CONTENTS

COMMISSION ON KOSOVO BACKS UP CONDITIONAL INDEPENDENCE
KOUCHNER: KOSOVO IN THE WORLD'S EYES
EVERTS: EXPRESS YOUR OPINION IN A FREE AND FAIR WAY
OSCE AND KOSOVO PARTIES REACH COMPROMISE ON USE OF FLAG
SHALA: RESPECTING THE ELECTION PROCEDURE

COMMISSION ON KOSOVO BACKS UP CONDITIONAL INDEPENDENCE

The report of the international commission on Kosovo has become the topic of many public discussions, be it the European intellectual elite, or the political structures, said Koha Ditore on page one in a report from Brussels.

According to the news story, even though NATO, UN and EU officials say this report is a welcomed contribution to finding a final status for Kosovo, it will not have much of an influence on the entities that will make the decision. But the truth is that senior international officials are seriously considering the report and its proposals, while backing up the one that mentions "conditional independence" for Kosovo.

The delegation of the commission met Thursday in Brussels with EU senior official Javier Solana. According to a member of the delegation, during the open and filled with dynamism discussion, Solana listened to the arguments of the commission, with the same interest as UN Secretary General Kofi Annan before him.

The presentation of the report in Brussels was done at the Center for European Political Studies (CEPS), by the main compilers of the report. First they presented the major points of the report and defended their thesis for the "conditional independence" as the best solution, and then moved on to a public debate with the attendees.

Joly Dixon, a former deputy to Kosovo Chief Administrator Bernard Kouchner, assessed the report as very positive and necessary. Refusing the other four options and claiming that advantage should be given to "conditional independence", Dixon also said that the report does not specify the supervision of the conditional independence, because according to his opinion the Stability Pact is not functioning.

In order to prove that UN SC Resolution 1244, although good on paper, cannot last long in practice and is reaching its final days, Dixon pointed out three major issues. "First is the fact that with its contradictions and ambiguities, the resolution is more of a reason for UNMIK's failure to succede than the lack of financial resources. Second are the still-fresh wounds in Kosovo, especially because of failure to find a solution to the fate of missing and prisoners in Serbian prisons and the unacceptable situation of the Serb minority in Kosovo," said Dixon adding that both of these issues are even more difficult when taken into account that the international police is quite unusable in the current circumstances in Kosovo.

Even though he noted that he might sound partial, since he was the one in charge of the a pillar, Dixon was quoted as saying, "in Kosovo, a lot has been achieved in the economic aspect and everyone would experience a good surprise given the work on the fields there today, and how houses and roads are being built".

Dixon reportedly agreed that there cannot be a return of Kosovo to Belgrade and added that this always will remain this way regardless of the democratization of Serbia.

Dragan Zupancevac, a representative of the FRY, said that at least on paper Kosovo and Metohija are a part of Yugoslavia and that it is difficult to find a Serb politician with whom you could talk about the independence of Kosovo.

Responding to the statement made by Zupancevac, Jacques Rupnik said that Serbs must be aware of the fact that there is no more Kosovo under Serbia, that this is not possible. "They must be aware of that and also realistic, Kosovo only poisons nationalistic aspirations in Serbia, therefore "conditional independence" for Kosovo is in the interest of Serbs and the entire region," Rupnik added.

Rupnik also recalled the Serb diplomat saying that "you had the chance to give substantial autonomy to Kosovo, but you refused Rambouillet, whereas now you have to face independence. Sometimes you have to pay the price for the wrong decisions of the past. Independence for Kosovo could only free Albanians from nationalistic passions which otherwise could increase and cause damage for the region".

The paper also asked Richard Goldstone, one of the main compilers of the commission's report, whether the international community is giving on the realization of justice with which there cannot be long-term peace in the region. "Justice is necessary to achieve long-term peace in the entire region, therefore there should be bargaining with the fate of Milosevic and others that committed some of the most horrifying crimes known by humankind. They should be punished because there cannot be any peace without finding out the truth and punishing crime," Goldstone was reported to have said.

Adding to the issue, the paper said that all attendants were well aware of the fact that this was only the beginning of a debate for finding a final status to Kosovo.

