Çollaku: Serbs with dual citizenship will be able to vote for Serbian elections
(Klan Kosova)
Kosovo government confirms that Kosovo Serbs will be able to vote in Serbia’s extraordinary elections. Kosovo Prime Minister’s cabinet considers that this right should not be violated to them.
Kosovo government is willing to create conditions for Kosovo Serbs to vote in Serbia’s extraordinary general elections, by ensuring them a regular voting process.
“We cannot violate the right of Kosovo citizens with dual citizenship to vote for their elections that will be held in Serbia. From our part, we should meet those technical conditions to enable it,” stated Kosovo Prime Minister’s advisor Bekim Qollaku.
According to Qollaku, this will be implemented with the OSCE’s help, or with the help of some other foreign factor. Modalities and the operational plan will be known later.
“Probably in certain places where there is higher concentration of Serb population, maybe the idea of mobile teams might be applied: however, it remains to be discussed and decided how this process will be implemented,” Qollaku added.
However, Riza Smaka, one of the drafters of Kosovo Constitution considers this unacceptable. Smaka said that if it happens, than it will be an unprecedented event in democratic countries. He requested from institutions to make voting in these elections impossible.
“Kosovo government should absolutely not tolerate Serbian elections in Kosovo,” Smaka said.
In the meantime, Serbian Government’s Secretary General Veljko Odolavic said on Wednesday that early general elections scheduled for 16 March 2014 will be held in Kosovo, as well. He said that the parties agreed in principle about this issue in the latest meeting in Brussels.
September – the best time for general elections
(Most monitored broadcasters, KTV)
September is still considered the best time for holding general elections. This is the case even after a range of meetings of Prime Minister Thaçi with leaders of LDK, AAK, and AKR, namely Mustafa, Haradinaj, and Pacolli. The host of the meetings, Prime Minister Thaçi, said they agreed that the electoral reform should be completed as soon as possible.
Topics of discussion in the meeting were current political affairs, Brussels meetings, etc. All political leaders concluded that the electoral reform was on a good track, and that it should be completed with a sufficient political consensus as soon as possible,” Thaçi wrote on Facebook.
LDK and Srpska apply for Mitrovica/Mitrovicë north extraordinary mayoral elections
(Most monitored broadcasters, KTV)
LDK and Srpska Civic Initiative are political entities that have submitted their applications for certification at the Central Elections Commission (CEC) for extraordinary mayoral elections in north Mitrovica/Mitrovicë. Musa Miftari is LDK’s candidate, and Goran Rakic is candidate of Srpska Civic Initiative.
It is still not known if Agim Deva of PDK and Adrijana Hodzic, Head of the Administrative Office will run in these elections again.
Serbia, Democracy, Justice (SDP) civic initiative will not run in the elections, due to the arrest of its leader Oliver Ivanovic, who is accused of war crimes. This political entity has warned to withdraw its councillors from the Municipal Assembly, if Ivanovic is not released to be defended in freedom.
RTK1 reported that Agim Deva of PDK will run for the extraordinary mayoral elections in Mitrovica/Mitrovicë. RTK2 reported that the deadline for application for candidates has been extended until midnight.
Assembly Media Committee visits RTK
(RTK2, RTK1)
The Assembly Media Committee paid a visit to Radio and Television of Kosovo (RTK). The Committee members promised their commitment in finding a final solution for sustainable long-term funding of the public broadcaster.
RTK managers updated the Committee on the challenges that the public broadcaster is facing, as well as about the preparations made for launching RTK3 and RTK4 channels.
