be deputy directors of Trepça's general manager Jan Bengstram. According to our source, they are Safet Merovci former president of the Trepça board named to that post after the war by the Temporary Kosovo Government, and Jovan Dimkic, a fierce opponent of former Trepça Manager Novak Bjelic, who was placed there by Slobodan Milosevic's regime and who has been denied entrance after UNMIK and KFOR took over the Zveçan smelter.
UNMIK spokeswoman Susan Manuel confirmed the two candidates and told for Zëri that Kouchner's advisor for Trepça Bernard Salome had to approve the names, while Salome said that Kouchner would make the final decision on the Trepça board of management.
Albanian sources gave Zeri lists of deputies and assistants for the major part of the Trepça Plant. According to this list Fadil Çitaku and Ymer Hysaj will be chief assistants to General manager Bengstram for property and infrastructure issues, Mensur Fejza assistant to Stari tërg mines, Hysen Vrajoli for Novo Brdo mines, Ilaz Xhemajli for Badovo and Kishnica mines, Enver Breznica for Hajvali mines, Telat Mustafa for zinc metallurgy, Avni Kotorri--battery factory, Shefqet Ibrahimi for the chemical industry, Hajdar Hajdari for flotation, Ramadan Muziqi for the first tunnel, and Burhan Kavaja inspector of technical security. Zeri said the list is not yet definite, and there might be slight changes.
UNMIK wants Trepça to become profitable, Zeri said, however the
agreement between UNMIK and ITT Consortium was never made public until
today.
*****
Annex: Transcript of a column by Zenun Çelaj, Zëri,
p.1
FLORA, ALBIN, DEMAÇI
Events are taking place very fast.
The municipal elections in Kosovo were better than most optimists expected: peaceful, fair and with a democratic culture. Those that surprised three years ago, by appearing bravely with KLA uniforms in front of thousands of people, once again showed a high level of national consciousness: they accepted without comment the results, something not done by the losers in any country of the region.
The unpredictable Demaçi all of a sudden showed up in Belgrade. Those with still fresh wounds from the war disliked this, however Demaçi gave humane lectures to the Serbs. He also re-proved the courage that he never lacked. "We build tomorrow today," he said.
Flora Brovina, the renowned humanist and poetess, whose name is known across the world, was released after serving 18 months in prison on the same day Demaçi was in Belgrade. Flora's release goes to Demaçi's advice to the Serbs.
Flora's commitment not to return to Kosovo without the other Albanians unjustly kept in Serbian prisons was not taken into consideration. She left Nait Hasani, the young Albin Kurti and hundreds of other Albanians, all hostages of Serb insanity. Her kissing the soil of Kosovo is a commending curse.
Events are taking place with such a pace that we seem not able to keep
up with them. If we dont keep up, we could forget the message "We build
tomorrow today." Serbia is hurrying.