UNMIK-OSCE-EU Press Briefing: 22 December 2000

UNMIK Spokeswoman Claire Trevena
OSCE Spokesman Laura O'Mahony
EU Spokesman Reinhold Brender
UNMIK Police Spokesman Dmitry Kaportsev

UNMIK Spokeswoman Claire Trevena

Teachers Pay
Kosovo's teachers have started to be paid in Mitrovica, Srbica/Skenderaj and Vucitrn/Vusshtri. It's hoped that the remainder will be paid from the 27th of this month. This is an ongoing process - once the payments start - but unfortunately it means some won't get paid until the first few days of next year. This is obviously of great concern to those in the Education Department, who have been demanding a swift resolution to the problems.

However, the department dealing with payroll says they have been working day and night to meet the deadline of the 27th. They say it is complicated because of people working two shifts, of people leaving the profession and others starting as the data is being collated. There is also the added issue of arranging the physical security necessary for the distribution of the payroll

Teachers make up the bulk of the public service payroll - there are approximately 28,000 of them - out of a total of 55,000 people on the public services payroll.

Council of JIAS Co-Heads
This issue was raised at the Council of JIAS Co-Heads which met yesterday. Other issues it discussed included the introduction of the Euro, a road traffic safety campaign and the situation of public utilities. There's a press release on this outside. Their next meeting will be on January 11th.

UNMIK Police

UNMIK police say the inquiry into last weekend's incident in Leposavic is going well. There is very good co-operation with KFOR. Sixteen of their soldiers have been questioned by the prosecutor. The person wounded during the incident has been taken to Serbia for treatment. The situation in Leposavic is now reported to be calm.

UNMIK police is also launching an inquiry into theft and destruction of electricity pylons and conductors. The problem is on the lines between Kosovo A and Skopje.
On one line 27 towers have been destroyed and cannibalised and more than 80 spans have no conductors. It's not known what is being done with the parts or who is carrying it out. But obviously such reckless action with the power system will cause problems for everyone in Kosovo.
 
Police Commissioner
The SRSG Dr Bernard Kouchner has paid tribute to the outgoing Police Commissioner Sven Frederiksen. Mr. Frederiksen returned to Denmark last week after 17 months as Police Commissioner. During that time he built up the UNMIK police force and its operations. Dr Kouchner described him as doing an "amazing job".

Frederiksen is being replaced by Assistant Chief Constable Christopher Albiston, who's presently with the Royal Ulster Constabulary in the UK.

Municipalities
A brief update on the state of the municipalities. All municipal assemblies have been constituted. Twenty six have presidents, 27 have deputy presidents. Strpce held its first meeting Wednesday and appointed a deputy president. The municipal administrator is acting as president there.

Others are moving along at various rates, setting up the mandatory committees and appointing their chief executive officers. Seven municipalities had appointed their chief executive officers, but in two municipalities proper procedures were not followed and the appointments revoked so there are now 5 CEOs in place.

ID Card Distribution
An update on ID card distribution which started this week. ID cards are now being distributed throughout Kosovo - up to this morning 160 had been distributed. As you know, there are a very limited number of ID cards available for distribution at the moment. People should check at the registration centre where they first registered to see whether their card is ready for collection and when it can be picked up.

There have been 5,634 new registrants, since civil registration restarted last month. This is for those who have turned 16, who are newly returned to Kosovo or who missed out on previous registration.

SRSG
Dr Kouchner will be departing for Christmas holidays on Sunday. He will return on January 2nd or 3rd.

There will be no press briefing on Monday. UNMIK's next press conference will be next Wednesday, 27th December.

OSCE Spokeswoman Laura O'Mahony 

CEC Regulation Amended
On Tuesday, the SRSG signed Regulation 2000/65. This is the regulation that amends the previous one on the establishment of the Central Election Commission. And Dr. Kouchner decided that the present CEC should be dissolved and their term of office will end on the 31 December  this year. The new CEC will be specifically tasked with preparing the ground for Kosovo-wide assembly elections, which we are hoping will happen next year. Just to point out the difference between the old regulation and the new regulation, the old regulation basically made specific reference to municipal elections. The updated regulation makes reference to Kosovo-wide assembly elections as well as further municipal elections.

Ambassador Everts issued a statement earlier in the week, thanking the current CEC for all their hard work in helping to organize and run the municipal elections, which took place in October. I think it's fair to say that the CEC worked together extremely well and all of us who saw them in action acknowledge that. Their commitment to the task was unflinching and they did they tremendous job.

The CEC met for the 31st time on Tuesday. I think that's probably going to be their last meeting. The main topic on the agenda was the financial disclosure reports which the political entities who contested the elections were obliged to file-the post-election financial disclosure reports. This they were obliged to do under the electoral rules on campaign finance disclosure and spending. The first reports were from April to September and this was from 1 September to 27 October. The whole point behind these reports was to make the issue of campaign finance for election transparent and open to public scrutiny. All the political parties, coalitions and independent candidates but one filed their reports. That case is being referred to the ECAC for possible sanctions.

There are a couple of other small things on campaign finance and it's available outside.

