Municipal Working Group
Viti/na Municipality
March 15, 2005

 

 

The monthly Municipal Working Group meeting for Viti/na Municipality was held on 15 th of March and was attended by Municipal President, UNMIK MR, RRU, UNHCR, KFOR, Care International, ARC, UMCOR, OSCE, Political Advisor of Minister of Returns and Communities and representatives of villages of Zhiti/Zitinje and Novosellë/Novo Selo.

UNMIK MR chaired the meeting.

Agenda:

•  Update on Podgorcë/Podgorce project;
•  Developments with Zhiti/Zitinje project;
•  Dialogue facilitation in Gërmovë/Grmovo;
•  Novosellë/Novo Selo - potential return site;
•  Amendment to Municipal Strategy on Sustainable Return;
•  Others.

The MR welcomed the participants and thanked the Political Advisor of Ministry of Returns and Communities for his participation asking for more frequent participations of the relevant ministry at MWG meetings, as this would provide the opportunity for MWG to directly present their concerns to the higher-level institutions.

Podgorc/e developments:

MR informed the participants that a meeting with both communities was held in Podgorc/Podgorce village, organized by Municipal Authorities in coordination with UNMIK, with the aim of making clear that conditions for the return of IDPs to their new built houses were in place and that it was the last time such meetings were organized. However no IDPs permanently stayed in the village overnights so far.

Developments in Zhiti/Zitinje :

Care International reported that GSV has taken place on 17 th and 18 th of March, organized by DRC in Serbia and Kosovo, UNHCR and CARE in which 10 IDPs were given the chance to visit the village, cemetery and the church. During this visit IDPs met with Municipal Authorities and their neighbors and as an outcome two more IDPs expressed their willingness to return. On 5 th of March another GSV took place where 40 IDPs, mostly women and children, visited the church and cemetery.

The list of beneficiaries is still open for one more family, currently there are 34 families included in the list, out of which four are Albanians. Up to now 15 TPA are signed three more shall be signed during the week while 11 cases were exempted from paying of court fees.

As a problem reported was disagreement between village council and the contractor regarding payment of workers. The contractor has proposed 250 €/per month/without meal for a normal worker and 400€/per month/with meal for qualified workers giving a deadline 18 th of March otherwise they would recruit workers from other villages in order to begin with the project as soon as possible. Representative of village council indicated that the offer of contractor was not accepted since the proposal of village council was 10€/per diem for normal workers and 20€/per diem for qualified workers, stating that the intention of village council was not to obstruct the process. President will meet with both parties on Thursday, 17 th of March at 19:00hrs to resolve the issue. President also indicated that the Municipality would apply to EAR for financing of water supply and sewage disposal system projects.

Gërmovë/Grmovo developments:

UMCOR reported that it was closely working with the village council to finalize the concept paper, which would be submitted to MWG in two weeks.

Novosellë/Novo Selo - potential return site

Representative of IDPs expressed the willingness of IDPs of this village to return. UNHCR Representative stated that through its office in Kraljevo/Kralevë would organize G&I visit to Serbia to identify interested IDPs, in order to continue with other return related activities.

Municipal Strategy on Sustainable Returns:

President of the Municipal Assembly indicated that the Strategy was approved by the Municipal Assembly and was preceded through all municipal relevant bodies and of course it could be amended. Head of MCO should propose the amendment to the BoD and other relevant bodies subsequently. MR proposed to call an extraordinary meeting of the MWG in two weeks in order to review and approve amendment to the Strategy and the concept paper for Gërmovë/Grmovo village.

Other

Senior Political advisor of Minister of Returns and Communities attended the meeting indicating that freedom of movement, security, access to public, health and education services, re-possession of properties, equal and fair employment were crucial elements to having sustainable return. It was agreed with the Officers of Return of SRSG office that projects related to return should primarily be endorsed by municipalities, and then to be forwarded to the Ministry for seeking donations. The project on village of Mijak submitted to our office by the municipal authorities would be proposed in the meeting with international NGOs, which would take place soon. There is a hope that it would be approved. It was promised that the Ministry would address the issue related to exemption of IDPs from paying of court fees to relevant government bodies.

Action points:

•  MA President- to organise a meeting with village council and contracted company on Thursday, 17 th of March at 19:00hrs to resolve the issue of paying workers .
•  MWG - Follow up Podgorc/Podgorce project developments.
•  CARE - update on Zhiti/Zitinje developments.
•  UMCOR - update on Gërmovë/Grmovo developments, presentation of Concept Paper.
•  UNHCR, President - update on Novosellë/Novo Selo as a potential return site
•  MWG - follow up amendment to Municipal Strategy on Sustainable Return.

The next MWG meeting will be held on 12 April 2005 at 14.00hrs at the Viti/na Municipality meeting room.

List of Participants:

Hamid Reza Elyassi UNMIK OA elyassi@un.org
Mikhail Krasnoschekov UNMIK LCO krasnoschekov@un.org
Kathryn Harakal RRU harakal@un.org
Robert Ngangue RRU ngangue@un.org
Musa Misini Predsednik, Viti/na musamisini_y@hotmail.com
Marie Whalen UNHCR whalen@unhcr.ch
Nuhi Kosumi Ministarstvo Povratka Nuhi.Kosumi@ks.gov.net
Mustafë Shabani MRO mustafshabani@hotmail.com
Predrag Mihailovic Srecna Porodica mihajlovicp@ptt.yu
Daniel Stankovic MRO
Zoran Krcmarevic Head MCO zorankrcmarevic@yahoo.com
Bojan Krcmarevic MCO bojankrcma@yahoo.com
Martin Mendoza KFOR martin.mendoza@bondsteel2.areur.army.mil
Greg Leeds KFOR gregory.leeds@bondsteel2.areur.army.mil
Patrick Cullen KFOR patrick.cullen@bondsteel2.areur.army.mil Nebojsa Tasevski CARE tasevskin@careks.org
Samir Selimi UMCOR samirs@umcor-balkans.org
Lindita Kqiku UNHCR kqiku@unhcr.ch
Sasa Ristic ARC arcmainagency@yahoo.com
Agim Gashi ICRC pristina.pri@icrc.org
Shpëtim Mustafa OSCE shpetim.mustafa@osce.org
Halim Rexhepi Mercy Corps halim_rexhepi@hotmail.com
Zaim Hajrizi Kosovo Red Cross
Avdulla Emini M.Reconstruction Dep
Avdirrahamn Haliti M.Reconstruction Dep.