2 January
United Nations Under-Secretary-General
for Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Marie Guéhenno, arrived in
Kosovo on a two-day visit. Meeting senior UNMIK staff, COMKFOR, and
representatives of the Contact Group in Pristina, Mr Guéhenno
reaffirmed that Kosovo remained a key UN priority. Discussions focused
on the ongoing transition from JIAS to the provisional institutions
of self-government.
The Gjilan/Gnjilane
Municipal Assembly accepted the recommendations of a special commission
established to determine the economic situation of families of those
who died during the war, in order to provide financial assistance to
these families. The commission is permanent and will continue to complete
the list of potential beneficiaries that will include all ethnic groups
in the municipality, including Kosovo Serbs.
3 January
Meeting with IAC
members and the President of the Assembly, Under-Secretary-General for
Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Marie Guéhenno, underlined the
great opportunity that lay ahead of them at this critical juncture following
the elections and the establishment of the Assembly. He emphasized local
responsibility to act fast on the implementation of the Constitutional
Framework, particularly timely efforts to overcome the political stalemate
that had slowed down the formation of a coalition government. Such efforts
were necessary for swift transfer of authority over a substantial part
of the public administration of Kosovo, he said. This would also complement
international support for a self-governing Kosovo as well as meet the
expectations of the international community and Kosovo populace.
9 January
UNMIK's Pillar III
(Democratization and Institution-Building), run by OSCE, announced a
comprehensive restructuring. Instead of having 21 field offices and
regional centres across Kosovo, it will now have nine offices, each
covering a number of municipalities, as well as a satellite office in
Dragash/Dragas. These will be located in Gjilan/Gnjilane (covering Kamenice/Kamenica,
Novo Berde/Novo Brdo and Viti/Vitina), Mitrovice/Mitrovica (Skenderaj/Srbica
and Vushtrri/Vucitrn), Leposaviq/Leposavic (Zubin Potok and Zvecan),
Lipjan/Lipljan (Shtime/Stimlje and Ferizaj/Urosevac), Rahovec/Orahovac
(Gjakove/Dakovica and Malisheve/Malisevo), Peje/Pec (Decan/Decani, Istog/Istok
and Kline/Klina), Prishtine/Pristina (Gllogovc/Glogovac, Fushe Kosove/Kosovo
Polje, Obiliq/Obilic and Podujeve/Podujevo), Prizren (Suhareke/Suva
Reka and Dragash/Dragas) and Sterpce/Strpce (Kacanik).
UNMIK's Pillar IV
(Reconstruction and Economic Development) announced that the power problem
over the past weekend had been caused by the breakdown of the coal conveyer
belt leading to B2, as well as the failure of A3. While the plants were
producing 560 megawatts, which would have been enough for last year,
the needs for Kosovo currently amounted to 750 megawatts. That meant
that even at full capacity, the power cut regime would remain four hours
with electricity and two hours without.
10 January
Kosovo's Assembly
once again failed to elect the province's President. The parliamentarians
voted two rounds, and the only candidate-Ibrahim Rugova of the LDK-got
50 and 51 votes, some 10 ballots short of the required simple majority.
The Assembly will now just keep on voting for a 61-ballot majority until
it elects Kosovo's President.
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