Friday, September 7 - Talks with Agim Cheku, Michael Hartmann, Knut Rosandhaug, visit to OSCE, and closing talks with Daan Everts (property, responsibility for crimes, judiciary, voter registration, elections)

The closing day of our visit to Kosovo and Metohija began with the issue of property return. UNMIK Housing and Property Directorate (HPD) officer-in-charge Knut Rosandhaug reminded the journalists present that discriminatory laws were in force in Kosovo from 1989 to 1999. "Between 40,000 and 70,000 people have submitted property reimbursement claims. Our estimates say it will take us 4-5 years to resolve these cases. Some will be lucky enough to have their property returned in the near future, while others will have to wait till 2006", Rosandhaug said, adding that simpler cases would be dealt with first. According to him, HPD monitors both abandoned property and that of owners whose claims have been accepted.

"We have offices in Pristina, Kosovska Mitrovica, Gnjilane and Pec, and mobile teams for Leposavic, Zvecan and other towns. We also hope to open offices in Nis, Kraljevo and Belgrade", he said. "For example, we had a case in Gnjilane where a house was demolished by an angry and disturbed usurpator who obviously thought - If I cannot live in this house, I won't let anyone else either." HPD currently has 1,000 cases under investigation.

After meeting with Rosandhaug, we were to meet with former KLA commander, former Yugoslav Army officer and former Croatian army officer.

Cheku talks to Serbian press

Talking to the Serbian press, Agim Cheku, now Commander of the Kosovo Protection Corps, reiterated well known views of Kosovo ethnic Albanian leaders. "We are working on an independent Kosovo, that is what I want and what I believe in. We have fought for independent Kosovo and that story is over for us. I would advise the Serbs to accept an independent Kosovo. If they do not want to face that fact, then that's their problem", Cheku said.

Considering his responsibility in the Croatian and Kosovo wars, Cheku said he had an clean conscience. "I have neither issued commands, nor committed crimes. All those who took part in wars are under investigation, everyone will face justice. I had the honour to be the commander of the KLA main HQ", Cheku said, commenting on speculations that he has been indicted by the ICTY. He added that he would not surrender voluntarily.

Commenting on the Serbian Prime Minister's invitation for talks on the fate of kidnapped and missing persons in Kosovo and Metohija, Cheku said: "That invitation seems more like an accusation to me, and I am not the right person for those kind of talks. There are other people he can talk to, there are Kosovo politicians for such talks. I myself have many questions for Mr. Djindjic. I can also say that I know nothing about the missing persons. However, there are missing persons and Mr. Djindjic would be disappointed with such talks".

Following the talks with Cheku, we met with international prosecutor in Kosovo Michael Hartmann. Hartmann spent three years in Bosnia-Herzegovina, he tries to speak Serbian, and is very calm individual. According to him, this is the first time that international judges have worked in the local judiciary systems. "I came here as international prosecutor", Hartmann said. He particularly pointed to the Vuckovic case in Kosovska Mitrovica. "In my 43-page report I explained that the genocide verdict was erroneous and the court dropped genocide charges as ungrounded under the law, since there was no intent in this case".

The issue of voter registration and Kosovo elections marked the end of our visit to Kosovo. Peter Urban from OSCE said that the organization comprised 260 people currently working in the OSCE building in Pristina, One thousand field workers and 3 Serbian observers. "We are working around the clock in order to deal with all voter registration claims. If we continue at this pace, more than 150,000 Serbs and other non-Albanians will be registered", Urban said.

Our last interlocutor was the man who has been trying to persuade Serbs to register for elections, telling them they have been offered unprecedented conditions. Head of OSCE Mission to Kosovo Daan Everts said: "Serbs will have a strong block in the Kosovo Assembly if they decide to go to the polls. I think it important that major Serbian parties raise the issue of participating in elections and the deadline expires on September 17".

While exchanging their impressions, the journalists and UNMIK officials agreed that such visits should be more frequent and that Serb media rightfully expects access to Kosovo and Metohija.

See also ...
Kosovo and Metohija - Ethnic distribution map (Serbs are marked by red)
size: 1.2 MB

Five days in Kosovo-Metohija
Monday, September 3
Tuesday, September 4
Wednesday, September 5
Thursday, September 6