UNMIK on air

Let’s talk 4: Freedom of Movement

By Gezim Kasapolli

SLUG: Last month, UNMIK together with Kosovo’s PISG, Provisional Institutions of Self Government, launched the first in a series of TV programs called “Let’s talk” which aims to make the issue of Standards and their significance clearer to the citizens of Kosovo. Each week “Let’s Talk” will examine a new topic, outlining one of the eight Standards essential to the governing principles for the people of Kosovo. This week the discussion centered on ‘freedom of movement.’

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Hello and welcome to UNMIK on air.

The Standard for the freedom of movement in itself implies the freedom of movement for all citizens of Kosovo and the freedom to use their native languages.

Although this is a fundamental human right in the world, Kosovo is one province in which this right is not properly exercised.

Ramush Tahiri, is advisor to the President of the Kosovo Assembly. According to Tahiri, this problem is not something new for Kosovo. In his estimation, the core of the problem lies in the past: and that this is, a consequence of the inability of Kosovo’s institutions to control the entire province:

“Kosovo has problems with its overall administration, problems with functioning of legitimate and elected structures and as a result of the conflict an unfavorable climate is created amongst the communities which does not enable the luxury of safety and freedom of movement for all the citizens.”

On the other hand, Nenad Radosavljevic, Advisor to the SRSG on the issue of displaced persons, says that the issue of freedom of movement is related to the fact that many Serbs were evicted and their property looted after the conflict.

The main problem, says Radosavljevic is that this is continuing to stretch in to the future. In his estimation, Serbs cannot go to work freely, they cannot work in their fields and they have no institutions to provide for their needs. And this, according to Radosavljevic is why Serbs decline to participate in Kosovo institutions.

Ilir Dugolli Advisor to the Prime minister believes that all these issues are related to the ability of Kosovo institutions to guarantee these rights:

“The problem is that you cannot have freedom of movement, freedom of speech or any other guaranteed right if you do not have a proper functional country, which protects those rights, that includes the judiciary, police and all other aspects. For the time being we have a major improvisation that has been going on for a long time and on the other hand we have an extreme resistance towards everything that even looks like that kind of a country. And this is the core problem. But, still we are trying to do our utmost to improve this, although people might doubt our motives but those are the most sincere and the best of motives.”

Other communities according to Turah Kasap, advisor to the Minister of Health, have no problems concerning this issue.

Kasap says that resolution will only happen when all citizens of Kosovo start having faith in Kosovo’s institutions:

“I personally have no problems whatsoever. I can move freely, we are a part of the local institutions, we are in the education system, and we have one ministry, that of health, but when you talk about ALL OF Kosovo, we have to think about the others as well. I know that the government is doing what it can to provide the freedom of movement for all the citizens of Kosovo but in order for them to achieve that everybody must believe that Kosovo is their country and that they can move freely all around Kosovo.

Jay Carter, director for community issues in Pillar II, believes that there are going to be improvements but time is a very important factor.

The example of Bosnia should be something that should push all communities to work on the achievement of this standard and to learn to live together in peace, says Carter:

“ All of Kosovo citizens must commit themselves to live in Kosovo and respect one another. That means that Serbs, Turks, Roma, Ashkali, all the minorities must feel that they are a part of Kosovo. Also, more importantly the majority, the government has an obligation to ensure that these rights are respected and they have equal opportunity. Change can come about it won’t come fast. I can point out Bosnia where its’ been 10 years now. But things are better there in a way and there is almost complete freedom of movement. So, it can be accomplished here. The use of the language is much easier in Bosnia, but it can be done here. We only need a mutual respect and tolerance.”

The premise of the standard on freedom of movement says, “All citizens of Kosovo are free to travel, work and live in safety without being threatened and intimidated from attacks, mistreatments or harassment, despite their ethnicity. They are able to use their language freely anywhere in Kosovo, including public places; they can go to their working places, public, social and municipal services.”

And that is all for this edition of UNMIK on Air. Thanks for listening

Each edition of “Let’s Talk is rebroadcast in Serbian on Sunday afternoons on RTK.

If you’re interested in joining our live audience for upcoming debates, please give us a call at 38 504 604, extension 5628 and “Let’s Talk.”