Not another Bosnia?!

I hope they don't create another Bosnia in Kosovo. I mean whats the point?! The Bosnia system is not working. Kosovo has already had its 'international presence', UNMIK. I agree with EU being there, but not having powers to overrule elected officials. This will create frustration among the people, and provide local politicians with an excuse for evading accountability.

Kosovo follows risky path with plan to give EU sweeping powers

By Vesna Peric Zimonjic in Belgrade

Published: 11 December 2006

Kosovo is set to follow the path of Bosnia-Herzegovina in giving thebalance of power to international overseers enabling them to ignoreelected leaders, under draft UN plans seen by The Independent.

The European Union mission which is set to take over from the UN in thebreakaway province of Kosovo, will be given sweeping powers overlocally elected authorities in a scheme which strongly resembles thefruitless international effort in Bosnia.

The future of the province is subject to tense talks betweeninternational mediators, the Serbian government and representatives ofthe province's ethnic Albanian majority.

Kosovo's Albanian community - more than 90 percent of the province's2 million population - wants to establish an independent state, whileSerbia has insisted Kosovo remain part of its territory.

The US and Western powers expect the upcoming UN ruling to result inconditional independence for Kosovo, despite Serbia's objections.

Once that status is agreed the draft plan calls for theestablishment of an International Civil Representative (ICR), much likethat existing in Bosnia. They would then have the authority to annulKosovo government decisions as well as laws adopted by the localparliament and to replace officials whose policy is not in tune withthe demands of the EU.

Similar powers in Bosnia-Herzegovina have already created hugeresentment against the Office of the High Representative, particularlyamong Bosnian Serbs and Croats.

The office of the ICR will also overlook the work of Kosovo's police, judiciary, customs and penal institutions.

Besides Pristina, there will be two subordinated offices, one in thenorthern town of Mitrovica where most Kosovo Serbs live and another inthe Serbian capital of Belgrade.

Kosovo is currently run by a UN administration supplemented by anucleus of local democratic institutions. In effect, it ceased to bepart of Serbia in 1999, after 11 weeks of Nato air strikes prompted byBelgrade's violent oppression of the ethnic Albanians. Local leadershave insisted on independence since the Serbian surrender, but it isnot mentioned in this plan.

Instead the only describes what happens once the status is decided,through negotiations undertaken by the UN's Finnish special envoyMartti Ahtisaari. However, the plan, which was created under themandate provided by the EU security chief Javier Solana earlier thisyear, foresees the steps that will lead to the EU presence in Kosovo.

Once the status is clear, the office of ICR will take over from theUN administration. At the same time, Nato peacekeepers will remain inthe province, as well as the OSCE, much like in Bosnia.

International diplomatic sources in Belgrade say that the decisionon Kosovo's status is likely to be made in the first months of 2007.

Kosovo is set to follow the path of Bosnia-Herzegovina in giving thebalance of power to international overseers enabling them to ignoreelected leaders, under draft UN plans seen by The Independent.

The European Union mission which is set to take over from the UN in thebreakaway province of Kosovo, will be given sweeping powers overlocally elected authorities in a scheme which strongly resembles thefruitless international effort in Bosnia.

The future of the province is subject to tense talks betweeninternational mediators, the Serbian government and representatives ofthe province's ethnic Albanian majority.

Kosovo's Albanian community - more than 90 percent of the province's2 million population - wants to establish an independent state, whileSerbia has insisted Kosovo remain part of its territory.

The US and Western powers expect the upcoming UN ruling to result inconditional independence for Kosovo, despite Serbia's objections.

Once that status is agreed the draft plan calls for theestablishment of an International Civil Representative (ICR), much likethat existing in Bosnia. They would then have the authority to annulKosovo government decisions as well as laws adopted by the localparliament and to replace officials whose policy is not in tune withthe demands of the EU.

Similar powers in Bosnia-Herzegovina have already created hugeresentment against the Office of the High Representative, particularlyamong Bosnian Serbs and Croats.

The office of the ICR will also overlook the work of Kosovo's police, judiciary, customs and penal institutions.

Besides Pristina, there will be two subordinated offices, one in thenorthern town of Mitrovica where most Kosovo Serbs live and another inthe Serbian capital of Belgrade.

Kosovo is currently run by a UN administration supplemented by anucleus of local democratic institutions. In effect, it ceased to bepart of Serbia in 1999, after 11 weeks of Nato air strikes prompted byBelgrade's violent oppression of the ethnic Albanians. Local leadershave insisted on independence since the Serbian surrender, but it isnot mentioned in this plan.

Instead the only describes what happens once the status is decided,through negotiations undertaken by the UN's Finnish special envoyMartti Ahtisaari. However, the plan, which was created under themandate provided by the EU security chief Javier Solana earlier thisyear, foresees the steps that will lead to the EU presence in Kosovo.

Once the status is clear, the office of ICR will take over from theUN administration. At the same time, Nato peacekeepers will remain inthe province, as well as the OSCE, much like in Bosnia.

International diplomatic sources in Belgrade say that the decisionon Kosovo's status is likely to be made in the first months of 2007.

Independent Online Edition > Europe

technorati tags:Kosova, Kosovo, Bosnia, Serbia, EU, UN, UNMIK

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