Brussels, 24/06/2003 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday, the EP's Foreign Affairs Committee was addressed in Brussels by Ibrahim Rugova, the Kosovan President, and Michael Steiner, United Nations Special Representative in Kosovo, who assessed the results of UN activity in the country. Steiner said free and democratic elections were organised, EUR 1 million a year is being allocated to the police, customs services have been set up, the monetary system is as stable as is possible and children have been able to attend one of the 1200 schools since June 1999. Rugova said progress had been made in all walks of life. The emergency situation is now over and four years on, the public safety situation is better on the whole. The Kosovan police force worked, he said.
The remaining challenges include unemployment which currently stands at 57%, with an 18-year old adult having a one in four chance of finding a job. The situation is worse for the ethnic minorities. Steiner said that elsewhere this would be a recipe for crime and despair. Ethnic minorities have been integrated into the police and there were now two ministries dealing with ethnic minorities, explained Rugova. Serb provisional government representative Todorovic said there had been improvements but that Serbs had benefited from them less than other people. Two thirds of Serbs are still displaced and their safety is still not guaranteed, he pointed out. Todorovic criticised the number plate system introduced by Bernard Kouchner for leading to discrimination. He wanted to know why European number plates weren't introduced to ensure free circulation throughout the country, adding that there seemed to be a lack of political will in Kosovo. Close to 1000 refugees returned home in the summer of 2002. Steiner commented that this was insufficient but there is a lack of money. He said they had not yet received the EUR 37.5 million pledged in the summer for the return of refugees. Some local leaders are still hostile to their return.
On Kosovo's status in the future, the Serb representative said it was important not to wait too long before starting negotiating, but Steiner commented that while the status of the country was important, the most important thing was for the country to function properly.