08 September 2014
Latest news
Vetevendosje expected to be part of the government, Coalition Block accepted conditions (Gazeta Blic)
Coalition of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), and Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA), agreed with the conditions of Vetevendosje. The news was confirmed by a source of this portal that was present at the meeting held today among the leaders of these parties. “We agreed to co-govern with Vetevendosje,” said the source to Gazeta Blic.
According to the source only the formality of signing the agreement has remained. “Everything else is a done deal,” said this source.
Isa Mustafa, leader of LDK, said after the meeting that if they reach an agreement with Vetevendosje, then that would be an agreement of principals and not of fulfilling the conditions of one or the other party. “We do not have conditions set by Vetevendosje,” he said. “We have discussed principals so far, and our positions are very close. We are working to move forward,” said Mustafa. He also appealed to the chairperson of the constitutive session, Flora Brovina, to act according to the rules. “She does not have the right to usurp or mislead the session, therefore we appeal to her to follow the procedures,” said Mustafa.
Ramush Haradinaj, leader of AAK, accepted that the agreement with Vetevendosje is not reached yet. “Our information show that the positions have gotten very close and we very much believe that we will go to the session together,” said Haradinaj.
Leaders of the coalition block met today to discuss regarding the constitutive session of the Assembly, which will be held on 12 September when the new Assembly Speaker is expected to be elected. According to Gazeta Blic, a source present at this meeting, told this portal that they will also discuss inclusion of Vetevendosje Movement in the coalition.
“We will discuss inclusion of Vetevendosje in the Government. We are very close and we expect to reach an agreement with Vetevendosje before 12 September, so before Friday. Vetevendosje’s inclusion in the coalition would give more legitimacy to Haradinaj’s governing,” said this source.
This portal informed on Sunday that Coalition Block and Vetevendosje are very close to reaching an agreement. Glauk Konjufca told media today that Kosovo will change if they join the government.
17 mortal remains identified (Zeri)
17 mortal remains recovered from the mass grave of Rudnica, Raska, have been identified as victims from the Rezalla massacre, said representatives from the association of missing persons in Skenderaj. Mete Thaci from the association said that remains of 6 victims have been transported from Rudnica and handed over to Kosovo authorities on 22 August while the remaining 11 will be handed over on 12 September.
“Exhumations in the Rudnica mass grave are ongoing”, said Thaci adding that they believe remains of 44 victims from the conflict in Kosovo are buried at the site.
Konjufca: We will not govern like PDK (Telegrafi)
Vetevendosje MP, Glauk Konjufca, said in an interview for Radio Urban FM that if they come to an agreement with the opposition bloc between Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Alliance for Future of Kosovo (AAK) and Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA), their governance will not be like that of Hashim Thaci.
According to Konjufca, they would review the privatization process and see whether certain politicians may have benefited from it. He said that Vetevendosje doesn’t object to talks with Serbia but insists they should be based on some principles.
“When we said in 2007 that we are against negotiations and reaffirmed this in 2011, we meant against negotiations without principles. We will not agree to any dialogue when we are called on the phone and told we have to continue the dialogue where Hashim Thaci left of”, said Konjufca.
US request a seat for Kosovo at the OSCE (Telegrafi)
US ambassador to the OSCE, Daniel Baer, said Kosovo deserves to have a seat among member states of this organization. Baer made the comments during a meeting where the report of the Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Ambassador Jean-Claude Schlumberger, was discussed.
“We could begin by inviting representatives of the Kosovo government to working-level meetings where activities and issues involving Kosovo are discussed. We urge Special Representative Stoudmann to redouble his efforts to find ways this can be accomplished, and we stand ready to assist in that effort”, said ambassador Baer.
Speaking about the current institutional stalemate in Kosovo, Baer said the US expect the formation of the new government and a timely and constructive solution to this process in harmony to the recent decisions of the Constitutional Court.
Baer hailed efforts of Kosovo and Serbia in implementation of agreement reached in April of last year saying that “both countries have made difficult decisions to make the Dialogue a success and build a stable, peaceful, and prosperous region”.
The road towards EU is normalizing of the relations between Kosovo and Serbia (Radio Kosova)
The road towards European Union is normalizing relations between Kosovo and Serbia, stated German Ambassador in Kosovo Angelika Viets during the start of Balkan Summer University, where are taking part researchers of Pristina University. In the project organized from University of Paris, University of Munich and Pristina University it was said that the path of Kosovo towards European Union is normalizing relations between Kosovo and Serbia.
