Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-12-14-Speech-4-175"
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"en.20001214.7.4-175"2
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"Mr President, I am pleased, as I am sure is the whole of Parliament, that there has been considerable progress in the political situation in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in recent months. I am sure we are all pleased about the progress throughout the region in the course of this year, beginning with the electoral change in Croatia at the beginning of the year, continuing with the change in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and culminating in the extremely successful conference which was quite properly held in Zagreb a few weeks ago.
So much has changed since the autumn: the new authorities in Belgrade have moved fast, for example to restore international contacts; they have moved fast to enable the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to take its place at the United Nations and, as well, to take its place in the OSCE.
Without blowing our own trumpet, we can also say that the European Union has responded very rapidly to the new situation. Our EUR 200m emergency package has been under way for the last month, delivering huge quantities of fuel and other urgent supplies like medicines and food, to help Serbia to get through the winter.
The issue of political prisoners remains, however, as several members have pointed out, an extremely important one. The European Union has consistently raised the plight of Kosovar Albanians in prison in Serbia. I have done that myself. We have also raised the position of individuals like Flora Brovina and the very brave Serbian journalist Miroslav Filipovic.
I am pleased that there has been some progress. Brovina and Filipovic have both been freed. Indeed, I met Miroslav Filipovic when I was in Belgrade in October – we spent part of an evening together. I know that Members of this Parliament welcomed Flora Brovina to Brussels last month.
Despite this, many Kosovar Albanians remain in prison in Serbia and there remain many missing Kosovar Albanians and Serbs whom the ICRC is still attempting to trace. We have tried to display understanding for the new government as it seeks to consolidate democracy in Yugoslavia. But the issue of detainees is plainly extremely important. There has been some movement on the general issue. The Federal Government is working on a general amnesty, not just for Kosovar Albanian prisoners, but also for other political detainees. Contacts have been established. A special envoy of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ambassador Amneus, has been appointed and the ambassador has opened offices in Pristina and Gracanica.
I raised the issue of Kosovar Albanian prisoners with the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia authorities during my visit to Belgrade on 23 October and will continue to raise these issues with the Yugoslav Federal Republic authorities. I can assure honourable Members that it is an issue which I will take up – not least as a result of this debate – on the next visit I make to Belgrade after the elections on 23 December.
I share honourable Members' concern about the situation in the Presevo valley. We strongly condemn recent violence. The attacks are attacks on democracy: the new democracy in Serbia and the prospects of democracy in Kosovo. I welcome steps now taken by KFOR to tackle the problem and continue to urge restraint on all sides. The Community is, of course, playing its role, for example, by ensuring that the Presevo valley benefits from our assistance programmes for Serbia. We are running three schools for democracy projects in the area and we are looking to help with fuel supplies in the area as well. But, I repeat, we know how important this issue is; it is an issue that we have raised consistently in the past and we will continue to raise it with the new authorities in Belgrade with, I hope, happier consequences."@en1
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