September 29, 2006

KiM Info Newsletter 29-09-06

Serbia drafts new constitution in bid to keep Kosovo

AFP, Friday September 29, 07:51 PM

BELGRADE (AFP) - Serbia's political powerbrokers reached an agreement on the draft of a new constitution that claims sovereignty over the breakaway UN-run province of Kosovo.

"Thanks to the constructive attitude of all political parties early this morning a new draft for a constitution was adopted," Public Administration Minister Zoran Loncar said.

The Serbian parliament was to convene on Saturday to debate and eventually adopt the draft, paving the way for approval at a referendum, the final step requested by the current constitution.

Serbian media have speculated that the referendum may be held in late October or early November.

Having failed to change the constitution for six years since the ouster of former strongman Slobodan Milosevic, Belgrade is now rushing to adopt one whose preamble will specifically mention Kosovo as a part of Serbia.

This is despite ongoing talks between Serbian officials and the ethnic Albanian leadership in Kosovo, who are demanding independence, over the future status of the UN-administered province.

The international community insists that UN-sponsored talks be wound up by the end of the year, but so far neither side has shown any signs of compromise.

Kosovo became an international protectorate at the end of the 1998-1999 conflict between Serbian forces and ethnic Albanian separatist guerrillas.

"It will be a good thing if the constitution is adopted by parliament tomorrow," Finance Minister Mladjan Dinkic told reporters.

"Then we will launch a campaign for a referendum that will be followed by new (legislative) elections. That is the best solution for Serbia at the moment," he added.

But the agreement on the new charter faced immediate criticism from President Boris Tadic, who deplored the absence of a public debate.

"The problem with this constitution which gives me a sense of unease is that we have not had a public debate due to the speed with which it was adopted,"
he told state television.

The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe welcomed the agreement but also called for a more "public debate" on the draft charter before it is formally approved.

Sleeping With Open Eyes

Klina, 29 Sep (Vecernje Novosti)

Fear is our escort. Whenever we go out to the street, the Albanians are provoking us, swearing at us, and sometimes pounding on our windows during the night. This way even at night, we cannot relax but sleep with out eyes open, stated Serbs from Klina, while explaining how they feel after the recent bomb attacks. They have told this to representatives of the international community and those in charge in this municipality.

"It is hard to live in constant fear. In spite the hardship that which we are facing, we are still here because of our strong will to live in our own homes," explains Dobrivoje Zivkovic (56) one of the Serbian returnees. Dobrivoje returned to his house in November of last year, just like most of the Serbian returnees, while the first returnees Leposava and Miodrag Mazic, returned one year earlier.

"Hoping for Gods help and some earthly justice, we hope to stay in our houses. I feel a bit relieved because some of my Serbian neighbors also returned," pointed out Dobrivoje.

Returnees are pointing to their bad financial and material position. They say they do not have visitors except for Red Cross representatives, and the ombudsmans office. The returnees from Klina are living in isolation because they cannot watch Serbian TV or listen to Serbian radio stations.

Returnees In Istok Determined To Stay By Their Hearts

Ljug, 28 Sept (Kim Radio)

After the attack on the returnees in the village of Ljug, the security situation in the Istok municipality has worsened and has raised the worries of the Serbian who came back. However, their wish to stay is still present and is not passing, stated the Serbian coordinator for Istok, Rados Vulic for Kim Radio.

This made the people upset, but they are not scared because they were expecting the attacks, so they are determined to stay by their hearts. Vulic appealed to the returnees to come back to the Istok municipality because it is the only way for the Serbs to survive in the municipality.

We are calling on all of the people from the list to come back so that we can be stronger because that is the only way we can prove to the attackers that we are not scared, said Vulic.

According to the words of the coordinator of the Istok municipality, Rados Vulic, UNMIK and the KPS have not announced the reports from the investigation in reference to the shooting on the house in Ljug in which there were 15 Serbian returnees.

Kosovska Mitrovica, 28 Sep (Radio Serbia)

US Assistant Secretary of State for Europe, Daniel Fried, said on Thursday in Kosovska Mitrovica that the Serbian community was a ''historic community'' and that it would have to be included ''in the future of Kosovo, whatever that future may be.'' The Serbian community in Kosovo, north and south of the Ibar river, must be part of the future of Kosovo forever, and the United States will continue to support the participation of their representatives in the institutional life of the Province, he said. Fried who on Thursday finishes his visit to Kosovo, talked in Kosovska Mitrovica with Oliver Ivanovic, Randzel Nojkic, and Slobodan Petrovic, who are Kosovo Serb political representatives.

The American diplomat said that the US will also support Serbs in trying to provide better living conditions for the Serbian community in Kosmet.

Oliver Ivanovic, the leader of the Serbian List for Kosovo and Metohija, emphasized that the US and the Contact Group could help guarantee the Serbs survival in Kosmet. He also said he is convinced that the final solution for Kosovos status will be acceptable for both sides and that such a solution would be reached through a compromise.

After the meeting, Daniel Fried visited the Roma camp where he talked with representatives of families whose kids are being treated for lead poisoning. These children got poisoned after being exiled from the southern Albanian part of Kosovska Mitrovica, and were temporarily placed in a camp which the UN built on a place that was used for depositing waste from the mines.

Protest Because Of Refusal To Employ Serbs At Pristina Airport

Belgrade, 28 Sep (Tanjug)

On Thursday, Nenad Popovic, the vice president of the Coordination Center for Kosovo and Metohija, sent a protest letter to the institutions in charge of the province. This letter protests the decision that did not allow seven Serbian workers to return to their jobs at the Prishtina International Airport.

He said that this decision is not understandable especially in a situation when in spite the increased safety risk, the remaining Serbs and other non-Albanians are trying to create the conditions for survival in Kosovo and Metohija.

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