- Prosecution Office launches investigations into threats; Rasic considers it slow response (KTV)
- Security and justice institutions mobilised for October 6 elections (KTV)
- KFF determined not to allow Crvena Zvezda to Kosovo, despite FIFA’s request (KTV)
- Kastrati takes part in the first session of Youth Forum Academy (Epoka e Re)
- Only 5% of divorced women have exercised their right to property (KTV)
- Vucic tells UN Kosovo burdening regional economies (N1)
- Cakaj meets Palmer: Eventually Serbia should recognise Kosovo (RTK)
- Haradinaj: Americans don’t mind the tariff, but they want continuation of dialogue (Summary of TV Dukagjini Debate Plus show)
News
Prosecution Office launches investigations into threats; Rasic considers it slow response
(KTV)
Referring to Facebook, Freedom coalition with its nominee for Prime Minister Nenad Rasic, so far has not held any rally with citizens, which usually should happen in this campaign period.
But this is not the whole truth: they have been going out to the field, but not publishing photos.
They have been doing so, in order to avoid threats and pressure on their supporters, which, according to Rasic, is being put by Srpska Lista and its Belgrade supported structures.
Rasic along with two other politicians, Slobodan Petrovic and Aleksandar Jablanovic, took part in a debate, where they accused Srpska Lista of the pressure; but the Srpska Lista representative Goran Rakic was absent in the debate.
KTV tried to get a response from Rakic about his absence in the debate and about the allegations addressed to them, but he did not answer the telephone calls.
It is the State Prosecution Office which is already dealing with concerns of Serb politicians.
However, Rasic believes that the institutions have been slow in responding to this issue, which happened for several reasons.
Threats for dismissal and various types of blackmailing on Serb politicians outside Srpska Lista were reported even before launching of the election campaign, and even in the 2017 elections, Serb voters were faced with a great deal of pressure to vote for Srpska Lista.
This week, Council for Defence of Human Rights and Freedoms (CDHRF) called for involvement of the Prosecution Office in these cases.
Security and justice institutions mobilised for October 6 elections
(KTV)
Any citizen who commits an offense on Election Day will be arrested, and justice bodies will handle the case urgently.
A large number of police officers who will be working with extended hours, 100 prosecutors, and 15 duty judges will be in charge of this process.
This mobilization is happening in order to protect ballots from abusers, so that the election process happens smoothly and without incidents.
All those who will be found guilty of committing election-related offenses may be sentenced up to five years imprisonment.
The most severe penalties will be for polling station managers and committee members responsible for election material after it will be delivered to them.
The Kosovo Police officials have also said they are ready to provide security both during the campaign and on E-Day.
At the meeting, concerns were addressed by parties that are not currently in the Assembly, saying they were not allowed to have commissioners and observers.
KFF determined not to allow Crvena Zvezda to Kosovo, despite FIFA’s request
(KTV)
The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) has requested from the Kosovo Football Federation (KFF) to allow football match for the Cup of Serbia Trepca versus Crvena Zvezda in the territory of Kosovo.
In the letter sent to KFF, FIFA has encouraged them to, for the sake of football, withdraw their request to the Kosovo security authorities and allow the match to happen on 5th October in Mitrovica/Mitrovicë north.
The letter adds that this match will not undermine the Federation’s authority in its territory.
But Head of KFF Agim Ademi stated to Sport on KTV on Thursday that the decision for not allowing matches in Kosovo will not change.
He added that they might allow requests for some friendly humanitarian match, but not matches organised by the Serbian Football Federation, since it does not happen in any other country in the world.
In fact, Ademi had also in the past reacted to UEFA and FIFA to prohibit illegal matches that happen in Kosovo, especially in Mitrovica/Mitrovicë north. Nevertheless, there has never been any response from the highest international football institutions.
In the past years, Crvena Zvezda played in Kosovo, specifically in the football field in Gracanica/Graçanicë versus the local team. It was a humanitarian match, but it was characterised by political messages, too.
Kastrati takes part in the first session of Youth Forum Academy
(Epoka e Re)
The Mayor of Kamenicë/Kamenica Qëndron Kastrati took part in the plenary session of first edition of the Youth Forum Academy. This session was organized by the OSCE Mission in Kosovo on the topic of “Achieving Gender Equality: The Role of Youth”.
The proceedings of this session were opened by Mayor Kastrati, who said that he was very happy that Kamenicë/Kamenica is a model municipality in gender equality and youth involvement in decision-making.
“Women’s movement for equality and youth for representation must come together to develop a partnership that imposes the agenda of the country’s political elite,” Kastrati said.
Only 5% of divorced women have exercised their right to property
(KTV)
Fifty (50) percent of divorced women have experienced domestic violence, while out of 38% of those seeking marital property, only 5% have exercised this right.
This is what was said on Thursday during presentation of a survey on common property and financial support by the Justice and Equality Initiative.
Lawyer Anton Nrecaj said that in all cases dealing with division of property, it is women who suffer.
But the Ministry of Justice officials said that judicial practice in Kosovo has its good side as well.
The survey also reveals that only 17 percent of women own property.
Vucic tells UN Kosovo burdening regional economies
(N1)
President Aleksandar Vucic told the UN General Assembly on Thursday that the economic growth of Serbia and the region is burdened by the fact that the Kosovo issue has not been resolved.
He said that a lasting solution must be reached so that neither side wins everything but that they both get enough. “We started fighting for a lasting solution bravely and realistically with faith. No one wants a solution more than Serbia … which is why we expect the great powers to understand and support our arguments,” the president said.
