EU defends legal provisions proposed for special court (Koha Ditore)
The Spokesperson for European Union Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Maja Kocijancic, told Koha Ditore on Wednesday that special court is one of the main priorities that Kosovo must address. When asked whether the initial draft on establishment of special court can be amended, Kocijancic said that the establishment of special court is in full accordance with the commitments assumed in the exchange of letters with Kosovo authorities in April 2014. “The European Union has been constantly working with the Kosovo institutions in regards to its progress towards the EU integration,” said Kocijancic. She also talked about the assistance that the EU has offered on the establishment of this court.
Certain PDK, EULEX, EU officials wanted to convict Limaj (Koha Ditore)
The paper claims to have secured email exchanges and the testimony of an EULEX official which support claims that the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), in cooperation with former EULEX chief Bernd Borchardt and certain EU officials in Brussels, interfered in the work of the Appeals Court in Pristina in an effort to have the Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA) leader Fatmir Limaj convicted along with other members of the so-called Klecka group. Limaj’s conviction was viewed as the ideal solution for breaking up the post-election coalition between the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) and NISMA. The paper claims that the head of the trial chamber, an EULEX judge from Portugal, promised to convict Limaj even without reviewing his case. The judge was then reported to EULEX authorities by a German official working with the mission who was present when the Portuguese national made the comments.
UNMIK urged to take responsibility for Balaj and Xheladini deaths (Koha)
Pristina Mayor, Shpend Ahmeti, said the decision of the Human Rights Advisory Panel (HRAP) to confirm the responsibility of UNMIK during the Vetevendosje protest in 2007 where two protesters, Mon Balaj and Arben Xheladini, were killed, is good news. Ahmeti said the grief of the victims’ families will not go away but they will be more at peace knowing that justice is prevailing. Ahmeti explained that three HRAP judges confirmed that UNMIK police violated regulations and human rights during the protest. HRAP also called on UNMIK to apologise to families of the victims and assume responsibility for these acts.
Hyseni in Germany, asks for visa liberalization (dailies)
Kosovo’s Interior Minister, Skender Hyseni, is visiting Germany, at the invitation of the Germany’s Interior Minister, Thomas de Maiziere. During the meeting with de Maiziere, Hyseni admitted that irregular migration remains one of the key problems in Kosovo, but at the same time stressed the need for the people of Kosovo to be able to travel without visas in European Union countries. “Kosovo is the only country in the region that is isolated,” said Hyseni.
Germany asks for concrete actions on economic development (dailies)
The German Ambassador to Kosovo, Angelika Viets, said the Kosovo government should undertake immediate actions to implement the promises of economic development that politicians made during the election campaign last year. Viets made these comments on Wednesday at the round-table “Dialogue for Economic Policy” organized by the German-Kosovar Chamber of Commerce.
