OSCE Mission condemns property rights-related violence
PRISTINA, 3 May 2006 - The Acting Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Jens Modvig, today strongly condemned recent violent incidents linked to property disputes.
"Disputes leading to violence and personal tragedy are totally outside what the people of Kosovo expect from the future and signify a blow to their hopes for democracy and human rights protection. Kosovo's society and its political leadership need to move away from an environment of chaos and violence towards full protection of property rights and respect for the rule of law," Modvig said.
The deputy municipal president of Shtime/Stimlje, Vezir Bajrami, and one other person were killed on the night of 22 April in a violent shoot-out related to a dispute over a parcel of land. On 1 May two people died in Podujevë/Podujevo in a similar incident. Earlier other property related incidents in Pejë/Pec region also caused other fatalities, including two municipal construction inspectors who were attacked in Klinë/Klina in September 2005.
"Respect for property rights and the work of the police and the judiciary are at the core of any functioning democratic society that respects the rule of law," Modvig added. "However, these institutions also require the effective co-operation of all individuals."
Property is one of the most challenging standards which must be addressed by Kosovo's Provisional Institutions of Self-Government (PISG). To fulfill this standard, property rights violations must be remedied through a functioning property rights system where courts, police, municipalities and central government implement property laws with full respect to international human rights standards.
As part of its institution-building mandate, the OSCE Mission is helping to build democratic institutions and protect human rights. A functioning property rights system is crucial to this goal.
"The protection of property rights is necessary for economic development, sustainable returns, democratic local government and the protection of cultural heritage," said Modvig, who is the co-chair of the Property Rights Standard Implementation Group together with the PISG Minister of Environment and Spatial Planning, Mr. Ardian Gjini.