• Coalition divided, opposition believes elections will happen this autumn (KTV)
• MPs disagree about representation abroad (RTK, KTV)
• Serbian goods significantly decreased as a consequence of tariff (RTK)
• No hopes for Kosovo to join INTERPOL this year (RTK)
• Albanian students learn Serbian, Serb ones learn Albanian (KTV)
• Peci: Supreme Court more efficient than EULEX (Klan Kosova)
• Ahmeti: Criminal groups in north declining (Klan Kosova)

News

Coalition divided, opposition believes elections will happen this autumn

(KTV)

On the second anniversary of the Haradinaj Government, opposition parties will try to overthrow it through a no confidence motion, and thus lead the country to early elections.

It has been quite long time ago since the opposition parties (LDK, Vetëvendosje, and PSD) have started to collect signatures, BUT the motion of no confidence is expected to be put to voting in the Assembly at the beginning of September.

LDK officials admit that they still do not have enough votes, and they believe that by autumn they will persuade some Government coalition MPs to support their initiative.

Even ruling parties say that the country should enter elections.

Although Nisma MP Zafir Berisha says he will not support the Opposition’s motion, he has a different idea. According to him, regardless the motion, the majority political parties should discuss and decide that either the institutions should work properly, or early elections should be held.

But AAK, the party of the Prime Minister, is not surprised by the statements for possible elections in September.

AAK is convinced that the Haradinaj Government has done a good job, and as such it should continue leading the executive power.

Ramush Haradinaj of AAK was appointed Prime Minister of Kosovo in September 2017, leading the Government coalition together with PDK, Nisma, AKR, Srpska Lista, and some other minority parties.

MPs disagree about representation abroad

(RTK, KTV)

Ruling and opposition MPs have expressed disagreements and serious criticism regarding the way of representation of Kosovo in the international arena.

On their visits to various international institutions and organisations, MPs have often failed to present unified stances, which has often turned to disputes after the visits.

PDK MP Evgjeni Thaçi-Dragusha, member of the Committee for Foreign Policy, Diaspora, and Strategic Investments, stated to Radio Free Europe that some MPs of Vetëvendosje Movement, at the meetings abroad do not adhere to the unified stances of Kosovo on certain issues, but they speak about partisan interests instead.

In particular, she criticised her colleague of Vetëvendosje Fitore Pacolli, who also is a member of the Committee.

Thaçi-Dragusha said that Minister of EU Integration Dhurata Hoxha, in her latest briefing to the Foreign Affairs Committee, explained that international representatives had mentioned lack of unification to lobby for visa liberalisation and other issues.

On the other hand, Vetëvendosje MP Fitore Pacolli stated to Radio Free Europe that such statements by her colleagues were untrue.

She highlighted that when ruling MPs and representatives fail or abuse with public money, they start accusing the opposition and certain persons.

Pacolli said that her name has been mentioned in relation with such issues, but so far no-one has provided any fact.

She added that institutions are not criticised at meetings abroad, but when corruptive affairs are discussed, they are pointed out, because they are known and they exist.

Chairperson of the EU Integration Committee Blerta Deliu- Kodra told Radio Free Europe that her Committee consists of MPs of various ruling and opposition parties; but according to her, so far there have not been contradictory stances on any particular issue at the meetings abroad.

MP Deliu-Kodra said that when a process such as visa liberalisation is discussed, it is important that institutions, including the Assembly and its MPs, have a realistic and unified stance, especially about the requirements that Kosovo has met, and that are known to the EU, as well.

Serbian goods significantly decreased as a consequence of tariff

(RTK)

Almost eight months have passed since the Kosovo Government has imposed 100 per cent tariff on imported products from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Ever since, import from Serbia has marked a drastic decrease, relevant authorities in Kosovo say.

Serbia, which before the tariff was imposed, was the biggest product exporter to Kosovo, over the last eight months its export has declined to about four million euro.

Before 21 November last year, Serbia used to export goods to Kosovo estimated to around 1.2 million euro a day, or more than 360 million euro a year.

Adriatik Stavileci, Kosovo Customs spokesperson, stated to Radio Free Europe that no increase of import or of smuggling from Serbia has been noted recently.

Stavileci explains that on average, there are about ten deliveries from Serbia per day, including some humanitarian aid, and some commercial deliveries that are subject to the 100 per cent tariff. The commercial products include food, raw material, packaging etc.

Some research has indicated that the tariff has affected the increase of local products, while NGOs have stated that the effects have not been at a satisfactory level.

Chairman of the Kosovo Chamber of Commerce Berat Rukiqi said in an interview with Radio Free Europe that after the tariff was imposed, there has not been any shortage of products in the Kosovo market, given that the local businessmen very quickly found alternatives to replace those products with products from regional or from the EU member countries.

Another effect of the tariff has been price change. Berat Rukiqi says that during this period, there has been a slight price increase for some articles.

Besides economic effects, the tariff has produced political effects, as well. The European Union and the United States have continuously asked for suspension or cancellation of the tariff. Belgrade has qualified introduction of the tariff as an obstacle for resumption of the dialogue between Prishtinë/Pristina and Belgrade, facilitated by the EU.

Authorities in Prishtinë/Pristina, on the other hand, have stated that it is not the tariff that represents any obstacle to resumption of the dialogue, but the obstacle is reluctance of Serbia to recognise Kosovo.

