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Head of Mission in Kosovo outlines priorities for 2001
VIENNA 11 January 2001
VIENNA, 11 January 2001 - OSCE Head of Mission in Kosovo, Ambassador Daan Everts, is in Vienna this week to brief the OSCE Permanent Council on the Mission's operational priorities in Kosovo for 2001. He will also present the goals of the Mission to the press (see audio files below). This is a year that will see the consolidation of the progress made by the Mission to date, as well as greater focus on longer-term needs.
This year, OSCE will be concentrating on developing the efficiency, sustainability and self-sufficiency of the institutions created by it in 2000 (real audio clip). Creating professional public institutions, such as the civil service, the police, the judiciary, and the public service media, are crucial to promoting local ownership of the new bodies and structures. OSCE has been a strong advocate for participation by Kosovars all levels of administration (real audio clip). As a result, all the newly-created institutions have been planned with a view to eventually handing over policy and management responsibilities to the people of Kosovo. This gradual transfer of OSCE-run institutions to the Kosovars and the Kosovo Consolidated Budget will be a key task throughout the year (real audio clip).
Training will also feature strongly in all aspects of the Mission's work.
Throughout 2001, OSCE will again be emphasising the importance of democratic principles, transparency of government, and respect for the rule of law and human rights. As the institution building Pillar of the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), OSCE will continue to encourage the incorporation or "mainstreaming" of these principles into UNMIK policy as well as into all aspects of life in Kosovo. The Mission will continue to monitor human rights abuses, human trafficking, property issues, policing and the functioning of legal systems in Kosovo. Issues facing minority communities, such as protection and representation in the various UNMIK structures, will remain one of the Mission's key concerns.
In other areas, OSCE will be working towards preparing the ground for elections as part of the ongoing democratization process. OSCE also hopes to see the establishment of an Interim Media Commission, administered by Kosovars, which will replace the Temporary Media
Commissioner's office as the media regulatory body in Kosovo. The public broadcasting service, RTK, will become fully independent of OSCE this year while the newly-reconstructed terrestrial transmission system should, once fully functioning, be able to transmit its programmes and those of the independent media to almost all of Kosovo.
Training activities at the Kosovo Police Service School will gradually shift towards more supervisory and specialist training. The school is scheduled to reach its target of delivering basic training to 4,200 police cadets by June 2001.
The OSCE Mission in Kosovo is the organization's largest field operation.With a budget of approximately 70 million Euros for the year 2001, the Mission is currently staffed by over 550 international members and just under 2,000 local staff.
The OSCE Permanent Council is the OSCE's consultation and decision-making body. It is made up of the Vienna-based representatives to the OSCE from the 55 participating States who meet on a weekly basis.
This year, OSCE will be concentrating on developing the efficiency, sustainability and self-sufficiency of the institutions created by it in 2000 (real audio clip). Creating professional public institutions, such as the civil service, the police, the judiciary, and the public service media, are crucial to promoting local ownership of the new bodies and structures. OSCE has been a strong advocate for participation by Kosovars all levels of administration (real audio clip). As a result, all the newly-created institutions have been planned with a view to eventually handing over policy and management responsibilities to the people of Kosovo. This gradual transfer of OSCE-run institutions to the Kosovars and the Kosovo Consolidated Budget will be a key task throughout the year (real audio clip).
Training will also feature strongly in all aspects of the Mission's work.
Throughout 2001, OSCE will again be emphasising the importance of democratic principles, transparency of government, and respect for the rule of law and human rights. As the institution building Pillar of the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), OSCE will continue to encourage the incorporation or "mainstreaming" of these principles into UNMIK policy as well as into all aspects of life in Kosovo. The Mission will continue to monitor human rights abuses, human trafficking, property issues, policing and the functioning of legal systems in Kosovo. Issues facing minority communities, such as protection and representation in the various UNMIK structures, will remain one of the Mission's key concerns.
In other areas, OSCE will be working towards preparing the ground for elections as part of the ongoing democratization process. OSCE also hopes to see the establishment of an Interim Media Commission, administered by Kosovars, which will replace the Temporary Media
Commissioner's office as the media regulatory body in Kosovo. The public broadcasting service, RTK, will become fully independent of OSCE this year while the newly-reconstructed terrestrial transmission system should, once fully functioning, be able to transmit its programmes and those of the independent media to almost all of Kosovo.
Training activities at the Kosovo Police Service School will gradually shift towards more supervisory and specialist training. The school is scheduled to reach its target of delivering basic training to 4,200 police cadets by June 2001.
The OSCE Mission in Kosovo is the organization's largest field operation.With a budget of approximately 70 million Euros for the year 2001, the Mission is currently staffed by over 550 international members and just under 2,000 local staff.
The OSCE Permanent Council is the OSCE's consultation and decision-making body. It is made up of the Vienna-based representatives to the OSCE from the 55 participating States who meet on a weekly basis.