St Nikola Orthodox Church will not be treated as a special facility
(RTK2, KTV)
‘The building of St Nikola Serbian Orthodox Church in Prishtinë/Pristina, which was illegally constructed at the University of Prishtina (UP) campus, will not be treated as a special facility,” said Minister Dardan Gashi, following the meeting with the EU representative Samuel Zbogar and with Head of the OSCE Mission Schlumberger. Gashi refuted that the international community put pressure on him, but he said the agreement was reached that the Church building goes through the legalisation procedures.
It will not be easy for the Minister of Environment Dardan Gashi to bring to the end the initiated verification process of construction permit for the Serbian Orthodox Church, which is located at the UP campus. Only two days after his statement that the Church may be demolished, senior EU representatives in Kosovo paid a visit to Gashi. In his office, Gashi received Head of the EU Samuel Zbogar and Head of the OSCE Mission Jean-Claude Schlumberger.
Although Gashi refuted any pressure put on him by the international community not to make a decision for demolishing, KTV learned that the meeting was not so pleasant. Moreover, after the meeting they did not leave together, and Zbogar refused to speak to the media, saying that he is not there to make decisions.
KTV sources reported that during discussions on the Orthodox Church, Minister Gashi made a comparison with the case of mosque in Veterrnik, where after legal processes he had decided to interrupt construction work, and now the Church case should go through the legalisation process; otherwise, Gashi said that double standards would be applied by denying something to one community and allowing something to another.
Minister of Environment Gashi said he told Zbogar that undefined legal status of the Church needs to be solved, but without politicising the issue. According to him, they agreed that there is no reason for the Serb community to be concerned about the processes initiated by Kosovo, because their rights are guaranteed by the Constitution, and the best way for resolving issues is law.
Gashi qualified as immature statements of Serb minority representatives, who threatened to quit Kosovo institutions in case the Church will be demolished.
On the other hand, the Prishtinë/Pristina mayor Shpend Ahmeti said that the debate about the Orthodox Church is premature and it causes confusion. He stated that in line with legislation, it will be the Municipality that will deal with this issue.
“The facility is not in use, and it is not part of the cultural heritage of the Republic of Kosovo. Threatening’s by Serb officials by whoever else that in case it will be dealt with in this or that way, do not shrink back the Prishtinë/Pristina Municipality in implementing law today or in several months when facilities will be dealt with. The facility will not be privileged nor discriminated,” Ahmeti’s response reads.
Daka: CEC needs 40 days to organise elections
(RTK1)
Chairperson of the Central Elections Commission (CEC) Valdete Daka said that CEC needs at least 40 days to organise parliamentary elections, whenever they are held. She stated that most probably, parliamentary elections will be held under the old Law, as there is no sufficient time for implementing the new Law, if it will be passed by the Assembly in the coming days.
According to Daka, holding elections under the current Law does not represent any danger for manipulation, since law was never to blame for it.
Dissolving of Assembly to be decided next week
(Most monitored broadcasters, RTK1)
It is expected that political party leaders will meet next week to decide possible dissolving of the Kosovo Assembly. However, PDK still insists that preliminarily, the Assembly should vote for establishment of the Kosovo armed forces.
LDK, on the other hand, opposes that the voting be conditioned with the mandate of reserved seats for minorities.
Decisions on armed forces and on Law on Elections will determine the date of holding Parliamentary Elections in Kosovo.
Gjilan/Gnjilane Basic Court decreases caseload
(Most monitored broadcasters, KTV)
Gjilan/Gnjilane is the first municipality in Kosovo which has decreased the number of court cases to a great extent. This happened thanks to the Enforcement Project, funded by USAID Office. The Basic Court president Zyhdi Haziri said that there are more completed cases than cases in procedure.
On 15th anniversary of its presence in Kosovo, USAID representatives visited Gjilan/Gnjilane Basic Court, in order to closely see their work and investments.
KIA officer Lumi arrested
(KTV)
Isuf Lumi, Kosovo Intelligence Agency (KIA) verification officer, was arrested on Thursday. KTV sources reported that Lumi is suspected of forging secondary school diploma. Lumi is also suspected of legalising false contents.
The case prosecutor has put Lumi in 48 hour detention.
