Daut Haradinaj’s statement condemned

(RTK, KTV & TV21)

The European Union Office in Prishtinë/Pristina reacted after the statement of AAK MP Daut Haradinaj who said that in case Ramush Haradinaj will be extradited to Serbia then he will respond to the Serbian state with war.

“The EU condemns statements threatening communities and multi-ethnic Kosovo. They incite hatred towards minority communities and hamper much needed reconciliation and dialogue,” reads the reaction of EU Office posted in Twitter social network.

In the meantime, RTK1 quoted Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi as saying that ‘for the institutions and the people of Kosovo, threating statements against other non-Albanian ethnicities, incite rancor, hatred and revenge, thus returning us to the bitter past.’

Furthermore, as Thaçi said, these statements block the dialogue on normalization of relations; put the necessary reconciliation and the perspective of European and multiethnic Kosovo under the question mark. Thaçi said that this will not happen.

The US Ambassador in Kosovo, Greg Delawie, considered this as a threat for ethnic cleansing on the very day that Kosovo celebrated its Constitution Day. According to him, such a language has no place in Europe.

“On the day we celebrated Kosovo’s constitution, a politician threatens ethnic cleansing. Such dangerous language has no place in Europe,” Delawie wrote on Twitter.

Head of UNMIK, Zahir Tanin, requested investigations against Haradinaj’s statement, KTV portal reported.

In the statement of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UNMIK, Zahir Tanin, issued on Monday, not mentioning the name of MP Haradinaj, he called for an investigation, as he said, of this incident and take appropriate action in accordance with Kosovo law.

“This weekend’s statement by a senior Kosovo Parliamentarian, using hate speech to threaten ethnic cleansing, is unacceptable, and a cause for serious concern. I call on all responsible leaders to condemn this statement, and on the judicial authorities to undertake the necessary investigation of this incident and take appropriate action in accordance with Kosovo law,” Tanin’s statement reads.

AAK: Haradinaj’s statement was taken out of context – it was emotional

(KTV)

Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) came to the protection of its MP, Daut Haradinaj, following his statement that triggered reaction of international factor in the country, same as the local one.

According to AAK, statement of MP Haradinaj was taken out of the context and it was not a call for ethnic cleansing, “as it was presented by some media”, but rather a raising of alarm for Serbia’s provocations against Kosovo, also through the case of former Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj, which might have serious consequences for all!

“Even if in the statement of MP Haradinaj there were emotional tones, they should be seen as such,” AAK stated, KTV portal reported.

“For all those that do not know, we remind you that Ramush Haradinaj has protected civilian population and children in Kosovo. Ramush Haradinaj has protected Serbian churches in Kosovo. He has protected Serb civilian population even at the time of peace by creating programs for integration of Serbs in Kosovo institutions. He was the first to openly come against the religious extremism. And precisely now, some people and some circles, within and out of Kosovo, are willing to provoke yet another dangerous situation in Kosovo by isolating Ramush Haradinaj,” the AAK states further.

This party says that together with its MPs, without distinction, they are ‘unwavering for a legal and just state, where all the citizens, regardless of their ethnic background, have equal rights.”

Use of Kosovo symbols, precondition for Association

(RTK2)

Koha Ditore daily reported on Monday that four northern municipalities, respectively Mitrovica/Mitrovicë north, Leposavic/Leposaviç, Zvecan/Zveçan, and Zubin Potok have not yet accepted Kosovo’s symbols in their official documents. Currently the documents are issued only with the signature of mayors which contradicts Kosovo Constitution and the Law on local self-government, RTK2 reported.

In order for them to fulfill this obligation, the Government of Kosovo has conditioned initiation of drafting of the statute of the Association of Serb Majority Municipalities (ASMM) until these municipalities do not start using Kosovo official symbols.

Minister of European Integration, Mimoza Ahmetaj, said that in addition to approval of the official symbols, municipalities should also offer evidence about dissolving of parallel structures. Another condition is the complete return of Srpska List to Kosovo institutions, Ahmetaj stresses.

On the other hand, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) expressed its readiness to assist in drafting the Statute for establishment of the Association of Serb Majority Municipalities.

