Mr President, if we are going to discuss Kosovo today, as we have done many times before, then we should also start by taking stock of what has actually already been done in Kosovo, or of whether in fact anything has been done at all. What I mean to say is that a few small steps have already been made along the path to normality, and it would be nice if they could at least be listed in the course of such a debate. As of 9 February, there will be something known as the Kosovo Transitional Council, which will comprise representatives of the political parties, the minorities and civil society, and which is intended to be a quasi interim parliament. This is a positive move and we welcome it, but I believe we need to equip the individuals concerned with an instrument and with strategy planning for what they are actually going to have to prepare, for elections are planned for the autumn. No one really knows what these elections are to lead to and what kind of parliament is to be formed as a result. No one knows what kind of authority this parliament is going to have vis-à-vis UNMIK. In other words, there are quite a few imponderables that we are not being informed about and that others are presumably unable to get to grips with properly either. Of all people, it is the Albanians, who are now being integrated into the transitional council, who ought in fact to have a little more idea as to what is in store for them. In addition to financial outlay and reconstruction work, urgent attention must also be given to restoring the coexistence of Serbs, Albanians and other minorities – not forgetting the Roma of course – in this country, so that at some point in the near future, on the road to coexistence, it will hopefully be possible for some form of reconciliation to take place. I would like to list again the things that have actually already been accomplished and that we can be pleased about. Administration-wise there are now 34 tax inspectors. That is excellent news! There too, people are being encouraged to pay their taxes, for it will not do in the long-term for everyone just to depend on handouts from the EU and from other donors; some of the money for these activities must come from their own resources. It should also be noted that of the 19 departments, 4 already have administrative leadership, which represents an improvement on the situation there hitherto. There is something else that we are keen to develop and this is very important for a state under the rule of law. We have 130 judges and public prosecutors, who have now been sworn in, and who are ready to take up their work of dispensing justice, with a view to enriching the culture of tolerance there a little, and to at least being able to track criminals down and then secure convictions. Another positive development I would like to remind you of is the fact that the old UCK is now bound up in the reconstruction of the country. I believe that is a good thing I wholly endorse what the Committee on Budgets had to say on financing and believe that we should remind the Commission that it really must press other donors to at long last pay their way. The EU Commission cannot pay for everything. It is responsible for reconstruction down there and for the Fourth Pillar, but it cannot constantly be called upon to pay Mr Kouchner’s outstanding bills. One could do so once or twice, but I feel that the UN donors should contribute to this as well, for there is a very large hole, as yet unfilled, that we are unable to fill. We have a huge task in reconstruction and we will be judged according to how we fulfil it.

Political group: PPE-DE