Kosovo: UN officials on hand as reconstruction starts on building destroyed by riots

Senior officials from the United Nations and Kosovo today witnessed the start of reconstruction on a building damaged by recent deadly ethnic clashes in the province.

Francesco Bastagli of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and Kosovo's Prime Minister, Bajram Rexhepi, were on hand as work commenced on cleaning up the YU-building in Ulpiana. Prime Minister Rexhepi said that he hoped the renovation would be completed in 10 days.

“This is a good beginning, but much more needs to be done,” Mr. Bastagli said, stressing that the affected communities should be involved in the building's reconstruction.

Besides repairing material damages, confidence and trust between the Serb and Albanian communities have to be rebuilt, he added.

In another development, UNMIK today reported that the dead body of a male child had been found washed on the side of a riverbank in the Lipjan area of Pristina.

The Mission said no foul play is suspected, but the Pristina Regional Serious Crimes Squad is investigating the case.

Police linked the body with that of a Kosovo Albanian child reported missing since 27 February, according to UNMIK.