"Financing of UNMIK to be on agenda on Jan. 17"

BELGRADE According to a Belgrade-based newspaper, the issue of the financing of the UN mission, UNMIK, in northern Kosovo will be discussed on January 17. The Kosovo Albanian institutions were under obligation to finance the work of the mission, but they ceased with payments of salaries to its local staff in July, at the same time opening their own administrative office in the Serb, northern part of Kosovska Mitrovica. "Financing of UNMIK to be on agenda on Jan. 17" They were attempting to "transfer the work of the UNMIK office to the one opened by the Pristina government", Politika writes on Monday. Kosovska Mitrovica Mayor and Deputy Director of the Government Office for Kosovo and Metohija Krstimir Pantic says that the problem will "most likely" be discussed during the next round of EU-sponsored Kosovo negotiations in Brussels. European Integrations Challenges magazine editor Nikola Jovanovic "confirmed this information", writes the daily, and adds that he stressed that "as long as there is no political solution acceptable to both sides, UNMIK should continue to function unimpeded". According to Politika, "half the UN members do not pay contributions toward UNMIK", while Kosovo Albanians and the United States are exerting pressure with the goal of shutting down the UNMIK office in the north. Meanwhile, contracts were not extended for more than 100 local staff after December 31. Mayors of the four Serb municipalities met last month with UNMIK chief Farid Zarif - "but a solution had not been found". Politika

"Financing of UNMIK to be on agenda on Jan. 17"

They were attempting to "transfer the work of the UNMIK office to the one opened by the Priština government", Politika writes on Monday.

Kosovska Mitrovica Mayor and Deputy Director of the Government Office for Kosovo and Metohija Krstimir Pantić says that the problem will "most likely" be discussed during the next round of EU-sponsored Kosovo negotiations in Brussels.

European Integrations Challenges magazine editor Nikola Jovanović "confirmed this information", writes the daily, and adds that he stressed that "as long as there is no political solution acceptable to both sides, UNMIK should continue to function unimpeded".

According to Politika, "half the UN members do not pay contributions toward UNMIK", while Kosovo Albanians and the United States are exerting pressure with the goal of shutting down the UNMIK office in the north.

Meanwhile, contracts were not extended for more than 100 local staff after December 31. Mayors of the four Serb municipalities met last month with UNMIK chief Farid Zarif - "but a solution had not been found".