Asked when a dialogue is preferred to begin on the issue, commission member Theo Summer said not before Kostunica puts in order the election issue and assures the position of the new government. In closing, it was noted that in the coming week the commission would present the report in Pristina.

KOUCHNER: KOSOVO IN THE WORLD'S EYES

Koha Ditore, Zëri and Kosova Sot in today's editions carried the message of SRSG Bernard Kouchner to the citizens of Kosovo one day before local elections. Kouchner wrote:
 
"When Kosovo votes tomorrow the world will be watching. For Kosovo's friends and benefactors, their faith in a democratic outcome will be on the line. But, unlike the voters, they do not mind which party wins. What they do want is a win for democracy.

The moment is truly historic.

For voters it should be the first free and fair election in the history of Kosovo, a watershed, a chance to choose their own destiny whatever happens elsewhere.

For the international community, it should be the long-awaited first key step towards the self-government envisaged in Security Council resolution 1244.

For Kosovo's new democratically elected leaders and for the international representatives here, it is a chance to show that we are ready for the next step, namely coexistence and constructive dialogue on the future of Kosovo.

The changes in Belgrade are without doubt a positive pressure on Pristina. There is now a kind of a challenge democracy between Belgrade and Pristina. Those happy events in Belgrade are also the backdrop to tomorrow's vote. We have had here a relatively violence-free campaign.  It is crucial that the world now witnesses in Kosovo a totally violence-free ballot, and that here it sees gracious acceptance by the losers of the voters' decision and a swift implementation of the election results. It is up to the people of Kosovo to show they are democratically mature.

I have always argued that the international community had to trust the people of Kosovo. I said that Kosovars must be given responsibility and that there would be no democratic solution without the people of Kosovo taking over responsibility for administration. You must now show the international community you able to do so.

We started that process of empowering the people of Kosovo with the early creation of the Joint Interim Administrative Structure (JIAS). It has been through the JIAS that Kosovars, UNMIK and the international community have together started building Kosovo's basic institutions of a democratic system. Tomorrow's municipal elections will continue it - replacing political appointees at the local level of governance with people's representatives, chosen democratically by means of the ballot box.

My dialogues with voters and candidates in the past few weeks convince me that the people of Kosovo are indeed ready for democratic government in municipalities and elsewhere. But democracy does not end with a free and fair election. From tomorrow, it will be up to the successful candidates and their parties to implement the people's decision, to turn the results into an everyday democratic reality.

Candidates and their political authorities signed pledges that they would respect the outcome. They did this at the Airlie Conference, in the Central Election Commission, and only a few days ago in a special declaration in Pristina. The international community expects no less. The election winners are therefore committed to conduct themselves democratically in the municipalities that elect them. Together with UNMIK and, in some cases with appointed representatives, they will have to create conditions that establish effective and representative local administrations. This will be no easy task, and will certainly take time.

For those who win tomorrow, the powers set out in Regulation 45/2000 are potentially quite large. They match, in fact, the powers of the most decentralized administrations in Europe.

The municipalities are where the people of Kosovo will be empowered first - to spend budgets, to decide a wide variety of issues and to determine how urban transport, local primary schools, health services and cultural institutions are run and other public services delivered. This is a key step towards self-government under resolution 1244. And although elected assembly members will initially share responsibility with their UNMIK Municipal Administrators, transfer arrangements foresee municipalities taking full responsibility when they are able.

But next month's newly elected Municipal Assembly members must not forget that the way they reach those decisions is precisely how the young democracy will be put to the test - especially over their respect for the rights of all the municipality's residents. Resolution 1244 applies right down the municipal level and it remains one of my own responsibilities, as the international community's Special Representative, to ensure that its human rights principles are upheld.
I too have been campaigning as have OSCE, KFOR, UNMIK Police and the rest of UNMIK - not for your vote, although your vote tomorrow is a crucial for all the reasons I have mentioned, but in support of democracy itself.

I have campaigned for all 15 months of my time here for that quintessence of democracy: tolerance. Tolerance of other people, of their differences, of their political views, of their ethnicity, of their history and of their human right to live where they want and move freely in Kosovo without persecution.

