YUGOSLAVIA: MANY PRISTINA INHABITANTS BACK THE ALBANIAN REBELS DESPITE SOARING FOOD PRICES AFTER THE CLOSURE OF THE KOSOVAN BORDER WITH MACEDONIA

Record ID: 566291

  • Title: YUGOSLAVIA: MANY PRISTINA INHABITANTS BACK THE ALBANIAN REBELS DESPITE SOARING FOOD PRICES AFTER THE CLOSURE OF THE KOSOVAN BORDER WITH MACEDONIA
  • Date: 17th March 2001
  • Summary: PRISTINA, YUGOSLAVIA (MARCH 17, 2001)(REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. TV GOOD SHOT OF PRISTINA 0.06 2. TV/MV CROWDED PRISTINA MARKET (2 SHOTS) 0.17 3. CU PRICES OF FOOD 0.21 4. SCU (SOUNDBITE)(Albanian) TRADER SAYING: "Since the border was closed, prices have risen by as much as one half. We have been forced to lift the prices because supplies are running out" 0.34 5. MV MARKET (2 SHOTS) 0.43 6. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNMIK ACTING SPOKESMAN FRANCOIS CHARLIER SAYING:"We think that the closure of the border is unacceptable because it affects the daily lives of the people here and it does not solve the problem that we all know. Goods are stuck here at the border. Goods that are expected for the people. So we do ask the government of FYROM to please open the border as soon as possible". (3 SHOTS) 1.10 7. TV STREET SCENE IN PRISTINA 1.16 8. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (Albanian) WOMAN SAYING: "It is correct to fight because the Albanians have a right to have the same rights as the others in Macedonia". 1.23 9. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (Albanian) MAN SAYING: "Peaceful means should be used to win more rights for the Albanians. If that does not work then we should support them. If needed by fighting" 1.33 10. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE READING ABOUT FIGHTING AROUND TETOVO IN ALBANIAN-LANGUAGE NEWSPAPERS IN KOSOVO (4 SHOTS) 1.49 11. MV STREET SCENE 1.55 12. MV BRITISH KFOR SPOKESMAN SQUADRON LEADER RICHARD HEFFER LEAVING OFFICE 1.59 13. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) HEFFER SAYING: "KFOR Multinational Brigade South has sent tanks and artillery, a limited amount of those, as a force protection measure for the German troops within FYROM. I think it is important to stress that the KFOR soldiers in FYROM are logistical support troops and not combat troops". 2.18 DEBDELE, YUGOSLAVIA (MARCH 15 2001) (REUTERS ACCESS ALL) 14. GV HELICOPTER USING ELECTRONIC DETECTION EQUIPMENT PATROLLING SOUTHERN BORDER OF KOSOVO WITH MACEDONIA 2.27 15. VARIOUS OF UNITED STATES ARMY TROOPS PATROLLING (4 SHOTS) 2.50 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 1st April 2001 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: PRISTINA, YUGOSLAVIA
  • City:
  • Country: Yugoslavia
  • Reuters ID: LVA67O1LY4UXFIPF17GWS7VE1KX
  • Story Text: With prices of food soaring in Kosovo, the United
    Nations Mission condemned the closure of the province's
    borders with Macedonia as unacceptable and urged it to allow
    food and goods in. In Pristina, many inhabitants backed the
    Albanian rebels despite having to pay half as much again for
    food.



    The escalating conflict in neighbouring Macedonia is
    beginning to hit Kosovars hard. With the two main border
    crossings closed to freight and trade, some supplies are
    beginning to become harder to come by and prices are rising.

    On the streets of Pristina, ethnic Albanians, many of whom
    have very limited means, were confronted with food prices
    which had risen by 50 percent in a matter of days.

    Although Macedonians and international staff can move
    freely across the border from Macedonia, lorries carrying
    goods cannot -- stifling one of the main supply routes for the
    province.

    The United Nations' mission in Kosovo called on the
    Macedonian government to lift the ban, saying it would not
    resolve the conflict in the former Yugoslav republic.

    And acting spokesman Francois Charlier warned that it
    would cause damage to the local economy in Kosovo -- which
    would add to ethnic tensions.

    The fighting in and around Tetovo was clearly headline
    news in Kosovo on Saturday and inhabitants of Pristina poured
    over local papers for the latest developments.

    But despite feeling the pinch from the conflict, many
    Albanians gave their full backing to the fighters in the hills
    above Tetovo.

    One woman said the time had now come for the ethnic
    Albanians of Macedonia to fight for the same rights as their
    Macedonian compatriots.

    A man said that peaceful negotiation should be tried
    first. But if that failed, he felt the Kosovo Albanians should
    be prepared to help their neighbours and join the struggle
    with them.

    At KFOR headquarters in Pristina, a spokesman for the
    peacekeeping force urged the fighters not to attack German
    troops in Macedonia: They were logistical troops, he said.

    Securing the border with the Former Yugoslav Republic of
    Macedonia has clearly become a priority for the NATO-led
    peacekeeping force. It has stepped up patrols from air and on
    foot in a bid to stop the fighters in Macedonia being
    resupplied.




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