Daka: CEC is ready to organise elections

(TV21)

In an interview with TV21, the Central Elections Commission (CEC) chairperson Valdete Daka said that 4 to 5 million euros are needed for organisation of elections, but she stressed that the budget will be decided by the Prime Minister over the coming days. She also said that Diaspora will once again vote only by-mail. Daka highlighted that 11 June was set as the Election Day by the Kosovo President.

Asked if the CEC is ready for elections, Daka said that with the acceptance of the decree by President Hashim Thaçi it legally and formally starts with preparations for general elections.

Asked what will be the role of OSCE, in case it will be involved in these elections, Daka replied:

“We still have not thought about this, but, surely if we see it necessary to have the OSCE involved at the role it also had in the last elections, the CEC will certainly take a decision and in cooperation with the OSCE we will also set the modality of their intervention.”

Referring to the observers of elections, Daka said that CEC will decide about addressing the Association of European Election Officials (ACEEEO) and request from them to come and observe elections. She also noted that Office of the President will soon make the official call to also have observers from the European Union.

Asked if there is a strategy for the wellbeing of elections in the northern part of Kosovo, Daka said that CEC officials are already there, but knowing the specificities of this area, during the coming days, the CEC will see if they need additional assistance, or not.

CEC chairperson, Daka, said that about 70.000 persons were cleared from the election lists; however, she could not tell what will be the exact number of voters in these elections. 

Delawie: Political parties to look at kind of people they are putting on election lists

(RTK1)

In an exclusive interview with Radio and Television of Kosovo, the U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo, Greg Delawie, said that at the verge of electoral campaign political parties should be careful about people they will be putting in election lists.

“I think it is very important for the political parties that are probably already starting to develop candidate lists for the election to look at the kind of people they are putting on those lists. Are these people that reflect the gender, the ethnic, the age diversity of Kosovo’s citizens? Are these people that are tainted with corruption or not? Are these people that are going to try to find a way for Kosovo to get to its future as part of Europe? Are these people that are going to work on their first priority on behalf of Kosovo? Not their brother or their former business partner or their party member or something like that. And, are these people that are going to inspire the youth of Kosovo? First of all, to inspire the youth to get out and vote because that is very important, and then to help lead them into the future,” said Delawie.

Delawie said it’s disappointing that Kosovo MPs did not manage to vote the Demarcation with Montenegro during this mandate.

“There have definitely been some lost opportunities and I am sorry about that. And certainly the Border Demarcation Agreement with Montenegro was one of those. That issue is going to stick around, it is not going away. I can say again and again that the Border Demarcation deal that was reached with Montenegro was the right deal; it reflects the actual Kosovo/Montenegro border. I was disappointed that the government did not send the agreement to the Assembly. I was certainly disappointed to hear so many falsehoods about that,” Delawie underlined.

Referring to visa liberalization, he said that due to political profits, young people of Kosovo are missing many opportunities.

Delawie emphasized that institutions should continue working on fulfilling visa liberalization criteria.

Complete interview of Ambassador Delawie with RTK can be read as U.S. Embassy website: https://xk.usembassy.gov/ambassador-delawies-interview-rtk/

Apostolova: Early elections should not slow down reforms

(RTK2)

Head of the European Union Office in Kosovo/ EUSR, Nataliya Apostolova, told RTK2 Razgovor show that early general elections in Kosovo should not slow down reforms because this will negatively reflect in Kosovo’s European path.  She emphasized that Kosovo must meet its international obligations.

Apostolova said that she expects sooner continuation of dialogue at a technical level, because, as she said, participation of Kosovo political representatives at this level is not compulsory.

She considers the Association of Serb majority municipalities as vital for Serbs in Kosovo, and stresses that now is the time to have concrete proposals for its establishment.

Among other issues discussed, Apostolova expressed her concerns about the small number of displaced Serbs who have returned to Kosovo, adding that she is in close contact with institutions to change this situation.

EUSR Apostolova said that revitalization of Ibër Bridge is in its final phase, but, as she said, its opening will happen only after an assessment that situation is under control, and that there are no security risks. 

Lunacek urges Kosovo leaders not to forget EU integration

(TV21) 

The MEP rapporteur for Kosovo in the European Parliament, Ulrike Lunacek, urged Kosovo leaders who enter new elections not to forget about major issues such as the European integration.

“Government and Assembly of Kosovo have lost time during the last one or two years,” Lunacek told Radio Free Europe. 

She said she regrets that visa liberalisation did not happen because Kosovo citizens are in question.

“It did not happen because Demarcation of the border was not voted,” she said.

Lunacek said she made efforts to encourage both the ruling and opposition parties, but they did not do this. She expressed her hope that this will be done by the new Government which will have the majority at the Assembly of Kosovo and that it will fulfil promises made so far. 

