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April
16, 2003
ERP KIM Newsletter
16-04-03
CONTENTS:
AFP: CLANDESTINE EXTREMIST
GROUP CLAIMS KOSOVO RAILWAY-BRIDGE ATTACK
An ethnic Albanian
extremist group has claimed responsiblity for blowing-up a railway bridge
over the weekend in northern Kosovo, writes Agence France Presse
UNMIK POLICE:
THREE PERSONS ARRESTED DURING INVESTIGATION
On the question whether
the target of the attack was a bus which had to pass that way UNMIK
police spokesperson answered: "We believe that the main target was the bridge itself,
although any other option cannot be excluded"
RESIDENTS OF LEPOSAVIC
(NORTH KOSOVO) EMBITTERED BY BRIDGE MINING
"Residents of
Leposavic are embittered and revolted because members of KFOR and UNMIK
police are carring out investigation slowly", said today mayor of
Leposavic Velimir Bojovic to the press. The announcement of new terrorist
attacks by so called Albanian National Army means "declaration of war to
North Kosovo".
CONTROVERSIAL PRIVATIZATION: BILLIONS GIVEN TO
ALBANIANS AS GIFT
"It should
be taken into account that 80 percent of everything in Kosovo was built
with the funds of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and that
no less than half of those monies were invested by [the Republic
of] Serbia," says Dr. Nebojsa Backovic, the vice-chair of the Kosovo and Metohija
Chamber of Commerce . "Thus it is highly illogical to transfer that
property into the pockets of Albanians who for decades have not
contributed a single dinar for the state of Serbia."
UN SEC. COUNCIL WARNED
KOSOVO ADMINISTRATION TO ADHERE TO RES 1244
The members
of the SC have expressed their concern over the unlawful action of the
province parliament and have emphasized the fact that this institution is
not looking into the results of the process of protection of the minority
human rights
REUTERS: GUNMEN KILL TWO AND INJURE THREE IN
KOSOVO AMBUSH
Selimaj,
possibly the target of the attack, was a witness in last year's
high-profile trial of five members of the KLA guerrilla army who were
ultimately sentenced to a total of 31 years imprisonment for abducting and
beating four fellow Albanians, who subsequently disappeared and are
presumed dead.
WITNESS AT TRIAL
PROCEEDINGS AGAINST KLA GROUP KILLED NEAR PEC
GENERAL MINI DEMANDS SUSPENSION OF KPC COMMANDER - DRAMATIC DEVELOPMENTS
The
international authorities are not satisfied with Jashari because he has
been shooting a pistol during some celebration, then for getting into an
argument with UNMIK police members, using the siren and lights on his car,
and gathering of "taxes" from some of the firms in Srbica.
More News
Available on our:
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NEWS LIST (KDN)
KDN Archive
This newsletter is available on our
ERP KIM Web-site:
/erpkim16apr03.html
AFP:
CLANDESTINE EXTREMIST GROUP CLAIMS KOSOVO RAILWAY-BRIDGE ATTACK
An ethnic Albanian
extremist group has claimed responsiblity for blowing-up a railway bridge
over the weekend in northern Kosovo
TOP
AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE
Monday, 14-Apr-2003 7:30AM
PRISTINA, Serbia and Montenegro, April 14 (AFP) - An ethnic Albanian
extremist group has claimed responsiblity for blowing-up a railway bridge
over the weekend in northern Kosovo.
The Albanian National Army (ANA) said on it's website (www.aksh.org) it
attacked the bridge that links Kosovo to Serbia in order to sever all ties
of Albanian territories with Belgrade.
It said two of its members were killed during the attack north of the town
of Zvecan on the railway line that links Macedonia and northern
Serb-inhabited Kosovo to central Serbia.
The railway is the most common means of transport for the Serb minority
often targeted by ethnic Albanian extremists and still living in isolated
enclaves guarded by NATO-led peacekeepers in Kosovo.
The incident comes days after Serb leaders in Kosovo called for the
creation of a separate entity in the UN-administered province.
Some 200,000 Serbs have fled Kosovo since June 1999 despite the presence
of the KFOR international peacekeeping force. Those remaining mostly live
in northern Kosovo separated from ethnic Albanians by the river Ibar in
the town of Kosovska Mitrovica.
The ANA has in recent months claimed responsibility for several attacks
both in Kosovo and neighbouring Macedonia.
The UN here and KFOR have said they have no evidence the clandestine group
exists as an organized structure.
TOP
IDOU:
THREE PERSONS ARRESTED DURING INVESTIGATION OF THE RAILWAY-BRIDGE ATTACK
On the
question whether the target of the attack was a bus which had to pass that
way Idou answered: "We believe that the main target was the bridge itself,
although any other option cannot be excluded"
TOP
BETA
News Agency (Belgrade)
April 15, 2003
KOSOVSKA MITROVICA, April 15, 2003 - Three persons have been arrested
during investigation of the bridge mining at Loziste, in North Kosovo,
said the regional UNMIK police spokesperson Soji Idou (sp) today.