EU Spokesman Reinhold Brender

Public Utilities Department
There are certain difficulties with power supply, which are a result of the breakdown of one of two main transformers and excessive demand by consumers. The transformer on the 440 KV distribution line developed technical difficulties and tripped last week. This restricts the maximum capacity of available current flow in Kosovo to 590 MW (this includes the power produced by Kosovo A and B and power imports).  The energy capacity in Kosovo is A4 (100MW), B2 (200MW) and imports 290MW, making a total of 590 MW. Efforts are being made to repair the transformer and alternative methods are being sought to distribute power. 
It must be noted that last winter, the demand peaked at 589 MW. This year the demand is already above 600 MW, thus surpassing expected demand. Therefore co-operation between consumers and KEK is of high priority. Many consumers are not paying their power bills, thus denying the necessary revenue to KEK. The revenue, if collected, would help maintain equipment, transformers etc.
 
Of utmost importance is also the consumer awareness on the need to conserve energy. The KEK Supervisory Board has approved a load shedding regime which was presented to the press on Wednesday. The load shedding will be introduced during 'peak demand' periods when domestic consumption surpasses the available energy (in the first few colder days of the winter 2000/2001 the peak demand has already surpassed 630 MW).
For the 'peak demand' period it is expected to provide energy in a four hours on and two hours off alternating and rotating regime. This regime may be extended to three hours on with and three hours off power regime, particularly if the available energy falls well below 590 MW. 

Central Fiscal Authority
The Kosovo Consolidated Budget for the year 2001 was presented on Wednesday by EU Pillar Head Andy Bearpark and the co-heads of the Central Fiscal Authority (CFA), Mr. Ali Sadriu and Mr. Tony Preston-Stanley. The budget was approved by the Interim Administrative Council (IAC) the previous day, and will become official after SRSG Dr. Bernard Kouchner signs it either today or tomorrow.

Greater Internal Revenue Generation
Donors are expected to contribute up to DM 1.346 billion in Capital Expenditure in 2001. In a significant step forward for both Kosovo and international donors, revenue for the 2001 General Government Budget is approximately two-thirds locally sourced and one-third donor-funded, compared with the 50/50 ratio of the 2000 Budget. This is to be achieved by increasing the tax collection and customs revenue and by firmly controlling growth in public sector spending. 

Internally generated revenue is to rise 50 pr cent over that of 2000 (about DM 220 million), to DM 338 million in 2001. Taxes on businesses and Value Added Tax (VAT) will get an equal share with customs, sales and excise taxes after mid-2001. Three new tax offices will be opened in 2001 to raise more revenue from sales and excise taxes and customs.

Expenditures Will Increase, But Under Control
On the expenditure side of the Budget 2001, the government spending is to increase from DM 430 million to DM 500 million. Education, Health, Social Welfare and Justice remain the top priorities. Each of these four will retain a significant share of the budget - collectively accounting for almost 70 per cent of all expenditures.

Questions:

Q: Is the energy situation and the energy sector in Kosovo ever going to recover from international supervision? It worked NATO and UNMIK arrived. It doesn't work now.

RB: It is starting to work and we are firmly convinced that the repair of A4 and B2 are the first important step in that direction.

Q: How many people are going to monitor tomorrow's Serb elections in Kosovo? How many people have you assigned to do it?

LM: There is nobody monitoring or witnessing the elections, because as you know the monitoring of the elections is being conducted by the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and that missing is being coordinated from Belgrade. They are not conducting any monitoring or observations of the elections here in Kosovo because they have confined their mandate to the areas of Serbia administered by Belgrade and Kosovo obviously is under international administration. If you need to contact them in Belgrade I can give you their numbers. But there will be no monitoring, not even any witnessing as such taking place tomorrow.

Q: So now Milosevic is out, so you don't care any more?

LM: I think the last time the main reason for witnessing that happened because there was so much potential for the previous regime to play with the electoral figures here in Kosovo. I don't think that risk exists this time around and as you know traditionally Kosovo has been one of the areas where a lot of playing around with the figures has happened and I think the witnessing programme last time was very successful because the figures of how many people voted was pretty much in line with what we came up with and I think that was one of the major purposes and we succeeded in that. Apart from that the official monitoring of the election is done by ODIHR at the request of Belgrade and that is a very positive step forward. I think when you compare the legislative framework for these elections with the framework that existed for the September elections, that has improved as well. For more in depth analysis you can contact our people in Belgrade.

Q: Mr. Hartman interviewed 16 Belgian soldiers. He obviously can't prosecute any of those soldiers. Have any of those soldiers say they shot into the crowd?

CT: We don't know what's come out of it. It's obviously ongoing investigation and they are not going to be giving blow by blow account of what coming out of the investigation.

Q: Is Leposavic police station still abandoned?

CT: I don't know if it's still abandoned. There is a joint Gendermarie and KFOR patrol.

Q: They drive into town and drive out again, but they don't stay there?

DK: They don't stay there.

Q: Sixteen soldiers have been questioned. Has UNMIK Police or KFOR or any international law enforcement agency tried to interview any of the Serbs who participated in the disorder?

