UNMIK-KFOR-OSCE-EU Press Briefing: 15 September 2000
UNMIK Spokeswoman Claire Trevena
KFOR Spokesman Major Scott
Slaten
OSCE Spokesman Roland Bless
EU Spokesman Mike
Todd
UNMIK Spokeswoman Claire Trevena
IAC
The IAC is meeting this morning. There is only one topic on the agenda: that’s the role and responsibilities of the media in the fight against violence, and in political reporting and campaigning. 15 editors of kosovo’s newspapers, radio and TV will address the IAC. This follows the statement published by the media on non-violence. The IAC will have its own demand – and that is the media are responsible in their reporting. The meeting is, as usual, closed. But those who attend will be able to file on what has happened. There may be a statement at the end of the meeting.
Tolerance
The SRSG Bernard Kouchner today launches a Kosovo wide school competition on tolerance and reconciliation. Children at primary school and at special needs schools will design a poster, while secondary school students will write a script or compose a song. A ceremony to start the competition -- involving students and community leaders will be held from 2 this afternoon and the Sports’ Palace in Pristina.
Crime
KFOR have a number of crime stories for you.
What we have is that in Gnjilane/Gjilan a firebomb was thrown at a Kosovo Serb’s house. No one was injured in that attack. In Orahovac/Rrahovac three unoccupied Serb houses and two Roma houses were attacked by arsonists. Neighbours managed to extinguish one fire but four of the houses were completely destroyed .
Zeqiri
The international judge in the district court of Gjilane/Gnjilan yesterday ordered the detention of Afrim Zeqiri, suspected of murder, attempted murder, endangering public security and causing danger by fire. This is in line with Dr Kouchner’s order to detain Zeqiri because he posed a threat to the delivery of a safe and secure environment and to public safety and order.
Following the submission of additional evidence by the international prosecutor the International judge has agreed to hear supplemental witnesses. After hearing submission from both parties the judge ruled Zeqiri be kept in detention for 30 days. The SRSG has also asked the police commissioner to intensify investigations in the case.
Mitrovica Leak
The leaking tank of acid in the Trepca complex in Southern Mitrovica is continuing to cause serious problems. A German team is pumping the acid from the tank into other tanks and that work should be completed by this afternoon.
But there has been a significant leak of acid, which has reached the Ibar River, and the PH level has dropped to 3. We have warned the international bodies dealing with water pollution and river pollution.
The co-head of the department of civil security and emergency preparedness Roland Nillson is here and is available to give more details and answer any questions on this issue.
Culture
And a note for next week. The co-heads of the department of culture will be here after Monday’s press briefing, to announce the new season for Kosovo’s orchestra, theatre and dance companies.
KFOR Spokesman Major Scott Slatten
One man murdered, another wounded
One Kosovar Albanian man was killed and another injured after they were attacked and shot by an unknown assailant Thursday evening in Prishtina / Pristina.
Both men were sitting in a vehicle in the Dardanija area when a man approached them on foot and fired several shots at them. The man then escaped on foot towards the city center.
A KFOR patrol from 45 Commando Group reported to the scene and cordoned off the area for investigators. Unfortunately, one man died as a result of the attack. The injured man was then transported to the Pristina hospital for treatment. He was then able to provide investigators with a detailed description of his attacker.
The man is described as being 5 feet 11 inches tall with blond hair and was wearing a shell suit. An UNMIK tracker dog was used but lost the trail. UNMIK Police is investigating.
KFOR Medical Assistance
A major traffic accident occurred late last night near the village of Zheger / Zegra between a civilian vehicle and a tractor. One man suffered severe head injuries in the accident and another man injuries to his back. KFOR MNB East Military Police, assigned to the 503rd MP Company, responded to the scene and immediately requested a medical evacuation helicopter for the injured.
The KFOR medical team on stand-by alert was dispatched by MNB East headquarters and took off from the helipad at Camp Bondsteel. The KFOR US UH-60 “Blackhawk” then flew directly to the accident site and landed nearby.
KFOR medical personnel at the site stabilised both victims for transportation. The man with the head injury was then flown to the Pristina / Pristina hospital, were he is reported to still be in a coma. The second victim had severe back injuries and could not walk. He was then transported to the local hospital in Gnjilane.
Weapon Seized; Man Arrested
Yesterday afternoon a KFOR Task Force Sauro patrol stopped a car in the center of Decani / Decane. A search was conducted of the vehicle and revealed a Walter pistol and ammunition. The man was then taken to the UNMIK Police station in Decane for arrest.
