Declaration on promotion of dialogue amongst communities signed (KTV, Epoka Re)
Ruling and opposition parties against conditioning of visa liberalisation with dialogue (KTV)
Kosovo MP Haradinaj held ‘for a few minutes’ by Austrian Police (Gazeta Express)
Activists accuse Police of negligence about murder of 12-year-old boy (KTV)
Kosovo PM Haradinaj appoints ex-intelligence officer as his advisor (Gazeta Express)
US to have a greater role in Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (Gazeta Express)
– Haradinaj: Veseli’s statement in Washington, ignoble and servile (Summary of KTV Rubicon show)
News
Declaration on promotion of dialogue amongst communities signed
(KTV, Epoka Re)
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Mission in Kosovo on Thursday organised formal ceremony of signing of the joint declaration on promotion of dialogue amongst communities in the municipalities of Mitrovicë/Mitrovica, Vushtrri/Vucitrn, Skenderaj/Srbica, and Podujevë/Podujevo, Epoka e Re and KTV portals reported.
The ceremony was attended by Director of Administration in Mitrovicë/Mitrovica municipality Hysen Muzliukaj, the Podujevë/Podujevo mayor Agim Veliu, the Vushtrri/Vucitrn mayor Xhafer Tahiri, Director of Culture, Youth and Sport in Skenderaj/Srbica Ramiz Shala, representatives of communities, municipal officials, and NGO representatives.
In his address, Ambassador Jan Braathu, Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, thanked the mayors and directors who attended the ceremony, saying he is happy that he can support inter-municipality cooperation to promote community affairs.
On this occasion, Director of Administration Hysen Muzliukaj, prior to signing the declaration on commitment of municipalities for inter-municipality cooperation, said that the Mitrovicë/Mitrovica municipality is working more and more every day to improve life and wellbeing of citizens of all communities in Mitrovicë/Mitrovica.
“The Mitrovicë/Mitrovica municipality has made continuous efforts so that all communities living in our city are worthily represented, by implementing various projects in their integration and fixing road infrastructure. Moreover, the Office for Communities and Returns has given a special contribution in identification of demands and implementation of various projects for the communities living in Mitrovicë/Mitrovica,” Muzliukaj said.
He added that the mayor and the Municipality as institutions have shown a high willingness to sign the declaration, and, with the greatest responsibility, to implement recommendations stemming from the declaration, as well.
The mayors said that the aim of signing the declaration is about promoting dialogue and respect amongst communities in their municipalities and Kosovo-wide.
They reminded that a culturally diverse society is a goal that should be pertained, and that institution building is equally important as building a closer cooperation in all areas and in respecting all communities.
Ruling and opposition parties against conditioning of visa liberalisation with dialogue
(KTV)
Authorities in Prishtinë/Pristina do not conceal their fear that the visa liberalisation process for Kosovo citizens might be included as a new condition for resumption of the dialogue with Serbia and reaching a final agreement. Neither ruling nor the opposition parties would agree about such a condition.
In an interview with Radio Free Europe, Kosovo Minister for EU Integration Dhurata Hoxha said that it would be disappointing to see such tendencies, although she admitted that they have received requests both for the tariff revocation and for the dialogue resumption.
“I hope it will not be related to it, given that from the beginning we paid the double price compared to what the regional countries paid for this process. In other words, we had 95 requirements, whereas other countries had 40-45 requirements,” Hoxha said.
On the other hand, opposition representatives and political analysts say that the Kosovo Government should advocate, so that the visa liberalisation issue is not linked with the Kosovo-Serbia political process.
Talking to Radio Free Europe, Vetëvendosje MP Fitore Pacolli Dalipi said that the political dialogue with Serbia and the visa liberalisation process for Kosovo are not interrelated, and that the Kosovo institutions should not by any means allow this issue to turn into a requirement.
“Our Ministry and Government should insist so that it is not included in the dialogue. Besides that, they should work in fighting corruption and convince the Member States that they are working in this respect, because we have a report of the European Commission which says, yes, the requirements have been met,” Pacolli-Dalipi stressed.
Kosovo MP Haradinaj held ‘for a few minutes’ by Austrian Police
(Gazeta Express)
Kosovo Member of Parliament, Daut Haradinaj, refuted media reports that he was arrested by the Austrian police, saying that he was held “for a few minutes” for additional consultations by the police at Vienna Airport, Gazeta Express reports.
