UNMIK/PR/1576
PRISTINA – Acting Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Kosovo (ASRSG) Steven Schook today visited Janjevë/Janjevo, a small town in Lipjan/Lipljan Municipality of Central Kosovo where Kosovo Croats and Kosovo Albanians are living together. The ASRSG was accompanied by Mr. Branimir Loncar from the Croatian Embassy in Belgrade, President of the Municipal Assembly of Lipjan/Lipljan Xhevat Oljuri, President of Janjevë/Janjevo Council Halit Gashi, religious leaders as well as representatives from the Police, KEK and other public utility services.
In a meeting with local authorities and community representatives, the ASRSG shared his perspective on issues confronting the people of Janjevë/Janjevo and the larger society in the context of the ongoing process to determine the political status of Kosovo and immediate developmental imperatives for the local communities.
Mr. Schook said, “I am here today in Janjevë/Janjevo to test my theory that a strong social fabric where people decide to live together in a certain way is much more powerful than any political agenda. This place here in Kosovo reflects a very strong social fabric, and I believe that comes from local leadership, local culture and the local people who decide that they want to have a good life and they basically, left to themselves, know how to do that.”
The ASRSG stressed that early determination of the status of Kosovo would remove a major impediment to economic development and should therefore be looked at with expectation and enthusiasm by the people, not with fear or trepidation. Whereas status would provide the impetus for real change in the day-to-day life issues in Kosovo, at the same time the immediate needs of the people must be addressed now. To this end, he encouraged participants to share their pressing needs and concerns in order to explore ways in which the local authorities and the international community can better support efforts to improve their living conditions.
“We are at a defining moment in Kosovo and in fact in the history of the Balkans. We are in an intense political process led by UNOSEK and decisions that will be made in the coming months will have a lasting impact on life in Kosovo,” Mr. Schook said. “Whatever be the decisions that will be taken ultimately in New York, Brussels, or Vienna, we are here today to make sure that we hear from you what the day-to-day issues are and how we can make things better right now,” he added.