• Haradinaj: New elections are not the right course (KTV)
• Crime denial by Serbia opposed (KTV)
• Tanin: Serbia is attempting to distort painful events (RTK)
• OSCE Deputy Head of Mission calls for empowerment of youth position in society (Lajmi.net)
• Kosovo Office: Djuric with representatives from Kosovo in the margins of the Tirana roundtable (Kossev)
• Equal representation of women in government demanded (KTV)
• Lacking budget, victims of domestic violence do not receive the necessary care (KTV)
• Two vehicles burned in Lesak, arson suspected (Kossev)

News

 Haradinaj: New elections are not the right course

(KTV)

Acting Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj said that the statements of Serbian officials about the Reçak massacre mark a step back.

At a press conference, Haradinaj called on Kosovo citizens not to get involved in such discussions, because otherwise they will be facing the law.

Commenting on statements of Vetëvendosje leader Albin Kurti about the possibility of new elections, Haradinaj said that failure to form institutions of Kosovo, would imply incapability of the designate elected by the people.

The AAK leader Haradinaj did not tell whether his MPs would support forming of new government led by Albin Kurti, saying that he will consider their role in certain processes.

Haradinaj believes that the possibility that Constitutional Court imposes provisional measure to the Law on Salaries is an intentional scenario.

Haradinaj presented details about displaced persons from Albania. According to him, there are about 1300 displaced persons in Kosovo, who are voluntarily returning to Albania.

 Crime denial by Serbia opposed

(KTV)

 The incendiary rhetoric and historical revisionism with regard to the events of 1999 are unacceptable, the United States Embassy to Kosovo reiterated.

In a press statement, the Embassy also cautioned against selective prosecution of speech on the basis of political orientation or community.

“Freedom of speech has long been a bedrock principle of democracy. The events of this week pose another reminder of how important it is for Kosovo and Serbia to return to the table and refocus their energies on the future by normalizing relations.”

On the other hand, at the “Genocide in Kosovo – Open Wound” Centre consider that denials of Serbian leaders are not new, but the propaganda of Serbian state has intensified.

“With the aim of being coherent with our stances, the ‘Genocide in Kosovo – Open Wound’ Centre calls on us to mobilize as a state and as a society, to mark on January 15 in the best possible day of the Genocide Remembrance Day towards Albanians in Kosovo. This statement by Aleksandar Vucic is nothing new. On the contrary, it is a literal repetition of what he has said several times during the war in Kosovo,” the Centre said.

Meanwhile, Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic has reacted by saying that Serbia is not optimistic about continuation of dialogue.

“Their unilateral actions show that Prishtinë/Pristina is the main factor of instability. Criminal charges against Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Kurti’s statement – these are clear indicators that they are not interested in dialogue and compromise,” he said.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, speaking about the conviction of former Minister Ivan Todosijevic, called the Racak massacre a fabrication.

 Tanin: Serbia is attempting to distort painful events

(RTK)

Head of UNMIK Zahir Tanin reacted after the statements of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who qualified the Raçak Massacre as a “fabrication made up by [Wiliam] Walker.”

Through a press release issued by UNMIK, Tanin reiterated the need to balance freedom of expression with political responsibility.

Tanin expressed serious concern at attempts to distort painful historical events. He also emphasizes in the strongest terms the imperative need for an independent judiciary free from political and/or ethnic bias, the press release adds.

According to him, freedom of expression should not be counter to the political responsibility that officials have.

 OSCE Deputy Head of Mission calls for empowerment of youth position in society

(Lajmi.net)

The OSCE Mission presented results of the 2019 youth projects. Youth participants of this conference spoke about gender-based violence and the ways for prevention of this phenomenon, Lajmi.net reported on Saturday.

Kilian Wahl, the OSCE Deputy Head of Mission, called for empowerment of the position of youth, as according to him, many of them think that their voice is not heard.