Media in Kosovo reported that Daut Haradinaj, the brother of Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj, and member of ruling AAK party, was held by the police in Vienna, based on Serbia’s international warrant. But Haradinaj was quick to refute the news.
“The news is not true; I was stopped at the Airport only for a few minutes by the police for some consultations. It has nothing to do with detention or arrest. I am in Vienna as a free man and continuing my schedule normally,” Haradinaj told Klan Kosova TV channel.
“I want to thank Austrian Police for acting professionally, and for continued and unreserved support received from Kosovo. My message to my friends who were concerned after the news is that I am a free man and feeling good. See you soon in Kosovo – thank you for support,” Daut Haradinaj said.
Activists accuse Police of negligence about murder of 12-year-old boy
(KTV)
A group of activists gathered in front of Police station in Fushë Kosovë/Kosovo Polje, demanding symbolically to protest against the Police negligence in the case of the murder of 12-year-old boy.
“For six months, the Police did not do anything to protect the 12-year-old boy from abuse and murder. This case discloses racism rooted in our institutions, making them accomplices in these crimes,” Gazmend Qyqalla, a Roma community member, said.
Activists hanged white T-shirts painted in red in front of the Police station.
In addition, they sprayed red ink in front of the Police station, symbolising collaboration of the institutions on the murder of the 12-year-old boy from Fushë Kosovë/Kosovo Polje.
The next protest will be held on Friday at 14:00hrs. The march will begin in Meshari neighbourhood, and will end in front of the Police station in Fushë Kosovë/Kosovo Polje.
In the meantime, LDK Chairman Isa Mustafa reacted late on Thursday regarding the murder of Roma child that happened days ago, KTV portal reported.
He said that the news on his murder is not managing to become news despite treatment by media in the country.
According to Mustafa, a monstrous murder of a human being, an innocent and poor citizen who secured his bread from collection of cans, is hardly permeating the social consciousness, and the state responsibility the least.
“I cannot go on with asking the question of how we would all behave if he was the child of a government official, of an MP, of a police officer, of a prosecutor ?! If he were an Albanian child?! And if he were a Serb, the bells of all local and international institutions would toll. He is a Roma child. Same as it was a poor Roma woman who was cruelly beaten in public in Lipjan/Lipljane and Ferizaj/Urosevac,” Mustafa asked.
According to Mustafa, there can be no justification for negligence of the police, the prosecutor’s office and other officials who have not taken measures to protect an unprotected citizen of this country, adding that they are also responsible.
Kosovo PM Haradinaj appoints ex-intelligence officer as his advisor
(Gazeta Express)
Kosovo Prime Minister, Ramush Haradinaj, has appointed as external political advisor Shkelzen Sopjani, former general inspector of the Kosovo Intelligence Agency (KIA).
Haradinaj in a Facebook post said that knowledge and experience of Sopjani will serve “in improving and advancing policymaking.”
“Today I have appointed the lawyer and former general inspector of the KIA, Shkelzen Sopjani, as external political advisor. His knowledge and experience will serve in improving and advancing policymaking,” Haradinaj said.
US to have a greater role in Kosovo-Serbia dialogue
(Gazeta Express)
Retired US Lt. General, Ben Hodges, in an interview with Voice of America in Serbian, said that the United States should play a more leading role in dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia.
“The role of the United States in Balkans and in talks between leaders of Serbia and Kosovo, Aleksandar Vucic and Hashim Thaci, should be greater, leading,” Hodges said, Gazeta Express reports. He said US involvement to solve problems between Kosovo and Serbia should be sustainable, and not intervallic. “Our commitment should be sustainable rather than episodic. We cannot say, let’s organise a conference [on dialogue], and move in completely different direction,” said retired US general.
Among other things Hodges said that it is necessary to create space for Thaci and Vucic to reach a final agreement, and to achieve this, Hodges thinks that all “red lines” should be removed, in order as he said, to defend both sides from Russian influence.
Haradinaj: Veseli’s statement in Washington, ignoble and servile
(Summary of KTV Rubicon show)
According to Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj, what his coalition partner, Assembly Speaker Kadri Veseli stated in Washington, is servility.
In an interview with KTV Rubicon show Haradinaj said it is shameful to put his approach towards Serbia and America at the same level.
