2 December
The Economic and Fiscal Council held its fifth and final regular meeting
of the year and agreed to finalise the 2003 budget next week, in time
for the start of the new financial year on 1 January.
3 December
UNMIK Customs Service has commissioned four new specially equipped vehicles
for its Mobile Support (Anti-Smuggling) Unit. The cars are well-equipped
with sophisticated search equipment used to find spaces constructed
in vehicles converted to carry contraband. Each car carries a team leader
and three officers. All have received full training in customs procedures
and also practical training in advanced search methods. The four cars
are have been operational since the end of November and a further six
are being prepared for service. International staff provide continuous
practical advice and support using their own experience of smuggling
methods in Europe. A eam of British anti-smuggling experts is expected
to join the Mobile Support Unit shortly to meet the expansion in the
number of teams.
4 December
European Union ambassadors to Belgrade and the European Commission delegation
based there, accompanied by heads of EU Liaison offices in Pristina,
met SRSG Michael Steiner in Pristina for a briefing on the situation
in Kosovo. Mr Steiner explained the current political and economic situation
in Kosovo. He also presented UNMIK's returns policy, emphasising his
concept of sustainable returns. This was supported by the EU ambassadors.
The issue of decentralisation was also discussed.
6 December
SRSG Michael Steiner visited the Kosovo B2 power plant, whose turbine
has started up for testing following extensive repairs. It will be test
run for several days before coming on line and generating electricity
to the Kosovo grid. Mr. Steiner congratulated KEK Managing Director
Josef Rieder and his staff for the successful repair of the power plant,
which was badly damaged by a lightning strike in July. "I am very
proud of the co-operation between international and the local staff
here", the SRSG said. "Kosovo can be proud of it."
Following the visit
to the B2 power plant the Energy Committee held its sixth meeting.The
SRSG began the meeting by saying "We should congratulate everybody
who has been involved in the repair programme since July. All the units
that were due to be repaired this year, including B2 and all the A units,
have now been repaired to the timescale that was promised." Attending
the meeting were Prime Minister Bajram Rexhepi, KEK Managing Director
Josef Rieder, chairman of KEK Supervisory Board Charles Carron Brown
and KFOR Deputy Commander Major General Jean-Paul Perruche. KEK General
Manager Josef Rieder said that A1, A2, A3 and A4 have now been repaired,
while A5 is due back on line on 23 December. This December, with B2
and A5 coming back on line, an extra 420 MW should be available for
Kosovo, in addition to the 286 MW from the other four A units. Kosovo
would, however, lose the 240 MW currently being imported from Bulgaria.
This will mean that there will still be a shortfall during the winter.
7 December
SRSG Michael Steiner and a team of senior UN MIK staff left for the
United states for meetings with top US government officials in Washington
and with United Nations officials in New York. Mr Steiner was due to
brief US Secretary of State Colin Powell on the situation in Kosovo
and in the region.
Top of page