“The influence of youth is increasing. Youth push for positive change. Change comes from youth, be it in economy, peace, and security. Many young people believe that their voice is not heard. Youth need to be empowered,” he said.

“Let us encourage them for access to career, to education. We are here to help you,” he added.

However, he pointed out an issue that younger generations are facing, namely gender-based violence.

“An issue with the generations is gender-based violence. The Survey [on Well-being and Safety of Women in Kosovo] indicates that more than 50 per cent of women have experienced violence since age of 15. There should be full equality between women and men,” he said.

Kosovo Office: Djuric with representatives from Kosovo in the margins of the Tirana roundtable

(Kossev)

 Vice-President of the main board of the Serbian Progressive Party and the Head of the Kosovo Office, Marko Djuric will be attending a roundtable on regional co-operation in Tirana from the 7th to 9th December, the Kosovo Office confirmed for KoSSev last night. The confirmation arrived after photos were released last night of an alleged meeting between Djuric and senior officials and deputies of the Self-Determination, LDK and AAK parties in Tirana, at a restaurant called „floor 15“.

„During his stay in Tirana, in the margins of the conference, Djuric will hold numerous meetings with representatives of political parties from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Northern Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania and Kosovo, participants of this regional gathering, including representatives of the ruling and opposition parties from the Republic of Serbia,“ the Kosovo Office said in a written reply to KoSSev, after the news of the meeting was published by the Kosovo media last night.

This is the second roundtable – organized by the Council for Inclusive Governance in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany – dedicated to improving regional cooperation, coordination of internal political and economic reforms, and assistance in resolving regional disputes – the Office explained, adding that the first gathering was held in Skopje between 18th and 20th October.

The unofficial answer to why the meeting was not announced earlier reads that the Serbian Progressive Party has already done so today. Our portal is not on the party’s email list. Also, we were unable to find an announcement on the official site prior to the time the news was published.

We have not yet received an answer to the question – what are the topics and the eventual outcomes of this roundtable?

According to Pristina-based Gazeta Express, the photographs published last night show Djuric sitting at the table with a member of the Presidency of the Self-Determination Movement – Xhelal Svecla, a member of the Democratic Alliance of Kosovo, Arban Abrashi and a Vice-President of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo and the mayor of Djakovica, Ardian Gini.

KoSSev also wrote to Svecla last night, requesting confirmation that the meeting took place. We also raised the following questions: why the meeting had not been previously announced, and what was the nature and topic of the meeting, as well as its outcome. By the time the news was published, no response had arrived. Later yesterday evening, Svecla confirmed the CIG’s events to Pristina based media, after they had also no previous response to their attempts to get in touch with him.

In a press release published today, CIG confirmed that Djuric and Svecla, among others, met yesterday at a roundtable in Tirana as part of their project.

Earlier in the day, Marko Djuric held a press conference in Belgrade, where he commented on Albin Kurti’s alleged statement that he „does not want to negotiate with Vucic“, saying that Kurti „cannot make personnel decisions on behalf of Serbia“.

He reiterated that Kosovo officials do not look to the future, but they show that they are facing the past through their statements. Djuric also claimed that they have clearly shown that they are against the dialogue.

The Head of the Kosovo Office also spoke of the „desire“ of Serb employees in the Kosovo judiciary to leave those institutions because of the first-instance verdict on Ivan Todosijevic, namely the two-year prison sentence for inciting racial, religious and ethnic hatred.

Equal representation of women in government demanded

(KTV)

In the October 6 parliamentary elections, women got 38 out of 120 seats in the Kosovo Assembly. The next issue remains representation of women at the government and at other institutions that are expected to be formed. Civil society representatives say that Law on Gender Equality, which provided fifty-fifty per cent for both genders, must be implemented.

A significant fact mentioned in relation to October 6 parliamentary elections was that most of elected women became MPs through votes, not through the gender quota.

For the first time, the quota system in Kosovo was applied by the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), in 2000. Pursuant to a regulation, the Mission required at least 30 per cent of candidates on political party lists belong to female gender. In this framework, it was required that 30 per cent of the Assembly consists of women.

