UNMIK/PR/376

PRESS RELEASE - 1 October 2000

UNMIK Takes Control of Illegal Building

Early this morning, UNMIK officials ordered an illegal house in the Dragodon area of Pristina fenced off after owners ignored repeated warnings to cease construction on municipal land.

The house was the subject one of three outstanding demolition orders signed by Rexhep Luci, the Pristina director of Planning, Reconstruction and Development before his murder on 11 September. Luci's first demolition order, issued over a hotel under construction in a public park, was implemented two days before he was shot down by unknown assassins near his home in Pristina.
 
Implementation on the three other orders signed by Luci was temporarily delayed following his murder, but UNMIK officials say that today's action was designed to show that they have not lost their resolve to fight illegal construction.

Last week, SRSG Bernard Kouchner signed a regulation, named after Luci, which requires all construction begun since 10 June 1999 to have municipal building permits. Builders who fail to get permits issued by Kosovo municipalities face a range of sanctions from fines to demolition of the illegal property.

"In the name of Rexhep Luci, we will pursue his vision of a planned and orderly Pristina and Kosovo," Dr. Kouchner said. "Our entire administration is committed to taking up the challenge to implement our strategy against illegal construction."

UNMIK had delivered repeated warnings to owners of the house it took control of  today since August, 1999 when construction began. With KFOR providing security, a private company hired by UNMIK erected a fence today to prevent the return of workers, who yesterday  were proceeding with building the house.