Serbian Media monitoring
DSS required publishing of the Brussels agreement (RTS)
Democratic Party of Serbia has called on the Liaison officer of the Serbian Government in Pristina Dejan Pavicevic to stop “clarifying” the Brussels agreement, and publish the document.
DSS says in a statement that Pavicevic, “avoiding the truth”, the content of the agreement calls the agreement on administrative crossings between central Serbia and Kosovo, reports Beta.
“Pavicevic, of course, following the practice of previous and the current improved government, that the truth cannot be told when it is unpleasant to the ears of the people, does not say that from the day of the signing of the Brussels agreement on integrated border management, administrative crossings do not exist and that Serbia has established a border between Serbia and the self-proclaimed Republic of Kosovo,” says the DSS.
The party said that “the matter is very simple,” and that the Government of Serbia, by “flattering EU” continues to actively secure Kosovo’s statehood by signing the new “agreements that are unconstitutional and harmful to Serbia”.
“Rather than to constantly explain, interpret the agreement and refute the representatives of Pristina, the government should and is obliged to publish the agreements signed in Brussels. Meanwhile, the practice has repeatedly shown it cannot and should not be trusted. Pavicevic do not explain but publish the agreement”, the DSS statement said.
Serbian Ministry of Interior must deliver Vulovic and Ristic to EULEX (Politika)
By the protocol on technical cooperation between EULEX and the Serbian Interior Ministry from 2009, the Serbian police is obligated to deliver former and current mayor of Zubin Potok, Slavisa Ristic and Stevan Vulovic if they are in the central Serbia.
Miguel Carvalho de Faria, EULEX spokesman, refused to comment on the possible extradition under the assumption that Vulovic and Ristic are in Serbia, or possible request for the extradition from the countries for which EULEX has knowledge that the alleged suspects are staying.
After service of the summons to both parties to talk with the prosecutor and because of their failure to appear before him, the prosecutor asked the pre-trial judge to issue arrest warrants. Orders are common practice, when asking the suspect to attend an interview, and he does not appear – briefly said to Politika in a written reply De Faria.
Explaining the agreement between the Serbian MUP and EULEX, political analyst Dusan Janjic said that suspects are not delivered to Kosovo, as this will mean recognition of the state, but to EULEX as we are obliged to cooperate and deliver them based on the agreement.
“Vulovic and Ristic should be provided a good legal team; the necessary documentation should be prepared in order they are adequately defended, but also to require EULEX to guarantee that they will allow them bail. Serbia should openly enter into this problem, because this tense situation, which has a political connotation, contributes even deeper distrust of Serbs in the north to EULEX – says to Politika, Janjic, noting that the arrest of Serbs in northern Kosovo has a “dangerous political context.”
Lawyer Ljubomir Pantovic believes that the two Serbs should be allowed to give statements about everything that interested EULEX Prosecution but without the threat by arrest or detention, so they can after investigate and make the right decision. This eminent lawyer, who is “pretty well informed and aware of the charges against Vulovic and Ristic” for the first time publicly expresses an opinion on this “case”:
– I claim that in both cases there is no criminal liability. Vulovic is accused for the crime of facilitating the escape of the arrested person, and I, based on what I know from the records, claim that there is no criminal liability. The Criminal Code of Kosovo stipulates that for this crime there needs to be a decision of the competent court on the basis that a person is deprived of liberty, and the offender enables him to escape.
In this case, Slobodan Sovrlic, who escaped from the police station in Zubin Potok, he was not arrested on the basis of a court decision, but the verbal order of the public prosecutor. Even assuming that Vulovic allowed this man to escape, it is not a criminal offense with which he is charged, because there is no court decision on Sovrlic’s detention – explains Pantovic. The lawyer believes that EULEX could make a written request for Vulovic to make a statement, and not to send police to his house, in order to bring him to the police station.
When it comes to Slavisa Ristic, who is in a similar situation, and who is charged with murder and obstruction of EULEX personnel and associated personnel in carrying out their duties, Ljubomir Pantovic argues that for this event other people are charged, for whom the “wanted list is issued long time ago.”
– It is clear to everyone that Ristic has nothing to do with murder, of a ROSU member Zumber Kamberi in July 2011. That day Slavisa Ristic was out of Kosovo and Metohija, which is widely known and therefore it is very unfair and malicious that he is suspected of such serious crime. Regarding allegations that he obstructed EULEX personnel in their performance of official duties, I claim that it is ridiculous charge – says lawyer Pantovic.
Border with Kosovo, only flag is missing (Beta)
Serbian political analyst and the chairperson of the Forum for Ethnic Relations Dušan Janjić stated on Friday that new agreement on administrative crossings with Kosovo should accelerate transfer of people and merchandize.
