US concerned with Thaçi’s initiative to change KSF’s mission

(Klan Kosova)

Minister of the Kosovo Security Force, Haki Demolli, wrote a letter to President Hashim Thaçi, Assembly Speaker Kadri Veseli, and Prime Minister Isa Mustafa about the Americans’ stance regarding the change of KSF’s mission.

Demolli’s letter says that Office of Michael Carpenter, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, has called his Office and wanted to speak with the Minister to express their concern regarding statements on transformation of KSF through law.

The letter also says that there were also immediate concerns raised by the US Defense Attaché at the US Embassy in Kosovo and Deputy Director of NALT, Mr Mark Theobald.

Prime Minister of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa, defended Minister Demolli. He wrote in Facebook that Minister Demolli has been and is in favour of transformation of KSF into an Army, but with the letter he addressed to President, Assembly Speaker and Prime Minister; he expresses his responsibility as the Minister to inform senior state institutions.

Later during the evening, Minister of KSF Haki Demolli refuted claims that he is against KSF transformation.

In a statement for online version of KTV, Demolli qualified as unfair and untrue the interpretations that through a letter he sent to the President, Assembly Speaker and Prime Minister regarding US stance on KSF transformation, he has come against transformation of KSF. 

KFOR does not comment Thaçi’s initiative to change KSF’s mission

(Klan Kosova)

KFOR does not want to comment the initiative of Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi to change the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) mission through a draft law.

Klan Kosova asked this international security mechanism if President Thaçi consulted them prior to taking the legal initiative for KSF. KFOR’s response regarding Thaçi’s actions was not direct; however, this Force had a comment: “The structure, mandate and mission of KSF are not determined by NATO. This is an internal issue of Kosovo institutions. NATO support KSF development within the current mandate. We will continue to support KSF within the current mandate.”

KFOR’s press office also avoided the question if KSF can preserve peace and stability in Kosovo; instead they had the following response: “We will continue to support Kosovo Security Force within its current mandate, together with its civil structures. In case the KSF mandate needs to develop, the North Atlantic Council will need to review NATO’s level of engagement.”

Serbia against KSF’s transformation

(Most monitored broadcasters, Klan Kosova)

Objections to KSF’s transformation into an Army also came from Serbia. Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said that he will do everything he can not to allow establishment of Kosovo’s Army.

On the other hand, Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic considered this as a unilateral action of Prishtinë/Pristina which will destabilize the region.

Director of the so-called Serbian Office for Kosovo, Marko Djuric, called on the international community ‘to immediately stop this dangerous aggravation of political relations in the province.’ 

Thaçi and Vucic agree about continuation of dialogue

(Most monitored broadcasters, KTV) 

President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi, said he has talked over the phone with the Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic and they agreed about continuation of dialogue.

“I talked over the phone with the Serbian Prime Minister Vucic. We welcomed Federica Mogherini’s visit in the region and confirmed our commitment to dialogue,” President Thaçi wrote in Twitter.

He also stressed that they also spoke about the need to implement the Brussels Agreement.

“I am a firm believer that dialogue will usher new era in Balkans,” Thaçi added.

In the meantime, Serbian Government reported that the two interlocutors agreed that talks and dialogue between the two sides are of crucial importance for preservation of peace and stability.

On the other hand, Serbian Radio and Television reports that Vucic had a fierce verbal confrontation with Thaçi over establishment of Kosovo Army.

No power line with Albania without approval of Association and Agreement on Justice

(KTV) 

Kosovo will continue to suffer losses of millions from Serbia’s interferences in the energy system, it will continue not to have Vallaç under control and not use the 400-kV power line with Albania without the approval of Association of Serb Majority Municipalities and Agreement on Justice.

Such a statement was made by Minister for Dialogue, Edita Tahiri, while reporting to Assembly Committee on Economic Development regarding KOSTT’s (Transmission System and Market Operator Company in Kosovo) admission in ENTSOE (European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity), which is related to energy agreement.

In her report, Minister Tahiri said Kosovo has the willingness to find a solution in order for the agreements to enter in force.

“Our condition is that there is no establishment of the Association, which means after the statute will be drafted in compliance with the Constitutional Court’s judgement, so, there is no establishment without dissolution of the remaining Serbian parallel structures in Kosovo,” she underlined.

The Assembly chairman, Muhamet Mustafa, did not agree with this statement.

“For as much as I know, we are not blocking the Association. It is being blocked exactly by the ones who are not willing to work with our Government, and do not want to return to Government,” Mustafa said.

However, her reporting was followed with criticism by members of all political parties without exclusion.

LDK member, Fatmir Rexhepi, said he does not have any hopes at all that this agreement will ever become functional.

Whilst, Donika Kadaj-Bujupi refuted Minister for Dialogue, based on a document which, according to her, was issued by Kosovo Ministry of Internal Affairs and which says that KOSTT was not admitted in ENTSOE. She also accused Tahiri that she has given away Kosovo assets to the Serbian company.

Sprska List MPs signed in Assembly’s presence records

(RTK2)

“Over the last days and weeks all Srpska List MPs shortly visited the Assembly building in Prishtinë/Pristina to sign in the record of people present and thus prevented the ethnic Albanian majority to take away our mandates” Srpska List announced on Tuesday.

“This, of course, does not mean that we gave up our decision not to participate in the Assembly’s for as long as the reasons why we originally decided on this type of boycott will not be eliminated,” the List added.

According to Kosovo laws, MPs cannot go on with non-participation in the Assembly of Kosovo longer than six months. Should this nevertheless occur, their mandates are revoked.