UNMIK/PR/1359
PRISTINA _ SRSG Søren Jessen-Petersen and Prime Minister Bajram Kosumi today paid a visit to Babljak/Bablak village in Ferizaj/Urosevac municipality where they met Kosovo Serb returnees and community representatives at the local school.
During the meeting, a Kosovo Serb community leader told the SRSG that since the first group had come back nine months ago, the returnees had not experienced any difficulties.The SRSG praised the returnees for their courage and the receiving Kosovo Albanian community for their very positive attitude. “This is never easy but it can only succeed if you have the courage you have shown and the commitment to make it work”, said the SRSG. He added that he often hears from some Serb politicians in Belgrade and also in Kosovo that returns are not possible. “But when I travel around I see the reality that people are returning. You are setting an example that not only it is possible [to return] but also that it must happen so Kosovo remains a multi-ethnic society.”
Earlier Municipal Assembly President Faik Grainca accompanied the SRSG and the Prime Minister on a tour of a newly-built health clinic serving the whole community and of reconstructed homes. Forty-three families have now returned to the village as part of the Government Assisted Returns project begun in 2003. The project, supported by UNDP and implemented by the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is a collective effort involving UNMIK, UNHCR, KPS, KFOR as well as other agencies.
UMCOR’s role is now drawing to a close and the Municipality is ready to take over. “When the Municipal Assembly President takes the lead, when he is supported by the Prime Minister and the government, then returns are possible”, said the SRSG, adding that “local leadership is absolutely essential for us to succeed in the returns process.”
The villagers are now seeking support to build a multi-ethnic school and the SRSG pledged his support to the project.
The SRSG and the Municipal Assembly President then visited a temporary shelter in Ferizaj/Urosevac town where Kosovo Serb returnees are staying while they wait for repairs to be made to their homes. He listened to the concerns raised by the returnees and offered to assist them with their requests.