3rd Anniversary of NATO's Conquest of Kosovo

Success announced: murder rate of minorities dropped [as less non-Albanians become available through ethnic cleansing and "disappearances"]

The UN Secretary General’s Special Representative in Kosovo, Michael Steiner, was making an address in Prishtina on the occasion of 3rd anniversary of deployment of multinational peacekeeping force (KFOR) in Kosovo. The signs of reconstruction and great personal energy are evident throughout Kosovo, Steiner said, adding that foreign donations will be cut down. The local resources will make up some 93 percent of 2002 Kosovo budget.

The situation has changed although a lot of work has to be done in terms of improving security and protection for ethnic minority human rights, Steiner said, adding that some 4.000 displaced persons have returned to their homes so far.

Steiner said the crime rate marked a significant decline. As many as 245 murders had been reported in the year 2000. Since the beginning of 2002, the number of murders dropped to 31 (30 Albanians and 1 Serb).

Reality Macedonia http://www.realitymacedonia.org.mk/web/firstpage.asp