UNMIK/PR/1601
PRISTINA – Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Kosovo (SRSG) Joachim Ruecker today visited the Municipality of Prizren and the Pilot Municipal Unit of Mamushë/Mamuša. In Prizren, the SRSG met the Municipal Assembly President Eqrem Kryeziu, Deputy President Ercan Spat and Additional Deputy President Čemajl Kurtiši among others. He walked through Prizren town, visiting the Shadravan Square and St. George’s Church where he witnessed the ongoing reconstruction. Among his interlocutors in Mamushë/Mamuša were the Municipal Assembly President Arif Bütüç and Chief Executive Officer Abdulhadi Krasniç.
The SRSG discussed with the municipal authorities issues relating to decentralisation, returns, protection of religious and cultural sites, use of languages, economic development and urban planning.
Addressing the media in Prizren, the SRSG commended the Municipal Assembly President for his leadership. “He is playing a crucial and positive role in implementation of standards, reconstruction of some of the properties destroyed in the past, protection of cultural sites and with regard to the minorities,” Mr. Ruecker said, “He is among those Kosovo Albanian leaders who go out and show that the future of Kosovo can only be multi-ethnic.”
In Mamushë/Mamuša the SRSG stressed the importance of decentralisation in achieving better cohesion within Kosovo. “The more there is local self-governance, the more people can take care of their own community affairs or to a larger degree govern themselves. We are seeing this in many countries,” he said, and added: “Mamushë/Mamuša has developed very well since the decision was taken a year ago due to the engagement of the Mayor and the Municipal Representative.”
Asked about the possibility of delay in the status process, the SRSG said: “UNMIK points regularly to the political and economic costs any significant delay in the status process would have. However, I have trust in Mr. Ahtisaari and the Contact Group. I know that they are all aware that the momentum should be kept and we must come to an early conclusion of the status process.”