Janjić said to Beta agency that Serbian side will try to present it as a big success, however the premises which exist throughout the Europe will be erected there and that only a Kosovo flag won’t be in place.
“In essence, that is a very important agreement. That means that passage across the border will be easier. It is about an agreement that will settle problems with regard to the soil and infrastructure issues. It will accelerate the next step, which is construction of the highway Nis-Prsitina,” commented Janjić.
He went on to say that it is not about the administrative crossing, as presented by the Serbian government, instead it is about the border crossings because the agreement initialed in 2013 is titled Agreement on Integrated Border Management.
“It is the border. When one apprehends it, the border zone Kuršumlija will start developing, and legal business will be able to develop and illegal one suppressed,” said Janjić.
Janjić added that illegal crossing was one of the issues that were discussed, whereas a discussion about where will the funds (tax and customs revenues) go from ‘borders’ in northern Kosovo, will have to wait for prime minsters.
New escalation possible in Sandzak (Vesti)
Serbian analyst Dušan Janjić reflected on the last week walk of Bosniacs through Novi Pazar suburb Hadzet in green uniforms, and said that it is about an introductory in the new escalation of situation in Sandzak.
He explained that everyone that used to ‘work in Sandzak is aware that citizens are afraid of the escalation of clashes amongst various confronted political parties of Bosniacs,” while Serbian government in the same time doesn’t recognize the problems minorities are faced with and which exist in reality.
“That is worrying, because government lacks mechanisms for settling crisis. Government doesn’t have a ministry for minorities and integrations, not even the policy of integrations, instead it has an inherited policy of trading with minorities politicians, which is detrimental for Serbia’s minorities,” said Janjić.
According to him, if such policy is pursued, the number of uniforms will be in the raise on both sides, Bosniac and Serbian, through neo-fascists organizations.
Contradicting statements of Pristina and Belgrade over crossings (RTK2)
Belgrade and Pristina’s technical teams have reached an agreement in Brussels on integrated crossings. However, the agreement is not spared from various controversies. For one negotiating side nothing significant will change at crossings, for the other side those crossings will resemble, more than they used to, on border crossings.
According to Serbia’s Liaison Officer in Pristina Dejan Pavićević, crossings will remain in the so far fashion, without ramps, flags, state insignia or shifts in the regime of crossings. On the other side, head of Pristina’s team Edita Tahiri stated that makeshift premises will be replaced with proper premises build from the solid material and added that three crossings will be on the Kosovo’s side and three on Serbia’s side.
Most North Mitrovica inhabitatns are disappointed and think that crossings Jarinje and Brnjak in the north will resemble on customs check-points.
The Democratic Party of Serbia’s (DSS) official from northern Kosovo Marko Jakšić argues that this is another agreement in a row of agreements to the detriment of Serbia and voiced expectation that Constitutional Court of Serbia will declare the Brussels Agreement null and void.
“Belgrade claims that it is about status neutral agreement, I personally think that it is not the case. With such agreement another Albanian state has been set in Balkans. I think that the best opinion over the Brussels Agreements will be given by the Constitutional Court of Serbia,” concluded Jakšić.
Contradicting statements of both delegations were given and with regard to donors and managers of the project. Tahiri said that construction of the buildings will be funded by the European Union from the pre-accession funds, whereas Pavićević said that the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) will be in charge.
RTK2 tried to obtain comments from Serb political representatives from northern Kosovo but was told that they can’t comments the agreements since they were not direct participants in negotiations.
Belgrade has no official information (Danas)
Beside the EULEX statement that arrest warrants for Stevan Vulović and Slaviša Ristic were issued, Serbia does not have any official information about this case.
For us, Vulović and Ristic are absolutely innocent in addition to the fact they are very prominent citizens. They should be allowed to freely give a statement to EULEX prosecution, but without undue threat by arrest or detention – was stated in the government’s Office for Kosovo and Metohija, on the occasion of the announcement that Serbian Interior Ministry (under the Agreement on police Cooperation with EULEX from 2009) could extradite former and current mayor of Zubin Potok to the EU Mission in Kosovo.
The officials of the Office for Kosovo believe that “these cases point to the need to urgently initial a judicial agreement and establish the courts in municipalities with Serbian majority, where judges and prosecutors would be Serbs, as envisaged by the Brussels agreement.” We didn’t receive an answer to the question of whether Serbian police in this case has any obligations to EULEX, especially since these are not the warrant lists, but the orders for the detention.