Body Discovered
A Kosovo Serb man notified a KFOR MNB West patrol from Task Force Tizona yesterday morning that he had discovered a body near the village of Crkolez. A KFOR patrol moved to the site and discovered the body of a 74 year-old Kosovo Serb man who had apparently died as a result of a head injury. UNMIK Police was notified and sent investigators to the area. No details are currently available as to the cause or nature of the man’s injuries. UNMIK is investigating.
Man Wounded by Booby Trap
A Kosovar Roma man was wounded in the legs yesterday when he triggered a booby trap outside a house in the village of Hallac I Vogel / Mali Alas.
KFOR medical and Explosive Ordnance Disposal teams were dispatched from KFOR MNB Centre Finnish Battalion headquarters. The man was transported to the KFOR British field hospital in Fushe Kosove / Kosovo Polje.
A preliminary investigation states the explosive device was likely a hand grenade that had been tied to the lower portion of a gate and was triggered when the man opened it. UNMIK Police is investigating the incident.
Political Demonstrations
Several political rallies were held yesterday in northern and southern Mitrovice / Mitrovica by both Serb and Kosovar Albanian parties. KFOR MNB North soldiers monitored the situation. No reports of major injuries were reported to KFOR in connection with the demonstrations.
OSCE Spokesman Roland Bless
Elections
So far, the Central Election Commission (CEC) has received 25 requests from local NGOs to have domestic observers accredited and about 200 political parties’ requests from the same purpose. What we do not have too many off is independent domestic observers, and I would like to remind that every registered voter who is not registered as a candidate can apply to be a domestic observer. It is needless to say that observers are righted elements in monitoring of the cleanness and the fairness of the electoral process.
The Central Election Commission (CEC), which meets normally on Friday afternoon, will meet today. The main topics are going to be the campaign finance issues. The CEC is expecting to approve provisional voters’ figures for all the 30 municipalities, and thereby set the limit so that the campaigning can have financial spending. We will also have procedures established to make this campaign finance reports public - public to the general public of course but also to you as journalists. It’s planned that you can come and finance disclosure reports at any time of the elections operations unit of OSCE. We will also have training sessions going on for the municipal elections commissions. They have started this week. They will continue next week. Again on training, OSCE has done some training for women candidates, and 1,362 women candidates among 5,500 are undergoing some training in various locations throughout Kosovo. If anyone is interested in details on that, I do have some. The next Tuesday background briefing meeting for the press will focus on the ballots paper and ballots box procedures. We plan to have all the 30 ballots papers for you ready to look at them. The actual procedures in the ballots box will be explained in the polling stations; the ballots box will also be presented to you, and the procedures going around the ballot box transportation….
On a different note, tomorrow, there is a police school graduation. The number is brought up to just under 2,000 police cadets, who have successfully completed the police school. As usual, the ceremony will take place at the University of Pristina Sports Center gymnasium, and it’s open to the press at 10:30 in the morning, 16 September.
Media
Tomorrow at 9:00 in the morning, the media appeal’s court, which did some hearings on the DITA case is expected to announce its verdict in the Grand Hotel. And, as Claire informed you earlier, the IAC today is meeting over the media’s responsibility in informing the public of issues related to elections and other matters. Therefore, we find timely to present you with the Broadcast Code of Conduct. You’ll find a press release to that extent which explains the main content of the Broadcast Code of Conduct. It has been in use for some time and those media outlets among you, which have signed up for a licence have already signed off on this broadcast code of conduct. We expect a twin to be released very soon, that is the Print Media Code of Conduct. That may happen very shortly after today’s IAC meeting.
EU Spokesman Mike Todd
News from the Department of Trade and Industry
The Department of Trade and Industry has this week announced its plans to issue a notice of tender for a long-term concession on the Ferronikeli complex. They are seeking to identify a suitable investor who will take over the management, reconstruction and development of the complex. This latest announcement follows on from the successful commercial agreement for the long term leasing of the Sharr Cement Complex in June.
The Ferronikeli complex, located in Central Kosovo, consists of three open-cast mines with substantial ferronickel ore reserves and a large metallurgical complex, outfitted by several well-known European manufacturers. With substantial natural resources and technical Know-how, along with a geographical position close to major consumers, Ferronikeli has the potential to become a very successful regional player in the international nickel market. There will be a special press conference held on this issue next week, the date and time of which you will be notified of soon. Copies of the notice of tender are available outside.
