Jevtic: Further engagement in solving property rights needed
(TV21, RTK2)
The issue of usurped property is one of the biggest obstacles on the way towards more massive return of IDPs in Kosovo, minister of communities and return Dalibor Jevtic said at the OSCE Mission’s forum on housing and property rights of communities. He underlined that institutions should engage further in solving property rights.
In the forum organized by the OSCE Mission, Jevtic said that property related issues are not solved qualitatively, or they are not solved at all.
“We have to move from words to deeds and we should finally be able to implement all these laws, and even the Constitution of Kosovo, that are related to rights of minorities and issues of return, same as when it comes to property, families should be able to have ownership over their property. This is a basic human right and it will continue to be a problem as long as it will not be respected as such,” Jevtic said.
The OSCE Mission in Kosovo spokesperson Nikola Gaon said that the aim of the forum was to improve cooperation between communities and institutions responsible.
“We try to bring together all the relevant institutions and communities, whose property rights are not satisfactorily respected, to the same table and build certain understanding on how to work together for solving these issues. The problems exist. They exist for a longer period of time they must be solved, as solution of these problems is also very important for the return process and its sustainability,” Gaon said.
Muhamet Krasniqi, coordinator for property rights at the Office of Kosovo Prime Minister, underlined that legal framework is good, but lot more needs to be done in the field.
“The individual that returns should have in mind that he is returning to a new environment, and he must be persistent in order to be able to fulfil the rights that belong to him,” Krasniqi said.
The OSCE Mission organized the forum on housing and property rights for representatives of all communities, relevant ministries and Kosovo Property Agency with the aim to improve the legal framework and the policy, as well as to find solutions for land expropriation and prevention of illegal obtainment of property.
VLAN: PDK is heading toward infringement of Constitution
(Most monitored broadcasters, KTV)
LDK-AAK-Nisma për Kosovën and Vetëvendosje (VLAN) Bloc says that PDK is violating Assembly’s work regulation and the Constitution by not calling the continuation of constitutive session.
The Bloc says that with their giving up from Speaker’s post there is no reason for non-establishment of the Assembly, while they rule out any agreement with PDK, which is conditioning this process with a preliminary agreement that would also include it in the future government.
The other coalition partner, Vetëvendosje, says that the Bloc has made the most important step so far by giving up the Assembly Speaker’s post.
The United Kingdom Ambassador in Kosovo Ian Cliff also called for convening the Assembly’s session. He said that there is no reason for postponing this process.
Anti-Serb graffiti sprayed in Rahovec/Orahovac town
(RTK2)
On Thursday morning, new graffiti were seen in the mainly Serb-inhabited part of Rahovec/Orahovac town. After a series of incidents in this town, these graffiti have further disturbed local inhabitants.
Golub Kujundzic, head of Rahovec/Orahovac interim body, told RTK2 that local Serbs see ‘Death to Serbia’ and ‘Death Serbia’ graffiti as a message that reminds them of unfortunate events which happened fifteen years ago.
Kosovo Police has been informed about this incident and they announced an investigation into this matter.
Kujundzic reminded that wooden entrance door of an abandoned Serb house was also burned down last Friday, but perpetrators of this incident were not identified.
Kosovo minister for communities and return Dalibor Jevti considers that graffiti spraying is another form of spreading hatred against Serbs.
Rexhepi considers that Dërsnik village incidents are not ethnically motivated
(RTK1)
Miomir Ribac, a Serb of Dërsnik village, says that the whole village is in trouble from wrongdoers. According to him, these wrongdoers have not only stolen property of local Serbs, but they have also burned their property. Ribac says that these acts are probably aimed at forcing them out of the village.
According to Milorad Sarkovic of Klinë/Klina municipal office for communities and return, these incidents have pushed local residents to flee the village.
The acting interior minister Bajram Rexhepi came to Dërsnik on Thursday to hear the concerns of these villagers. After guaranteeing them that the institutions will do everything for their safety, Rexhepi said that he does not believe these attacks are ethnically motivated against Serbs.
“Motive of a thief is personal. He has no nation or religion. This also happened in many other occasions when Serbs and Albanians cooperated together. I do not see that there are ethnic motives behind this, because they (Serbs) also have trouble among them when it comes to usage of equipment that was donated to them,” Rexhepi said.
Constitutional Court rejects Ombudsperson’s request
(KTV)
Constitutional Court rejected the request of Ombudsperson regarding the decree issued by the President confirming extension of the mandates of the international judges of the Constitutional Court.
According to the Constitutional Court, Kosovo President’s decree isn’t non-constitutional.
President ignores petition against increase of energy tariff
(Klan Kosova, KTV)
Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga has not taken into consideration the petition against increase of energy tariff signed by over 33.000 people.
Kosovo Civil Society Consortium for Sustainable Development (KOSID) says that they requested a meeting with Kosovo President two times, but they did not get a response about this.
President Jahjaga’s spokesperson Arbër Vllahiu confirmed for KTV that they received a request and they there are looking at it, Vllahiu said that they will get shortly a reply about this issue.
