UNMIK ON
AIR
WEEK ROUND-UP
18 JAN. 2003
(BY MARTIN REDI)
Hello
and welcome to this weekend edition of UNMIK on Air with Luan Qorraj and Martin
Redi.
On the program today.
We visited the Haskalia
community in Podujevo to see what their life is like and their own concerns.
And
To Return or not to Return, this
is the question.
But first
Hello
and welcome to this edition of UNMIK on Air…
VOX-POP:
It could not be worse. There is no income
at all, this is a big mistake. It is a shame….
Last Friday the Central Fiscal Authority
of Kosovo announced a decision to increase the salary tax and this has raised
all sorts of concerns among the small number of employed people in Kosovo, who
were hoping for an increase in salaries rather then in taxes.
The decision hit Kosovo as
surprise and unfortunately the media in general sent out confusing and
incomplete information. Moreover in some cases completely wrong information.
Naser Prapashtica, is a Tax
Inspector; he works with the Tax Payers Service Department, he explains that
this raise shouldn’t have come as a surprise because it was all clearly spelt
out in the regulation 2002/4 of April 1st 2002, a regulation that
was adopted by the Department of Tax Policy and signed by the SRSG Michael
Steiner.
Naser Prapashtica: The Regulation entered into
force on 1st of April 2002, which set up the tax levels for 2002 and
2003 and further. There is an opinion out there that there is a 20 % tax
increase, this is because of unfair reporting.
According to this scheme, explains
Naser, somebody making 150 E per month, which is more or less the most common
salary, after all the necessary deductions; pension contribution and salary tax
a person gets Net 133.25 E.
To be
more specific, employees who earn less than 50 Euro a month will not be taxed.
Then, from 51 to 250 Euros a month there will be ten percent taxation on that
portion and for any Euros over 250 there will be twenty percent taxation on
that portion.
Unfortunately nobody likes to pay taxes, but everyone wants
better services and these services are possible only through tax collection and
as Simon Haselock, UNMIK’s Director of Information said the development of a
self-sustaining society means that people will have to pay taxes for services
and he added
Simon Haselock: the implication of the reduction
of tax is that the budget will have to be reduced. If people aren’t prepared or
cannot pay or it is too much of a burden to pay that tax or people think it is.
Responsibility therefore means that the budget should be reduced accordingly,
that means if you cannot pay and collect the tax you need to reduce the expectations that come from public service
Nearly four years after the war,
Kosovo is going to face one of the key issues linked with the beginning of the
reconciliation process, that is the issue of the return of IDP’s to their
homes.
Returns was clearly mentioned by
top-level international officials as an inclusive part of the list of
benchmarks, which must be fulfilled prior to any talks on the final status of
the province.
As for the K-Albanian
politicians, most of them publicly supported the returns process, and called
out particularly the Serbs to integrate into the Kosovo society as soon as
possible. But it appears to have been mere etiquette, as they failed to go
beyond the verbal statements then reassuring their former neighbors that at
least they are sincere in their thoughts.
However, the failure of the
returns was caused mainly by Belgrades calculating policy; which dealt with the
issue mostly as a tool to create political clashes with the International
community; and as a proof that K-Albanians are not willing to build a
democratic society.
Aleksandar Mihajlovic, head of
Gracanica’s based Serb IDP’s Association, called Zavicaj (Homeland), which
groups some 545 K-Serb displaced families, told us that K-Albanian political
leaders and Belgrade, as well as the International community, did not deal with
the issue of returns in the right way up to now, moreover, as he said, they
have completely forgotten the IDP’s living in Kosovo; still Aleksandar seems to
be optimistic.
Aleksandar Mihajlovic: Frankly, I think it is the true
that the issue of IDP’s was not in the focus in the previous period. You know,
after the war people needed a lot of time to forget some things. But I think
that the issue is coming into focus now and there will be lots of meetings
between the Coordination Center and the International community representatives
to pay more attention to the IDP’s. I have got assurences from Mrs. Peggy Hikks
(from UNMIK Office for the return), as well as from the Coordination Center,
that 2003 and 2004 will be the years in which priority will be put on the
returns process.