Tax Reminder from the Central Fiscal Authority
UNMIK Regulation 2000/29 signed into effect by SRSG Dr. Kouchner on the 20th of May this year established the Presumptive Tax. The presumptive tax, a broad-based tax, is applicable to all businesses and service providers, currently operating in Kosovo.
The first filing and payment of the presumptive tax is due on the the 15th of October. In view of this approaching deadline, the Central Fiscal Authority has issued a reminder notice. Copies are available outside. The tax administration will be conducting awareness raising seminars throughout Kosovo over the coming weeks, in order to encourage voluntary payment.
Department of Reconstruction
The last of five Fertiliser auctions was held yesterday, with 2,000 tons being sold. Revenue raised from this project, sponsored by the European Agency for Reconstruction, will go into a specially created Agro Development Fund.
Housing: the total number of houses that have now been identified for rehabilitation and reconstruction by the International Donor Community totals nearly 22,000. With 11,500 already either completed or under construction, it is expected that work on the remaining ones will begin at any time.
General EU News
The visit of the Board of Governors for the European Agency for Reconstruction, consisting of representatives of the EU’s15 member states and the European Commission. The board were met by SRSG Dr Kouchner who expressed his hope that Kosovo would see their generous financial support continue.
Today, the European Agency for Reconstruction is holding a business training seminar for local Small and Medium Sized Enterprises. The seminar is looking at how best to overcome obstacles for development for the nearly 4,000 small businesses currently operating in Kosovo. There is a press release on this available outside.
Next week will see a visit by the European Commissioner for External Relations Chris Patten, take place. Mr Patten’s visit will be particularly concerned with highlighting the development and reconstruction activity that is taking place in the Power Sector. There will be a press conference, the specific details of which will be announced shortly.
Questions:
Q: On Wednesday Ambassador Everts announced that there would be a fund available for political parties that need money for the political party campaign. Do you have any more details who is donating money, how much, which government and when it will be dispersed?
RB: The question of funding for the small parties which have no fund available, is of course a question that is controversial. To give funds to parties that is regulated very differently in different political systems. It has never been a question that the OSCE will give money. What we try to do is match donors, trying to find donors, which would be available to fund small funds to parties, so that they can have minimal visibility for press and public relation activities. For the time being we are still confident that we have found a few such donors, no definite agreements have been done. We are looking at amounts in the range of a couple of thousand DM for political parties. It won’t be big sums. As soon as we have the details it will be communicated. It includes not only political parties, it would go equally to citizens initiatives, to coalitions and to a lesser degree to independent candidates.
Q: What about at least two parties who don’t need any donor support, who have got enough money and who may over spend. How are you prevent this from happening? For example LDK and PDK, will use large sums of money.
RB: That’s where another mechanism kicks in, that is the ceiling and limit for spending in the campaign and as you know the spending limit is one deutsche mark one voter per municipality. So richer parties are prevented from overusing the public relations stretch by over stretching that channel by this spending limit, on the one hand, and of course by the provision that no one can buy airtime, which is actually the most important communication channel in the modern day. You can not buy airtime, you can only use your allotted slot.
Q: But you can make million of posters.
RB: No they can’t. They can make posters which amount to the number of voters you have in the municipality. Party X, for instance, in Pristina can spend 100,000 DM maximum. The party is free how to use that money. They want to use it in a glossy TV spot to use their little time that they have, whether they want to print T-shirts or whether they want to organize a concert or a rally, that’s for them to decide. But that’s where the campaign finance disclosure is coming into effect, when the parties have to announce to the OSCE, how much money they have spent and what’s they spent it on. And these figures are public and if we do see overspending or if you see overspending, everybody is entitled to check these figures and after election day we will have the calculation done.
Q: UNMIK has closed its eyes to Gorica Gavic from the SPS who was in Gracanica. They did the same thing with Kostunica yesterday, when there was some trouble in North Mitrovica. It was announced that today Mira Markovic, Milosevic’s wife will be visiting Mitrovica. Do you have any control on the northern parts of Kosovo? Do you know what’s going on and are you going to let this woman into Kosovo.
CT: Under the electoral rules they have to give four days notice and at that point KFOR can screen and ensure that KFOR will provide security. We haven'’ had a request from Mira Markovic. We heard the same thing that she was coming, apparently she isn’t coming today. That’s what I have now heard. She hasn’t actually made a request and we have to do it like for everybody else who is having a rally, four days in advance.
SS: I was told verbally that she would not be allowed to enter. But I haven’t seen that in print yet.
