UNMIK/PR/203
PRISTINA – The Interim Administrative Council (IAC) today endorsed four draft regulations on the establishment of an Ombudsperson, Travel Documents, the Department of Post and Telecommunications and the Kosovo Consolidated Budget.
The regulation on establishing an Ombudsperson would promote and protect the rights and freedoms of individuals and legal entities to ensure that all people in Kosovo can exercise their human rights and fundamental freedoms safeguarded by international human rights standards.
The Ombudsperson shall review and redress actions constituting an abuse of authority by the interim civil administration or any emerging central or local institution.
The Travel Document regulation would enable habitual residents of Kosovo registered in the Central Civil Registry to apply for travel documents. The travel document would not guarantee its holder admission to other countries, which may be subject to visa requirements.
The third regulation would establish the Administrative Department of Post and Telecommunications, which would handle the overall management of matters relating to post, telecommunications and information technology.
The final regulation on the Kosovo Consolidated Budget was also endorsed. Rexhep Qosja (LBD) voiced his concern that Kosovo Scientific institutes receive adequate funding. The SRSG has written a letter to the DSRSGs instructing the Co-Heads of the Central Fiscal Authority, the Department of Culture and the Department of Education to form a task force to examine the needs of these institutes and find funding for them.
With IAC approval, the regulations will go to the SRSG for his signature into law.
The IAC also continued their discussions on the composition of the Central Election Commission.
In addition, Gonzalo Retamal was named as the UNMIK Co-head for Culture. Edi Shukriu (LDK) had previously been named as the Kosovar Co-head for Culture.
The IAC also agreed that Tuesday’s weekly meeting would concentrate on decision-making. Friday meetings would be devoted to in-depth briefings and discussion on major policy issues by co-heads, planners and senior officials.