Thaçi: US to be involved in Kosovo-Serbia dialogue

(RTK1)

The United States will be directly involved in the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue. This was the promise made to Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi by the US Vice President Mike Pence.

In an interview with RTK, Thaçi said that another topic of discussion at the meeting was establishment of Kosovo’s Army, which, according to him, will happen this year.

“Nobody has the right to veto when it comes to the establishment – the Kosovo Armed Forces will be established within the year,” Thaçi said.

Speaking about border demarcation with Montenegro, President Thaçi said that the process should be completed as soon as possible.

U.S. Secretary of State congratulates PM Haradinaj on his post

(Most monitored broadcasters, KTV)

The U.S. Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, congratulated Prime Minister of Kosovo Ramush Haradinaj on his post, and conveyed the US expectations from his Government.

“Your leadership is vital in building a better future for Kosovo, and ensuring closer cooperation with its neighbours, the United States of America, and other international partners.

I strongly encourage you to lead with an increased intensity and in an inclusive manner, in implementing necessary and urgent reforms.

“The reforms include strengthening of good governance and rule of law, eradication of corruption, and encouraging sustainable economic reforms. Normalization of relations with Serbia, and settling the issue of the border between Kosovo and Montenegro, are essential for Kosovo’s progress toward Euro-Atlantic integration,” Tillerson’s message reads.

PM Haradinaj and his cabinet quit Assembly session

(RTK1)

A harsh debate took place between the ruling parties and opposition in Monday’s Assembly session.

The opposition representatives criticised Government of having avoided the debate on the Programme for around three weeks. In this respect, Glauk Konjufca of Vetëvendosje said that Prime Minister Haradinaj was ignoring MPs.

On the other hand, the Assembly Speaker Kadri Veseli said that the opposition members were not sticking to the agenda, using the Assembly for the purpose of their election campaign.

The LDK caucus leader Avdullah Hoti said that the Government was obliged to stay in the session; otherwise, the Government would face obstacles by opposition also in other topics in the Assembly.

In response, Prime Minister Haradinaj said he had not come to the Assembly to have debate with opposition parties.

Afterwards, regardless the request of the opposition, Haradinaj withdrew his governing cabinet from the session.

The ruling parliamentary parties expressed their support to Haradinaj, accusing opposition of political trickery.

In Monday’s session, MPs who have got positions in Government were replaced. Thus, Nait Hasani replaced Ramush Haradinaj, Bekë Berisha replaced Pal Lekaj, Gani Dreshaj replaced Rrustem Berisha, Imet Rrahmani replaced Behgjet Pacolli, and Bahri Berisha replaced Rasim Demiri.

Veseli and Selmanaj with serious mutual accusations

(RTK1)

In Monday’s Assembly session, the Assembly Speaker Kadri Veseli and LDK MP Driton Selmanaj exchanged harsh mutual allegations. Veseli accused Selmanaj of abusing civil society funds, whereas Selmanaj denied the accusations.

“I even somehow managed to understand PDK, since it had installed getaway, hypocrisy, and betrayal as a culture and standard in the Parliament; but I had some trust in Ramush, I believed that Ramush was a man who keeps his word. Believe me, he is the same, just as same as them,” Selmanaj said.

Veseli accused Selmanaj of insults and spreading misinformation about Assembly’s performance, at the time when he monitored it at the capacity of the Kosovo Democratic Institute (KDI) representative.

“He joined politics, because he was fired from the project. Why was he fired? He was fired as an abuser,” said Veseli, referring to Selmanaj.

Responding to Veseli, Selmanaj said: “From him [Veseli], I was compelled to take the decision for resigning KDI. I established a new organisation, namely Democracy Plus, and it was USAID that primarily funded my projects. By that message the USAID implied to tell me ‘we didn’t have anything personal with you, but because of those projects, the Assembly Speaker could not bear you in the Assembly’… Kosovo citizens, please feel comfortable, because SHIK in Kosovo has weakened.”

“Don’t manipulate with wounds of the people and with thefts, because you are one of the thieves. Feel free to sue me wherever you want, because you are a slanderer, impolite, undignified,” Veseli said to Selmanaj.

Krasniqi: Selmanaj not involved in misuse or manipulation

(TV21)

In an interview with TV21 Albert Krasniqi of Kosovo Democratic Institute (KDI) qualified Ramush Haradinaj’s defiance of the Assembly as an arrogant action. He said that Prime Minister Haradinaj and his cabinet should show more respect to the Assembly.

With regard to clashes between Assembly Speaker Kadri Veseli and LDK MP Driton Selmanaj, a former member of KDI, Krasniqi said that the Speaker should be more careful in maintaining the level of parliamentary language and not allow clashes within the Assembly and not trigger such a provocative language.

Krasniqi explained that for over seven years Selmanaj was engaged in KDI, and they are grateful to his work.

“Our criticism is often not taken into consideration by the institutions, and they try to attack civil society by accusing them of various things,” Krasniqi stressed.

“Mr. Selmanaj was not involved in any misuse or manipulation in KDI as it was alleged by Mr. Veseli, but he [Veseli] used the Assembly podium for personal retaliations,” Krasniqi added.

Haradinaj meets organisations dealing with missing persons

(Most monitored broadcasters, RTK1)

The Prime Minister of Kosovo Ramush Haradinaj had a meeting on Monday with the Governmental Commission on Missing Persons and all organizations dealing with the issue of missing persons during the war.

According to Haradinaj, the purpose of this meeting was to bring together all stakeholders in identifying further actions to be taken, in order to move forward in this issue.

PM Haradinaj also raised the issue of amending the Law on Missing Persons, urging the participants to put forward ideas in order to make a concrete plan on how to act.

Family members of missing persons also had remarks about this Law.

There are still over 1600 persons missing since the last war in Kosovo.