OSCE chair Ivica Dacic to visit Prishtinë/Pristina in March
(KTV)
Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic has confirmed that he will visit Kosovo during March.
During a visit to the OSCE Mission to Serbia, Dacic announced that as OSCE chair, he will also visit the OSCE Mission in Prishtinë/Pristina.
However he emphasized that his visit does not have anything to do with the status issue, nor will it entail any change in Serbia’s stand about Kosovo.
Thaçi: PM Mustafa to decide about Jablanovic accordingly to the Constitution
(TV21)
In an exclusive interview for TV21, Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hashim Thaçi announced that Prime Minister Isa Mustafa will soon decide about the issue of Aleksandar Jablanovic.
Thaçi emphasized that the decision about this issue will be taken accordingly to the Constitution, reiterating that Jablanovic’s statement is unacceptable.
‘PM Mustafa will decide accordingly to the legal, constitutional and political responsibility’, said Deputy PM Thaçi about a potential dismissal of Jablanovic.
Commenting the announced protest for the 4th of February, Thaçi said that the street violence is hindering important processes for Kosovo such as visa liberalisation and the establishment of Kosovo Army.
On the other hand KTV quoted Minister Jablanovic as saying that resignation was never an option, since according to him he did not made any violation as a Minister.
Kurti: Next protest on Wednesday
(All monitored broadcasters, KTV)
Vetëvendosje along with the two other opposition parties AAK and Nisma për Kosovën announced that the new protest will be held on 4th of February.
Vetëvendosje Chairperson Albin Kurti said that Police should not place barricades, adding that the protest will be peaceful and will continue until the fulfilment of their demands, namely dismissal of Minister Aleksandar Jablanovic and submission of a special law for Trepça at Kosovo Assembly.
Kurti emphasized that the protest is not aimed at Jablanovic because he is a Serb but against his offensive statements made to Gjakovë/Djakovica mothers.
Meanwhile Kosova Women’s Network (KWN) has addressed a letter to Prime Minister Isa Mustafa informing him that they have been part of the protests organized on 24 and 27 of January against Jablanovic.
KWN called on PM Mustafa to dismiss immediately Jablanovic from duty because of his offensive statements. KWN also requested from PM Mustafa to bring quickly to the Assembly the law which transforms Trepça into a special public enterprise.
Moreover KWN also considered that Police has used excessive force against the protestors and appealed to security institutions to carry out investigations about potential cases of excessive force by Police.
Jacobson: Institutional solution to be found for the pending issues
(TV21)
US Ambassador to Kosovo Tracey Ann Jacobson said in an interview for the ‘Voice of America’ that peaceful protests are a crucial democratic right and a way for the citizens’ to encourage the government to raise issues of interest to them.
However, Jacobson noted that the institutions are the best place to solve pending issues.
She said that it is unfortunate that the Saturday and Tuesday protest turned into violent, once again condemning the violence she appealed to the organizers to distance themselves from the violence.
According to Jacobson, a group of 200-300 people were the cause of the violence. She considered that Police acted accordingly to its regulations and noted that Police Inspectorate is investigating if there was any violation of the regulations.
Kosovo Police continued to arrest Tuesday’s protestors
(Most monitored broadcasters, KTV)
Kosovo Police continues to arrest Tuesday’s protestors. Kosovo Police has searched several locations whereas KTV has learned that at least three persons have been arrested.
Kosovo Police spokesperson Baki Kelani confirmed that there was an action to arrest protestors that have been identified as violent during Tuesday’s protest.
On Thursday arrested protestors have appeared before Prishtinë/Pristina Basic Court. A group of ten persons were released on Wednesday evening, whereas one of the released persons, claiming that he was not part of the protest, said that Police used violence during the arrest.
Also during Thursday a group of eight persons was released due to an administrative inaccuracy of the prosecution which was used by the lawyers to ask for the immediate release of their clients.
Shkumbin Aliaj, member of AAK presidency and former MP was among the group that was released.
Vetëvendosje MP Ilir Deda stayed in front of the court along with the family relatives of the arrested ones. Deda asked for the immediate release of the arrested, emphasizing that the majority of the arrested protestors are not Vetëvendosje followers.
On Tuesday, Kosovo Police confirmed that 160 persons were escorted to police stations for questioning.
Journalists react to PM Mustafa’s accusations
(KTV)
Wednesday’s accusation of Kosovo Prime Minister Isa Mustafa, that during Tuesday’s violent protest, some media became co-organizer of the violent protest for the destruction of state, has been harshly criticized.
Kosovo PM Isa Mustafa had the chance to follow in real-time in television everything what happened during Tuesday’s protest. But now he accuses the media for being co-organizers in ruining the state because of the fact that some media decided to broadcast directly the protest.
‘Government appreciates the role and independency of the media but we emphasize that it is a responsibility of the media to engage for the stability of Kosovo and not for some of them to become spokesperson and co-organizer of those who want to destroy the state’ said PM Mustafa on Wednesday during Government meeting.
Journalists consider Mustafa’s statement as a dictator’s statement.
Koha Ditore’s journalist Besnik Krasniqi said that such statements should be taken with concern. Krasniqi considers Mustafa’s statement as an open threat to journalists, which according to him, can be seen only in dictatorship countries with no democracy.
Also, the Head of the Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AJK) Zekirja Shabani considers PM Mustafa’s statement as an open threat to the media and journalists.
Whereas PM Mustafa tries to blame the media for inciting the violence in the protest, Shabani said that journalists did not bring the current political crisis and they are not the reason which forced citizens’ to protest on Tuesday.
Fisnik Korenica of ‘Group for Legal and Political Studies’ (GLPS) considers Mustafa’s statements as irresponsible. According to Korenica such statements should not be made by a Prime Minister of a democratic country.
Indicted Prizren Mayor calls for an end to criminal acts
(Klan Kosova)
A roundtable discussion about security and justice between representatives of Kosovo and Albania was held in Prevallë.
It’s a roundtable for justice and security officials, but there is also someone who has open issues with law. Prizren Mayor Ramadan Muja is sitting among the judges, prosecutors, policemen and Customs officials of Kosovo and Albania.
This despite the fact Muja has a two year conditional imprisonment sentence and he is even not allowed to exercise public administration or public service since he was found guilty for misuse of official duty.
Regardless of this, Prizren Mayor took the floor and addressed to participants. During his speech Muja called for an end to illegal and criminal acts.
Organizers of the roundtable did not commented if Muja’s current legal status allows him to participate in this discussion.
Meanwhile, a conclusion of this conference was that human trafficking, migrant smuggling and drug trafficking are the most common cross-border criminal acts.
