UNMIK/PR/273
The Interim Administrative Council, meeting without its Kosovo Serb member, continued to discuss the merits of a proportional versus majority electoral system for the upcoming municipal elections without coming to a final agreement.
SRSG Bernard Kouchner told the IAC that if the issue was not resolved soon, he would make the decision, after further consultations with other political parties, as he has been doing with the Kosovo Transitional Council.
PDK leader Hashim Thaci, who had advocated a majority system, said at today's meeting that he would accept a mixed proportional and majority system. LDK leader Ibrahim Rugova said he would agree to a proportional system, which UNMIK officials have said would be more technically feasible given the short time left to prepare for elections. LBD leader Qosja also supported the proportional system, by which all votes for a party are combined to earn a proportion of seats in an elected body. The majority system is a 'winner-takes-all' procedure, by which each seat goes to the candidates with the most votes.
The IAC was also briefed extensively by the deputy COMKFOR (Civil Affairs) General Jean-Philippe Wirth on the large arms cache discovered in Drenica on 16 June.
Also discussed were the needs of and steps taken so far for the social welfare of war invalids, an issue to be discussed at greater length in an upcoming IAC meeting.
The draft regulation on municipalities was distributed and will be on the agenda for discussion next Tuesday.
IAC observer Ms. Feride Rushite reminded the IAC of the 26 June events to support the victims of torture.