OSCE organised conference on protection of journalists
(All monitored broadcasters, RTK1)
Journalism in Kosovo remains a profession with many difficulties. Nevertheless, journalists’ work in most of the cases is professional.
Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi stated that journalism in Kosovo is among the bravest in the region, but abuse with freedom of expression remains a challenge.
“Today, thanks to the opportunities that the Internet provides, reporting and distribution of news has become easier than ever before. This has caused other people to exercise the profession of journalism, whose goal is not the journalism, but they see this as a mean to realize their other ambitions, be them political or commercial,” President Thaçi. His full speech in English can be found here: http://www.president-ksgov.net/?page=2,8,4739#.WKNWDlU6qJA
The OSCE Ambassador in Kosovo, Jan Braathu, said that safety of journalists unfortunately is a pertinent issue. He said that over fifty cases of attacks took place over the past three years, but without mentioning the one on Radio and Television of Kosovo – RTK.
“Our topic here today is the safety of journalists. Unfortunately, this is a pertinent issue. Over the past three years, over fifty cases of attacks, threats and obstruction of journalists have taken place in Kosovo. Several high profile cases, including the firing of shots at the offices of a news portal in the north of Kosovo, and efforts to put pressure,” stated the Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Ambassador Jan Braathu.
After mentioning the attacks with grenades on RTK building and his house as RTK Director, the RTK Director General Mentor Shala expressed his lament that there are still political parties that try to intimidate journalists with threats.
“What presents a concern for me today is that journalists continue to be a target, mainly of people from politics. It seems that they are lynched, threatened, blackmailed. We have many such cases,” Shala said.
On the other hand, representatives of the European Union Office in Kosovo said that EU plays special importance to media freedom.
“Freedom of speech and media freedom are included in the Constitution, but this is not enough. In our discussions with the Kosovo Journalists Association, we have realized that cooperation with Kosovo Police has been improved, but we have not seen a faster treatment of cases by the prosecution,” Thomas Gnocchi of the EU Office in Kosovo said.
Head of EULEX Mission in Kosovo, Alexandra Papadopoulou, also said that free, pluralistic and independent media are an important precondition for good governance.
Association shall be established even without Prishtinë/Pristina’s support
(RTK2)
On the eve of the Serbian Statehood Day (15 February), Serb representative reassure that Association of Serb Majority Municipalities shall be established even without the support of authorities in Prishtinë/Pristina. Kosovo Government, on the other hand, states that Association will have authority only if it will be established with joint efforts.
Association of Serb Majority Municipalities will definitely be established, say at Srpska List, while Serbs will have exclusively the key role in drafting the Statute. Representatives of this political entity reassure that the Managing Team will start doing this work.
“We have positive signals from Prishtinë/Pristina and we expect that these signals are real and honest, and that there is sincere will and intention to enable Serb representatives, of course, with the assistance of Belgrade, to play a key role in drafting the Statute. It should be adopted as soon as possible in order to establish the Association of Serb Majority Municipalities at the earliest time possible as it needs to have a relevant level of independence,” Slavko Simic told RTK2.
Deputy Prime Minister, Branimir Stojanovic, emphasized that establishment of the Association will start soon.
“There are positive signals. I hope that in the coming days and weeks there will be enough concrete steps that will confirm the positive statement that we received during the last days. The process for establishment of the Association will start soon. It needs a bit more patience and I believe that we will have something concrete very quickly,” said Stojanovic.
At Kosovo Prime Minister’s cabinet say that the Brussels Agreement will be implemented and that Association will have authority only if it will be established with joint efforts.
“As far as I know, these statements come from Belgrade although they know that in the EU-facilitated dialogue in Brussels, we agreed to establish the Association together. The only way for the Association to become legal is when Kosovo Government will submit the draft Statute to the Constitutional Court. In case they unilaterally establish the Association, this will be just another parallel institution that will have no authority,” said to RTK2 Bajram Gecaj, advisor to Kosovo Prime Minister.