In the two months leading up to tomorrow's elections, I therefore took that campaign on the road, urging the people who came to our town hall meetings to eschew political violence. I offered a Pact for Kosovo. I promised: give me a free and fair election without violence, and follow it with swift implementation of the results, then I will ensure Kosovo gets what it certainly wants - the right of self-government, the right to run its own affairs.

Tomorrow is the time for us all to deliver, through a good election day and subsequent implementation of the election results, then moving forward with implementation of the "pact" and other parts of resolution 1244. We shall define self-government and substantial autonomy and prepare for general elections to set up the central institutions for self-government. We shall find ways to ensure the highest human rights standards and to safeguard the rights of all communities living in Kosovo. And we shall ensure that the newly elected municipal assemblies and new central structure function according to those principles as they implement self-government.

At this point, I look forward to congratulating the people of Kosovo for having come so far in so short a time. Free and fair elections, the first step in democracy, are an important milestone. My consummate wish is that they use this unique chance wisely.

EVERTS: EXPRESS YOUR OPINION IN A FREE AND FAIR WAY

Koha Ditore, Zëri and Kosova Sot carried the message of OSCE head of mission Daan Everts, in which he calls on Kosovo citizens to cast their votes in a free and fair way in tomorrow's local elections. Everts wrote:

"Kosovo stands on the brink of its first truly democratic elections. For the first time you will be able to vote in secret for those you believe will make a difference to your everyday lives. This is an historic opportunity for you to express your opinion in a free and fair way and to show the international community that the people of Kosovo are committed to a democratic future. 

Why should you vote on 28 October? Because it ensures that your interests and those of your children are fairly represented and allows you to take control of your own affairs. You will be able to influence those concerns closest to your heart: quality healthcare, economic opportunities, support for farming, better roads, modern transport, more money for schools to name but a few. Remember, those you elect have a public duty to represent your interests, not their own, and they will be responsible for making good on the promises they have made during the electoral campaign.

For the first time in Kosovo power will be devolved, decisions will be decentralised and the process of establishing meaningful self-government will have begun. And it will start where it should always start – at the local level. For if democracy is about anything, it is about responding to the concerns of local communities and the needs of the people who live in them.

So there are plenty of reasons for voting. That’s the why part. What about the where and the how? By now you should know where you will be voting, namely where you registered, or very near where you registered. Your registration receipt will have a number assigned to it, which corresponds to the location of your polling centre. If in doubt, go back to where you registered and help will be on hand to point you in the right direction.

As for how to vote, by now every household the length and breadth of Kosovo will have received a Voters’ Guide explaining in clear terms every step of the election process. And remember, the ballot is secret. You can vote for a party only, for a party and a candidate from that party, or for a candidate only. Of course, whatever you choose, your vote will count only once. Tick the political party, coalition, citizens’ initiative, or independent candidate of your choice on the left-hand side of the ballot. On the right-hand side of the same line, you can write the number of a candidate of your choice from the same political party, coalition, or citizens’ initiative. You may not tick one political party and a candidate from another party.

This material has been comprehensively covered in our public information campaign, which has reached into every nook and cranny of Kosovo society. I have attended many of the rallies and other publicity events, such as the elections roadshow that has toured Kosovo over the past few weeks. I must say that I have been very impressed by the enthusiasm with which you have embraced the electoral process and participated in open discussion about the issues that concern you most.

I have also been most encouraged by the electoral campaign, the fact that it has been on the whole free of violence. I would like to commend all of you for ensuring that this important pre-election period has been conducted in a democratic manner. Of course the campaign has been fiercely competitive – and this is what we would expect. You have had the opportunity to listen to the candidates, to hear what their proposals are for your community and on 28 October you will be able to vote for those you believe will do their best for you and your concerns.

I can assure you that the voting process will be transparent and free of fraud. Not only will there be an international polling station supervisor in every polling station, but there will also be thousands of observers, 4,000 of which are from Kosovo alone. This is an amazing domestic response and will contribute to a climate of openness and transparency never before witnessed in Kosovo.