No hopes for Kosovo to join INTERPOL this year

(RTK)

The INTERPOL Executive Committee has decided to send the Kosovo Police file for voting in the INTERPOL General Assembly, which this year will take place in Chile. Security and political analysts in Kosovo are not hopeful that Kosovo this year will become a member of INTERPOL, because they believe that not enough work has been done in this respect.

Chairperson of the Assembly Foreign Affairs Committee Vjosa Osmani hopes that the effort of the state of Kosovo for membership in INTERPOL will not appear to be another poorly coordinated step.

According to her, discordance in the foreign policy area may result with a total disaster for the image of Kosovo in the world, and for its state-building process.

On the other hand, Nuredin Ibishi, security expert, thinks that only appropriate lobbying can yield results.

He says that if a strategy and an action plan are developed, and if external capacities are involved, Kosovo can manage.

However, he thinks that Kosovo institutions have not been lobbying appropriately.

Nevertheless, he says that one should not lose hope, adding that the attention should be focussed on lobbying by friendly countries.

Political analysts in Kosovo believe that lessons have not been learnt from mistakes of last year, when Kosovo failed to join INTERPOL.

Rasim Alija says that having in mind last year’s and this year’s developments, the results this year are expected to be the same.

Albanian students learn Serbian, Serb ones learn Albanian

(KTV)

Serb youngsters from several municipalities have come together in Gracanica/Graçanicë to learn Albanian language.

The initiative was taken by a 15-year-old Serb girl, who, supported by non-governmental organisations, has managed to arrange Albanian language courses for Serbs, and Serbian language courses for Albanians.

Nikolina Djordjevic came up with the idea of organising the course, following the difficulties she encountered in communicating with Albanians.

Another girl from Gracanica/Graçanicë is attending the course.

She hopes that such activities will take place in the future, too.

The course teacher says that learning Albanian and Serbian by youngsters is the right step, having in mind coexistence of both communities in Kosovo.

She says that the number of Serb youth who are interested to learn Albanian is larger than the number of Albanians to learn Serbian, and she hopes that the idea will be expanded to other municipalities, as well.

The Albanian-Serbian and Serbian-Albanian course is available free of charge, and it will continue until the end of July.

Peci: Supreme Court working more efficiently than EULEX

(Klan Kosova)

The Kosovo Supreme Court is dealing with cases without any obstacle, even without the judges of EULEX, the largest EU rule of law mission.

The Supreme Court President Enver Peci stated to Ekonomia Online that the Mission prolonged proceedings, and sometimes they even were reluctant to cooperate.

“No obstacle at all. Perhaps we are even more efficient, and we are dealing with the cases better and faster than EULEX did. We at the Supreme Court are far ahead in finalising the cases than it was with EULEX, this is what statistics speak,” Peci said.

The Supreme Court President expects the locals to show results, from investigations, to qualitative indictments, and evidence. However, he emphasised that one year is too short to show tangible results.

Peci says there are no concrete results in corruption cases, because the accused are not receiving meritorious sentence.

In 27 corruption cases, the Court suggested to other courts, as they failed to apply the provisions on sentence calculation.

Peci explained that pursuant to the new Law on Special Chamber of the Supreme Court, he will assume those responsibilities as well.

However, he added that hiring judges for the Special Chamber appears to be difficult, because they are not interested to join due to their lack of experience, given that the Chamber deals only with cases of the Privatisation Agency of Kosovo (PAK).

He says that according to the provisions, a judge shall be independent and impartial, but bearing in mind that Kosovo is a small country, external influence might occur.

“According to the provisions, judges in their work shall be independent and impartial, but I believe that in Kosovo there might be other influences, such as affiliation, friendship, family relation; that is because we are a small country, and sometimes they interfere in terms of decision-making or political influence. But once a judge, who with a very good salary – now they have the best salaries in the region – falls prey to such influences, the judge does not belong there. In fact, they have a permanent mandate, with very good salaries, and with resources that did not exist in the past,” Peci concluded.

Ahmeti: Criminal groups in north declining

(Klan Kosova)

The Kosovo Police Director of Operation Department Afrim Ahmeti said that criminal groups in northern Kosovo have been declining.

In an interview with Ekonomia Online, he said that a part of those groups have been arrested, and the rest have been compelled to leave Kosovo.

“Criminal groups always aim to provoke incidents throughout the country, but they are more focussed in the north. Of course, the Police collaborate also with citizens in the north… Citizens are in trouble by criminal groups who, fortunately, are smaller and smaller every day… On a daily and weekly basis we monitor their residence locations and search their houses, and also in other operative ways, with assistance of other intelligence units, we check whether they are at their homes or in other residence locations,” he said.

Ahmeti stated that the situation in Kosovo north is stable, and explained that more operation actions have been taken in that area in relation with suspicions for smuggling and organised crime.

He said that those actions ended up with arrests and confiscated vehicles.

“Situation in the north is relatively calm. Kosovo Police covers every corner of the Kosovo territory with daily routine patrols, where Border police and other units are involved,” he added.

According to Ahmeti, the situation in Kosovo is relatively calm, and there are no destabilisation elements. He explained that the number of criminal offences has been decreased to -9.96 per cent compared with the same period in 2018.