LINK:
Serbia’s government Comissioner for refugees Sanda Raskovic-Ivic told us that
the issue of returns was marginalized partly because two different strategies
existed– one being proposed by UNMIK’s head Michael Steiner and the second one
proposed by The Coordination Center.
Sanda Raskovic-Ivic: The strategy, our strategy,
which was made by the Coordination Center, is dealing with the group of 24
settlements, which includes multithnicity, but also includes the closeness of
some cultural monuments; to be more concrete, some churches and monastries. So,
it includes returns of IDP’s who cannot return, for various reasons, to their
original places. For example, safety, the lack of money for rebuilding, the
lack of job posts, etc.
But
UNMIK is insisting on the concept that those people should return to their
places and not to some other areas across Kosovo, which are inhabited by Serbs.
That was the main obstacle and main reason why the returns were not successful
in previous period, claims Sanda Raskovic-Ivic.
Sanda Raskovic-Ivic: UNMIK’s strategy stands firm
with the UNHCR principle, which is – that everyone is to return to their own
place, wherever it is. If it is Drenica, than to Drenica, he must return to his
own place. And I think that’s why that strategy, which UNMIK is insisting on,
is not operational enough. Because, we do have to be realistic and to accept
the situation in Kosovo as it is, and that is that on certain territories in
Kosovo still and for a long, long time there will be no possibility for the
Serb foot to step on, and not to mention the return of the people and the
possibilty for them to live there.
Still,
Sanda Raskovic-Ivic is optimistic when it comes to the returns process and she
stresses that UNMIK is trying to do its best to make the process go ahead, even
after Mr. Steiner refused, as she claims, to accept Belgrades concept of
returns; a compromise could be reached, she adds.
Sanda Raskovic-Ivic: I think It’s, as if there
was no progress in the returns, and there is an evident interest for the
returns even from the side of the (UNMIK) office, Mrs. Hikks is an
extraordinary woman and big enthusiast and big worker, and she is willing to
have a successful process. So, we’ll try to make an agreement and to reach a
compromise. I’d like to stress and I told Mr. Steiner also, if we have a doctor
from Prizren, for example, and he is now in Novi Sad, if he continues to stay
there for ten years, he will never go back to Kosovo. But if he could get a job
in Lipljan as a doctor, he’ll return to Prizren one day, maybe.
One
of the key questions concerning the issue of returns is obviously the fact that
K-Albanians have to accept their former neighbors. Momcilo Trajkovic, on of
Kosovo’s political leaders says, the issue of the Albanian acceptance is a kind
of moral and maturity test for Kosovo’s majority population.
Momcilo Trajkovic: That is where they have to pass
a moral historical exam. I’m aware that there won’t be any serious returns if
the Albanians do not accept it. It should neither be Covic, nor Steiner, nor
Djindjic, nor Kostunica, nor Moma Trajkovic who make the Serbs return. They should do it (Albanians), they should
call their Serb neighbors and tell them, here you are, we will protect you, we
will help you. And with that they could become
a very important factor, send a positive signal to all. And then, here we are to join integrational
processes, and to participate in creating a multiethnic Kosovo.
Sanda
Raskovic-Ivic agrees with Moma and
underlines that the Serbs future in Kosovo shouldn’t be in enclaves or
ghetto’s, but integrating with Albanians.
Sanda Raskovic-Ivic: Our aim, the aim of the Serb side, is not to make enclaves,
nor to make new Serb ghettos. We’d like to support the returns, but returns,
which are in accordance with the real possibilities. That means – with the
Albanian side accepting their neighbors, accepting their return, making them
return … and that was our basic idea.
