KOSOVA COMMUNICATION #220

Bulletin of the Ministry of Information of the Republic of Kosova

No 220, Date: 15th May 1995

CONTENTS

  • [01] Dr. Rugova receives foreign diplomats

  • [02] Hans Van Den Broek receives Kosova Prime Minister

  • [03] Sentencing of Albanians in Macedonia condemned

  • [04] Chairman of Liberal Party held by police

  • [05] Red Cross congratulations

  • [06] Albanian schools face difficult situation

  • [07] Serbian authorities seize school premises

  • [08] Proposal for Anglo-Albanian University in FYROM

  • [09] Peaceful policies only way for Kosova

  • [10] Kosova has the right to decide its destiny

  • [11] The Arbkresh in Italy and Greece

  • [12] Latest Serbian colonisation plans

  • [13] News in brief

    •

    [01] Dr. Rugova receives foreign diplomats

    Dr. Ibrahim Rugova received recently, in separate meetings, Mr. David Austin, se cond Secretary of he British Embassy in Belgrade, Mr. John Burley, desk-officer for the former Yugoslavia in the U.S. State Department, accompanied by Mr. Lawre nce Butler, Deputy Chief of the Mission in the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade, Mr. Tro nd Olsen Naess, First Secretary of the Norwegian Embassy in Belgrade and Mr. Tor sten Petre, Counsellor in the Swedish Embassy in Belgrade. In all meetings, president Rugova said any framework of the solution to the Koso va question should respect the political will of the people for independence, ad ding that a negotiated and peaceful solution was the imperative. Recent developments and other aspects of the reality of Kosova were also discuss ed in the meetings.

    [02] Hans Van Den Broek receives Kosova Prime Minister

    The EU Foreign Affairs and Security Commissioner, Hans Van Den Broek, received on 12 May in Brussels Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosova, Dr. Bujar Bukoshi. The grave situation in Kosova and the possibilities of resolution of the Kosova issue were discussed in the meeting. The Kosova Prime Minister met yesterday with the vice-chairman of the European P arliament Commission for Foreign Affairs, Security and Defence, Jose Maria Mendi luce Pereiro. The current situation in Kosova and the need of addressing the Kos ova issue were discussed. Bukoshi and Pereiro shared a view on the need for concrete steps so that Kosova could be included on the agenda of the European Parliament and the European Unio n, as Kosova was an indispensable issue within a global framework of the resolut ion of the crises in the former Yugoslav area.

    [03] Sentencing of Albanians in Macedonia condemned

    Various Albanian associations and societies reacted against the recent sentencin g by the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Court of Dr. Fadil Sylejmani, rec tor of the University of Tetova, and Mr. Milaim Fejziu, chair of the Gostivar ba sed Human Rights Forum. A statement by the Kosova Forum of Albanian Intellectuals says that their senten cing "once again proves that the FYROM has not ended its repressing and discrimi nating polices towards the Albanians. Trials like this are designed to repel Alb anians from their aim of democratic emancipation and national equality and to de crease the Albanian national issue to just a minority issue." The employees of the Kosova Institute of History also condemned the sentencing i n Tetova stating that this case once again showed that anti-Albanian policies of the FYROM government were very much similar to Serbian anti-Albanian policies. The faculty and students of the University of Tetova consider the sentencing "th e sentencing of the Albanian school, sentencing of the ideas and natural needs o f at least the third of the FYROM population, who intend to join the free, democ ratic and civilised Europe". They demanded the immediate release of Sylejmani an d Fejziu, Bujku informs.

    [04] Chairman of Liberal Party held by police

    On 10 May, the Chairperson of the Liberal Party of Kosova (PLK), Gjergj Dedaj, w as held for two hours in the Serbian security offices in Prishtina. Mr. Dedaj was questioned in connection with his party's activities, focusing on his contacts with foreign officials, his meeting with the former German Foreign Minister Hans Ditrih Gensher as well as contacts of PLK with Liberal parties in Europe. Police told Mr Dedaj at the end of the "informative talks" not to leave Kosova f or a certain period of time.

    [05] Red Cross congratulations

    On 8 May, International Red Cross Day, Mr. Isuf Dedushaj, Chairman of the Kosov a Red Cross, sent his congratulations to Mr. Kornelio Samaruga, Chair of the In ternational Committee of the Red Cross. "We take this opportunity to inform you once again about the harsh and extraordi nary working conditions of the Kosova Red Cross and remind you that only your u nderstanding and unequivocal aid will enable us to overcome the destitute situat ion that has been ruling in Kosova for several years ".

    [06] Albanian schools face difficult situation

    Rilindja, 11 May 1995, based on the data provided by the Gjilan Education Commit tee writes that due to the severe economic and social situation a considerable n umber of teachers and pupils have been forced to leave schools. Consequently 8 t eachers and 149 pupils left from three secondary schools and 30 teachers and 745 pupils left from 19 primary schools of this commune.