“It is shameful for a leader of Kosovo to make such a comparison of the approach of anyone of us in Kosovo and say ‘you act the same with Serbia as you do with America,’” Haradinaj said.
Asked by the show moderator, if he meant that this is shameful from Mr. Veseli’s part, Haradinaj responded: “Yes, it is the most ignoble thing that a leader can do, not for me in this case, because it luckily it isn’t so, and in America they know the truth. However, it is shameful to compare the approach towards Serbia with the one towards America. The approach is not the same. To me, America is my family. Disagreements also happen within the family. I am explaining this to Kadri Veseli, Hashim Thaçi and others… you are not good to America if you do not defend your interest. You are not good to America if you do not tell them what is bothering you. They do not know how to help you. America must listen very clearly from us. I cannot give territory. Territory of the country is intact. I cannot the Dodik-type Zajednica [Association] because Russia will enter my country and cause me problems here. I can bring back the market in exchange of recognition. If this is against America, and it is the same as stating it to Serbia, then it is meaningless. Unfortunately, this servility… I was even told in a meeting here in Kosovo…,” Haradinaj said.
Asked once again if he is qualifying it as servility of Mr. Veseli, Haradinaj was strict: “It is most ignoble servility possible that a political leader can do.”
According to Haradinaj, tariff is the only weapon that can bring recognition to Kosovo.
Furthermore, he was even ironic by stating that Serbia does not recognize Kosovo because “we are the nice guys”.
He believes that internal divisions between the political class in Kosovo are weakening the country’s position. PM Haradinaj said that statements of political party leaders, their positions, furthermore different from those in public and in closed meetings, are making Kosovo look weaker against Serbia.
According to him, Serbia is weakening Kosovo on their hand while local leaders are doing it on the other hand.
He even asked that a joint statement be made through each state leader declare that they will not revoke the tariff without Serbia’s recognition.
“A joint statement that we, Kosovo’s leaders, will not return the market to Serbia prior to recognition because it has destroyed our market, it has destroyed us. This is the reason why we do not revoke the tariff, “Haradinaj said.
He urged leaders of parliamentary political parties to join for a statement that Kosovo will not return the market to Serbia without recognizing Kosovo.
“If we do this, I assure you that recognition will come,” Haradinaj said.
After the agenda for partition of Kosovo, for which the Government Head Ramush Haradinaj says he has stopped, continuation of the dialogue process with Serbia remains to be seen.
Accused of circumventing his constitutional responsibility to lead the dialogue, Haradinaj said he will never do it alone.
Although the Constitution provides that the Government Head shall lead the dialogue, Haradinaj said that in order to do this they should be together with representatives of parliamentary parties.
“I have refused to take part in the dialogue on partition – Mogherini’s dialogue, and I really managed to do it,” he said.
According to him, this is an obligation for parliamentary political parties to reach consensus.
Regarding the Paris Summit, Haradinaj said it is expected to be held in September.
“It is expected to happen in September. I received a phone call from President Macron’s adviser,” Haradinaj said.
Visa liberalization is now only a procedural issue and there is no blockade. Not even from France. Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj gave these assurances during this interview with KTV.
He commented on the visit of French President Emanuel Macron to Belgrade.
He said that the Berlin Summit and the announcement of the Paris Summit clearly demonstrate France’s will for involvement in the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia.
“I want to tell you that the issue of liberalization is over. We are on the agenda. Fortunately, this is confirmed by the election of the Commission’s President,” he said.
He said that however the French will not oppose this process.
“President Macron said that reforms are needed for enlargement. However, the issue of liberalization is not included here, because we have fulfilled all the criteria,” he said.
Haradinaj said he is convinced that Kosovo will enter the agenda in September.
“I hope very much that this autumn we will close this issue,” said Haradinaj.
Although Thaçi publicly states that the tariff should remain in force, Haradinaj doubts his statements.
Haradinaj stressed that Thaçi speaks differently about the tariff in public, while his position is different.
He underlined that strengthening the tariff saves Kosovo from the partition agenda and the Association of Serb Majority Municipalities.
Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj also spoke of the aggravations within the coalition, saying he has nothing against Limaj and that entering elections is healthy.
Haradinaj said he is ready for elections, stressing that elections are democratic, but one cannot enter elections unconditionally. His condition is that the tariff should not be revoked without recognition by Serbia.