The
return of Serbs to Kosovo is one of and maybe most important UNMIK’s benchmarks
which must be fulfilled prior to bringing to the table the question of Kosovo’s
final status. Hopefully the willingness on both sides to reach that basic human
right, and not to wait for administrative or political means to make it by
force, will make the returns happen soon.
Unlike Plemetina camp where
Hashkalis and some other minority members live in isolation, Hashkalis in
Podujevo, a town around 30 km north of Prishtina, move freely and are
completely integrated in the social life and seem to share the same concerns
with the majority Albanian.
With a population of around
1.100, only 65 Hashkalis are presently employed, and as in most Kosovan towns
the creation of job opportunities remains the main challenge for both
communities living in Podujevo.
Mike Verling, international
Administrator in Podujevo, says the Hashkali community in Kosovo as a whole is
underprivileged, therefore, OSCE, The European Agency for Reconstruction, Team
Kosova, the US Office and other local and international organizations have been
providing them with assistance. As most gypsy communities around the world,
Hashkalis find it difficult to get rid of the image most people have of
gypsies, of a happy singing and dancing group of nomads and Mike Verling,
agrees that education and their social status remains the biggest problem for
Hashkalis
Mike Verling: Historically I think they were
seen as being involved in singing, in dancing, in entertaining and they
themselves want to lose this image. Their real problem is education, there is a
feeling within the Hashkali community that girls do not get education; this is
a big problem. And if you deliberately keep a large section of your population
uneducated, it is a very difficult task to raise your social status and to
improve your employment situation.
The trend seems to be slowly changing,
though. There are only 45 girls out of 132 Hashkali kids, in Podujevo, that are
attending classes in joint schools with Albanian and some Roma Kids.
Fikmete Cufkolli, is one of a
few Hashkali girls from her generation that has completed the high school. She
works as an assistant in “Shpresa Demokratike”, the only Hashkali association
in the town.
Fikmete Cufkolli: We have activities for women, we
have had some training as seamstresses and for hairdresser and also different
trainings for health and hygiene. Now we are working on emancipation of women
and getting rid of illiteracy.
Mufail Rama, tries to help his community
through volunteer work for Shpresa Demokratike, he says all the kids now go to
school
Mufail Rama: All the kids go to school
without any problem whatsoever. Our community is even privileged compared to
majority community.
In the last municipal elections,
Hashkalis in Podujevo voted for two political parties of their own, PDAK and
PDASHK, thus scattering the votes and remaining without representation in the
Municipal Assembly. Michael Verling.
Michael Verling: If they had only one (party),
there would have been an elected representative in the Assembly now. But they
failed to come together on this matter. I met with a large group of Hashkalis
and the two political parties before the election and advised them to work
together towards a common goal, to have one elected representative but it did
not work.
Now they can at least take part
in committees within the Assembly, says Agim Hyseni, head of the NGO “Shpresa
Demokratike” and blames on both political parties for remaining without
representation in the Municipal Assembly.
Agim Hyseni: This is a negative phenomenon
resulting from the two political parties in our municipality. I said that their
personal interests are more important to them than the general interest. This
was the essence of the problem, and this will have a negative impact on the
integration of our community at the municipal level.
Not typical of Hashkali. Though
It seems to be a Kosovo syndrome, says Agim Kika deputy President of the
Municipal Assembly, and adds that citizens in Podujevo, no matter who is who,
share the same problems.
Agim Kika: Within their possibilities, the
institutions have supported the Hashkali community, which is a small community
who shares the same fortunes and misfortunes with the majority community in
Podujevo. We have included a proportional representation in civil services, and
projects initiated by different organizations have been supported by the
Assembly. To mention some, the slaughter house, which we believe will alleviate
a bit the unemployment.
As so many other small minority
communities in Kosovo, Haskalis seem to be slowly getting their act together,
working towards a better future.
And that was all for this weekend edition
of UNMIK on Air stay tuned for more and have a great weekend.