2 April
The Central Election
Commission (CEC) announced the approval of Electoral Rule No. 1/2002,
which will govern the conduct and campaign activities of those contesting
the second municipal elections in Kosovo later this year. All political
entities which apply to contest the elections must agree to adhere to
this code of conduct and actively discourage any violations. The code
is designed to prevent violence, intimidation and corruption from marring
the election campaign. It prohibits the use of language aimed at provoking
violence, outlaws the use of bribery and intimidation to gain support,
bars any display of weapons at rallies and warns against interfering
with campaign materials, such as posters distributed by rival political
entities. While it recognizes the right of political entities to hold
public meetings and events, the code obligates them to give at least
five day advance notice to police authorities so that adequate security
arrangements could be made.
Under Electoral
Rule No. 2/2002, the CEC established Municipal Election Commissions
(MECs) as professional and non-political bodies which should play a
crucial role in the preparations for transparent and efficient elections
in all of Kosovo's 30 municipalities. The MECs will: advise political
entities about their rights and obligations; provide information to
voters of all communities; provide information to Municipal Assemblies
on electoral administrative activities; appoint and train voter services
staff and polling station committees; make technical preparations at
polling stations; ensure the proper conduct of polling and counting
procedures; and organize the collection of election-related materials
after the polls.
Kosovo's Prime Minister
Bajram Rexhepi officially resigned as a member of the Assembly in order
to focus his full attention on the time-consuming job as head of the
executive.
3 April
SRSG Michael Steiner made his first visit to Belgrade in his
capacity as SRSG. There he met with FRY President Vojislav Kostunica,
Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Nebojsa Covic and Patriarch Pavle. Both
SRSG Steiner and President Kostunica agreed that returns was a crucial
issue, but that ensuring them to actually take place would not be easy.
However, while returns could not happen overnight, the general situation
in Kosovo was improving. Firstly, Mr Steiner proposed recently that
a Kosovo Serb should be an inter-ministerial co-ordinator on returns
in Kosovo's government. Secondly, a senior advisor on returns in the
SRSG's office would also be a Kosovo Serb. And thirdly, a joint return
project would be developed by UNMIK and Kosovo's government, which should
really move the things forward. Returns fell under the SRSG's reserved
powers, and the international community had the responsibility to oversee
and encourage them. "Returns are my obligation and my duty,"
Mr Steiner told the press in Belgrade.
4 April
Kosovo Assembly members attended a conference on "Parliamentarism
in Practical Terms", organized by the OSCE Mission in Kosovo and
the National Democratic Institute. The event, which was opened by Borut
Pahor, President of the Parliament of Slovenia, and Nexhat Daci, President
of the Kosovo Assembly, focussed on procedures for drafting legislation,
overseeing the executive and establishing a functional bilingual parliament.
6 April
SRSG Michael Steiner
met Albanian Prime Minister Pandeli Maiko in Pristina. They discussed
matters related to the improvement of regional stability and co-operation.
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