Idou said that the investigation is continuing 24 hours a day and that it
has already been found out that more than 40 kg of explosives were used
for mining the bridge in the night between Friday and Saturday.
"According to the orders of the Police Commissioner the invesigation team
has been expanded and special investigators from Pristina have been
involved, including the regional investigators from Mitrovica and Zvecan",
said the spokesperson.
"Police controls in the North Kosovo have been reinforced and additional
number of Kosovo police officers, including Albanians, have been
included", said Idou.
DNA analysis of the mortal remains found near the place of explosion has
already begun, but the parts of body are too "small and burned" so it is
not completely clear how many persons died. It was concluded, said Idou,
"that at least one person was killed".
On the question whether the target of the attack was a bus which had to
pass that way Idou answered: "We believe that the main target was the
bridge itself, although any other option cannot be excluded".
According to his words UNMIK Police was informed that the illegal
"Albanian National Army" (ANA) took responsibility for the mining and the
investigation will find out "what is true".
TOP
RESIDENTS OF LEPOSAVIC EMBITTERED BY THE BRIDGE MINING
"Residents of
Leposavic are embittered and revolted because members of KFOR and UNMIK
police are carring out investigation slowly", said today mayor of
Leposavic Velimir Bojovic to the press. The announcement of new terrorist
attacks by so called Albanian National Army means "declaration of war to
North Kosovo".
TOP
BETA News
Agency
April, 15, 2003
LEPOSAVIC, April 15, 2003 - The President of the Leposavic municipal
assembly Velimir Bojovic said that the mining of the bridge at Loziste
near Banjska "is not only an ordinary attack, but a criminal act" and
stated that the announcement of new terrorist attacks by so called
Albanian National Army means "declaration of war to North Kosovo".
"Residents of Leposavic are embittered and revolted because members of
KFOR and UNMIK police are carring out investigation slowly", said today
Bojovic to the press.
Residents of Leposavic also object because representatives of the
international community "do not react and undertake necessary steps to
identify the perpertrators. They do not prevent operations of ANA
(Albanian National Army) which openly threatens to cut all communications
with Belgrade 'on the part of occupied Albanian territory' ", warned
Bojovic.
He requested from KFOR and UNMIK to reveal the names of the "killed
attackers".
Residents of Leposavic, according to his words, expect from UNMIK and KFOR
normalization of traffic. They also expect from the Serbian Government to
use its international contacts and request disarmament and prohibition of
ANA, arrest of its leaders and bringing them to justice.
TOP
BILLIONS GIVEN TO ALBANIANS AS GIFT
"It should be taken into account
that 80 percent of everything in Kosovo was built with the funds of the
former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and that no less than
half of those monies were invested by [the republic of] Serbia," says Dr.
Nebojsa Backovic, the vice-chair of the Kosovo and Metohija Chamber of
Commerce . "Thus it is highly illogical to transfer that property
into the pockets of Albanians who for decades have not contributed a
single dinar for the state of Serbia."
TOP
Vecernje Novosti Daily, Belgrade
April 6, 2003
By Z. Aracki
NIS - The privatization of firms in Kosovo and Metohija according to the
UNMIK model will serve to transfer money invested over the years by the
Serbian state into the pockets of the Albanians, as well as for money
laundering acquired through the smuggling of weapons, drugs and white
slaves. Therefore it is necessary to oppose the recently begun process of
transferring socially-owned property and capital into private property.
This is the position of businessmen from Kosmet [Kosovo and Metohija] who
are following what is happening in their ancient homeland from exile in
their own country. What is especially worrisome is the fact that the
privatization process has started - without the Serbs.
RETURNS, THEN PRIVATIZATION
"The UNMIK administration has really made some completely illogical
moves," says Dr. Nebojsa Backovic, the vice-chair of the Kosovo and
Metohija Chamber of Commerce, in an interview for "Novosti". "The ones who
have the sole right to temporarily administer the firms on our territory
according to the Resolution [Resolution 1244] have launched tenders to
sell them."
"It should be taken into account that 80 percent of everything in Kosovo
was built with the funds of the former Socialist Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia, and that no less than half of those monies were invested by
[the republic of] Serbia," continues Backovic. "Thus it is highly
illogical to transfer that property into the pockets of Albanians who for
decades have not contributed a single dinar for the state of Serbia."
Further reason for complaint among the businessmen from Kosovo and
Metohija was the decision of the board of directors of the Kosovo Trust
Agency which announced the publishing of tenders for the sale of the first
six state-owned properties on the territory of Kosovo and Metohija.