The counting process will be equally transparent. The ballots will be counted in the polling station at the end of voting under the same supervision and observation as the voting itself. The results will then be collected centrally in Pristina. I’d like to emphasise one point as far as the count and the announcement of results are concerned. I know how eager you will all be to know the results as soon as possible. I want to emphasise, however, that the counting of the out of Kosovo ballots as well as the conditional and absentee ballots will mean that the final results will not be known for some time. So, don’t expect the final results too soon! I guarantee, however, that we will announce the results as soon as humanly possible.

I can also assure you that the international community has done its utmost to ensure that the elections will also be safe: OSCE is working very closely with UNMIK Police and KFOR to ensure a secure environment of election day. If there are long queues on election day because of immense interest, please be patient. One final point of reassurance: I know that there have been concerns about the Final Voters’ List and the apparent omissions.

I can assure you that OSCE has done everything in its power to fix any computer data problems and include all those who registered in the list. We have been extremely successful in this, to the extent that only a small number will not find your names on the list. But do not despair! If you bring along your registration receipt and a photo ID you will be allowed to cast what we call a conditional ballot, which will then be verified in Pristina. Some of the pictures on the list may be missing or not very recognisable, but this will not affect your right to vote. Our policy is to make sure that everyone who has the right to vote will vote. So a reminder to everyone on election day: remember to bring along your registration receipt and photo ID too, just in case!

My message is simple: exercise your democratic right and enjoy it! This is a very exciting time for Kosovo and you will be part of history in the making. The slogan says it all: My Municipality, My Decision. I know that you are ready and eager to pass this first democratic test and I have every confidence that you will do this. To all the people of Kosovo, good luck!"

OSCE AND KOSOVO PARTIES REACH COMPROMISE ON USE OF FLAG

A compromise reached between the OSCE head of mission and the highest officials of the Albanian political parties solved the "hottest" issue on the threshold of Saturday local elections - that of using the national flag on election day, reported Zëri on page one.

The compromise, which was reached according to a draft given to the political party leaders, resulted with the right to put up the national flags at the entrance and on roofs of polling stations. All political parties agreed to this compromise, and Kosovo chief administrator Bernard Kouchner is expected to sign the agreement and thus make it official.

Coming out of the meeting, Hashim Thaçi chairman of the Kosovo Democratic Party (PDK) told journalists that the flag issue is a national and democratic right, just like the usage of other community flags participating in elections. “The Albanian national flag will wave in 28 October elections and I am fully convinced it will forever wave in Kosovo," Thaçi was reported to have said.

A few minutes after leaving the meeting, Naim Jerliu deputy chairman of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) said nervously that the proposal made by Everts only confirmed the earlier stance presented by the internationals that opposed the use of the Albanian flag at polling stations. Jerliu however returned to the meeting to find out that the flags will after all wave in front and on the roof of polling stations.

Daan Everts, OSCE head of mission said that the topic of discussion was a very specific one, adding that Kosovars must have something to identify with, and that was their flag. "I think that we have found a very nice solution, according to which all flags of municipalities participating may wave. These elections will be supervised by internationals, so it no one would be able to claim that these elections were not  free, democratic and fair," said Everts, adding that they want to avoid all sorts of comments coming from those that oppose local elections in Kosovo. 
       
SHALA: RESPECTING THE ELECTORAL PROCEDURE

Zëri on page one carried a column by its publisher Blerim Shala in which he wrote:

"It seems as if the last obstacle or problem a few days before local elections has been avoided. It was, as understood later by UNMIK and OSCE, a huge obstacle that seriously endangered the flow of the election process.

Therefore, Kosovar political parties, UNMIK, and OSCE agreed to the use of the Albanian flag and of all nationalities participating in elections, at the entries and roofs of the polling stations.

In this way, a problem has been solved, one that used to be considered by internationals as an emotional reaction of Albanians, and which later on turned out to be a priority issue that in no way would harm the flow of elections. Now, we are left to hope that the elections will be held as they should and that Kosovar citizens will massively attend them.

The political maturity was proved in the last two days, when the greatest Kosovar political parties, LDK and PDK held their final rallies in the election campaign in Prishtina.

Despite the large number of people in both rallies, no incident occurred in the capital of Kosovo.
 
In general, it seems as though all main political actors have understood the importance of local elections and why this time the most crucial election results belongs to the respecting of the democratic electoral procedure.