KOSOVO: SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF SERBS RETURN TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 PRISTINA 000520 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/SCE, SCRS, DRL, INL, PRM, AND S/WCI, NSC FOR BRAUN, USUN FOR SCHULETOWSKI, USOSCE FOR STEVE STEGER E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/02/2017 TAGS: EAID PGOV PREF PRM YI SUBJECT: KOSOVO: SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF SERBS RETURN TO FERIZAJ/UROSEVAC AREA REF: PRISTINA 404 Classified By: CHIEF OF MISSION TINA KAIDANOW FOR REASONS 1.4 (b) and ( d) ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. A total of 82 Serb villagers from Srpski Babush, located in Ferizaj/Urosevac municipality, returned to their recently-reconstructed homes on Saturday, June 23. Greeted warmly by Ferizaj Mayor Faik Grainca, most returnees told us they are happy with their homes, but some unresolved demands for additional UNDP contributions by village leader Novitsa Jovanovic remain. While this large-scale return to the largest PISG-funded return project to date is welcome, Jovanovic's threats to depart if these issues are not resolved leave some doubt as to its sustainability. US KFOR is keeping close watch on the returns area and assisting not only with security but with basic living conditions, as well. END SUMMARY. BACKGROUND ¶2. (SBU) Costing some 2.4 million euros, the reconstruction of Srpski Babush village (40 kilometers south of Pristina in Ferizaj/Urosevac municipality) is the largest PISG-funded returns project to date (reftel). Reconstruction of 74 homes and a school was completed in December 2006, but residents expressed dissatisfaction with the condition of the homes and demanded additional funds for furniture and income generation. Officials from UNDP and the PISG Ministry of Communities and Returns cited pressure from former Returns Minister Petkovic, a Serb fired by PM Ceku for corruption, as the key factor preventing returnees from occupying their new homes. (Note: Petkovic was reportedly trying to prevent the project from succeeding without him, according to UNDP sources. End note) Nonetheless, 82 Serbs returned June 23 with KFOR and Kosovo Police Service (KPS) escorts, where they were greeted by Ferizaj Mayor Grainca. TERMS AND CONDITIONS ¶3. (SBU) UNDP Project Development Coordinator Michael Dixon provided USOP with a summary of the terms of this project. Seventy five families were to be accommodated in 74 homes (one duplex),and allowed to select 800 euro worth of furniture and appliances. (Note: No element of this plan provided for direct cash payments to returnees. End Note). Only 11 families chose to come and select their furniture in April 2007. Additionally, UNDP (working through the NGO European Perspective, or EP) developed a plan for income generation, with a pre-set cap of 2,000 euro worth of equipment per household. The plan was put together by a small Serbia-based NGO ("Synergy"),headed by village leader Novitsa Jovanovic, for which he was paid around 3,000 euro for a fairly detailed plan centered around a chicken farm and agricultural equipment. OVERALL SATISFACTION; NO VANDALISM... ¶4. (SBU) During a USOP visit to the village June 25 and numerous UNDP visits from 23 June to date, returnees have expressed overall satisfaction with the quality of their homes. Poloff met a group of returnees outside the school building; they initially expressed gratitude for their houses and for USOP's attention. However, some had been sleeping on the floor while delivery teams worked to get furniture in all the homes. (Note: Dixon told us that, in his view, responsibility for any delays in furniture delivery lies primarily with the large number of returnees who failed to participate in the April selection process organized by UNDP. End note) Some residents complained to us that their homes lacked water and/or power, but reports from June 23 and 27 indicated that these issues had been resolved and/or never existed to the extent claimed. Srpski Babush has suffered practically no economically-motivated thefts of new equipment and furniture nor any vandalism. When Poloff asked the crowd of Serb returnees why they thought this was so, one older villager answered "this is because we have good (Albanian) PRISTINA 00000520 002 OF 003 neighbors here." Additionally, UNDP told us that KFOR had done an "exceptionally good job" keeping an eye on the village since reconstruction finished. US KFOR commander BG Earhart confirmed to COM July 4 that his troops were keeping a close eye on the returns and not only maintaining security but assisting with deliveries of goods and necessities to the villagers. ...TEMPERED BY ADDITIONAL DEMANDS ¶5. (C) Despite the agreement with UNDP and the Serbs' overall satisfaction, the returnees, led by Jovanovic, have continually demanded more, most notably income generation equipment far in excess of the 2,000 euro per-family (150,000 total) limit; UNDP's estimate of Jovanovic's total demand for income generation equipment is roughly 225,000 euros. Dixon told poloff that Jovanovic himself requested 5,670 euro worth of computer and office equipment for his mother's house, and thinks Jovanovic may be trying to expand his NGO operations in this way. Dixon also said that UNDP will not provide income generation equipment in excess of the 2,000 euro limit, nor will it accept a demand that the furniture/appliance limit be raised to 900 euros. Jovanovic told poloff June 25 that the villagers would leave June 29 unless their demands were met; UNDP subsequently met with the villagers and settled several issues, but Jovanovic reportedly made further threats to leave. (Note: As of July 5, the returnees are still there, according to UNDP and OSCE and no new deadlines/demands have been made. End Note). Returnees arrived with only one bag each, came mostly without their full families, and some have reportedly requested housewares such as bedsheets and pillows, which OSCE officials delivered July 4. ¶6. (C) When visiting the village, Poloff noticed that most returnees appeared happier and more satisfied before Jovanovic arrived to join the conversation, after which the group became more confrontational as Jovanovic theatrically enumerated problems with water, power, and furniture, and then went on to list some of his additional demands to UNDP for equipment. Dixon told Poloff that Jovanovic is a "master" of such brinksmanship and has manipulated the process from the beginning to try and compel UNDP to give the returnees more than originally agreed. POSSIBLE MOTIVES ¶7. (C) When asked his opinion about why this group had returned, especially after such a long holdout, Dixon speculated that former Minister Petkovic, now out of power, might have reversed himself and pushed the group to come back in an attempt to show his continuing usefulness. Dixon also noted that current Returns Minister Branislav Grbic had been much easier to work with than Petkovic, has fully supported this return, and has displayed thorough understanding of the construction and engineering issues involved with the project. Poloff asked some villagers why they had come back; one said that his 1.5 hectares in Kosovo would help supplement his 4,000 dinar (roughly USD 66) per month pension from Serbia. COMMENT ¶8. (C) The complex mix of factors preventing large-scale Serb returns to Kosovo remains an obstacle to progress in this area (reftel). With the long-term intentions of the Srpski Babush returnees unknown for now, and given the complicating factor of Jovanovic's machinations, it is difficult to assess the long-term sustainability of this return. Still, indicators remain largely positive. Given the relatively large size, high profile, and media coverage of this project, it would be a significant development if Srpski Babush returnees stayed and rebuilt their lives in Kosovo. We will follow developments on this issue and continue to encourage sustainable returns by supporting reasonable needs and helping UNDP push back on unreasonable demands. PRISTINA 00000520 003 OF 003 KAIDANOW