UNMIK/PR/1680
PRISTINA – At a town hall meeting in Prizren, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Kosovo (SRSG) Joachim Rücker praised the Municipality of Prizren for the progress it has made in implementing the Standards, in particular those that promote tolerance and multi-ethnicity. The SRSG appeared on a panel with Prime Minister Agim Çeku and Head of the International Civilian Office (ICO) Preparation Team Torbjörn Sohlström.
“Municipalities like Prizren have been actively implementing the Standards,” said the SRSG. “They have demonstrated this to the international community, moving the status process forward and bringing Kosovo to where it is today.”
The SRSG stressed that with Kosovo so close to final status, now is the time to redouble efforts to multiethnicity in Kosovo.
He stressed that Kosovo’s institutions will take on considerably more responsibilities after status.
“Together with the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government and our partners in the ICO, we are preparing intensively for the hand over of competencies,” he added. “This is a trilateral partnership.”
“We must prepare all citizens and make absolutely sure that Kosovo is a multiethnic society where minorities have a good political and economics perspective,” he said. “The international community will ensure that this is understood everywhere in Kosovo.”
The town hall meeting was organized by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Mission in Kosovo and the Municipality of Prizren. The meeting was also attended by community leaders from Dragash/Dragaš, Rahovec/Orahovac and Mamusa.