After an unsuccessful attempt of summoning for a hearing on 30 July, EULEX issued an order for the arrest of Vulović and Ristic, what was publicly announced a few weeks later. Vulović is charged with “criminal offense of facilitating the escape of a detained person,” while Ristic is charged for the murder of ROSA member, Kamber Zumberi, in 2011, when Kosovo Special Police attempted to conquer the administrative crossings in northern Kosovo. Ristic is also charged for disruption of EULEX and other staff in performing their duties. Taught by experience of a leader of Civic Initiative ‘SDP’, Oliver Ivanovic, and retired officer of the Serbian Ministry of Interior, Dragoljub Delibašić, who responded to EULEX call for a hearing (after which begun a months-long detention) Vulović and Ristic are now out of Kosovo.
Slavisa Ristic dismisses as absurd accusations of the EULEX prosecution, which he heard “on July 15, when he was with his family on vacation in Mataruška Banja (spa).” Ristic, during the weekend, gave an interview for Nova Srpska Politicka Misao stating that Vulović and he decided not to respond to the EULEX, after they consulted with the authorities in Serbia.
Kosovo constitution is full of mistakes (Blic)
According to the survey conducted by Frankfurt based daily, in the Constitution and seven Kosovo laws, which are considered essential for the Serbian community, there are more than 4,000 errors in translation.
Insertion and omission of parts of the translation, the wrong translations, the terms transcribed in Albanian, the wrong case of the noun Kosovo are just some examples of errors in the translation from Albanian to Serbian language. In addition to the Constitution, seven laws, which according to the opinion of the Serbian MPs in the Kosovo parliament are the most important for the Serbian community, have been checked. Serbian MPs voted for these laws, although in each of them are the hundreds of typographical, grammatical, spelling and terminology errors, an average of 17 errors per page.
Terminological errors include fully or partially inaccurate translation from the original in Serbian language, lack of the parts of the translation from Albanian to Serbian language, as well as adding the parts of sentences that do not exist in the original text. There is unacceptable number of such errors. In many instances they lead to confusion. “I do not believe that behind these translations is hiding evil intention, but rather the incompetence and ignorance of translators, and probably negligence of representatives of Kosovo institutions,” says Nora Bezera, associate in this research.
One is wondering which rights of minorities are guaranteed by the Constitution of Kosovo, when the 60-pages have about 930 errors in translation. Dr Darko Simovic, a professor of constitutional law, believes that “only one glimpse of the Serbian version of the Constitution is sufficient in order to make sure that the text editor is completely incompetent, and probably malicious.”
“Given the fact that the Constitution is a symbol of sovereignty, and that the Serbs are offered with the illiterate and sloppy version of the text, one might conclude that this is a humiliating gesture. It is possible that this tangle of incompetence, negligence, carelessness and illiteracy is deliberately made in order to cover up serious, substantial differences between constitutional texts. These might be the institutional solutions that can significantly affect the legal position of the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija, as well as human rights,” evaluates Simovic.
As an example, it was stated that the original version reads that the sovereignty of the state of Kosovo could be also recognized by a referendum, while in the Serbian version the referendum is omitted.
As stated, there are 1,500 mistakes in translation from Albanian to Serbian in the Law on Ownership and Other Property Rights, while there are 354 in the Law on Cadastre. These laws were sloppy and imprecisely translated. There are also many Croatian words, says Nora Bezer, a PhD student of the Albanian language and literature.
Rastko Brajkovic, Advisor in the Office for Free Legal Aid, usually represents the rights of IDPs in property processes. Brajkovic said that it was not uncommon that a team of experts gather around the table, in order to clarify particular article of the Law.
“Translations of these documents are not formally or substantially credible and as such have a direct impact on the non-realization of the rights of displaced persons. Lawyers must use alternative methods such as translation of the same text from English version. It is obvious that translations were done by people who know the Serbian language, but are not familiar with official and legal terminology. It is necessary to hire a sufficient number of people who are capable of high-quality translation in the public administration in Kosovo and Metohija,” said Brajkovic.
Law on Missing Persons has only nine pages and 198 errors in translation. The most drastic example is Article 3, which applies to non-discrimination, which states that “missing persons and their families enjoy equal rights irrespective of whether they were part of the armed forces, or civilians.” In the original Albanian version, that part does not exist.
The newspaper reminds that the Serbian language is one of the official languages of Kosovo. Constitution and other applicable laws in Kosovo formally guarantee equality of use of the Serbian language. In the purpose of monitoring the implementation of the applicable regulations concerning the use of language, a special authority was established – Commissioner for languages. Commissioner for languages is a Serb.
