Pantic will not rerun for mayoral elections in north Mitrovicë/Mitrovica
(Klan Kosova)
Krstimir Pantic will not rerun for the mayor of north Mitrovicë/Mitrovica. This was stated by the leader of Srpska Civic Initiative Vladeta Kostic.
According to Kostic, the Association of Serb Municipalities has remained hostage to the Brussels talks, until Thaçi and Dacic agree on its status. However, this politician from a village of Lipjan/Lipljane municipality has got his scenario which would make Kosovo contain its Republika Srpska.
“I feel sorry that we cannot make our republic due to the geography of Serb municipalities. But if for whatever reason Serbs start leaving south of Iber, then Kosovo will have its Serb Republic in the north,” Kostic stated in an interview with Klan Kosova.
Kostic believes that it is very difficult for Kosovo Serbs to turn towards the Kosovo institutions, saying that Kosovo budget cannot afford what Serbia does.
“After all, we spend the money which we receive we spend in the shops owned by Albanians,” Kostic said.
Holding of general elections depends on election reform
(RTK1)
It still remains unclear when can parliamentary elections in Kosovo be held. Although 23 June was mentioned as an optional date, this seems impossible, because nothing with regard to election reform and election legislation has been finalised.
Political party representatives have different opinions about holding of parliamentary elections, and most of them are sceptical that the elections can be held in June.
Political entities may spend 50 cent per capita in election campaign
(Klan Kosova)
The allowed limit of expenses for political entities during election campaign for the extraordinary mayoral elections in north Mitrovicë/Mitrovica is EUR 10,613.50.
This decision has been made by the Central Elections Commission (CEC), which implies 50 cent per capita.
Çitaku shocked by Lunacek’s statements about visa liberalisation
(RTK1)
Minister of the EU Integration Vlora Çitaku said she was shocked by statements of the rapporteur for Kosovo in the European Parliament Ulrike Lunacek that visa liberalisation for Kosovo might not happen even in two or three years. According to Çitaku, the visa liberalisation process is not linked with time schedules but with meeting of requirements set by the EU.
“You know that double more requirements were set to Kosovo compared with other countries in the region, but all Kosovo institutions – the Assembly, municipalities, and independent institutions have worked hard over the last two years in meeting the roadmap requirements,” Citaku said.
Minister Çitaku said that next week she will travel to Brussels to ask for explanation regarding those statements.
On the other hand, EU integration experts believe that the EU is using double standards for Kosovo.
Freedom House: Kosovo partly free country
(Most monitored broadcasters, RTK1)
In the latest report of the US-based Freedom House organization on freedom in the world, Kosovo is ranked among the partly free countries.
In the category of political rights, Kosovo is ranked with grade 5, while on the category of civil rights it is ranked 4.
This time Kosovo has been evaluated as same as in the previous report.
In Freedom House reports, grade 1 is the highest, and grade 7 is the lowest rank.
