US Ambassador urges Kosovo leaders to reach an agreement
(All monitored broadcasters, TV21, KTV)
US Ambassador to Kosovo Tracey Ann Jacobson addressed harsh critics against political leaders in Kosovo. She demanded from the political leaders to identify a quick solution for the current political deadlock. On the other hand, she made it clear to VLAN Bloc that the Assembly Speaker post goes to PDK. She emphasized that elections are not the solution.
“I am one voice – I’m a loud voice – but my message to the politicians has been clear. In fact, I can even say it in Albanian: “Do not mess it up”, the US Ambassador said.
This statement might look unusual but it shows that the patience of the international factor has been consumed.
‘We’re already too late in terms of moving forward with the budget, salaries are at risk. Kosovo in fact faces government bankruptcy if it does not get its act together on the budget with the new Assembly and a new Government in the coming days. One thing that’s clear is that PDK has the right to nominate the Speaker of the Assembly, and I know that the coalition has an agreement that sees Isa Mustafa as the Speaker and Ramush Haradinaj as the Prime Minister, but in fact PDK gets to pick the Speaker. So, that agreement – I do not see how it is going to work’, Jacobson said.
Ambassador Jacobson also said that she is against holding of extraordinary elections, as, according to her, elections are always sort of the last resort. The Ambassador also expressed her concern that new elections would not really change the situation.
Jacobson spoke a lot about corruption and the religious extremism; amongst other she also said that corruption is a tradition of politicians in Kosovo.
A number of Kosovo politicians reacted to Jacobson’s statements. AAK MP Donika Kada-Bujupi said that she respects the US Ambassador, but added that the parliamentary majority should also be respected.
On the other hand PDK Presidency member, Xhavit Haliti, said that political parties should have already formed the institutions and the statements of Ambassador Jacobson should be understood properly.
Jacobson made these statements during the roundtable discussion ‘Fol Hapur’ (Speak openly) organized by NGO ‘FOL’.
Mustafa: We will act in line with Constitutional Court’s verdict
(Most monitored broadcasters, KTV)
LDK leader Isa Mustafa said that PDK is not in a position to decide about Kosovo, as they do not have enough votes.
“PDK should be aware of its position. The PDK coalition composed of five-parties has only 36 votes out of the 120 votes at the Kosovo Assembly. They cannot determine what should be done in Kosovo, and when Kosovo should hold elections,” Mustafa wrote in his Facebook profile.
Additionally, he wrote that the Constitution will be respected and that Bloc will act in line with the Constitutional Court verdict. He emphasized that it is clear now that the government of Kosovo will be established by the majority of MP votes.
Vetëvendosje and AAK against extraordinary elections
(Klan Kosova, TV21)
LDK’s bloc partners, Vetëvendosje and AAK, are against of holding extraordinary elections. According to Dardan Molliqaj of Vetëvendosje, Kosovo institutions will be established by the parliamentary majority. Similarly, in AAK say that extraordinary elections are just a PDK wish.
On the other hand, Ismet Kryeziu – Head of Kosovo Democratic Institute (KDI), which observed last elections, told Klan Kosova that a new electoral process might face numerous challenges due to the short time for preparation.
Florian Dushi representative of LDK in the Central Election Commission (CEC) emphasized that CEC and other relevant institutions involved in elections can’t guarantee qualitative elections either.
The US Ambassador to Kosovo Tracey Ann Jacobson also said that she was against holding of new elections and the announced protests.
Nevertheless Vetëvendosje considers protests as a democratic alternative to take the power from Thaçi.
“Protest is a democratic tool, fair and in most cases efficient,” Molliqaj said.
AAK does not exclude protest as a potential option, either.
Meanwhile Vetëvendosje official Shpend Ahmeti refuted rumors that there will be a protest organized by Vetëvendosje. He said that Vetëvendosje considers that the current situation requires citizens’ reaction, but he added that Vetëvendosje would not organize any sort of protests without prior approval of its bloc partners.
Srpska List requests protection of minority communities
(TV21)
Srpska List considers that tensions in Kosovo political scene are increasing and called on the international and Prishtinë/Pristina authorities to protect minority communities.
Srpska List, which has ten MPs at the Assembly of Kosovo, said that some Kosovo politicians are referring to the option of organizing protests as a tool to change the current government and to end the institutional crisis.
According to Srpska List, Kosovo citizens are suffering from the current political deadlock, particularly the Kosovo Albanians as a majority, whose financial existence is being jeopardized.
Under these circumstances this political Serb group raised their concern and fear that Serbs might be ‘collateral damage’ victims due to the increased tensions Kosovo wide.
War crime charges dropped against three Serbs
(TV21)
Prishtinë/Pristina Basic Court ruling panel composed of local and EULEX judges released three Serbs accused for war crimes in Kosovo during 1999. The persons released are the Serb brothers, Slobodan and Srecko Martinovic, as well as Svetlana Stojanovic from Novobërdë/Novo Brdo municipality.
Trial was lead by the EULEX Judge Vladimir Nikola.
Srecko Martinovic’s lawyer said that the charges were dropped due to insufficient evidence.
All of the released were arrested in September 2009 by EULEX, under the suspicion that they committed war crimes against civilian population.
