Montenegro responds to Haradinaj’s decision on demarcation
(TV21)
Montenegro responded to Prime Minister Haradinaj’s decision about border demarcation. Milan Paunovic, chairperson of the Montenegrin Demarcation Committee, said to TV Crna Gora he hoped that the Kosovo-Montenegro border issue would be resolved in line with the agreement reached by both sides.
Commenting on dismissal of the Committee which had reached the agreement, Paunovic said that Podgorica has not been officially informed about anything, but he did not give signals that his country will move, and called on the Kosovo side to ratify the agreement.
“One should not comment on the media reports that Kosovo’s Prime Minister has announced to establish a new committee, because Montenegro has not been officially informed,” Paunovic said.
KTV reported that some analysts have been surprised by PDK members, who in the Mustafa Government strongly supported the demarcation agreement, whereas now in Haradinaj Government they support establishment of a new committee. Analysts consider Haradinaj’s decision as procedural, since mandate of the previous committee had expired.
US Embassy: No territory lost by demarcation
(TV21)
The US Embassy in Prishtinë/Pristina did not comment on Prime Minister Haradinaj’s decision to dismiss the State Committee for Demarcation with Montenegro; however the Embassy highlighted it still stands behind the position that Kosovo has not lost any territory.
“The USA supports the demarcation agreement reached between the parties in 2015, by which none of the countries loses territory. We expect this issue to be resolved swiftly, retaining the constructive and very positive relations between the two countries,” the US Embassy stated.
Ministers facing law issues
(KTV)
The pledge of new Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj that his Government will be uncompromising in fighting crime and corruption is considered hardly feasible by civil society.
Appointment of the ministers who face issues with law will make accomplishment of this goal even more difficult.
In the first week of his appointment as Deputy Prime Minister and leader of Nisma, Fatmir Limaj spent most of his time as an accused in trial.
Limaj, along with four others, is accused of corruption criminal offenses in what is known as the MTPT case.
A new minister in Haradinaj Government also faces law issues. It is Minister of Economic Development Valdrin Lluka, who comes from AKR.
On the other hand, Eliana Naka, a Ministry of Trade officer, is accused of conflict of interest, deciding to grant 20,000 euro to Jakova Innovation Centre NGO, founded by Valdrin Lluka.
Minister of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Besim Beqaj is one of the key persons in “Pronto” affair, on which Prosecutor’s Office has already launched investigations.
Vucic announces new phase of dialogue for Kosovo in October
(KTV)
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said that a new phase of dialogue for Kosovo will begin as of October, and he recommended institutionalization of this dialogue, KTV portal reported.
In a public address, Vucic stressed that inclusive consultations are needed, and that everyone will be invited to participate.
“This dialogue needs to take place on many levels through concentric circles,” Radio and Television of Serbia (RTS) quotes Vucic as saying.
Vucic reminded the public that several months ago he requested and called upon the public at large – citizens, political stakeholders, NGOs, the Church, Serbian Academy of Arts and Sciences, and everyone else – to talk about Kosovo, because “it is the essence of our present and future policy.”
“Depending on our relation toward Kosovo, we will have a safer present and future,” said Vucic.
He said that the Government will help organize and coordinate meetings within the framework of dialogue.
“Our answer to any question for Kosovo earlier was that we will not recognize Kosovo’s independence, that we will not want this, that we will not want that.
We almost did not have a policy; we almost did not take it into consideration. I brought a report from negotiations over the last four years. We would pass it on to the reporters. Nothing is under the veil of secrecy, all the facts are presented, what have been the results…” Vucic stated.
He added that in the past four years, there has been tenfold less stabbings and attacks against Serbs compared with four years earlier.
“Although attacks against Serbs happened, there were no murders. Was I humiliated … I felt sorry many times, but I never humiliated Serbia and I have provided an easier life than before for Serbs,” said Vucic.
Currently, between 110 and 120 thousand Serbs currently live in Kosovo, and beyond Ibër River 1:30 or 1:40 Serbs live in proportion to Albanians, he said.
According to Vucic, after the transfer of talks into the EU talks and deployment of EULEX, they had to fight from the start for the existence of Serbs.
“Does anyone think that I felt comfortable to sit with Thaçi, Mogherini, Ashton,” Vucic asked at the end.
CEC decertifies Zafir Berisha
(RTK1)
He managed to become MP with over 12,000 votes, but Central Election Commission (CEC) did not allow him to run for the mayor of Prizren.
Nisma candidate Zafir Berisha, convicted by Court in 2015 for illegally using electric power, has been decertified pursuant to Law on General Elections, which was not applied by CEC in June 11 elections.
He was elected as a Kosovo Assembly member pursuant to the same Law and the same article, which is still in force.
On the other hand, Berisha considers CEC’s decision as an act for his political elimination, saying he is sure that he would win the mayoral elections in Prizren this autumn.
Berisha said he would appeal the CEC decision, hoping that next court instance will come up with a decision in his favour.
Besides Berisha, eight more candidates of Nisma have been decertified, as well as 14 candidates of PDK, 9 of LDK, 17 of AAK, 6 of VV, 4 of AKR, 7 of Justice Party, 5 of Srpska List, and one or two candidates of some of smaller parties.
CEC members did not come up with a unanimous decision on decertification of candidates.
The US Ambassador to Kosovo Greg Delawie said he was glad to see CEC’s decision to remove convicted candidates from the list of municipal elections, KTV portal reported.
VV MPs to return to trial
(KTV)
Kosovo Assembly members will return to court trial, accused of throwing teargas in the Assembly.
Albulena Haxhiu, Donika Kadaj, Faton Topalli, and Albin Kurti are accused of the criminal offence using weapons and obstructing official persons.
In April, the Prishtinë/Prishtina Basic Court issued arrest warrant and ordered one month detention for Kurti. However, in order to avoid possible tension at the time of election campaign, the Court repealed the arrest warrant, given that Kurti was nominated by VV as the candidate for Prime Minister.
The accused MPs have not decided whether they will attend the trial session or not.
In addition to the four abovementioned MPs, there are more accused of throwing teargas, including those from Prime Minister Haradinaj’s party and from his coalition partner, Nisma për Kosovën.
Tahiri: I will request super-expertise for Dehari case
(RTK1)
New Minister of Justice Abelard Tahiri hosted the U.S. Ambassador Greg Delawie to a meeting on Tuesday, with whom he discussed deepening of mutual cooperation towards meeting legal and institutional goals.
In the meantime, hosted by RTK Imazh show, Tahiri stated that as of the next government meeting he will request a super-expertise for the Dehari case.
