Reconstruction of the railway system in Kosovo

1. Reconstruction ofthe railway systemin Kosovo Author: Lieutenant Colonel Richard H. Brown Tsuyoshi Takayanagi Department of Civil Engineering Tokyo Institute of Technology

2. Contents • History • Fragmentation (FRY) • Railway Network • Damage • Reconstruction • Civilian Railway Organization • Bringing the railway back to life • Conclusions

3. History • In 1980, The death of Tito connect to fragmentation of Yugoslavia Federation • President Milosevic's rise take away Kosovo’s autonomy and forced policy of Serb initiatives • Conflict occurred between Yugoslavia and Kosovo • NATO force bombed Yugoslavia to stop conflict in Kosovo in 1999.

4. Vojvodina SERBIA Bosnia and Herzegovina Yugoslavia Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Republic of Montenegro Before 1991 2001 Kosovo Fragmentation (FRY) Slovenia, Croatia, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina independent from FRY

5. Railway Network Kosovo’s local economy was depend on its industry (zinc, silver, gold) SERBIA Mitrovica Rail system was essential for many people who could not afford cars Pristina Pec Kosovo Polje Ferizaj But this real system was controlled from Yugoslavia and suffer some limitations MACEDONIA

6. Railway Network Cut connection between the route from the south and the route to the west at Kosovo Polje by Serbia

7. Damage • Damage was mainly focused on stations and the signaling system in Albanian • There was some damage to track system • Heavy damage was inflicted by NATO’s bombing, such as bridges and tunnels • Train was used to transfer Kosovo refugees

8. Reconstruction NATO force took a control of railway system Commandeered the only three remaining operative locomotives. The engineers set about repairing intermittent track damage The Italian engineers brought rapid-repair construction train

9. Civilian Railway Organization There are two problems in Kosovo’s rail system • Kosovo’s rail system was mono-ethnic state (it became target of terror) • Kosovo was to be responsible for the management of all public enterprises, but ownership of their facilities was retained by Yugoslavia. A present of multi-ethnic train was difficulty , but it was presented fortuitously The U.N. mission in Kosovo set up ‘Railways of Kosovo’ as a U.N. administered enterprise

10. Civilian Railway Organization • The UNMIK designed a new organizational structure for the railways (it was not easy) • The enforced lack of training and management experience suffered by Albanians　→ unfair employment The ethnic railway employment ratio 50% Serbs and 50% Albanians The ethnic population ratio 10% Serbs and 90% Albanians By 1999 Compromise plan to solve this problem was not agreed Enterprises had capitulated to majority momentum and held no posts for those from minority groups.

11. Bringing the railway back to life • The new railway organization was created with an objective of eventually taking over full • By Reestablishment of railway, Kosovo has connection for military and industry • Physical reconstruction is one thing, a workable organizational transition plan is quite • It is very important to operate railway network effectively.

12. Conclusions • Railways act as ‘connectors’ both physically and emotionally, in society. • Reestablishment brings hope that divided communities may gradually heal their wounds. • The civilian and the military had to work alongside each other and fully cooperate to be effective. • Holistic strategic assessment has been important.

13. END