“As you are aware, the process has not started yet as it was planned, but we are ready to provide our assistance whenever that happens, and we hope that it will happen soon,” OSCE officials said, daily Kosova Sot reported.

Bajram Gecaj, advisor to Kosovo Prime Minister Isa Mustafa, said that the OSCE will have the facilitator’s role in this process. “Since signing of the Agreement in 2015, the OSCE has been foreseen to help establishment of the ASMM,” Gecaj reminded.

Statements of PDK officials for early elections increase

(KTV)

It was the LDK of Isa Mustafa which made it possible for Kadri Veseli, who it always had an address for accusations, to sit on Assembly Speaker’s chair and there were LDK votes in exchange of the Prime Minister’s post that also brought Hashim Thaçi to the President’s chair.

But now when statements from PDK officials for early elections have become more frequent, LDK has started to revive all its old accusations, KTV reported.

Only during the last month there were several LDK officials who clashed with PDK, accusing them of post-war killings.

However, Vetëvendosje MP Rexhep Selimi says that LDK now lacks legitimacy and credibility to speak about post-war killings.

On the other hand, Valdete Bajrami of Nisma considers the game that, according to her, LDK is playing with its killed activists as hypocrisy.

Political analyst Imer Mushkolaj says that LDK is doing business with post-war killings, whereas the other analyst, Driton Selmanaj, says that even the justice does not have the willingness to shed light on these killings.

Otherwise, statements of PDK MPs against this Government are only adding up. They already openly state that they will join an initiative of opposition seeking no confidence motion of Isa Mustafa’s Government. The PDK MP Shukri Buja is the most voiced among them. On Monday Buja said he supports Nisma’s no confidence motion for the Government.

“I am in favour of Government’s overthrowing due to major failures it did. The first failure of Prime Minister Isa Mustafa was signing of the Agreement on the Association, to which the Constitutional Court made remarks on 12 issues that are unconstitutional. Then it is the issue of Demarcation which is prolonging visa liberalisation to citizens of Kosovo…,” Buja said.

LDK chairman and Prime Minister of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa, responded to accusations that LDK is mentioning killing of its renowned activists for political gain.

Through a Facebook post Mustafa said that ‘killings will be mentioned for as long as light will not be shed on them,” portals reported later during the evening.

Justice is being denied in Kosovo

(Most monitored broadcasters, KTV)

The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Nils Muižnieks, said that justice is being denied in Kosovo.

In a statement after the visit he paid to Mitrovicë/Mitrovica, Muižnieks said that it is time to build an open society. In order for this to happen, all those that committed war crimes must be legally prosecuted, to do more for the fate of missing, and help return of displaced persons, Muižnieks stated.

He requested from Prishtinë/Pristina and Belgrade to address this issue by opening of army and police archives that may contain valuable information about 1.000 missing persons.

Muižnieks also requested from Kosovo to do more on solving the 13 murder cases of journalists that happened between 1998 and 2005.

A safe environment for journalists and media professionals should be created, in particular by increasing efficiency of judiciary institutions to investigate and try any violence and threat against them, Commissioner Muižnieks said.

Memorandum by Commissioner Nils Muižnieks following his mission to Kosovo, from 5 to 9 February 2017, can be found here: https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc.jsp?p=&id=2456443&Site=COE&direct=true

AKJ requests from Police to investigate Arbana Xharra’s case

(Klan Kosova & TV21)

The Association of Kosovo Journalists (AKJ) has received with concern the news that journalist Arbana Xharra is feeling threatened after unknown persons drew a cross with red paint at the entrance of her apartment.

AKJ requests from Kosovo Police to investigate this case as soon as possible.

Kosovo Foreign Minister, Enver Hoxhaj, also reacted against the attack on journalist Arbana Xharra, considering it unacceptable, Klan Kosova portal reported.

“Perpetrators should face justice as soon as possible,” Hoxhaj wrote in his Facebook page.

Association of Historians gives ultimatum to Government

(RTK2)

Association of Historians “Ali Hadri” in Deçan/Decane has threatened to block roads leading to Visoki Decani Monastery if by 21 April the Government of Kosovo does not declare property of companies “APIKO” and “Illyria” as special national treasure.

Based on a decision of the highest judicial instance in Kosovo, property of these companies belongs to Visoki Decani Monastery, RTS reported.