- Mustafa: If there is no coalition with Vetëvendosje, LDK moves to opposition (KTV)
- Kurti comments on Mustafa’s statement: He said nothing new (GazetaExpress)
- Haxhiu: LDK wants half of government and everything else, no thank you (KTV)
- Three special rooms for domestic violence victims inaugurated (Klan Kosova)
- SEWP and OSCE react to journalist Ramadani case (KosovaLive)
- Experts believe Pacolli should be interviewed for the dossier submitted to Prosecution Office (KTV)
- Officials in Skoplje, Pristina warn against border changes (N1)
- Difficult to predict resumption of Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, says Dacic (GazetaExpress)
- Halimi: The first hearing on December 30th, there is no new evidence against Rosic in the Ivanovic case (Kossev)
News
Mustafa: If there is no coalition with Vetëvendosje, LDK moves to opposition
(KTV)
The LDK leader Isa Mustafa said that if no coalition is reached with Vetëvendosje Movement, the Plan B is that LDK moves to opposition.
LDK held its General Council’s meeting of on Wednesday and Mustafa spoke to the media after it.
“Our Plan B is to move to opposition. If we make government with Vetëvendosje, we do it; if not, we do not accept any mandate from the President and no agreement with other entities. Opposition is an honourable matter, too, one can contribute there, as well,” Mustafa said.
He highlighted that up to now, he has not seen willingness by Vetëvendosje Movement to overcoming the crisis, adding that the President’s position is not an issue that should trigger any deadlock.
“The President’s matter needs to be discussed; it is one of the positions that will challenge us. It is not an issue that should block us. It is a matter of pledge, but it is not something that will happen today. I do not see any obstacle that Vetëvendosje agrees to pledge that LDK nominates that candidate, as same as LDK trusts Prime Minister from Vetëvendosje,” Mustafa added.
Kurti comments on Mustafa’s statement: He said nothing new
(GazetaExpress)
Vetëvendosje leader Albin Kurti said he heard nothing new from Isa Mustafa’s statement, and he did not tell whether there will be an agreement between the two political entities, Ekonomia Online reported.
Kurti made these comments at the FIDES 2019 ceremony awards, to honour philanthropic contribution of individuals, organisations and businesses in Kosovo and diaspora.
Moreover, he was seen sharing the same table with his rival from the October 6 elections, Vjosa Osmani.
Haxhiu: LDK wants half of government and everything else, no thank you
(KTV)
Vetëvendosje’s MP Albulena Haxhiu commented on the meeting of LDK General Council.
According to her, LDK used the meeting to reinforce their appetite.
“Besides the first Deputy Prime Minister, five ministries and half of the political platform, LDK wants the Assembly Speaker and the President, as well. So, they want half of the government and everything else! No, thank you,” she posted on her Facebook profile.
Three special rooms for domestic violence victims inaugurated
(Klan Kosova)
Three special rooms have been established in Gjakovë/Djakovica, Ferizaj/Urosevac, and Prizren for victims of domestic violence, including children. They have been accomplished with support of the OSCE, the Italian and Norwegian Embassy.
The inauguration ceremony took place in Gjakovë/Djakovica, Klan Kosova reported.
The Kosovo Police General Deputy Director Samedin Mehmeti said that with a very professional approach, domestic violence can at least be reduced.
“Police officers feel extremely bad when dealing with those cases, especially when children are also involved. Building those rooms is of crucial importance, as we are providing the warmth within our possibilities to those mistreated, in order for them not to be victimised again. This should have been done much earlier, but better late than never,” Mehmeti said.
Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo Kilian Wahl said: ‘As long as you want us, we will continue being here and collaborating with you’.
“Inauguration of these friendly rooms is happening through generous assistance of the Embassy of Italy and of Norway, through the OSCE, in order to create a better environment for victims of domestic violence and children.
“This will help the Police to build their capacities in this respect and deal with those cases more differently.
Two thirds of interviewed women in Kosovo admitted that they have experienced violence by their partners. More than half of the women admitted that they have experienced physical or psychological violence by their intimate partner.
