Thursday, July 28, 2005

Govt, UNMIK call for help in refugee returns - €22 million are needed

Dailies report that the Kosovo Government and UNMIK do not have sufficient funds for the successful return of internally-displaced people.

The papers quote Killian Kleinschmidt, the head of the Office for Returns and Communities, as saying that €22 million are needed to implement current projects for IDP returns. Kleinschmidt called on donors to support UNMIK and the Kosovo Government in acquiring the necessary resources.

In spite of the delays, Kleinschmidt said the process of IDP returns was going well. ‘If you visit various parts of Kosovo, you will find families who have returned to their reconstructed homes,’ he said, adding that a better internal climate and related negotiations between Pristina and Belgrade would help in the process of returns.

Fatmir Sheholli, spokesman for the Ministry of Returns, told journalists that Belgrade was impeding the return of Serbs. He added that Serbian propaganda about the situation in Kosovo was preventing IDPs from returning to their homes.

Koha Ditore quotes Sheholli as saying, ‘We have about 70, 000 applications, 70% coming from the Serb community and the rest from other ethnic groups, which represent the will of a large number of people who want to return to Kosovo.’

Lajm quotes officials of the Ministry for Returns as confirming that they are preparing a draft law for IDP returns.

The press says that based on the information of the Ministry for Returns and Communities, 11,000 people have returned to Kosovo so far. On 19 July UNMIK and the Kosovo Government launched the strategic framework for IDPs which envisages a greater flux of returns this year and next year.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a nice way to spend our government's money. Way to go.

Anonymous said...

Yeah.... I wonder until when our government is to play the saint for these ungrateful serbs. To tell you the truth a lot of people that I know of is waiting for the serbs to return, hoping that those that helped the serb military commit genocide makes the stupid decision and return so that those hurt by the war could get their hands on them..ohh how I wish they could make that mistake..

Anonymous said...

Although I understand your wish for revenge you should restrain.
This will be task for the future independent Kosovar courts.
Your place has seen enough violence and maybe taking revenge was the main source for it. It's a devilish cycle.

Anonymous said...

It's time to get over with this issue once and for all. Let's get this out of the way and deal with other issues.
If criminals dare to return they will be punished.

Anonymous said...

Sorry Chris but I'd rather not see murderers among my people, and I am sure you agree. So revenge through courts, and public humuliation is acceptable but nothing that resorts to physical violence.

Albanians are not Serb.

Anonymous said...

Hence why Kosovo (and the Balkans) has so many problems...people all vying for revenge for hundreds of years...

Anonymous said...

And to note, as Chris mentioned as an answer to me, revenge not in personal sense, but in the same sense there is "revenge" or lets better call it competition between France and the UK, Germany and Italy, etc...its time to smell the coffee and take the battle out in the markets, knowledge and prove that we (Albanians) do not have an animalistic culture like the Serbs, that will be our revenge.