- Still no agreement between VV and LDK (Klan Kosova)
- Kurti used to speak against international interference in government (KTV)
- OSCE Mission continues supporting KPI (RTKLive)
- Abbott engages for shedding light of fate of missing persons from Kosovo war (KTV)
- Corruption in Kosovo is impeding EU integration (GazetaExpress)
News
Still no agreement between VV and LDK
(Klan Kosova)
Vetëvendosje leader Albin Kurti spoke following a long meeting with the LDK leader Isa Mustafa, a meeting that was attended also by Quint ambassadors.
He said that LDK has been insisting on its version of the proposal, which, according to Kurti, make a co-governing agreement impossible.
“LDK is running with the ‘take or leave it’ option, which implies ‘leave it,” Kurti said.
“There is no agreement with LDK, because they are running with their version,” Kurti ended.
On the other hand, the LDK chairman Isa Mustafa said they are open to cooperation with Vetëvendosje Movement, if this entity accepts their conditions.
“We talked to Vetëvendosje Movement about the possibility of a coalition. We also informed Quint ambassadors because it was intended to inform them, not for mediation.”
“As LDK, we are convinced that the solution we have recently offered contributes to the governing agreement that balances on the basis of civic trust of last year’s elections. We remain open if the VV accepts our conditions for co-governance,” Mustafa said after the meeting held on Wednesday evening.
“We are ready for co-governance at any moment,” he ended.
In the meantime, Albulena Haxhiu, Member of Vetëvendosje Presidency, also made a statement regarding the last meeting they had with LDK in the presence of ambassadors of Quint countries.
She said she would like to have a finalized agreement, but this has not happened yet because of LDK’s persistence.
“There is no agreement, utterly due to LDK’s persistence to return before January 8th,” she said.
Kurti used to speak against international interference in government
(KTV)
Quint countries have not accepted to be mediators in a possible agreement between Vetëvendosje Movement and LDK.
In a joint statement, embassies of the United States, France, Germany, Italy and of the United Kingdom, have pointed out that they do not support any particular entity or candidate in the ongoing political negotiations.
The statements adds that the responsibility to form government lies with the leaders who have won elections and with the people of Kosovo.
However, Vetëvendosje denied that Quint was invited to mediate. According to Vetëvendosje, they were invited only as possible facilitators, as they had already expressed their willingness to do so.
Vetëvendosje’s Media Secretary, Erzen Vraniqi, said that the agreement on this matter was reached jointly with Isa Mustafa’s party.
Once upon a time, the Prime Minister designate Albin Kurti was ironic to Hashim Thaçi regarding interference of internationals in forming government between PDK and LDK.
“Hashim Thaçi’s interest is that this intervention comes from internationals, from ambassadors, from foreigners for compromise. He is no longer saying that he has the numbers, but he is seeking an inclusive government. Our interest is that extra-parliamentary intervention is done by citizens,” Kurti said in November 2014.
Artan Muhaxheri, political analyst, says that the invitation for internationals to attend the meeting was rather done in order for the sides to vindicate themselves from possible failure to form government.
The approach of Vetëvendosje Movement to internationals has been also criticised by the PDK caucus leader Bedri Hamza.
OSCE Mission continues supporting KPI
(RTKLive)
Chief Executive Officer of the Kosovo Police Inspectorate (KPI) with her associates, on Tuesday received at a meeting in the KPI premises, Director of Department of Security and Public Safety in the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Edward Anderson.
Strategic Development Plan was handed to KPI at the meeting, where continuation of the cooperation was discussed, as well as support to KPI by the OSCE Mission.
Addressing those present at the meeting, the KPI Chief Executive Officer Miradije Kelmendi thanked the OSCE Mission for its continuous support to the Police Inspectorate.
She mentioned some of the areas in which KPI was assisted last year, such as evidence room, specialized training courses on combating corruption and integrity empowerment of the Police, study visits, workshops for preparation and revision of KPI’s Strategic Plan, etc.
Director of Department of Security and Public Safety in the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Edward Anderson, expressed willingness of the OSCE Mission to provide continuous specialized training courses for KPI officers, who will affect strengthening of KPI capacities to effectively exercise their oversight role to the Police.
Abbott engages for shedding light of fate of missing persons from Kosovo war
(KTV)
The British Ambassador to Kosovo, Nicholas Abbott, visited the Government Commission on Missing Persons, where he met with the leaders of government institutions engaged in the process of shedding light on the fate of missing persons.
During the meeting, according to the statement of Prime Ministry’s press office, Abbott was briefed on the legal and institutional infrastructure, as well as the Government of Kosovo’s engagement to addressing the fate of missing persons and challenges that this process faces, in particular the lack of provision of information by the Belgrade authorities.
“Representatives of institutions of the Republic of Kosovo, engaged in this process, highly welcomed the support of British Embassy, namely the United Kingdom, in continuity, and in particular after the Prince Charles’ visit to the Republic of Kosovo during 2016,” the statement reads.
The statement stresses that Ambassador Abbott expressed his commitment and personal pledge to further support this process, with special emphasis “on addressing the obligations arising from the ‘Joint Declaration of Prime Ministers on the Missing Persons’ signed at London Summit.”
Corruption in Kosovo is impeding EU integration
(GazetaExpress)
Politicization of the public administration, organized crime and corruption, as well as inefficient judicial system are key factors impeding Kosovo’s EU integration path.
This was the conclusion the paper “Evolving or revolving: Institutional reforms and democratic legitimacy in Kosovo, Albania, and Montenegro,” presented by Democracy for Development (D4D), European Movement Albania and CeMI with support from European Fund for the Balkans.
Valeza Zogiani from D4D presenting the report said that Kosovo is considered as potential candidate country to join the EU and since declaration of independence in 2008 the EU integration was one of the main priorities of Kosovo’s foreign policy. But she said that 12 years after the independence Kosovo achieved no tangible results in its EU integration path.
Director of department on coordination of policies on the Stabilization-Association Agreement (SAA) within Kosovo’s Ministry on EU Integration, Artan Collaku, said the administration has managed to fulfill the SAA criteria within months, adding however that launched reforms are not sustainable.
The data on Montenegro were presented by Nina Kecojevic, researcher of public policies in CEMI, who said political elites in Montenegro put personal and party interests before public interests.