Included on the list of firms to be privatized are the "Sara" quarry in
Kacanik, the brick plant in Pec, "Elektromontaza" in Pristina, "Termovent"
in Orahovac and the "Napredak" brick plant in Kosovska Mitrovica.
This decision by the Agency, which is under the direct auspices of UNMIK,
has caused anger among the Kosmet businessmen. In their opinion, normal
conditions for living and the return of all nationalities which once lived
in Kosmet must first be secured and only then is the privatization of
forms possible.
"We are not opposed to privatization but it must not be discriminatory,"
claims Dr. Backovic. "It must include equal participation by both
Albanians and Serbs in proportion to their work contribution and honor.
This is why our state must do everything within its power to realize this.
The initiative of late premier Zoran Djindjic represented great
encouragement for us. We hope that its realization will continue and that
we will see the day when we will discuss this topic in a normal business
environment."
The Kosmet businessmen also point out the well-known fact that Kosovo and
Metohija since the arrival of UNMIK has become a true hub of "grey"
economy, as well as that trading in white slaves and drugs have become
based in this region. Enormous fortunes have been created through these
activities.
DIRTY MONEY
"If a campaign for fighting organized crime was conducted in Kosmet as in
the rest of Serbia, then we would see where the enormous fortunes of those
who today want to buy firms originate," says Dr. Backovic.
The businessmen warn that before taking concrete steps toward
privatization it is necessary to precisely determine what has happened
with the property of firms located there from the moment that Serbs were
expelled from this region. Because many of the firms had enormous turnover
capital which disappeared upon the arrival of KFOR and UNMIK. No
investigations were conducted, even though enormous sums were involved.
Serbs are employed in barely 15 percent of the former 350 socially-owned
and 75 public firms in Kosovo and Metohija turned over to UNMIK for
administration. They are working under exceptionally difficult conditions.
"They are sent to the Serbian market, where they must secure raw materials
and parts, as well as to promote their products," explains Dr. Nebojsa
Backovic. "However, all this takes place under difficult conditions
because of the existence of high fiscal barriers on the administrative
border which significantly increases the cost of production and makes it
inadequately competitive on the market."
SARA
Only a few smaller firms in the hands of the Serb population in Kosmet
continue to operate under difficult circumstances.
"We must not allow the Albanians to purchase buildings in Brezovica. If
this occurs through privatization, then the Serbs will have to move out
from Strpce as well as from this entire part of Kosmet," says Dojcin
Kukurekovic, the vice-chair of the Kosmet Chamber. "The hotels on Mt. Sara
under our administration are open, and large numbers of Albanians come
there during the weekends to ski. This is good because our people have
something from which to live."
TOP
UN
SECURITY COUNCIL WARNED PROVISIONAL ADMINISTRATION IN KOSOVO TO ADHERE TO
RES 1244
The
members of the SC have expressed their concern over the unlawful action of
the province parliament and have emphasized the fact that this institution
is not looking into the results of the process of protection of the
minority human rights
TOP
Radio
YU
April 15, 2003
The UN
Security Council has warned the provisional administration institutions in
Kosmet to strictly adhere to their competences established by the
Resolution 1244 and the Province Constitutional Framework. The supreme
body of the world_s organization supported the decision of Head of UNMIK
Michael Steiner to cancel the Kosovo Parliament_s decision on enforcement
of the Law on High Education, which did not envisage the University
curriculum in Serbian language. The Security Council supported process of
the transferring competences from UNMIK onto local authorities assessing
that it was in line with the Resolution 1244 and the Kosmet Constitutional
Framework.
Respect Of UN
Resolution 1244 And Constitutional Boundaries
FREE SERBIA
New York, 15 April
The UN
Security Council (SC) is supporting the stances of the UNMIK chief Michael
Steiner who proclaimed the Kosovo parliament decision on education as
unlawful.
No law in the province is valid until Steiner approve it, states the
unanimously reached proclamation of the UN SC.
The members of the SC have expressed their concern over the unlawful
action of the province parliament and have emphasized the fact that this
institution is not looking into the results of the process of protection
of the minority human rights. At the same time the SC is calling on all
temporary governing institutions to concentrate on the authorities, which
are already in their jurisdiction under the resolution 1244, and the
constitutional boundaries.
The UNSC is demanding that all Kosovo elements support resolution 1244 and
respect the authorities of the UNMIK chief, states that proclamation.
TOP
GUNMEN KILL TWO AND INJURE THREE IN KOSOVO AMBUSH
Selimaj, possibly the target of the attack, was a witness in last year's
high-profile trial of five members of the KLA guerrilla army who were
ultimately sentenced to a total of 31 years imprisonment for abducting and
beating four fellow Albanians, who subsequently disappeared and are
presumed dead.