Ten days campaign for 11 June elections

(All monitored broadcasters, TV21)

The Central Elections Commission (CEC) decided that the election campaign for 11 June elections will last 10 days.

The campaign will start on 31 May and it will end on 09 June. 10 June will be election silence.

On the other hand, political entities will be able to start applying for participation in these elections from 11 until 18 May.

Mustafa: PDK not on LDK’s list for coalitions

(All monitored broadcasters, Klan Kosova&TV21)

LDK Presidency convened on Thursday with heads of branches of this party. LDK chairman, Isa Mustafa, said they requested having new people in election lists.

As far as coalitions are concerned, Mustafa said that PDK is not on their list. He added that they will talk with the parties that they have trust on.

LDK chairman, Mustafa, assessed that LDK was not harmed with the breaking of the coalition, but rather the country.

Otherwise, all TV broadcasters reported that LDK boycotted President Thaçi’s consultative meeting with representatives of political parties on Thursday.

With regards to statements on non-recognition of Kosovo President by LDK, the LDK senior official Agim Veliu told Klan Kosova that this not an official stance of this party, but rather of individuals.

All parties propose their leaders for Prime Minister, except Vetëvendosje

(KTV)

In less than five years since he became a simple PDK member, Kadri Veseli is aiming to lead the Government of Kosovo.

Still shadowed by his past as the Head of Kosovo Intelligence Service (SHIK), the current chairman of the biggest political party in the country, Kadri Veseli, is officially PDK’s candidate for Prime Minister of Kosovo.

He was nominated two months ago at the PDK’s Convention.

From his Assembly Speaker’s post, Veseli started his campaign a long time ago with the “Hearing Tour.”

His cabinet said on several occasions that this was not part of a campaign, but his motto ‘New Beginning’ has become part of PDK motto on the top of Veseli’s candidacy for Prime Minister.

In the last elections, PDK won elections with their “New Mission” platform with Hashim Thaçi at its head.

Vetëvendosje Movement, which is in opposition since it entered politics, aims to win these elections with Albin Kurti as its candidate for Prime Minister.

“There is no doubt that Albin Kurti is one of the founders of ‘Vetëvendosje’, our most distinguished activist in ‘Vetëvendosje Movement’, but the procedures in ‘Vetëvendosje Movement’ say that the General Council should decide about the candidate for Prime Minister. It is the highest body of ‘Vetëvendosje Movement’,” Glauk Konjufca of this Movement said.

The only pre-election coalition, the one between AAK and Nisma për Kosovën, has their candidate, who was also the earlier Prime Minister of Kosovo, Ramush Haradinaj.

Journalists and civil society believe that CEC is unprepared for elections

(KTV)

Although there is a short period of time to organise an electoral process at the central level, the Central Elections Commission (CEC) says it will do its work properly.

However, journalists and civil society members believe the opposite, KTV reported.

Parim Olluri of the online newspaper “Insajderi” and Albert Krasniqi of Kosovo Democratic Institute share the opinion that elections should not have been held without the changes in electoral reform, which are related to financing of political parties.

“We are entering elections not because of the preparations that were made on the background, but because of personal ambitions of Mr Kadri Veseli to take over the seat of Prime Minister Isa Mustafa. Now, we have a CEC which is not prepared, a situation where the electoral reform has not been done, and which will impact on the financial aspect,” Olluri said.

Early elections will cost about 5 million euros; while there will also be other elections in several months, when it will be voted for the municipal mayors.

Roundtable on approach toward former participants in foreign fights held

(RTK)

Kosovo institutions, civil society and religious authorities in Kosovo should build a substantial dialogue on soft institutional and social measures in relation to former fighters who returned from the war zones in Syria. Looking into possibilities of monitored amnesty for former fighters in foreign fights in individual and non-group cases should also be part of this inclusive approach.

At the same time, it should also be looked at better possibilities for engagement of these former fighters in prevention and de-radicalization of youth in Kosovo, as a necessary measure for facing with the ideology of violent extremism that leads to terrorism.

These are the conclusions that came out of the roundtable held with the topic “War in Syria and public speaking of former fighters – what next?” which was held on Thursday in Prishtinë/Pristina, RTK portal reported.

The roundtable was organised by Security Policy Research Centre (SPRC) with the support of FES Kosovo in cooperation with INSID.

The aim of this roundtable was to discuss the approach of Kosovo institutions and society in relation to former fighters in foreign fights who returned to Kosovo, as well as the best models for treating the phenomenon.

Three persons who returned from the war zones in Syria – Albert Berisha, Hajrush Laçi, and Nexhat Behluli, presented their experiences.