19 Jul 2013

UNMIK wraps up series of donations

UNMIK wraps up series of donations

During the week of 25 June, UNMIK donated a total of six vehicles and office equipment to Pristina- based non-governmental organizations and municipalities in Deçan/Deèani, Graçanicë/Graèanica, Ranillug/Ranilug, Dragash/Dragaš, Junik/Junik, Rahovec/Orahovac, and Gjakovë/Ðakovica.

As part of recent UNMIK’s donations aimed at supporting municipalities in their community related work, UNMIK Deputy SRSG Robert Sorenson presented a vehicle and IT equipment to the Municipal Office for Communities and Returns on 25 June. The Deçan/Deèani Mayor appreciated the donation and praised UNMIK’s work in the area of community support and facilitation. He told UNMIK that one of the Municipality’s priorities was to improve dialogue and cooperation with the Serbian Orthodox Clergy at the “Visoki Deèani” Monastery.

On 26 June, one vehicle each was donated to two non-governmental organizations based in Pristina - the European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI) Kosovo and NGO “Justicia”. The Deputy SRSG met with ECMI and discussed their main activities, including support to drafting of laws, decentralization and promotion of business growth in minority communities. In the meeting with NGO “Justicia”, the Deputy SRSG stressed the importance of building confidence among community members in the legal system, adding that institutionalized legal support for citizens is an essential part of the overall development of the society.

On 26-27 June, UNMIK donated two vehicles to the health center in Graçanicë/Graèanica and the Municipal Office for Communities and Returns (MOCR) in the municipality of Ranillug/Ranilug. UNMIK’s interlocutors appreciated the donated items and reiterated continued cooperation with UNMIK in providing support to communities. During the donation to the health center in Graçanicë/Graèanica, discussions between the Deputy SRSG and the Director of the health center focused on the challenges and opportunities facing the health center in providing health services and the situation of the K-Serb community in relation to the implementation of the Belgrade-Pristina agreement. During the handover ceremony in Ranillug/Ranilug, the Deputy SRSG and the Mayor discussed existing challenges in the municipality with a focus on its agriculture-based economy and education. Information technology equipment and other support items were donated to MOCRs in Dragash/Dragaš, Junik/Junik and Rahovec/Orahovac.

On 28 June, the Deputy SRSG visited the municipality of Gjakovë/Ðakovica to donate a vehicle, computers and other office equipment. The Deputy Mayor of Gjakovë/Ðakovica along with his staff at the Municipal Office for Communities and Returns (MOCR) expressed his and his office’s appreciation for the donated items and stressed his wish to continue cooperation with UNMIK to protect and promote communities’ rights. The Head of the MOCR briefed the Deputy SRSG on the achievements made to date on the reintegration of displaced persons as well as on the challenges that the MOCR faces to provide support to landless returnees, given the lack of municipal land to allocate to them. The Deputy SRSG also took the opportunity to visit the K-Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian neighbourhood of “Kolonia” to observe the on-going construction work under the project “Kosovo Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian housing and integration project in Ali Ibra”, implemented by Caritas Switzerland in cooperation with Gjakovë/Ðakovica Municipality.