UNMIK/FR/0059/01
FEATURE RELEASE - 3 August 2001

Interview with OSCE Head Ambassador Daan Everts:

Elections, the First Step in Creating "an inclusive society"

How has the political landscape changed in Kosovo since last year's elections?
It hasn't changed so much on the Albanian side because we still have the same parties, in fact a few more. But we also have the active political interest of communities who weren't there last time, the Turks and the Serbs. So we are hoping for, looking for, a much more inclusive Election, which will be very good for the international credibility of the Election and the outcome. We hope that this can be achieved and right now we are in the middle of starting this Registration and party certification.

What is the importance of the Voter Services period?
Besides registering the communities that didn't participate last time, that is of course very important-it is also important to catch those people who came after the Municipal Elections, those people who returned from abroad, those people who will have reached the age of 18 by the time of the Election, and those people who have changed addresses. They should go to the VS Centres and be properly recorded in the Voter Registry. So this is to make the Voters' List as accurate and reliable and as up-to-date as possible.

What is your message to Albanians about the participation of Serbs in the elections?
The message is obviously that if Kosovo wants international goodwill and support and credibility it has to be seen as a tolerant society where all communities that belong here have the full enjoyment of rights, including democratic rights and voting rights. Kosovo would look much poorer without active Kosovo Serb participation in the democratic process, especially if the whole community would be left out, either by their own choice or by isolation. So we all have to work towards an inclusive society with inclusive institutions. That means inclusive elections-and that means basically tolerance and encouraging everyone to participate.

What will this Election mean for Kosovo and the region?
If this Election is well conducted, as well as the last one, or even better-then it will show that Kosovo has its place among democratic societies. It will be a factor of stability for the wider region. So it is crucial that this first Kosovo-wide Election is conducted fairly, without violence, without fraud, peacefully and democratically. If we all succeed, and if the Kosovo population succeeds in doing so-its standing internationally will be very, very high and it will gain a great deal of credit and support as a result. So, a lot is at stake.

Note for editors
The full document may be consulted online in English at http://www.unmik.org/. Albanian and Serbian versions can be provided.

For a selection of photographs, please contact Mr Ky Chung at 038 504-604 ext. 5467