• Haradinaj in Paris, EU benefits from free movement of Kosovars (All monitored broadcasters, KTV)
• Government responds to crisis in north by opening shops (Most monitored broadcasters, KTV, RTK & Klan Kosova)
• Kosovo issues arrest warrant against Radoicic (KTV)
• Assembly fails to adopt two resolutions on Presevo Valley due to lack of quorum (Most monitored broadcasters, Klan Kosova & RTK)
• Constitutional Court rejects Thaçi’s claim about Government decision on municipal property (Most monitored broadcasters, KTV)

News

Haradinaj in Paris: EU benefits from free movement of Kosovars

(All monitored broadcasters, KTV)

On his official visit to Paris on Monday, the Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj was received by the French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner, where they discussed developments in Kosovo and the region.

According to the press release, Prime Minister Haradinaj initially briefed Minister Castaner on the achievements in Kosovo, the Government’s commitment to strengthening the law and order, implementation of the European Reform Agenda, economic development, and the goal of Kosovo for integration in the EU and NATO.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, at the meeting, Haradinaj requested support of France in the visa liberalisation process, as a crucial step for the country.

In this spirit, together with Minister Castaner, he signed a letter of good intention, for fighting organised crime, terrorism, and illegal migration.

“Kosovo is a serious party to partners, and by its free movement, the EU countries gain more opportunities. Kosovo has met the conditions, and France is the key partner to the final response for free movement,” Haradinaj said.

Prime Minister Haradinaj thanked Minister Castaner for the continuous support which France has given to our country in all periods of state building and consolidation of democratic institutions, emphasising that at this crucial stage of international consolidation of the country, partnership of this friendly country remains indispensable.

The French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner confirmed support of France to Kosovo’s Euro-Atlantic path.

Government responds to crisis in north by opening shops

(Most monitored broadcasters, KTV, RTK, & Klan Kosova)

No grocery shop, chemist’s or hospitality business started work on Monday morning in Mitrovica/Mitrovicë north.

They were closed as a protest against the imposed tariff on Serbian goods.

Local residents were seen purchasing food items in southern part of the city; many of them were reluctant to speak before the camera, but they described the situation as difficult. They said that they had run out of their food item reserves.

Albanian local residents also qualified the situation as difficult.

Serbian media report that Rados Petrovic, chairman of the so-called Association of Businessmen in northern Kosovo and Metohija, said that the measures of Kosovo have led residents on the verge of a humanitarian catastrophe.

However, the Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj said they have established retail shops in Mitrovica/Mitrovicë north, along with Kosovo businesses.

According to Haradinaj, this is being done in order to protect citizens in the north from what he called a simulation and coordination by Serbia, which is making attempts for destabilisation.

Albanian businesses, mostly bakeries, said behind cameras that on Monday they sold their products faster than on the previous days, as they got a lot of clients from the north, too.

It has been announced that the shops will keep being closed also in the coming days.

Meanwhile, RTK reported that the Mitrovicë/Mitrovica south mayor Agim Bahtiri met with Minister of Trade and Industry Endrit Shala.

“Today, with Minister of Trade Endrit Shala we discussed the situation in the north, following the humanitarian crisis simulated by Serbs, where the number of Albanian businesses that set up shops in the north should be increased.

In this respect, I got support of the Minister to advocate together, so that businesses from Mitrovicë/Mitrovica south can set up their shops in the north, where citizens can obtain their necessary items.

As the mayor of Mitrovicë/Mitrovica, the most strategic municipality for security and stability in Kosovo, I will remain available 24 hours a day to serve all citizens without any difference. This was my goal when I returned from the Netherlands to Kosovo, and I will continue working with commitment, never getting tired.

I appeal to all businesses to contribute in setting up shop businesses in the north, as this greatly helps Kosovo, and removes the influence of Serbia from that part of the state of Kosovo,” bahtiri stated.

On the other hand, Klan Kosova reported that the decision of Kosovo authorities to open shops in northern municipalities, provoked reactions by Serbian officials.

The so-called Director of the Office for Kosovo in the Serbian Government Marko Djuric said that those actions confirmed the irresponsibility of Hashim Thaçi’s policy.

”Opening new shops cannot help Hashim Thaçi in his political career, nor citizens in Kosovo who want to live in peace and security,” Djuric said.

Djuric added that in Presevo, which is resided by Albanians, Bujanovac where half of the population is non-Albanian, and Medvedje, which is resided by a symbolic number of Albanians, they live in peace, and they have normal relations with Serbs.

”It was as it is now, and it will always be like that,” Djuric said, concerning the idea of unification of Presevo Valley with Kosovo.

Djuric called Thaçi’s idea of unification of Presevo Valley with Kosovo a hateful ideology.

