UN hands over more power to Kosovo government

The top United Nations envoy for Kosovo has decided to hand over more power to the province’s government with the creation of new ministries dealing with energy, local self-government, and returns and communities, the UN mission there said today.

Søren Jessen-Petersen, chief of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), was meeting with political leaders in Pristina to inform them of the decision, and to tell them of his endorsement of their proposal to establish posts for a Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy Ministers.

A statement released by UNMIK in Pristina said Mr. Jessen-Petersen stressed that the new and existing competences of the Provisional Institutions of Self Government (PISG) must be exercised in a fully responsible and accountable manner. He also made it clear that a commitment from the government to do so was “an integral part of the transfer.”

He reiterated that the transfer of competences would have to be accompanied by comprehensive capacity-building of the PISG, adding that improved government accountability and capacity would be an important step forward in enabling Kosovo to meet the priority standards ahead of the planned mid-2005 review.

During his meeting with political leaders, Mr. Jessen-Petersen was also to discuss the possibility of further transfer of competencies, particularly in the area of the economy, after the formation of the new government.

The UN envoy underscored that a strong partnership would continue in the non-transferred areas to ensure further full engagement of the PISG.