5 November
SRSG Hans Haekkerup
and Serbia's Deputy Prime Minister Nebojsa Covic signed the Common Document,
which reaffirms principles contained in Resolution 1244 and the Constitutional
Framework regarding the rights of Kosovo Serbs. It also reaffirms UNMIK's
commitments to improving conditions for all Kosovo non-Albanians.
The new Principal
Deputy SRSG-Charles Brayshaw of the United States-arrived in Pristina
to take up his job. Mr Brayshaw comes from the U.S. Department of State
and has served in a number of international posts.
OSCE launched a
comprehensive campaign to make sure that Kosovo's voters have all the
information they need to make their vote count on 17 November. Based
on the slogan "Be Heard. Vote!", the public information drive
uses a wide range of tools such as booklets, posters, TV and radio spots
to get several vital messages to the electorate.
7 November
More than one million
ballots arrived in Kosovo for the forthcoming election.The ballots,
printed in the United Kingdom, were stored, under KFOR guard, at the
counting and results centre between Pristina and Mitrovica. Also on
the shipment was the Final Voters' List. Copies were made for every
polling station in Kosovo as well as Serbia proper and Montenegro.
Patriarch of the
Serb Orthodox Church, Father Pavle, called on Kosovo Serbs, Albanians
and other ethnic communities to participate in the 17 November election.
In launching his emotional appeal, he said "respecting freedom
of every individual, we understand democratic principle of joint life
in the world".
Kosovo Police Service
(KPS) officers began casting their ballots as part of the Special Needs
voting programme. Since the local KPS officers will be on duty on Election
Day, special arrangements have been made to enable them to vote in advance.
More then 4,000 officers cast their votes between 7 and 9 November.
OSCE organized two
discussions aimed at airing issues of concern to voters. The meetings,
spread over two days to allow for a range of politicians to attend during
the election campaign, brought together political party leaders with
representatives of civil society to discuss such issues as good governance,
law and order, education and health care etc.
8 November
NATO Secretary-General
Lord Robertson, in addressing the press in Pristina, welcomed the Common
Document, signed between UNMIK and the Serbian authorities in Belgrade.
He also urged the Kosovo Serb participation in the election.
9 November
OSCE opened its
media centre to assist journalists working during the election. The
centre will provide workspace for the media covering the 17 November
vote. It will also be the place where members of the press should go
to find out what OSCE is doing to make the election a successful event.
The media centre also houses a press conference room, where daily media
briefings will be held.
Deputy SRSG, Ambassador
Daan Everts presented the third report on Kosovo's judicial system.
The report looks at issues of legal representation, detention, trafficking
and sexually-related crimes, as well as the work of municipal and minor
offences courts. While it acknowledges that a functional judicial system
has been established and the emergency type situation is over, compliance
with international human rights standards should now be assured.
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