UNMIK/PR/1416
PRISTINA – SRSG Søren Jessen-Petersen today paid a visit to Mališevo/Malishevë Municipality, a town which, said the SRSG, “suffered particular hardship and destructions during the war and is still struggling to recover from 1999 and needs both our attention and support.” He added that “progress on Standards should be seen in the context of the many difficulties Malishevë/Mališevo faces.”
In this regard, the SRSG thanked the President of the Municipal Assembly for the progress already made. However, he added: “I would like to see even more action.” In particular, he appealed to the local politicians to work hard so “the institutions should always function in full accordance with the existing rules.”
“Functioning democratic institutions begin at the municipal level”, the SRSG said. “It is crucial that all politicians unite in the common goal of driving Kosovo forward towards status talks. It is vital that all political parties unite to push progress in Malishevë/Mališevo in all fronts - political, social and economic.”
During his meeting with the political leaders of the Municipality, the SRSG also mentioned some areas where “particular stronger efforts from the Municipality” are requested and pointed out the question of language use. “The Constitutional Framework and the Standards are clear: all communication, all official documents or signs should be in two languages: Serbian and Albanian”. Although there are currently no Kosovo Serbs in Malishevë/Mališevo, the Municipality should comply with the rules to show that it is committed to multi-ethnicity, the SRSG explained. “It is only when people who might be willing to return see that the Municipality welcomes them that they might decide to return” the SRSG added.
The SRSG then attended an open Municipal Assembly session and answered questions from the audience.
The SRSG also visited the library of Malishevë/Mališevo’s secondary school, which has been financed by the SRSG funds in memory of the 15 students who lost their lives in a tragic accident in Albania on 14 october 2004, and the construction site of a new primary school.