Thaci requests more time for establishment of the Tribunal (Tribuna)
Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci delegated a group of Government officials to travel to the US and Brussels to lobby against the new form the international Tribunal is expected to take. The delegation is expected to argue that the Tribunal’s new form will damage the image of Kosovo and would prejudge the guilt of one of the sides involved in the armed conflict. Furthermore, the creation of a court outside the Kosovo justice system’s chain of command would also undermine the legal system in general.
US wants Kosovo in NATO (Epoka e Re)
Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi wrote on his Facebook page on Wednesday that he received good news from the United States. “While the attention of Kosovars was on the historic game at the ‘Adem Jashari’ stadium, where Kosovo won, despite the result, good news came from Washington DC. During a hearing at the Commission for Security at the US Senate, the senior diplomat of the US State Department, Hoyt Yee, stated “the US strongly supports Partnership for Peace and Kosovo’s eventual membership in NATO,” wrote Thaçi. Yee also stated that the US would work on achieving this goal together with allies that recognised Kosovo.
Serb municipal counselors with political stance against arrests (Koha Ditore)
Eleven Serb deputies from the municipal assembly of Shterpce/Sterpce, five deputies of the Serb Liberal Party (SLS) and six from the Srpska initiative responded to the recent arrests on Tuesday in Shterpce/Sterpce. Five persons were arrested, four out of which were Kosovo police officers. In a special session on Wednesday, the deputies voted on a declaration proposed from the Srpska group that condemns Kosovo police action. Albanian deputies were against this declaration, calling it illegal and beyond the competencies of the municipal assembly.
In the four-point declaration initiated by the Srpska group, a copy of which the daily possesses, it requests that the Shterpce/Sterpce municipal assembly condemn Tuesday’s police action. The assembly requests the right for those arrested to be defended, that the international community and Kosovo institution’s end attacks against institutions of Serbia in Shterpce/Sterpce, and that this assembly decide for the families of the arrested Serbs to ensure they receive the financial they need.
In a separate section, the daily reports that local Serbs in Shterpce held a peaceful protest in front of the municipal building against the Kosovo police special units, ROSU. Protesters held no speeches but silently expressed solidarity with the five recently arrested persons.
Northerners refuse Kosovo symbols in municipal statute (Koha Ditore)
Despite having started working on the draft sent to them from the Ministry of Local Governance, none of the four northern municipalities approved the municipality statute, where less than one week remains until the end of the legal deadline. Serbs, being the majority in the north, insist that the municipality statute be neutral towards the Kosovo status. The solution to this issue is expected resolved by Pristina and Belgrade representatives in one of their regular meetings.
Tahiri will request from Serbia to stop with provocations (Kosova Sot)
Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister, Edita Tahiri, discussed on Wednesday with the mayor of Kamenica, Begzad Sinani, and his deputy, Fatmir Matoshi, the concerns that Serbian police cause Albanians entering Kosovo territory at Karaqevë. A delegation from Kamenica requested that Tahiri inform the European Union about the security concerns of citisens from this region. “I will ask Serbia to stop the provocations and distressing the population, as well as to stop crossing the border line,” stated Tahiri. She added that border demarcations with Serbia should happen as soon as possible.
Kostunica not granted permission to enter Kosovo (dailies)
The leader of Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS), Vojislav Kostunica, and his escort were not allowed to enter Kosovo to campaign for Serbia’s parliamentary elections. Kostunica was planning to visit Mitrovica North and hold an election rally there. He is reported to have refused to leave the border crossing in Jarinje until he is granted permission to enter, but left when he was told that Kosovo Interior Minister, Bajram Rexhepi, ordered the ban. However, DSS officials said the Kostunica delegation was told to either leave the border crossing or they would forcefully remove him.
Kuci is optimistic (Lajm)
Kosovo deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuci expressed optimism that the Kosovo Government’s decision to transform the Kosovo Security Force into the Kosovo Armed Forces will be voted upon by Serb deputies, who are part of Kosovo legislation.
Hoxhaj briefs Quint members on KSF transformation (dailies)
Kosovo Foreign Minister Enver Hoxhaj hosted a meeting on Wednesday with ambassadors of Quint countries in Kosovo, to inform them about the Kosovo Government’s decision to transform the Kosovo Security Forces into the Kosovo Armed Forces. Minister Hoxhaj said this process has a comprehensive approach, is transparent and has included all Kosovo Government institutions to enlist and enforce all Kosovo security institutions in accordance with Euro-Atlantic principles and better international practices.
Albright doesn’t give up the PTK (Zeri)
Preparations are underway to announce the fifth privatisation bid for the Kosovo Post and Telecom (PTK). The US company led by former US Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, continues to show interest in buying the Kosovo company. A source from the Government’s commission for privatisation said that there is still a huge interest from potential buyers.
