UNMIK/PR/300
PRISTINA—Oliver Ivanovic, leader of the Mitrovica Serb National Council, has taken part in the international group which is working to get Serbs back to Kosovo. His participation comes as the Joint Committee on Returns was welcoming the news that 29 Serbs have been able to move back to the village of Slivovo/Slivove.
“The return of the Serbs is one of the main questions in need of resolution,” said Ivanovic after the meeting. “We are pushing very hard to a good resolution.”
The committee – made up of representatives KFOR, UNHCR, OSCE, UNMIK and the Serb National Council based in Gracanica – had hoped that Ivanovic would participate since its formation in May. The largest group of the estimated 100,000 Serbs who remain in Kosovo are living in northern Mitrovica and the area to the north of that.
UNMIK’s regional administrator for Mitrovica, William Nash, said of Ivanovic’s participation: “I hope it will bring renewed energy to the programme of returning all people to their homes throughout Kosovo.”
Ivanovic named three sites which he would like Serbs, now living in Serbia proper, to be able to visit in order to assess whether they would like – or be able – to return there. While security is a factor in whether people can return to Kosovo, other serious concerns raised include the state of the houses, and whether water or electricity are provided.
“One of the sites is on the list the Joint Committee on Returns is looking at,” said Eric Chevalier, Special Adviser to the SRSG, Dr Bernard Kouchner. “We will now look at organising ‘go and see’ visits. After that it is a matter of assessing different options. We have to minimize the risk to individuals.”
The committee is also looking at the return of people to villages in the Gnjilane/Gjilan area as well as to villages in the regions around Pristina and Prizren. Concern about security means the exact locations are kept confidential.