Jahjaga: Special Court strengthens rule of law in Kosovo (Koha)
Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga said in her letter to EU High Representative Catherine Ashton she will ask for an extended mandate for EULEX and the establishment of the Court of Kosovo with seats in Kosovo and abroad to address allegations made in the 2010 Council of Europe report.
“I ask for your support in making these important steps to further strengthen rule of law in Kosovo with EULEX’s support, to address war crimes allegations and to advance our Euro-Atlantic aspirations,” Jahjaga said.
The paper notes that President Jahjaga made a different assessment from other political leaders when she referred to the Special Court that will address war crimes allegedly committed by the former Kosovo Liberation Army. Jahjaga said the establishment of the court would strengthen rule of law in Kosovo.
Mustafa: After adoption of EULEX and court, parliament will be dismissed (RTK)
LDK leader Isa Mustafa said on Friday that his party wants Kosovo’s Parliament to decide on the mandate of EULEX and the Special Court. Mustafa said the court needs to be established by parliament and not by the United Nations Security Council. Mustafa said parliament will be dismissed in two weeks, but that first it needs to adopt an extended mandate for EULEX and establish the Special Court. According to Mustafa, the court will be in line with Kosovo laws and under the sovereignty of parliament.
Thaci: PDK election list, without candidates under investigation! (Epoka e Re)
In an interview for the paper, PDK leader Hashim Thaci said he is confident that his party will score a convincing victory in the upcoming parliamentary elections. “The PDK list for elections will not include candidates that are under investigation for corruption and organized crime,” Thaci added.
Germans still angry with Thaci, they favor Veseli (Botapress)
German diplomats are still angry with Hashim Thaci over the arrest of two members of the German Intelligence Service in Kosovo in 2008. Germans reportedly favor Kadri Veseli as leader of the PDK and also because his name is not mentioned in Dick Marty’s report.
Diplomatic sources in Brussels told Botapress that German diplomats predict that after the PDK loses national elections, Veseli will become party leader. Veseli is in fact the only PDK official that visited Germany lately. The PDK deputy leader visited Berlin in January and met with German diplomats close to Chancellor Angela Merkel. Veseli’s visit was seen as “breaking the ice” between Germany and the PDK.
