Tuesday, October 19, 2004

Kosovo party leaders address election rallies around the country - BBC

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KosovaReport said...

Democratic Party of Kosova [Kosovo] - the LDK - has told voters in Gjilan [Gnjilane] that the LDK was a party of trust, a party of every citizen, of every family [music from a live concert accompanying the rally].

[Reporter] Gjilan has always voted and will continue to vote for the LDK, said party chairman Ibrahim Rugova. He said that after this month's national elections, the national institutions will have more competencies.

[Ibrahim Rugova] These competencies would transfer much more easily with the recognition of independence for our country. An independent Kosova integrated into NATO and the European Union, and permanent friendship with the United States of America is the political and national will of Kosova.

[Reporter] Ibrahim Rugova said also that the LDK needs an absolute victory in these elections and asked the electorate to vote for his party on 23 October. At the end of the rally a concert with Kosova popular singers was staged.

[Announcer] The Democratic Party of Kosova - the PDK - has asked for the vote of Ferizaj [Urosevac] residents. During its last electoral meeting in this municipality they promised voters work, economic development and integration into EU structures.

[Reporter] The Democratic Party of Kosova has a vision, knowledge and above all it takes responsibility, the party political leaders said in Ferizaj. They promised the municipality residents that the PDK will bring improved economic prosperity, youth employment and integration into the European Union structures. PDK chairman Hashim Thaci said his party has a clear vision in building Kosova into an independent and sovereign state.

[Hashim Thaci] The Democratic Party of Kosova, compared to other political parties, has a clear vision for building an independent and sovereign Kosova. If you give us your vote we will build Kosova's statehood identity and every Kosova inhabitant will have Kosova citizenship. There will be rule of law and there will be no exploitation of legislation for political interests. Everyone will be equal before the law, and the PDK will also work to ensure respect for laws according to democratic standards and principles.

[Reporter] Bajram Rexhepi said that the PDK has the necessary means to make Kosova statehood a reality.

[Bajram Rexhepi] A few days ago I heard that the LDK said Ferizaj was and will be a LDK stronghold, whereas I am giving a different message [chanting and whistles in the background] - that this time Ferizaj will vote for the Democratic Party of Kosova.

[Reporter] During the rally the PDK presented four of its candidates running for seats in the future Kosova Assembly. Today the PDK organised its last rallies in Lipjan, Shtime and Kacanik.

[Announcer] The Alliance for the Future of Kosova - the AAK - held an electoral meeting in Gjakova [Djakovica] asking citizens to vote for them. AAK officials said the party will fight against the status quo in Kosova.

[Reporter] Kosova's main enemy is the status quo and we will do our best to get rid of it, the chairman of AAK, Ramush Haradinaj, told Gjakova voters. He said that his party's programme promises to make Kosova a country by next autumn. According to Haradinaj, this can be done since the alliance has the human resources to make this a reality.

[Ramush Haradinaj] We have said, to the internationals as well, that staying in one place - or the status quo, as it has been called - is Kosova's biggest enemy. The Alliance has provided proof that it is against the status quo, that it is against stagnation in Kosova, that it is an active institution for the development of Kosova.

[Reporter] Haradinaj said that the Alliance has thought about the economic programme as well and, based on the AAK programme, the economy will start developing immediately after the formation of the new government. AAK officials in Gjakova said that this time Gjakova will give their vote to the Alliance because, according to them, the AAK is the party of all citizens. [Passage omitted]

[Announcer] The Ora civic political initiative held rallies in Podujeva and Mitrovica. According to Veton Surroi, ORA will make fundamental changes in the government within 12 months.

[Reporter] At the meeting held in Podujeva, the head of the Ora civic political initiative Veton Surroi said that since Podujeva holds an important position as the entry point to Kosova from the north, it also represents a crossroads for all of us in Kosova. According to Surroi, the crossroads is very simple and fragile, it is the crossroads in the middle of a road that is keeping us the way we are, or the crossroads that needs to change the way we live and the way we develop. Surroi said that no one believes Ora can complete the constitution and the development fund within 12 months. And yet, many political bodies agree that this could happen if there is good will.

[Veton Surroi] Kosova is at a historical crossroads. It is at this crossroads that we need to decide whether we will move towards creating a functioning democratic state, or whether we will remain a country that is being dragged along. We are in favour of the road that will help build this country together with all of you. [Passage omitted]

[Reporter] Ora held a rally in Mitrovica as well. According to Surroi the unification of Mitrovica, the country's independence and economic development may not be achieved with the existing politics.

[Veton Surroi] Mitrovica will be united through the rule of law, with tolerance and economic development. Mitrovica will be united at a time when other Kosova regions are ready to pay the price for Mitrovica's unification. Not only Mitrovica residents should pay this price because Mitrovica is not only theirs, it belongs to Kosova and it will remain as such.

[Reporter] Ora representatives said they will pay special attention to agriculture since, according to them, the European Union was created through a successful agrarian policy. [Passage omitted]

[Announcer] The Justice Party held its rally in Gjilan. Party leaders said they will be engaged in creating a peaceful, free and democratic country.

[Reporter] The rally of the Justice Party - PD - in Gjilan began with a religious prayer for the student victims of the traffic accident in Albania. [Passage omitted]

According to party chairman Sulejman Cerkezi, the Justice Party will make efforts to include religious teaching in school curricula.

[Sulejman Cerkezi] We are trying to have a society without a soul. A society without a soul is only a corpse and nothing more. There is a popular saying that when a person dies it is called a corpse. So let us chose between the two, become a healthy society or play the role of the corpses, robots. With the existing law on education we are producing robots, not people. [Passage omitted]

[Announcer] The Popular Movement of Kosova - LPK - met the electorate in Gjakova. This time, too, they told the participants that they will make efforts for national unification.

[Reporter] LPK chairman Emrush Xhemajli said that with the LPK we will be closer to national unification. [Passage omitted]

[Emrush Xhemajli] In the past the LPK has take decisions that were much more difficult than putting the paperwork together for an independent and sovereign Kosova. This is also a very important decision, but it is not more difficult than the decision the LPK took for the organization of the liberation war of our people in Kosova, Macedonia and Presheva Valley. [Passage omitted]

[Announcer] The Kosova Christian Democratic Party - PSDK - met voters in Mitrovica. They also said they will work for the unification of the town and Kosova independence. [Passage omitted]