UNMIK/PR/1219
Pristina – SRSG Søren Jessen-Petersen and Prime Minister Bajram Rexhepi today appealed to the people of Kosovo to not let violence happen again. Together they visited the village of Svinjare/Frasher in Mitrovica municipality, where rioters burned down and looted Serbian houses in March.
The SRSG and the prime minister looked at the reconstruction of houses in Svinjare/Frasher and expressed their hope that the reconstruction process will be finished soon.
“The March violence must not be repeated”, said Mr. Jessen-Petersen, “I am glad that the reconstruction process is going on, but it needs to be speeded up.” Prime Minister Rexhepi said that the reconstruction process was going according to the plan. “The experts of the municipality reacted quite quickly to assess the damages and the process of reconstruction is going very quickly,” he said.
The SRSG then proceeded to the town of Mitrovica, where he had briefings with municipal officials and representatives of civil society at UNMIK Regional HQ. From there the delegation went to UNMIK Administration office in North Mitrovica, where the SRSG was briefed on the economic situation in Mitrovica region as well as on the “Mitrovica Agenda for Local Economic Development.”
Talking to the press, the SRSG said he is strongly committed to doing his utmost to move Kosovo forward. However, “as long as Mitrovica is divided, the people in this region will continue sliding backward,” he said.
Mr. Jessen-Petersen said that he is personally ready to help all the local political leaders overcome the problems of the region, calling on them to “show courage and pursue dialogue.”
The SRSG said he was also pleased to hear of progress being made at the Trepca mining complex in Mitrovica region. “There are intensive activities underway to allow for a gradual, modest resumption of production,” he said.