UNMIK/PR/1592
PRISTINA – Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Kosovo (SRSG) Joachim Rücker today visited Mitrovica, where he met Mayor Mursel Ibrahimi and attended the closing ceremony of a multi-ethnic project to clean up the banks of the Ibar River.
Speaking to the media after the meeting with the mayor, the SRSG welcomed the municipality’s attitude towards decentralization and reform of local government. “Increased responsibilities for local government is key for the future of Kosovo and it is in the interest of the municipalities and citizens to have more competencies. I know what I'm talking about, I've been a mayor in Germany for some time and we have a very high degree of local self-governance,” Mr. Rücker said
The SRSG, together with the UNDP Resident Representative in Kosovo, Mr. Frode Mauring, congratulated the two local NGOs from north and south Mitrovica who completed the Ibar riverbank clean-up project. The project started in July with €70,000 funding from UNDP, along with bulldozers provided by UNMIK and trucks for removing rubbish from the riverbank provided by KFOR.
Asked by the media about recent statements suggesting a possible delay in taking a decision on Kosovo’s status, the SRSG said: “We should not lose perspective of how far we have come in a relatively short time. Kai Eide's report is not much older than a year and if you look at what has happened since I think we have come very far in a very short time. This, to a large extent, is also due to the efforts of the Unity Team who I would like to commend for their constructive engagment in the negotiations, for doing their part so that the process is taken forward. As far as the timeline is concerned, we are still guided by the commitment of the Contact Group to do everything possible for an early solution of the status and I'm very sure that the Contact Group and of course Mr. Ahtisaari and all the key players are very conscious of the critical importance of having an early solution.”
“I am confident that the Team of Unity and the PISG understand this too and will take advantage of this historic moment to ensure that Kosovo achieves its goal by keeping the momentum and keeping the focus on standards implementation and constructive engagement within the status process,” he added.