PRISHTINA, Jan 9 (KIC) - In a Pronouncement circulated
Wednesday (Jan. 7, 1998), the
Commission for Economy and Finances, and the
Commission for Industry, Power Industry
and Natural Resources of the Parliament of the
Republic of Kosova, denounced in
strongest terms the colonial policy of Serbia-Montenegro,
and the colonial exploitation of
Kosova natural resources. The Commissions say
they are "against foreign exploitation of
the natural resources, reproducible assets (national
wealth) and industrial facilities in the
Republic of Kosova.
They call on foreign governments, institutions
and businessmen to abolish any transaction
or deals with the so-called "FRY", which anticipate
the exploitation of Kosova wealth and
natural resources.
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Following is the text of the Pronouncement:
(Begin text)
In view of:
- the right of peoples to protect their natural
resources and reproducible assets;
- the UN Charter (1945), Un Pact on Economic
Rights (1966), UN General Assembly
resolution No. 1514 XV, dated 14 December
1960: UN General Assembly Resolution
dated 12 December, as well as A/Res/49/40
dated 9 December 1994;
- the legitimate right of the autochthonous Albanian
people, as permanent citizens in the
territory of Kosova;
- the rights of the people living in Kosova,
including Albanians, guaranteed by the 1990
Constitution of the Republic of Kosova;
- the commitment of the Albanian people to stability
and peace, rather that conflicts;
- the protection of the national sovereignty
and wealth (natural resources and reproducible
assets);
- the resolution on the protection of Kosova's
natural resources from Serb colonial
exploitation. adopted on 21 May 1996 by
the commissions of the Parliament of Kosova
dealing with economic-financial and natural
resources;
The Commission for Economy and Finances and the
Commission for Industry, Power
Industry and Natural Resources of the Parliament
of the Republic of Kosova herewith
issue this
PRONOUNCEMENT
against foreign exploitation of the natural resources,
reproducible assets (national wealth)
and industrial facilities in the Republic of
Kosova.
1. Kosova has publicly declared its goal and aspiration,
opting in the 1991 national
plebiscite for an independent and sovereign state,
pursuant to the right of peoples to self-
determination up to and including secession;
2. The 1974 Constitution vested Kosova with the
powers of a state, being as it was one of
the eight equitable units of the former Yugoslav
federation; by virtue of this Kosova had its
own borders (the existing ones) as well as the
autonomous social, economic, and political
powers;
3. Making great sacrifices, Kosova achieved considerable
economic potentials, the
foundations for its future development and prosperity;
4. The overwhelming majority of those having a
job in the public sector in Kosova were
Albanian, although their number failed by far
to reflect their participation in the overall
population in Kosova;
5. Positive economic trends were discontinued
by the end of 1980s, when a national and
chauvinist Serbian-Montenegrin clique seized
control of all power, including the police and
military. This regime started in 1990 dismissing
Albanians from work, thus depriving them
of employment rights, as well as shares from
the assets they had produced themselves.
6. Over 150 000 Albanians, dismissed from work
by force, and having suffered outrageous
repression an oppression, do nevertheless consider
that the natural resources and the
reproducible assets (the national wealth) belong
to them and nobody else.
7. The Serbian-Montenergin authorities exercise
an utterly colonial policy towards Kosova.
They have no right to dispossess Albanians of
their national wealth. But, this is what they
have been doing in Kosova. This arbitrary denial
of the right of Albanians to ownership of
their national wealth has since 1990 paved the
way for merging of Kosovar public
economy with Serbia's, illegal ownership transformation
as well as pillage of the national
wealth of Kosova. The ultimate goal of these
moves was to ensure that even after
ownership transformation and privatization of
the public (socially-owned) property, laws on
concessions and foreign investments has been
passed, Albanians be deprived of the right
to have shares in and run their own capital.
8. By forcefully dismissing from public sector
jobs of over 150 000 Albanians, Serbia and
Montenegro aimed to achieve two goals:
a) to pave the way for their unrestricted
control over Kosovar resources and economic
facilities;
and
b) to pauperize the Albanian people,
make it flee its centuries-old homeland, and look for
mercy in
European metropolises and elsewhere.
The intended results have been:
a) depriving Albanians of the elementary
right to live;
b) carry out a quiet ethnic cleansing
of Kosova, and old Serb scheme.
9. The Serbian-Montenegrin regime has gone further
in its drive to ruin the economic basis
of Kosova. In the first half of the year 1997,
Serbia offered Greece concessions in the
"Trepça" mines as well as other facilities,
which operate as end-product facilities within the
"Trepça" conglomerate. In addition, a
deal was stricken with the Italian and Greek states,
selling them the right of exploitation of the
Kosova PTT system;
10. Such deals constitute flagrant violations
of the right of Kosovar employees and
citizens. No concession will be accepted as valid
unless the authorities of the Republic of
Kosova have participated in the conclusion of
it, or else given their consent. These deals
between states represent a further denial of
rights of Albanians, but also other people
living in Kosova;
11. Therefore, the Commission for Economy and
Finances and the Commission for
Industry, Power Industry and Natural Resources
of the Parliament of the Republic of
Kosova, based on the above-said, strongly denounce
and oppose:
a) The governments of Serbia
and Montenegro, namely the government of the self-
proclaimed Yugoslavia, and demand that they lay their had off our wealth,
be it
natural or reproducible resources;
b) These resources and assets
have always rightfully belonged to Kosova, and all
should know that this regime and this policy of hegemony and colonialist
rule
cannot last forever. Therefore, due indemnity will be sought at the end
of the day;
c) Foreign governments, institutions
and businessmen should themselves abolish
such
illegal deals. Otherwise, the Albanian people will treat them as neo-colonialists
and
will demand reparations
Commission for Economy and Finances of the Republic
of Kosova
Salih Bajra, Chairman
Commission for Industry, Power Industry and Natural
Resources
Burhan Kavaja, Chairman
(End text)