These properly equipped friendly rooms will create a neutral environment to collect more accurate data about such cases, where amongst others, victims can be kept so that they are not victimised again, and to provide a special treatment also for children.
Now reporting of those cases has increased, but this does not mean that such a crime has increased, but that girls and women have built trust in the security institutions,” Wahl stated.
“Building of the friendly rooms will further improve relation between the Police and the victims,” Deputy Italian Ambassador to Kosovo Matteo Corradini, an Embassy that financially supported the project, said they are happy to help.
“There are two key reasons why we are happy to have provided the support. The first one is that we are supporting Kosovo and that Italy is committed to combatting this phenomenon both in Italy and abroad,” Corradini said.
“The Italian Government now follows the European Convention in the domestic violence area, seeking women’s empowerment and instruments for fighting any type of violence against women and girls, focusing on early marriages and mutilation of girls,” he added.
The project was designed by the OSCE, but financial contribution was provided by the Italian and the Norwegian embassies.
SEWP and OSCE react to journalist Ramadani case
(KosovaLive)
Regional Platform for advocating media freedom and journalists’ safety (SEWP), which represents more than eight thousand members, has reacted to the physical assault against journalist of IndeksOnline, Ensar Ramadani, by the Acting Minister of Trade and Industry Endrit Shala.
The Regional Platform (SEWP) is a network of associations of journalists and media and trade unions in the Western Balkans countries, which was founded in January 2016.
The OSCE Mission in Kosovo has also reacted to this incident, which was reported by Association of Journalists of Kosovo, calling for more safety for journalists.
Experts believe Pacolli should be interviewed for the dossier submitted to Prosecution Office
(KTV)
More than ten thousand documents with evidence on war crimes committed in Kosovo have been filed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Special Prosecution Office.
However, justice experts consider the action of the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Behgjet Pacolli as concerning and political.
Representatives of the Kosovo Law Institute (KLI) believe that Pacolli should be interviewed by the justice institutions, to ask how the evidence was collected and why it was kept in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In addition, they believe that those actions harm war victim families, raising them hopes.
On the other hand, officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs say they are willing to collaborate with the Special Prosecution Office.
According to them, the evidence was found last year through diplomatic channels.
On Tuesday, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Behgjet Pacolli announced the evidence, saying that it has not been dealt with until now.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the documents that have been filed to the Special Prosecution Office prove crimes committed by Serbs during the war in Kosovo, and with them, the state of Kosovo can sue Serbia of genocide.
Officials in Skoplje, Pristina warn against border changes
(N1)
North Macedonia’s President Stevo Pendarovski and Pristina’s former negotiator with Belgrade Edita Tahiri warned on Wednesday against changes to the borders in the region.
In his first address to parliament, President Pendarovski said that changes to borders in the Balkans would “certainly takes us back to the early 1990s, cause tensions and most probably new conflicts”. He added that he told the President of Serbia and Prime Minister of Kosovo about that view, adding that “a solution to Kosovo’s international status should contribute to and reinforce regional stability and security”.
Tahiri told a news conference in Pristina that war could erupt if Serbia does not recognize Kosovo as an independent state within its current borders. She said that the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue did not break off because of the 100 percent tariffs imposed on Serbian goods but because “the state of Kosovo was in danger”.
Difficult to predict resumption of Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, says Dacic
(GazetaExpress)
Serbian foreign minister, Ivica Dacic, says it is very difficult to predict resumption of the dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade on reaching of a final agreement on normalisation of relations.
He said current situation created with the negotiations on creation of new institutions in Kosovo, shows that it is difficult to foresee when the parties will return at the negotiation table, Kosovo online reports.
“negotiations on forming a coalition after elections became difficult,” Dacic said adding that such a situation makes unpredictable resumption of Kosovo at the negotiation table.
Kosovo and Serbia halted dialogue in November 2018 after the Government of Kosovo introduced a 100 percent tax on all Serbian products to counter Belgrade’s aggressive campaign against the state of Kosovo. Serbia is conditioning resumption of the dialogue with revocation of the tax. Kosovo held early parliamentary elections in October and currently winners of the election – the Vetevendosje are negotiating with the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) on forming new institutions.
