Kosovo: Gjilane parties to protest against decentralization "along ethnic lines"

Text of report by Radio-Television Kosovo TV website on 4 September

All political parties and associations that are active in Gjilane have reached an agreement to form a council to organize protests against decentralization along ethnic lines, which will turn the town of Gjilane into a dead end, surrounded by new municipalities with a Serb majority. Gjilane will hold a united protest against the decentralization process because the Kosova [Kosovo] negotiation team has brought us into a dead end with their lack of information, the seizure and shrinking of our municipality and making Novo Brdo our neighbour, only 3 km from Gjilane town centre, said a representative of the council.

A Self-Determination Movement representative for Anamorava, Hysen Durmishi, said at the meeting that the project for decentralization of Anamorava, which has the support of the Kosova Negotiation Team, fully coincides with the projects that were presented by the Serb state. Gjilane mayor Xhemajl Hyseni said that the council has agreed to hold a peaceful protest and sent a letter to the Kosova Negotiation Team; meanwhile an extraordinary session of the municipal assembly will be held when institutional support will be given to oppose the decentralization process along ethnic lines.

Source: RTK TV website, Pristina, in Albanian 4 Sep 06