Political analyst, Momcilo Trajkovic considers the statements for the establishment of the Association on the Serbian Statehood Day as a revolt of the official Belgrade, adding that it is necessary to find a reasonable solution.
Assembly passes Resolution on Army
(RTK)
With 68 votes in favour and no vote against, Members of the Assembly of Kosovo have passed the draft resolution for transformation of Kosovo Security Force (KSF) into the Kosovo Armed Force (KAF), which states that Government of Kosovo is authorized to as soon as possible coordinate and proceed to the Assembly for adoption, the strategy on transformation of KSF into KAF.
The other point of this Resolution says thatby solemnly expressing commitment on integration in NATO, the Assembly of Kosovo, Government, and other institutions shall coordinate their engagement together with NATO and the U.S. in developing operational capacities in compliance with the new mandate of the Kosovo Armed Force of Kosovo, online version of RTK reported.
Full text of the Resolution:
1. The Government of Kosovo is authorized that as soon as possible coordinate and proceed to the Assembly for adoption, the strategy on transformation of the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) into Kosovo Armed Force;
2. By solemnly expressing commitment on integration in NATO, the Assembly of Kosovo, Government of Kosovo, and other institutional mechanisms, shall coordinate their engagement in harmonizing joint efforts with NATO and the U.S. in developing operational capacities in compliance with the new mandate of the Kosovo Armed Force.
At the later news editions, TV broadcasters reported that due to lack of MPs, Assembly Speaker was forced to quit Tuesday’s session. They also reported that it will continue with its proceedings on Wednesday at 10:00hrs.
US supports establishment of Kosovo Army
(Most monitored broadcasters, TV21)
The United States supports transformation of Kosovo Security Force into an Armed Force and it engages for this process to be supported by all sides at the Assembly of Kosovo. This was stated by Matthew Palmer, Director of Office for Southeast Europe at US Department of State, Ministry of KSF reported after the meeting of a US delegation with KSF Minister Haki Demolli.
On this occasion, Minister Demolli said that Kosovo aims to build a multi-ethnic defence force and ready to contribute to peace in the region and wider.
War survivors consider reconciliation premature
(KTV & RTK1)
War survivors consider talks about reconciliation as a premature topic. Saranda Bogujevci, the girl that saw, felt and touched the dead bodies of her family members still cannot forgive.
“I cannot even get to that point and think if I should forgive Serbs, or even deal with this topic,” said Bogujevci. Although her testimony has put at least two of the murders behind bars, Bogujevci considers that Truth and Reconciliation Commission is simply a daily agenda. She said that this topic has only brought pain to her.
“Kosovo has entered negotiations with Serbia without any conditions, particularly when it comes to the issue of missing persons. Imagine, what the families have gone through over 18 years not knowing the whereabouts of their loved ones who went missing during the war,” she said.
The other side also considers the reconciliation step as premature. Silvana Marinkovic from Gracanica/Graçanicë lost the hope of finding her husband alive; however, she continues to pray.
“My older daughter was less than three years old when her father went missing, while my second baby was only a seven-month old baby. At that time I was 27 years-old. He was kidnapped when we were trying to flee Kosovo. Since then, I only live for my girls,” said Marinkovic.
Her husband went missing while trying to flee Kosovo to Serbia together with his truck filled with family belongings. Silvana says that politics has helped the least on the issue of missing persons.
“This Commission has been established for political scores. I have no hopes at all that this commission will have any success in finding my husband. Whoever has committed crimes should face justice and be punished,” Marinkovic said.
Over 13,500 Kosovars lost their lives during the last conflict. 10,500 victims were Albanians, around 2,000 Serbs and 5,000 victims were from other non-majority communities. Over 1,000 children were among the war victims. Still, over 1,500 Albanians, 289 Serbs and over 60 members of Roma community continue to be considered as missing.
Covering the same story KTV reported that the initiative Thaçi’s initiative has triggered harsh reactions.