    [07] Serbian authorities seize school premises

    On 11 May, Serbian authorities in Mitrovica, "informed" Mr. Shaqir Berisha, prin cipal of the primary school in the village of Shipol, that a health clinic and l ocal government office are to be opened on the school premises. In reply to Mr B erisha's protests the authorities stated, "We decide ourselves on these issues a nd you certainly are not going to be asked about it!". In 1990 the Serbian authorities seized a part of the same school (4 classrooms) and in 1993 they demolished the building of the village health clinic and confis cated building materials.

    [08] Proposal for Anglo-Albanian University in FYROM

    American businessman and humanist, George Soros, has recently visited the FYROM. In a statement given to Skopje TV Mr Soros stated that the purpose of his visit was to discuss, together with FYROM authorities and Albanian political parties, the possibilities to establish an independent University in Albanian and Englis h, similar to those in Hungary and Bulgaria.

    [09] Peaceful policies only way for Kosova

    In an interview given to Bujku, American Congressman James Moren, member of the House International Relations Committee, stated, "I understood that during the last year police killed 17 people in Kosova and il l-treated many more. All these events in Kosova contradict International human r ights acts, and such issues should be the object of our discussions." Mr Moren went on to state that he personally thought the majority population of Kosova could only support the peaceful policy of Dr. Ibrahim Rugova being the on ly survival for Kosova. He also stated that Dr. Rugova as a leader was a very important one, because he had proved many times that he understood very well the actual situation and circ umstances in Kosova.

    [10] Kosova has the right to decide its destiny

    Mr Bjorn Elmquist, member of the Danish Parliament representing the ruling Radic al-Liberal Party, Chairman of the Parliamentary Judicial Committee, member of th e Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee, member of the Danish delegation to OS BE and Vice-chairman of the Danish Helsinki Committee, in an interview given to Bujku gave his views on the Kosova issue. Among other things he stated that the Danish Parliament supported "the right to self-determination, the right of the majority people of a country to decide it's own fate". According to Mr Elmquist, "now, in the new circumstances, Albanians as well should decide as the majority in Kosova". On the recognition of the Kosova independence he said that, "It will be problema tic at what level will the independence of the state be achieved." Mr. Elmquist expressed his believe that at the end, "Serbia will be forced to gr ant to Albanians everything that it is demanding for Bosnian Serbs" and went on to suggest that this should be the principle that the West should follow.

    [11] The Arbkresh in Italy and Greece

    From 4-6 May at the XVIII Festival of Languages in Brussels the European Office for Languages exhibited its publication entitled "Introduction to the world of the less spread languages". The book, among other things, writes about the sett lement of the Arbkresh people from Albania in Italy (mainly in Calabria and Sici ly) and in Greece (mainly in central and southern Greece).

    In Italy, the book states, the language of the Arbkresh people has not received any specific protection and is not used in public administration but is only tau ght in primary and secondary schools.

    In Greece the Arbkresh people are called "arvanitas" and are not officially reco gnised nor is the language taught in schools.

    [12] Latest Serbian colonisation plans

    The Novi Sad based daily paper Dnevnik reports Aleksa Joksic, Serbian Minister f or Transport and Kosova "governor", to have said that the Serbian plans for colo nisation of Kosova should be accomplished by all means and had called upon Serb ian and "federal" authorities to provide the necessary financial backing. Mr Jo ksvic is reported to have felt that circumstances were favourable for the succes s of this programme.

    In Suhareka Serbian authorities publicised 34 land plots dedicated for shops for Serbian colonists.

    [13] News in brief

    On 4 May, 10 family heads from the village Rakaj (Ferizaj) received summons to r eport to the police station and hand over fire arms.

    On 5 May, Mr. Bedri Sahiti, Director of Vushtrri Health Centre was questioned fo r two hours by the police in connection with his co-operation with local politic al subjects.

    On the same day, about 40 policemen interrupted the basketball mach between Trep ga B.C. and Prishtina B. C. . The mach was being held at the Ibrahim Pervizi Pri mary School Sports Hall. Police ill-treated many players and spectators. Mr. Meh met Tahiri, Vice-chairman of Trepga B.C. was ill-treated and sentenced to 10 day s by the Mitrovica Magistrates Court. He was immediately sent to jail.

    For similar reasons, Vushtrri Magistrates Court sentenced to 10 days imprisonmen t sports activists Sheki Popova, Jashar Peci and Besim Pantina. Mr Peci's senten ce afterwards was increased to 40 days imprisonment.

    On 9 May, in Ruma near Belgrade, Murat Shala was taken off a bus and ill-treated for over an hour. Police seized 1800 DM belonging to Mr Shala.

    In Istog police arrested Cyme Bytygi - Buleshka (60), mother of four, under the pretext that her husband was not at home. She was held for 6 hours.

    In the period of time 8 April - 8 May, in Gjakova 21 families were searched, 8 p eople were detained for "informative talks". 14 were maltreated, 4 were beaten a nd summons for 6 were left ordering them to report to the police station. At the same time 22 robberies were recorded, 19 of them in connection with items from the General National Defence labs in schools.

    On 11 May, Avni A. Sahiti (24) from Vaganica (Mitrovica) was told to report to l ocal police station for an alleged traffic offence. As soon as he reported , pol ice handed him over to military authorities and he was then transferred to Nis m ilitary barracks. Mr. Sahiti completed his military service in 1991.

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