Halimi: The first hearing on December 30th, there is no new evidence against Rosic in the Ivanovic case
(Kossev)
The indictment in the case of the assassination of Oliver Ivanovic was delivered to Marko Rosic’s defense yesterday, his lawyer Mahmut Halimi confirmed for KoSSev. The first reading of the indictment will be done at a hearing scheduled for December 30th. According to Halimi, the prosecution „did not offer new evidence of Rosic’s involvement in the murder of Oliver Ivanovic“ in the indictment.
After seeing the indictment, Halimi said that his client was charged „with what he had been charged with since day one.“
„Based on two leads, which cannot in any way prove his possible involvement in the commission of the act he is charged with – a statement by the brother of the deceased and some note allegedly found in Ivanovic’s wallet after some time,“ Halimi explained, adding that the indictment continues to rely on „those two pieces of evidence.“
„There is no other evidence to confirm another fact, that is, a circumstance that may raise reasonable doubt,“ he underlined.
Although Halimi said that Rosic is “only” charged with „this offense“, he added that the introduction of the indictment also charges Rosic with „assault, grievous bodily harm and burning of a vehicle“. According to Halimi, however, „in the operative part of the indictment, he is only charged with assisting in the murder of the late Ivanovic.“
The prosecution claims that defendant M.R. worked closely with defendants N.S., R.B., M.R., Z.V. and Z.B., that he intentionally and knowingly assisted in the commission of the crime of „aggravated murder“ by following Oliver Ivanovic before the murder. After the murder, a piece of paper with the license plate number „KM-014 -Jeep FZ, black Santa FE jeep“ was found in the pocket of the slain Ivanovic, the same vehicle was used to follow Oliver Ivanovic’s brother (M.I.) after the murder.
The first reading of the indictment will be done at a hearing scheduled for December 30, and the court will decide on a motion to terminate custody. The court will give a deadline for objections (the statutory deadline is 30 days), after which it can schedule a second hearing or decide based on the complaint whether or not the indictment will continue to the main trial, Marko Rosic’s lawyer explained.
Marko Rosic was granted transfer to a detention facility in North Mitrovica on December 9th.
The lawyer of Nedeljko Spasojevic, Faruk Korenica, another suspect in this case, told KoSSev that he had not yet received the indictment because of health issues but that he received a notice.
The indictment
The Kosovo Special Prosecutor’s Office announced on December 2nd that charges have been filed in the murder case of Oliver Ivanovic against N.S., M.R., S.A., D.M., Z.J. and R.B – four of whom are members of the Kosovo Police. The defense attorneys did not receive the indictment until yesterday, although the content of the alleged indictments appeared in Kosovo media. Kosovo Special Prosecutor, Syle Hoxha could not confirm whether the indictment published by the media was authentic. „I don’t have the time to keep track of the media,“ Hoxha told KoSSev.
According to the prosecution’ announcement at the time, the accused were charged with “participating in organized a criminal group,” “abuse of office,” “support in crime,” “aggravated murder,” “illegal possession and use of firearms,” “disclosing official secrets,” “abuse of duty in complicity” and “tampering with evidence.” It is still unknown which of the suspects is charged with what crime.
Also, four more suspects are on the run, one of whom is a fifth Kosovo police officer from the north. According to still unofficial information, he is one of the key police officials.
An international arrest warrant has been issued against M.R., Z.V. and Z.B. – as they are on the run. Both groups are said to be operating as a single organized crime group led by suspects M.R. and Z.V. According to the indictment, this group has been operating since 2011.
So far, the public have heard about seven suspects in Ivanovic’s murder: Marko Rosic, Kosovo police officer Nedeljko Spasojevic who have been in custody for a year, Dragisa Markovic, also a policeman released from custody in February, Silvana Arsovic, Ivanovic’s close associate, Rade Basara, a policeman, Milan Radoicic, the deputy leader of Srpska Lista, and Z.B. who the Serb officials identified as Zeljko Bojic, the head of Kosovo operational department for the region North. His identity has not been confirmed by the Kosovo investigators.