Q: Can you tell us a bit more about the electoral monitors, how many of them are going to be, what their budget going to be and how long they are going to be here and what, apart from making the occasional report, are they going to do which will significantly going to affect the way in which the elections are actually carried out?
RB: There are two categories of monitors. First is the domestic monitors, the one I was referring to before. We do not really know how many are going to sign up for it and how many are going to be accredited by the Central Election Commission. Experience elsewhere shows it’s usually thousands and how many of them are going to be commissioned depends on them being checked against voters registry, they have to be registered voters themselves, they may not be candidates, they may not be members of the KPS or the TMK. On top of that you have political party representatives and the NGO representatives, which are NGOs not affiliated to a political party, like political advocacy NGOs. For international observers that’s a different type of operation. They institution to accredit them is the Council of Europe Monitoring Mission and I ask you to refer your question on how many and what exactly they are going to do in terms of international observers to them.
Q: (inaudible)
RB: What they might be doing? They actually observe the correct procedure at every polling station, at every counting centre, at every single step of the elections procedures, that goes from ceiling the ballot boxed to counting ballot papers, to counting waste ballot papers, to counting blank left over ballot papers and then they then do independent assessment which will then go into several or one election report.
Q: Which will all be prepared after the elections?
RB: Of course, as always.
Q: Essentially………(inaudible)
RB: Not one, we expect several. Several NGOs and governments will send their individual delegations to monitors these elections. So it’s not a monoply. It’s only for the accreditation where international observers are involved that it is handled by the Council of Europe.
Q: So whatever illegal activity or actions they encounter, the results of this will simply be presented after the elections in a series of reports?
RB: That is correct for monitors, but that doesn’t mean that such violations cannot be sanctioned before. For that we have the monitoring mechanism in place that I explained another time, that everybody who sees a violation of the electoral rules, can file a complaint with the Central Election Commission and that is where the sanction authority resides. These monitors do not have sanctioning capacity.
Q: Are you relying on the parties to tell you how much they spent in each municipality?
RB: Yes, we rely on trust up to the election. The disclosure of financial……starts on 15 September. It is periodically updated and then of course we have a rough idea about the campaign costs. That way you can guess.
Q: What have if private individuals or companies decide to support particular parties. Suppose the petrol station decide to support a particular party. Would private citizens account be taken into account.
RB Yes. Every amount that exceeds 1000 DM has to be made public. That’s the rule.
Q: What strategy does IAC have against the violence against media and yesterday when the PDK opened its electoral campaign, they said they will bring Kosovo independence. Isn’t this a violation of electoral rules and what is OSCE going to do about it?
CT: The IAC is meeting today to talk about responsible media coverage. What they come out with we have to wait till the end of the meeting.
RB: About violence against journalists. It’s of great concern to us generally and also in view of the elections. What we have been doing is to raise the awareness on both sides that the journalists are just doing their job and have a right to do their job and scrutinise the election process, candidates and political parties etc. We also try to raise the awareness on the other side, on the candidates side and that they have to respect the fact that the journalists are doing their job, they are not taking sides in the political campaign or party campaign. If they expose facts that should be known to the public, journalists are after all advocates of the public right to know. On the second question, it’s not for the OSCE to decide what is an electoral rule violation and what isn’t. Having said this, referring to your allegation about independence, there is nothing wrong to have it in a party programme as long as it is achieved by democratic and peaceful means, a lot of parties have it in their programmes. I would like to remind you that these elections are not about the future status of Kosovo, they are municipal elections about municipal issues. We try to raise awareness among politicians to raise these issues because these are the issues on which the voters have the right to know the different party programmes.
Q: I am interested to hear that Chris Patten is coming here to celebrate progress in the power sector. I was here last in May and returned a few days ago and find Kosovo has the same power problems. I am wondering what progress that is that he is coming to celebrate. And how much money has the EU pored into the power sector without any visible sign of progress.
MT: I did say he is going to highlight the developments in the
reconstruction activities taking place as opposed to necessarily immediate
achievements. I don’t have the figures but a lot of money has gone into
developments in the power sector. For example, Kosovo B2, which has been
shut down and is closed at the moment is due to open in the coming weeks
and the other major impact in power situation is that power is being
delivered to the whole of Kosovo. I think he is coming here and part of
the reason for him in citing power because he knows what the issue
is and he knows the EU has got a big responsibility to ensure it
works.