CT: I don't know how many people have been questioned. We know 16 KFOR soldiers have been questioned. We are getting some updates but we are not getting all the information right now. Obviously they are talking to lots of people, it's an ongoing investigation.

Q: Given that the disorder took place in front of a large number of international personnel. If not. what not?

CT: There have been no arrests made yet as far  as I know. It is an ongoing investigation.

DK: As you all remember, UNMIK Police had to leave Leposavic station and we haven't been present in that area for sometime right after the riot situation.

Q:  If you are not actually present in Leposavic, can you tell me the physicality and methodology of how you are actually carrying out an investigation. Basically UNMIK's actions right now consist of driving into town and driving out of town. How are you carrying out, what is really a murder investigation.

DK: What is really going on with the investigation in Leposavic is that our people examined the crime scene and they are collecting evidence from the crime scene because you a number of witnesses have been questioned, including 16 soldiers and the most important point now for the investigation is to get the bullet with which the other person was wounded. But he unfortunately left for Serbia and we got no contact now with this person.

Q: Have UNMIK Police questioned any Serb witnesses who participated in the disorder on Saturday.

DK: I don't have this information about any questioning of any Serbian civilian in Leposavic.

Q: Do you know that Oliver Ivanovic is going to replace Vukicovic as the Yugoslav representative in Kosovo.

CT: No, I can't confirm that.

Q: For EU. You are saying that many people are not paying their electricity bills. But KEK is complaining that there is no regulation to take necessary measures such as cutting of supply. What is UNMIK doing about it?

RB: UNMIK is trying to raise the awareness that bills have to be paid and if the bills are not paid there will be measures taken. This year the number of people paying their bills has increased. But it is far from being satisfactory. I think the total percentage for 2000 of people paying their bills will reach 25 per cent, which is starting from scratch is quite an achievement but it is far from being sufficient, especially because there is a close link between payment of bills and consumption of energy. Those who do not pay their bills, use more energy because they are not trying to save it.

Q: In earlier press conferences, it has been stated that the violence is Leposavic and Zubin Potok was politically motivated ahead of this Saturday's elections. I am slightly confused with the OSCE's statement that these elections are not seen as politically charged or in any could be corrupted…..

LM: I didn't say that. If you are going to sort of quasi-quote me, then quote me correctly. I said the major reason for the witnessing programme the last time around was got to do with the potential for fraudulent claims on the number of people who voted on September 24.

Q: The concerns last time were that the voting last time could be used fraudulently. It appears that there are people who are happy to use violence in order to influence the outcome of the vote. Is the OSCE and UNMIK not concerned about that? And will ODIHR actually be in Leposavic, Zubin Potok and Mitrovica?

LM: No to the last part of the question.

CT: We are obviously concerned if there is going to be violence which is going to upset the stability if Kosovo. We are not at all involved in these elections. The elections are being organized by Belgrade and if it happens in Kosovo our concern is that there is continued security throughout Kosovo. In light of that KFOR is obviously going to be in a certain state of alertness, so is the UNMIK Police, if the election takes place here.

Q: Is the OSCE not concerned that some people may be attempting fraud during the vote?

LM: OSCE would certainly be concerned if there are any violations of electoral rules and the whole process of free and fair elections, of course. The last part of the questions was about ODIHR and I have said already that ODIHR has decided to monitor elections in the areas of Serbia under the administration of Belgrade and as you know, Leposavic, Zubin Potok and Zvecan are under the administration of UNMIK. So there is going to be no ODIHR presence monitoring the elections there.

Q: It does not answer my first question. Why you don't think it's necessary to prevent fraud during the elections here in Kosovo.

LM: Because the monitoring of the elections is being coordinated by ODIHR and it's quite clear.

Q:…….inaudible

LM: Then I think you should ask ODIHR. And as I said I can give you the contact number of people in Belgrade.

Q: Can you tell us anything more about these strange thefts of electrical equipment.

CT: Very little more than what I have said earlier. Certainly large part of the infrastructure between Kosovo and Skopje is being taken apart.

Q:   Is it right and fitting for Pillar IV to call upon the population of Kosovo to conserve power when you are actually not capable of providing an effective and reliable power supply.

RB: On you first point we still do not have a clear picture if we are able or not to provide a stable power supply.

Q: The inhabitants of Kosovo have a very clear picture.

RB: I agree they will have some problems and therefore a decision has been taken to introduce a regime of load shedding in case the demand exceeds power supply. But this is an obvious measure of precaution and we will have to see to what extent it will apply. With regard to the transformer. We are making every effort to bring in a new transformer and it is possible to have it here in a few weeks from now. The situation may then considerable improve. The second point is that energy has to be saved and this goes without saying, even without looking at the more specific context of Kosovo. But in particular with regard to Kosovo, as you know the situation with regard to power supply is not yet at the level of what where want to have it and power saving can effectively contribute to a much better situation.

Q: Do you have the ethnic breakdown of the people registering?

CT: No, we won't be breaking it down by ethnicity.

Q: If I have to pay my electricity bill, where do I go?

RB: To the nearest KEK office. If you don't know where it is, I can help you find it.

Q: If I were to live in Leposavic, where would I go?

RB: I will have to find that out.