Kosovo issues international arrest warrant against Radoicic

(KTV)

One and a half year after the murder of the leader of Civic Initiative Oliver Ivanovic, the Court has issued an international arrest warrant against deputy chairman of Srpska Lista Milan Radoicic, who is suspected to have been involved in the Serb politician’s murder.

In addition, Radoicic is suspected for organised crime and other serious criminal offences.

Following the search and the failure to respond to summons for interview by the Special Prosecution Office in Kosovo, the prosecutor investigating Ivanovic’s murder says that an international arrest order has been issued against Radoicic, who is suspected to have taken refuge in Serbia.

Another person, also close to Radoicic, is wanted by the Special Prosecution Office, as well.

After the files received by EULEX, recently the Special Prosecution Office has expanded investigations on Zvonko Veselinovic, who was often seen accompanied by the Srpska Lista deputy chairman.

Upon request of the Prosecution Office, the Court has issued an arrest order against him, too.

Veselinovic, who last year was seen in the north, is suspected for organised crime, endangering the UN personnel, inflicting general threat, and for the murder of Ivica Rajicic in 2014.

Both long wanted Serbs, last month showed up together on a celebration of Informer, an anti-Albanian tabloid from Belgrade.

Case prosecutor Sylë Hoxha added that this was the last resource for the Prosecution Office to get hold of the two suspected Serbs, who are suspected to have dealt with organised crime for many years in northern Kosovo.

A few months ago, Milan Radoicic had called on the prosecutor Sylë Hoxha to go and interview him in Belgrade, but that was refused by the Prosecution Office.

Assembly fails to vote two resolutions on Presevo Valley, due to lack of quorum

(Klan Kosova & RTK)

The Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi presented a Resolution to the Kosovo Assembly members, seeking unification of southern Serbia with Kosovo. However, the Vetëvendosje MPs opposed Thaçi’s request to vote in favour of the Resolution. According to them, Thaçi’s interference in this session was against the rules of procedure.

But according to the PDK caucus leader Memli Krasniqi, Vetëvendosje MPs disagreed to discuss the Resolution not because of its content, but simply because it was proposed by Thaçi.

Thus, MPs left the plenary room, without voting the Draft Resolution.

Also due to the lack of quorum, the Assembly failed to vote the Resolution of MPs for Presevo Valley. All what happened was that those MPs who had visited the Valley, briefed on the situation there. One of the proposals to improve this situation was establishment of an office for Presevo Valley whtin the framework of the Prime Minister’s Office.

On the other hand, President Thaçi said that the elected representatives in Kosovo should respect the will of the Albanians in Presevo Valley, expressed through the 1992 referendum, and with the war of the Liberation Army for Presevo, Medvedje and Bujanovac.

On a Facebook post, he said that as the President of Kosovo, he has continuously supported demands of the Presevo Valley Albanians, but now he has taken a concrete action.

Full Facebook post follows:

Kosovo, the elected representatives of our people, should respect the will of the Presevo Valley Albanians, expressed through the 1992 referendum, and through the war of the Liberation Army for Presevo, Medvedje and Bujanovac. Demands of the Presevo Valley Albanians, in accordance with their free will for self-determination, are legitimate and in line with the International Law. Fulfilment of those demands helps long-term stability and contributes to peace-making in our region, by opening a new chapter in the relations between Kosovo and Serbia. As President of the country, I have continuously supported demands of the Presevo Valley Albanians, but today I also sent a Draft Resolution to the Assembly, asking for support and adoption of those demands also by the elected representatives of the people in the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo, beyond political or any other differences.

Constitutional Court rejects Thaçi’s claim about Government decision on municipal property

(Most monitored broadcasters, KTV)

Constitutional Court has found inadmissible the claim of the Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi, with regard to decisions of the Kosovo Government on transferring some public and socially owned property to municipalities’ ownership or on lease.

The Constitutional Court found inadmissible the President’s claim for a conflict between his constitutional powers and powers of the Government.

Thaçi asked the Constitutional Court to answer the questions whether the Government should cancel its decisions on transferring Kosovo’s real estate to municipalities on lease without any legal base, and should the Government revise the decisions dealing with withdrawal from privatisation process of the property and its return to ownership of municipalities, and respect the procedures pursuant to the applicable law on this matter.

In conclusion, the Constitutional Court announced that the President’s claim is found inadmissible, because the Court establishes that although the claimant is an authorised party to litigate matters of conflict between his and the Government’s powers, he failed to prove that the case is related with his powers provided by the Constitution.

The Government had decided to withdraw from privatisation process some property managed by the Privatisation Agency of Kosovo (PAK) and transfer to ownership of the municipalities of Mitrovica/Mitrovicë north, Klokot/Kllokot, Ranilug/Ranillug, and other municipalities.