22 July
SRSG Michael Steiner handed over the first UNMIK driving licenses to
six Kosovars at a ceremony held at the Ministry of Public Services.
The UNMIK driving licenses replace the old FRY driving licenses, held
by many people in Kosovo. The driving licenses were produced by the
Ministry of Public Services (MPS) in cooperation with the Central Processing
Centre (CPC). The CPC has the database containing details of nearly
200,000 people holding the old FRY driving licenses. SRSG Michael Steiner
also announced that the validity of the Yugoslav driving licenses would
be extended to 31 December 2002.
23 July
10 investigators from Italy’s Guardia di Finanza are to join UNMIK
in the fight against financial crime and corruption in Kosovo, announced
SRSG Michael Steiner. During a meeting with the Italian Undersecretary
for Foreign Affairs, Senator Roberto Antonione, the SRSG confirmed that
the 10 investigators will arrive soon to join the new Financial Inspection
Unit. Their deployment in Kosovo was requested by UNMIK.
24 July
The European Agency for Reconstruction celebrated the opening of two
completely rebuilt bridges at Rakovina on the Klinë/Klina-Gjakovë/Djakovica
road. The ceremony was attended by the Minister of Transport and Communications;
the Directorate of Roads; the Agency’s contractor, Freyssinet,
which carried out the works; as well as representatives from the AER,
KFOR and UNMIK police. The bridges were destroyed during the conflict
in 1999. Approximately €3 million of EU funds were spent on rebuilding
the bridges.
25 July
The Board of Directors of the Kosovo Trust Agency (KTA) held its inaugural
meeting today, marking the operational launch of the KTA. The KTA is
in charge of administering all socially-owned and publicly-owned enterprises
in Kosovo, and it will be responsible for the eventual privatization
program for these enterprises.
25 July
A tragic bus accident on the Kulina Pass road between Kosovo and Montenegro
cost the lives of at least 10 people, with many more sustaining serious
injuries. “This is a very sad and tragic moment for the families
of the victims and for all of Kosovo,” said SRSG Michael Steiner
after visiting the scene of the accident. The bus was coming from the
Montenegrin coast and was headed for the village of Barileve and other
locations near Pristina.
25 July
SRSG Michael Steiner visited the southern Serbian village of Tupale
to update himself on election issues and to meet local residents and
politicians. In Tupale he met with the local community council president
and discussed the upcoming municipal elections in Kosovo and in southern
Serbia. The elections in southern Serbia were held on Sunday (28 July).
Municipal elections for kosovo are scheduled for October.
26 July
SRSG Michael Steiner thanked the German government for its emergency
aid towards repairing Kosovos’s main electric power plants, which
suffered severe long-term damage in a lightening strike last week. German
State Secretary Erich Stather had announced that Germany would give
five million euro to UNMIK towards urgent repairs on Kosovo B plants.
Repairs are expected to take several months. Meanwhile consumers are
adapting to life with regular electricity cuts.
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