Press Releases

UNMIK/PR/473 Hans Haekkerup, the third Special Representative of the Secretary General to head the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo, arrived at his UNMIK Government Building office early this morning for his first day on the job. He led his first executive meeting with senior…

UNMIK/PR/471 Pristina-- SRSG Bernard Kouchner signed before he left on Saturday, a regulation on the prohibition of trials in absentia for serious violations of international humanitarian law. Regulation 2001/1 states that “no person may be tried in absentia for serious violations of international…

UNMIK/PR/470 Trafficking and exploitation of human beings in Kosovo has become a crime punishable by two to 20 years of imprisonment. The UNMIK regulation “On the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons in Kosovo” (UNMIK/REG/2001/4) was signed by outgoing SRSG Bernard Kouchner before his departure…

UNMIK/PR/469 Mr. Hans Haekkerup, former Minister of Defence of Denmark, arrived in Kosovo today to take up his duties as the new Special Representative of the Secretary General. Heavy snow prevented the planned meeting with outgoing SRSG Bernard Kouchner at the airport. Mr. Haekkerup will spend his…

UNMIK/PR/468 After a series of emotional farewells with the people of Kosovo, UNMIK staff, police and KFOR troops, Dr. Bernard Kouchner flew out of Pristina’s Slatina airport at 3 p.m. today, heading for Paris aboard a French government jet, ending his 18-month posting as the Special Representative…

UNMIK/PR/467 As the lead organization dealing with all public health aspects relating to depleted uranium in Kosovo, UNMIK has taken several measures in order to protect the civilian population against any possible ill effects from the ammunition used by NATO during the 1999 airstrikes. UNMIK has…

UNMIK/PR/466 SRSG Bernard Kouchner last night addressed the people of Kosovo in a 45-minute speech broadcast live over RTK television. While the speech was to be broadcast over separate satellite channels in both Albanian and Serbian, several viewers who expected the speech in Albanian saw instead…

UNMIK/PR/463 UNMIK, the World Health Organization and the Department of Public Health and Social Welfare have been closely monitoring reports of illnesses allegedly due to contact with depleted uranium. Although no scientific link has been established between depleted uranium and blood cancers…

UNMIK/PR/462 SRSG Bernard Kouchner today welcomed SRSG-designate Hans Haekkerup to Kosovo, where the Danish Defense Minister arrived for a two-day series of briefings from top UNMIK and KFOR officials on the job that awaits him beginning 15 January. The visit was delayed due to fog which engulfed…

UNMIK/PR/461 On this New Year, the real beginning of the new millennium, Kosovo stands at a crossroads. We have been through an incredible year together, full of progress and tension. Thanks to your own efforts and the decisive support of UNMIK and KFOR, many thousands of people who spent last New…