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Newsletter March 2003, No 05

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Newsletter March 2003, No 05 AA sS s I e m b l y S u p p o r t I n i t i a t i v e Newsletter March 2003, No 05 • Ms. Nafiye Gas, first woman in the Assembly Presidency • Dr. Alush Gashi seeks better co-operation with international community • “Coalition Return” to become more active in Assembly • Support initiatives to Assembly continue 2 ASInewsletter THE FIRST WOMAN IN THE KOSOVO ASSEMBLY PRESIDENCY Ms Nafi ye Gas is one of the young members of the Assembly, and is the representative of the Group of Other Communities in the Assembly Presidency, since January 2003. She is President of the Kosovo Democratic Turkish Party (KDTP) branch in Gjilan/Gnjilane. An economist by education, she speaks fl uent English, Albanian, Serbian and Turkish. “I am a Scorpio by Zodiac, like many of the prominent Turkish politicians,” she points out, smiling Interview was compiled by David Buerstedde and Lydia Lecheva How does it feel to be ration. But it also means fi nd its way to the know my rights as a level. I don’t like to make the only woman in the I have to work much Kosovo Government as member of a minority promises, but I can say Assembly Presidency? harder on behalf of the well. By comparison, community and I used to that the door of my offi ce interests of all these gro- there are a lot of clever stand up for them not is open for all the women Mr. Nexhat Daci, the ups. and experienced women even being a politician. in Assembly. One of the Assembly President, and in the Assembly but none A politician should know fi rst issues I am going all the other members of What do you think about of them was appointed one thing: to listen and to put for discussion is the Presidency have made the Central Election as a minister. But this then to co-operate and more to be done about me feel very welcome. Commission (CEC) Gender is a problem of their thus to be useful for his women’s education, Most of my colleagues Rule that brought you parties, I should say. or her own community especially in rural areas. are men. As a matt er and other women into the However, I do believe that and for the entire popu- Our society cannot aff ord of fact, most of my Assembly? women should be bett er lation of Kosovo because in the 21st. century to friends are male, so I’m The CEC did well in represented in positions who respects himself, will have uneducated women accustomed to them and establishing the rule that of responsibility. Women no doubt, respect others in Kosovo. We can then feel comfortable. It should there must be one should be in politics, as well. suggest how to resolve be noted, though, that woman out of every and are perfectly capable the other social problems this is my fi rst year in the How you will be three candidates for the of making the right concerning women: I will Presidency (non-Serbian encouraging progress in Kosovo Assembly. It is decisions. not even try to count minorities are represented women’s rights? excellent that it was kept them. in the Presidency on a How did you decide for like that for the I am a member of the rotational basis). All my yourself? The “Other Communities” Municipal Elections. I do Assembly’s Women’s other colleagues here have in the Assembly is a group hope that this regulation My party saw that I Caucus and will do all I already a year of of parliamentarians of will not change for could go into politics. I can to encourage women experience behind them. diff erent ethnicities repre- Kosovo institutions in the never thought it would to participate actively in But I feel self-confi dent senting diff erent political future. For me, it was not happen but I always tho- politics and public life. Of because I stand both for parties that co-operate in diffi cult because I have ught in terms of politics. course, I also strive to the interests of Turkish, order to improve their the support of my KDTP My measure for things be a good example for Bosniak, Gorani, Ashkali status within the Asse- which gave a chance goes in that direction. them. As a member of the and Roma parliamentari- mbly. How do you coordi- to young people and For example, during the Assembly Presidency, I ans and for all the female nate the Group? to women in particular. civil registration, I found will be able to raise issues parliamentarians, as well Moreover, I hope that my name had not been of interest to women at With OSCE’s help we are as for the younger gene- this Gender Rule will recorded in Turkish. I the highest parliamentary working on establishing ASInewsletter 3 To organize themselves always thinking about more eff ectively. It takes how to improve Kosovo’s eff ort and a lot of work economy and job prospe- to do this but it is the cts for all communities. only way. Good internal Kosovo is nothing with- co-ordination and having out a well-functioning the ability and courage to economy. We are curre- overcome apathy, to voice ntly working on many concerns and to make draft laws that will make constructive proposals for Kosovo more att ractive positive change are for investment. indispensable. This is also the only way to convince You are now the most your constituents that important political fi gure things can change for the for the Turkish, Bosniak, bett er. However, special Gorani, Ashkali and encouragement should be Roma communities given to the small parties. represented in the Kosovo Yes, KDTP was successful Assembly. What do you at the last Election, but plan to do for them? we could do bett er if we Whatever is good, wha- had more adequate access tever is in our interest. to media. Co-operation with all the political parties in the What in your view are the biggest challenges that Assembly will be one face minority communities of the key issues. I in Kosovo today? believe that it will not be diffi cult for me to achieve Minority communities this because my political can only be an asset party, KDTP, is always for Kosovo. My party, tolerant. We, the Turkish “Other communities” as “Other communities” still Your party, the Kosovo for example, could be people, don’t like fi ghts. a Provisional Technical did not have an offi ce and Democratic Turkish Party, a strong connection for Sometime we prefer to Group based on the I immediately requested was quite successful in the good co-operation with step back but only to practice of the European one. There are now Municipal Elections 2002. Turkey which Kosovo achieve what is good for Parliament to bett er stand ongoing preparations to Your party colleagues in needs today more than all. together for all minority get our offi ce ready and before. The biggest challe- interests. However, we Prizren are now part nge is to generate optim- try to meet regularly, very soon we will have of the Municipal Gove- usually on the day of the a place where “Other rnment. What could other ism in a bett er future. Ms. Gas, thank you for plenary session. When I communities” could non-majority communities Much will depend on the your time and all the best became a member of the meet. The co-ordination learn from your party? state of the economy. for your future work in the Presidency in January, then will be easier. I as an economist am Assembly. 4 ASInewsletter four proposals. It is expected that the working groups will LATEST DEVELOPMENTS start to function soon “COALITION RETURN” IN THE ASSEMBLY RETURNS TO ASSEMBLY Franklin De Vrieze Ms. Rada Trajkovic resigned, on 30 December 2002, as head TRANSFER OF MORE and noted that 2003 would for overcoming the problems laws. Ministers are requested to of the parliamentary group of COMPETENCIES TO be the turning point for either related to UNMIK’s approval of participate in the initial discus- “Coalition Return” (KP) in the KOSOVO INSTITUTIONS the good or bad of Kosovo. To laws passed by the Assembly. sions of the proposed laws that Assembly. She was replaced address the frictions between the parliamentary commission On 20 January 2003 the SRSG ++ First, UNMiK’s Offi ce of the by Prof. Dragisa Krstovic, a local and international leaders proposes. Deputies that add addressed the people of Kosovo Legal Advisor should submit lawyer, former judge from Lep- the SRSG held separate meet- new articles to the law are in a televised speech. He iden- its remarks on the proposed osavic and a member of the ings with the three leaders of tifi ed the economy, crime and laws, with regard to a poten- required to hand them in on Democratic Party of Serbian main Kosovo Albanian political multi-ethnicity as the key chal- tial confl ict with the Constitu- time to the commission so they Prime Minister Zoran Djinjic. parties. On 27 January 2003 lenges for Kosovo and UNMIK tional Framework, at the Offi ce can be referred back to the (see interview with Mr. Krstovic prof. Daci stated: “In this year, in 2003. He reiterated UNMIK’s of the Prime Minister, before minister. The government will in this Newslett er). Following we should be more co-oper- three months of boycott , KP willingness to transfer further they are brought to the Assem- call on the commissions to give ative.
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