OSCE Chairman expresses condolences after staff member dies in Kosovo car accident

BRUSSELS, 30 November 2006 - The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht, expressed his condolences today to the family of an OSCE Mission in Kosovo staff member who died in a car accident on Wednesday evening.

Nenad Gajic, 32, was a Language Assistant at the OSCE-run KPS Police School. He joined the Mission in May 2004.

Two other OSCE Mission staff members, IT Technician Faton Preteni and Language Assistant Mehmet Veliu, were injured in the accident, as was Mirosad Pocurica, a Police Inspector with the KPS Police Inspectorate. The three are in hospital.

"I extend my most sincere condolences to the family of Mr Gajic," Minister De Gucht said. "I also hope that the others injured in this tragic accident will recover soon."

OSCE Secretary General Marc Perrin de Brichambaut and Ambassador Werner Wnendt, the Head of the OSCE Mission, also expressed condolences.

"Nenad was an important member of our Police Inspectorate and he was very well liked and respected by his colleagues," said Ambassador Wnendt. "He was known for his lively sense of humour and he will be sorely missed."