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Kosovo: UN to Have No Administrative Powers |
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Thursday, 28 August 2008 |
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 New limited role in for UNMIK as its mandate approaches its end.
Below is an article published by the New Kosova Report:
The United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) reconfiguration, which is expected to finish by the end of the year [2008], will strip UNMIK of most of the administrative competences, but will allow a limited political role and political mentoring, says UNMIK spokesperson for Kosovo daily Express.
UNMIK's Alexander Ivanko informs that after closure of the civil administration during the process of reconfiguration, there will be reduced staff in all departments, including international police staff. According to him the decreased UN mission will be left with some economic and police matters if the Serb police members in the north continue to report through UNMIK to the Police Command of Kosovo.
UNMIK will also try to facilitate the dialog initiated with Belgrade about technical matters. "By the end of fall we will have some competences on policing and judicial matters. When EULEX becomes completely operational by the end of the year we will not have any authority on those fields either," said Ivanko for Kosovo's daily Express.
He revealed that the UNMIK headquarters will be moved from Prishtina to the outskirts in Fushe Kosova.
Beside the central office UNMIK will have four other offices. "We will have offices in Peja, Shterpce, and Gracanica staffed by one junior officer or maybe a UN volunteer. The office in Mitrovica will be reduced compared to today, but it will still remain a substantial office because of the problems we all know about. Department of Information of UNMIK will be reduced by 65-70%."
The actual process of reconfiguration of UNMIK will not be the last. Another reduction process is expected after the New Year's. "UNMIK is getting reduced. It will take some time but we are in the process of reduction," concluded Ivanko.
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