TOP
REUTERS
April 15, 2003
PRISTINA -- Tuesday - Gunmen yesterday opened fire on a moving car
carrying a Kosovo-Albanian family, killing two people including
high-profile prosecution witness Ilir Selmaj.
UNMIK authorities have said that they do not know who carried out the
attack, nor their motives.
The attack took place on a small road near the western Kosovo town of Pec,
leaving a four-year-old boy, his 14-year-old sister and their father
injured.
The mother of the family was killed in the attack, while the injured are
all said to be in stable conditions. A UN official told the Reuters agency
that the car was riddled with 20 bullets.
Selimaj, possibly the target of the attack, was a witness in last year's
high-profile trial of five members of the KLA guerrilla army who were
ultimately sentenced to a total of 31 years imprisonment for abducting and
beating four fellow Albanians, who subsequently disappeared and are
presumed dead.
Selimaj is the second prosecution witness in this trial to be shot dead.
TOP
WITNESS AT
TRIAL PROCEEDINGS AGAINST KLA GROUP KILLED NEAR PEC
TOP
Ilir
Selimaj, killed on Monday near Pristina, was a member of the KLA and a
witness at the trial proceedings against Dukandjin group, reports the
Pristina daily newspaper Koha Ditore.
The Dukandjin group was sentenced to several years of imprisonment for
crimes committed against their compatriots from the rival armed
formations, close to the Kosovo Democratic Alliance of Ibrahim Rugova. The
sentenced group, part of former KLA, was headed by Daut Haradinaj, brother
of Ramus Haradinaj, the leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo,
the third ranking arty of Kosovo Albanians. Ramus Haradinaj was a KLA
senior officer, responsible the region of Metohija or, as the Albanians
refer to it, Dukandjin.
TOP
GENERAL MINI DEMANDS SUSPENSION OF KPC COMMANDER
The
international authorities are not satisfied with Jashari because he has
been shooting a pistol during some celebration, then for getting into an
argument with UNMIK police members, using the siren and lights on his car,
and gathering of "taxes" from some of the firms in Srbica.
TOP
BETA News Agency (Belgrade)
Pristina, 15 Apr
Fabio
Mini, the KFOR commander has demanded for the suspension of Bashkim
Jashari, the commander of the first operative zone of the Kosovo
Protection Corps. (KPC), stated Pristina daily ZERI.
As the newspaper claims the international authorities are not satisfied
with Jashari because he has been shooting a pistol during some
celebration, then for getting into an argument with UNMIK police members,
using the siren and lights on his car, and gathering of "taxes" from some
of the firms in Srbica. KPC and Jashari have thrown of these allegations
as unsubstantiated.
ZERI states that General Mini send his request for Jashari's suspension
with 14 allegations, to the UNMIK chief Michael Steiner and the KPC
commander Agim Ceku. According to the daily UNMIK reduced these 14
allegations to only four. Reacting to this demand Steiner evaluated that
the KPC commander should only be "officially reprimanded" stated an
unnamed source that is with the international authorities. It is also
reviled that Ceku is trying to end the entire ordeal with as little
consequences as possible for both Jashari and the Corps.
TOP
DRAMATIC
DEVELOPMENTS IN KFOR-KPC-UNMIK TRIANGLE ON BASHKIM JASHARI CASE
ZERI (Kosovo
Albanian daily)
April 15 (Front Page)
A request of COMKFOR General Fabio Mini for suspension of Bashkim Jashari,
the nephew of Adem Jashari, from the position of the KPC (Kosovo
Protection Corps) Commander of the first zone arrived to the office of
Kosovo chief administrator Steiner and of KPC Commander Agim Ceku.
An international source said that Steiner_s stance in this case is that a
"written reprimand" should be applied and the case should be closed with
the least possible consequences for Bashkim Jashari. After several
meetings, where the head of KPC participated too, the list of 14 charges
was reduced to 4. A source from General Staff of KPC says, "General Ceku
is sure that Bashkim Jashari will not be suspended." According to the
source, the disciplinary procedure against Bashkim Jashari is ongoing and
it could be finished by the end of this month.
The brother of the accused, Murat Jashari rejected all accusations. Zeri
learnt that the charges against Bashkim are: unauthorised shootings in a
wedding, arguments with UNMIK police, use of the vehicle with alarm, which
was brought to KPC in Skenderaj by IOM and the collection of taxes from
different enterprises in Skenderaj. Zeri also learnt that KFOR suspected
that the accused Bashkim Jashari together with Sami Lushtaku and Nuredin
Lushtaku put a wreath on Adem Jashari's grave with the "ANA" inscription.
"This accusation is really groundless. Nobody from our family needs to put
a wreath on the graves of our family members, because the others do that,
"said Murat Jashari, brother of Bashkim Jashari.
ERP KIM
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