Q: You said Mira Markovic can come here by giving a
four days notice. Which means that you have already established some rules
for the Yugoslav elections. Could you tell us what are your rules?
CT: It has been made quite clear several times and again at the launch of the election campaign that rallies and events can be held but they have to be given four days notice, not so much on the officials coming but if they want to hold some kind of a rally, it’s a security issue.
Q: You had security problem with Mr. Kostunica yesterday (in Mitrovica). Your decision to allow Yugoslav elections here is hampering the security situation, a making it much more difficult.
CT: I don’t think that’s true. Our view on the Yugoslav elections has is known very well. It is that they can be held, we are not going to assist in it in any way. What we have to make sure and KFOR will substantiate this, is there is a safe and secure environment. Yes there were problems in the rally yesterday. The essence is that we are trying to ensure that there is freedom of speech within a safe environment.
Q: Talking about a safe and secure environment. You know stones were thrown at the rally.
SS: You know in Mitrovica stones get thrown all the time, eggs get thrown in Kosovo. It’s a popular way of dealing with debates there. KFOR is in-charge there but we don’t want to show any preference for any political parties that are debating in Kosovo. The other issue is no one was seriously injured, no one was shot in connection with those protests.
Q: Does the UN believe that it is appropriate for the SRSG to be attending political rally of a large political party and basically endorsing that political party. I saw four people, two of them were local and two international. I was surprised by the SRSG’s performance at that rally on Wednesday.
RB: It is totally legitimate for SRSG Kouchner or any other Pillar head, of course. These people are here and in close daily contact. Attending a rally does not mean that they are taking sides. I refute that.
Q: I have been on five UN missions around the world and this is the first time I have seen a high UN official at a political party rally. But besides that to be equitable, can we expect Mr. Kouchner and Mr. Everts to be attending other political parties.
RB: Yes, many much more to come and he has already been to political party congregations.
Q: I am talking about an electoral event.
RB: Mathias, please could we have questions and answers here. If you want to have a private discussion, I am available after the press conference.
Q: Have you been told yet about the Yugoslav elections, if people want to vote, where are they going to vote and cast their ballot and if you haven’t been told yet, when do you expect to know and who is going to tell you, who is going to do it?
CT: We have not been told officially anything about the Yugoslav elections yet, we know that they want to hold ballot here in Kosovo and we have not been approached yet on how that’s going to happen.
SS: No request has been made to KFOR about any security or any support for the Yugoslav elections in Kosovo by the Yugoslav elections.
Q: I am from the ICG. I want to follow up on the IAC meeting this morning about the role and responsibility of the media in the context of elections. Are you prepared to take actions against media organs for actions which have happened over the past 10 days or so which has led to one of our foreign employees first his family and then himself to be forced out of Kosovo after a series of irresponsible and inaccurate allegations about his activities in the Kosovo media.
CT: This is an issue for the Temporary Media Commissioner.
Q: Scott just said Mira Markovic will not be allowed into Kosovo. Could tell us why? Could you also tell us if Vojislav Mihalovic was prevented from entering Kosovo this morning by KFOR troops?
SS: I can get you the details after this briefing.
Q: What is the UNMIK stand on this. Is Mira Markovic an indicted war criminal, why wouldn’t she be allowed to enter Kosovo.
CT: As far as I know she is not a publicly indicted war criminal. I don’t know if there is a closed indictment on her. …………….she has not tried to come in yet.
Q: Yesterday in Northern Mitrovica, I saw French NATO officers in discussion with armed bridge watchers that didn’t have ………cards. Is KFOR concerned about this?
SS: Obviously KFOR is concerned about that. Unless I do some research in it, I don’t have any information on that.
Q: Do you think further action should be taken like disarming them, confiscating their weapons.
SS: Well, our performance throughout Kosovo, as you have seen in the past, people who do not have the ……….cards have been arrested, detained and handed over to the UNMIK Police. I wasn’t there, I wasn’t present. Until I gather some more information, I don’t have any further information for you.
Q: If some Yugoslav politician is going to be barred from Kosovo because their presence will be a security nightmare, how can you allow others in and still maintain a fair stance on the elections.
CT: It is being done very much on a case by case basis. You have to look at every individual. Mira Markovic is more likely to cause severe unrest than a more minor politician.
Q: Kostunica is ahead in the opinion polls and he is the most major politician in Yugoslavia, he is allowed in.
CT: He is allowed in yes, I said it’s all being done on a case by case basis. I don’t know what criteria is exactly being used except the issue of security and the security of Kosovo.