In addition to the quota, there is also the Law on Gender Equality, which provides equal representation of genders in candidacy and representation.

Blerta Aliu of the Kosovo Democratic Institute (KDI), in an interview with Radio Free Europe, said that the gender quota has had its positive impacts, but she would prefer that political entities have 50 per cent women on their election lists.

On the other hand, Luljeta Demolli, Executive Director at the Kosovo Centre for Gender Studies, says that the gender quota in the October 6 general parliamentary elections proved its maximal effect, given that women were voted more than in the previous election cycles.

 Lacking budget, victims of domestic violence do not receive the necessary care

(KTV)

 The places where the victims of domestic violence are sheltered face financial shortages every end of the year, while even those belonging to them from the state, are delayed for months.

From 30 to 35 thousand euros per year is the total budget these shelters receive from the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare.

However, according to the heads of these institutions in Gjakovë/Djakovica and Gjilan/Gnjilane, this amount is not sufficient, as assistance to many mothers and their children is provided there, while they stay in shelters for up to two years.

“The safe house in Gjakovë/Djakovica currently shelters 21 cases of domestic violence (mothers together with their children). For direct assistance, to some extent, their needs are met with financial assistance provided by the Government, but it is worth noting that this is unsustainable,” said Erblina Dinarama, Director of the shelter in Gjakovë/Djakovica.

 “The funding from the Ministry and municipalities across Kosovo is insufficient, therefore the funding for provision of services in cases of violence should be increased. The 2019 budget for services was 32,000 euro, thus insufficient. We should all raise our voices for the budget increase by the Government of Kosovo for these services. We hope that by 2020, the fund will be increased to 60,000 euros for the provision of shelter services,” said Nazife Jonuzi, director of the shelter in Gjilan/Gnjilane.

Women’s rights organizations also consider this amount allocated by the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare as insufficient.

Adelina Berisha of the Kosovo Women’s Network says that although their request to double this budget has been approved in the Assembly of Kosovo, it has not changed.

She adds that this amount insufficient for these shelters and that is why they risk closing every end of the year.

Eight shelters in total operate in Kosovo. Seven are for women and children victims and one other is only for children.

KTV has asked the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare if it will start implementing the decision to allocate 60,000 euros for each shelter and if it generally increase this budget, but its officials did not respond.

Two vehicles burned in Lesak, arson suspected

(Kossev)

 Two cars were burned in Lesak this morning. The police suspect arson, the spokesperson of the Kosovo Police for the North Region, Branislav Radovic confirmed for KoSSev.

Two vehicles – a white Pasat with Sabac license plates and a gray Reno Megan with Belgrade license plates, both owned by T.S. (1975) from Novi Pazar – caught fire this morning at about 4 o’clock, in Braca Matovic street in Lesak.

A fire unit quickly came to the scene and contained the fire. The investigating police officer from Leposavic police station, a forensic expert and a regional investigating police officer were also present at the scene.

Radovic said both vehicles sustained „total material damage“.

The complainant gave a statement at the police station – he added.

The prosecutor on duty registered this case as arson and an investigation is ongoing.

Radovic could not confirm the unofficial information that the Serbian MIA had already issued a warrant for the complainant and that he is allegedly a member of one of the security formations.

The latest car arson case in the North took place in mid-May this year in Zubin Potok. The vehicle, owned by the Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Welfare in the Kosovo government and Srpska Lista member, Milos Perovic, was torched on May 18th in the center of the municipality.

Previously, in April, also in Zubin Potok (Donji Jasenovik), a bomb was thrown into a courtyard, where several cars belonging the same family were located. On that occasion, six cars were damaged, as well as a nearby building belonging to a Serbian KP police officer. Also, in March, a car was set on fire in Strpce.

With the exception of the bomb case, this is the 43rd case of torching of a vehicle in Serb-populated areas since 2014.