Ferdonie Çerkezi from Gjakovë/Djakovica, who lost her husband and her four sons in the war, three of which have not been found yet, says that President should not dare to establish such a commission without consulting the families first. She says that they will stage protests and will not allow establishment of this commission.
Nusrete Kumnova, chairperson of the Association “Mothers’ Call” says that she is really hurt by this initiative of Kosovo President. She told KTV that families will call national protests if President does step back from this initiative.
Arifaj: Commission’s goal is to have reconciliation within Kosovo, not with Serbia
(RTK1)
Ardian Arifaj, political advisor to President of Kosovo Hashim Thaçi, stated that the goal behind establishment of Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which was initiated by President Thaçi, is to reach for the truth.
“It is a commission for the truth and reconciliation. Let us not jump to reconciliation, without going through the first one, which is the truth. Data for victims of the war should be collected. This Commission will not substitute justice or make politics, by replacing the role of politics. This Commission will do work that neither justice nor politics does. It is rather humanitarian work. At the end, we aim to build a narration for the victims. It is the right time for reconciliation,” Arifaj stated in an interview with Radio and Television of Kosovo.
According to him, the goal is to have internal reconciliation within Kosovo, not with Serbia.
“We are not talking about Kosovo-Serbia reconciliation. Dialogue that is taking place in Brussels is that. We are talking here about an internal reconciliation in Kosovo in order to close the chapter of war and move toward the future. The first thing we have to reach here is for the truth,” Arifaj said.
“Families of the missing persons, their associations, were the first ones that gave the idea for this Commission. They have the same pain and joint goal. They, more than anyone else, are interested to know what happened with their family members,” he added.
Arifaj said that the truth should be known and accepted by all the communities.
“This will be an institution of Kosovo citizens, which will solely report to Kosovo citizens,” Arifaj ended.
Indictment filed against Pal Lekaj and two others
(Most monitored broadcasters, TV21)
Special Prosecution of Kosovo filed an indictment against former Mayor of Gjakovë/Djakovica, Pal Lekaj, former director of budget and finance in this municipality and the former procurement manager. The three of them are accused of abuse of official duty.
Special Prosecution reported that during March 2012, by exercising their official authority they exceeded their competencies with the aim of benefiting for their own or other persons, and caused damage to the Municipality and its residents.
Former Mayor of Gjakovë/Djakovica, Pal Lekaj, who is currently an MP of AAK, reacted against this indictment. According to Lekaj, this indictment is totally influenced by the politics. He considers that this Government has reached its end; therefore it has started ‘witch hunting’ in the name of justice.
Lekaj said he is completely clean in all the responsibilities he had.
GIZ supports Kosovo Assembly with 7.8 million euros
(Most monitored broadcasters, TV21)
Kosovo Assembly Speaker Kadri Veseli and leaders of the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) Organization signed a cooperation agreement at the amount of 7.8 million euros to support the Assembly for a three-year period.
Based on this agreement, GIZ will continue its financial and professional support for the Kosovo Assembly Budget and Finance Committee as well as Committee for Oversight of Public Finance.
KJA: Municipalities should be open to media
(KTV)
Municipality of Fushë Kosovë/Kosovo Polje decided to ban access and any other communication to Kohavision. This decision was taken after KTV reported that a farmer damaged by the rainfalls was not compensated regardless of the damage assessment. Kosovo Journalists Association (KJA) reacted against this decision. According to them, this decision violates principles of transparency.
KJA requested from local institutions to respect the Law on Access to Public Documents and be open to journalists. KJA also stated that Association of Kosovo Municipalities (AKM) should have reacted against this decision of Fushë Kosovë/Kosovo Polje municipality. KTV tried to get an answer from AKM, but its Director, Sazan Ibrahimi, did not find it reasonable to talk about this issue.
On the other hand, at the Ministry of Local Government Administration stated that municipalities are obliged by the law to cooperate with the media.
Allegations of Fushë Kosovë/Kosovo Polje municipality that KTV spread defamation against this municipality were refuted by news-desk of this TV channel.
