UNMIK on Air

International Village of Pristina

Compiled by Andrea Saula

 

 

Hello and Welcome. This is UNMIK on Air programme,

 

Some 100 houses and recreational zones, so called the “International village” will be built on the outskirts of Pristina, close to Ajvalia/Hajvali.

 

 

The beginning of the construction of the “International village” was marked on Monday, July the 4th,   with the laying of the first stone.

 

Last September the American company, SGI signed an agreement for the project with the Pristina Municipality entitled the “International Village,” which is described as a housing development on 9 hectares of land near Pristina.

 

The contract came out as the result of an investment conference organized by the United States Office in Pristina. The conferences’ aim is to better assist the  forging partnerships between U.S. firms and Kosovo’s business sector.

 

SGI Company is owned by Skender Ghilaga, an Albanian-American,

 

Actuality No. 1  This project confirms the commitment of Albanian American Diaspora, towards economic and political self-governance of Kosovo. The finance for some of the construction of the project is a private investment cooperation of America, for some of the infrastructure and the homes, also confirms the US commitment towards the same goals.

 

Five companies from Kosovo, members of the Consortium for Reconstruction of Kosovo will also take part in this project.

 

Nazmi Mustafa who represents this Consortium explained that 3 years were needed to prepare for the beginning of this construction project.

 

Actuality No. 2  For Pristina and for Kosovo economy this is an example because through such projects, an activity is developed that multiplies results, as construction and construction material. Thus I don’t want to waste your time, thanks for coming and we hope that this promotion will not be the last one but more projects in the near future for Kosovo.

 

Senior officials of UNMIK and the Provisional Institutions of Self Government participated in the laying the foundation stone.

 

Praising the commencement of the “International village” construction, UNMIK chief, Soren Jessen-Petersen, expressed hope that other foreign investors will be encouraged to start investing in Kosovo.

 

Actuality No. 3 We all know that the economy of Kosovo will remain in difficult shape as long as the status of Kosovo is not clarified. Meanwhile (edit to) in UNMIK we are working hard to support the PISG and local authorities to provide hope, to restore confidence, to stimulate the economy and to provide jobs. This project (edit to) does exactly that and for that we are very grateful.  

 

The Prime minister Bajram Kosumi thanked the investors for the project.

 

 Actuality No. 4  I hope that standards on which this settlement is going to be built will be followed by 12.000 km of Kosovo’s territory.

 

Philip Goldberg, the head of American Office in Pristina, saying his office is very proud of the trade and investment conference they had organized last year, that helped this project to begin.

 

Actuality No. 5 With the cooperation, first with the donation of the property from the Municipality authorities, going through the US Government and financing and backing of the US Office, moving through the UN and the absolutely essential job that our SRSG did in getting authority to go forward with this project. So, this was very collaborative and very cooperative effort.

 

Back announce: More then 100 flats compound, that is going to be built in Ajvalia, this part of the project according to an investor, will assist in the introduction of mortgage system in Kosovo.

 

Tomorrow UNMIK on Air brings you the events of the week in “Week in Review”.

 

Thank you for listening and good day