“I believe that an agreement between Serbs and Albanians is hugely important for the stability of the Balkans, he said but added that he can’t negotiate with people who say that “mine is mine and let’s talk about what’s yours”. Pristina’s unilateral measures, such as the imposing of 100 percent tariffs on Serbian goods, make things harder while Serbia has responded moderately without imposing counter-measures, he said.
Speaking to reporters after his speech, Vucic said that delegations from Africa and Asia applauded him “because they long to hear the voice of courage”. “I think we sent a clear message and the idea that the world belongs to free, sovereign and independent countries,” he said. Serbia will never be free of the input of foreign powers but should look to what it can do itself. “We are a sovereign state and if we violate international law, tell us, he said.
Vucic said the presence of UNMIK is necessary to provide security for the Kosovo Serbs.
The Serbian president said that the government is building highways to Pristina and Bosnia and that meetings on cooperation were held with the prime ministers of Albania and North Macedonia. “No one should fear that the idea of a new Yugoslavia is being created or that this is an expression of hegemony because the idea comes from Belgrade,” he said, adding that the regional cooperation efforts are not a replacement for the European Union but an expression of care for the region until the EU accession process is completed. We want the Balkans to accept a policy of cooperation, peace and negotiation, Vucic said.
Serbia respects the territorial integrity and sovereignty all UN member states and won’t demand anything that isn’t ours, he said.
He ended his speech in Serbian saying: the Balkans to the Balkan peoples, long live Serbia.
Cakaj meets Palmer: Eventually Serbia should recognise Kosovo
(RTK)
The Albanian Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Gent Cakaj said that the Kosovo-Serbia agreement should be finalised with recognition of the Republic of Kosovo by Serbia.
He met in New York with the US Deputy Assistant Secretary and the Special Envoy for Western Balkans, Matthew Palmer.
“Following the Prespa Accord, the fundamental issue in the region is reaching of the final agreement for normalisation of relations between the Republic of Kosovo and Serbia. The agreement should end with recognition of the Republic of Kosovo by Serbia. The US also believes that the EU enlargement process to the Western Balkans is a key instrument of stabilisation, democratisation, and development of the region as a whole.
Finally, we discussed also cooperation within the framework of the OSCE, which is more and more taking the shape of concrete actions,” Cakaj stated.
Haradinaj: Americans don’t mind the tariff, but they want continuation of dialogue
(Summary of TV Dukagjini Debate Plus show)
Incumbent Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj said that Americans do not mind the tariff, but they want that dialogue with Serbia to resume.
However, he said that rescinding of the tariff should happen along conclusion of the process of mutual recognition between Kosovo and Serbia.
“They do not have a problem with the tariff, but they want the dialogue to continue. I think we should initially return to the table, that is, to the meetings. All the topics will certainly be opened there,” Haradinaj told RTV Dukagjini Debate Plus show on Thursday evening.
Haradinaj said that in case he will be Prime Minister of Kosovo for another term, he will request a preliminary dialogue, to make an agreement for the tariff to be suspended when finalisation of the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue process comes close.
“In that case, if I get elected, Kosovo will seek a framework for recognition, so that the time for suspension of the tariff comes with the conference on final recognition. I am not ready to rescind the tariff without anything, and to return to dialogue with nothing. I am in favour of unconditional dialogue, so that both sides resume it without rescinding the tariff. A final event is needed. Every process should result in a final event,” Haradinaj said.
Haradinaj said he had made those statements also to the US envoy for dialogue Matthew Palmer.
Nominee of the AAK-PSD coalition for Prime Minister, Ramush Haradinaj, said that the decision on visa liberalization for Kosovo will be taken before Christmas.
He said that many German officials are lobbying for visa liberalization for Kosovo citizens to happen as soon as possible.
“I know the decision will be taken this year. I didn’t want to make a statement about this because of the EU processes,” he said.
The incumbent Prime Minister says he does not want to win votes with this promise, but he believes the decision will be taken this year.
“Is anyone coming to Prishtinë/Pristina to ask for any criterion for visas? Everyone is apologizing because liberalization has not happened,” he continued.
Haradinaj said he went to France to meet with the French Interior Minister only to lobby for visas.
He said Peter Bayer’s words that visas would probably be liberalized before Christmas could not be ignored.
“It is not me that decides, but we have promises from the EU that this matter will be finished before Christmas,” Haradinaj added.
Ramush Haradinaj spoke about some hard relations he had with internationals.
Haradinaj said he resigned, in order to convey the message to the internationals that agreements that they impose on us do not work in our country.
“We have nowhere to go. We can go home, prison, and wherever it is necessary, but these formulas do not work in our country. It is not because I am not willing, but they are not applicable in Kosovo. This is what I am trying to explain to our allies,” he said.
For the first time ever, the incumbent Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj disclosed how much of Kosovo’s territory Serbia has claimed.
Haradinaj said that Serbia claimed 950 square kilometres of Kosovo’s territory.
“Serbia has claimed 950 kilometres of Kosovo, specifically. The partition issue is no longer at the table, things have evolved. Vucic still uses it as partition. They do their job,” Haradinaj said.
Ramush Haradinaj said that in case he wins elections, one-third of his government will be composed of females.
He stressed that if the government will have 18 ministries, 6 of them will be led by women, not only three women ministers as the case has been so far.
“At the moment it is difficult to mention particular names,” he said.
He is confident that the AAK-PSD coalition will win the elections, but says they are not trumpeting themselves as winners.
