Government forgives debts accumulated until end of 2008

(All monitored broadcasters, KTV) 

Government of Kosovo decided to write-off debts of Kosovo citizens and businesses to state institutions and public companies accumulated until 31 December 2008.

All debts of citizens to state institutions and public enterprises will be wiped out.  The decision, taken by Kosovo government on Thursday, foresees forgiving of all debts until end of 2008.

Finance minister Avdullah Hoti said that they do not have an accurate figure of the debts but this figure will be known after a month.

“We agreed to create a commission that will review the possibility of forgiving all debts of businesses and citizens to the Kosovo institutions and public companies until December 31, 2008. We feel it is necessary to have a fresh start with the new government,” Hoti said.

KTV reported that this decision is considered as a Government effort to integrate the Serbs, particularly Serbs from the north, who never paid for public utilities such as water, energy and waste. Meanwhile public companies have been surprised by this decision and consider that this might negatively impact their work. 

No interpellation for Prime Minister  Mustafa

(All monitored broadcasters, KTV)

Although AAK announced on Wednesday that they will give up from their request for an interpellation of Prime Minister Isa Mustafa in relation to the dismissal of former minister Jablanovic, AAK MPs in Thursday’s Assembly session didn’t want to withdraw the interpellation request without the presence of PM Mustafa in the session.

However the ruling parties, namely LDK and PDK expressed against the debate and the interpellation request since they consider that with Jablanovic’s dismissal this point has been fulfilled.

AAK caucus Chief Donika Kadaj-Bujupi requested on behalf of opposition to see the decision for Jablanovic’s dismissal as a written document.

However, AAK decided to withdraw the interpellation request but they emphasized that they will not give the request for Trepça.

TV stations reported that Srpska List MPs have boycotted the session as a sign of dissatisfaction with the dismissal of the former minister for return and communities Aleksandar Jablanovic.

On the other hand, AAK MP Melihate Tërmkolli, during Thursday’s session of the Assembly of Kosovo, openly called to the Assembly Speaker Kadri Veseli to resign, relating him with the political assassinations that have happened in Kosovo after the conflict.

However the former head of SHIK (Kosovo Intelligent Service) requested from Tërmkolli to submit evidences for her allegations to the prosecution, adding that since 15 years, the citizens are being terrorised by these accusations.

Srpska to decide after Brussels’ meeting

(All monitored broadcasters, RTK1, KTV)

Decision about the participation of Kosovo Serbs representatives in Kosovo institutions will be taken next week. The dismissed Minister for Returns and Communities Aleksandar Jablanovic visited Belgrade, at the invitation of the Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic. Jablanovic and other representatives of the list Srpska and PM Vucic discussed further steps that Serbs in Kosovo will undertake following Jablanovic’s dismissal from this post.

The director of the Serbian Government Office for Kosovo Marko Djuricsaid  that all steps will be agreed after the meeting of Kosovo PM Mustafa and Serbian PM Vucic in Brussels.

Djuric also added that the dismissal of Minister for Returns and Communities Aleksandar Jablanovic was a unilateral decision that has deteriorated the situation before the negotiations between Prishtinë/Pristina and Belgrade in Brussels.

Moreover, Kosovo Minister for Local Government Ljubomir Maric told RTK2 that in the forthcoming days Serbs will not participate in the work of Kosovo institutions. Maric reiterated that they will announce their decision after the Brussels meeting between Kosovo and Serbia, scheduled for 09 February.

Same stance was also announced by Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Branimir Stojanovic. 

Assembly adopts resolution against illegal migration

(All monitored broadcasters, KTV)

With 62 votes pro, 2 against and two abstentions, MPs in Thursday’s session of the Assembly of Kosovo adopted a draft-resolution for preventing illegal migration.

Amongst the seventeen points of the resolution are:  More engagement from government in developing the economy particularly in creating new jobs; amendment of the fiscal policies accordingly to the demands of the businesses; subsidy for local producers or for those interested to open new agricultural businesses and engagement of government and the ministry for labour and social welfare to reach agreements with European countries for seasonal employment.

Additionally, another point of this resolution envisages continuing the repatriation process in coordination with the countries in which Kosovars have migrated illegally.

All parliamentary groups in the Assembly of Kosovo have endorsed this resolution. 

Kosovo’s request to Serbia for cooperation against illegal migration was ignored 

(KTV) 

Serbian police didn’t take into consideration a request of Kosovo Police to increase security measures for Kosovars that use Serbia as a route to enter in EU countries.

Decrease of asylum seekers and preventing of illegal migration, are among the five criteria in visa liberalisation roadmap.  It is expected that these mass fleeing will slow this process, which is considered to be also a reason for the illegal migration.

Kosovo has tried to cooperate with Serbia to prevent Kosovars from entering illegally to EU countries through Serbia but the Serbian Police has ignored this request submitted by Kosovo Police.

Deputy Minister for European Integration Ramadan Ilazi told to KTV that they can’t speculate if Serbia is intentionally allowing Kosovars to freely pass through their territory.   He emphasized that this wave of migration will slow down the process of visa liberalisation.

Prishtinë/Pristina Basic Court convicts two persons for bribery

(Most monitored broadcasters, KTV) 

Hamdi Thaçi, cousin of Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister and PDK Leader Hashim Thaçi, and his bodyguard Bashkim Demaj have been convicted by Prishtinë/Pristina Basic Court of the offence of Trading in Influence in Co-perpetration, learns koha.net.

Each of the defendants was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of fifteen months and confiscation of an amount of EUR 200,000 which defendants profited illegally by using the name of Adem Jashari’s family.

Through a press statement EULEX confirmed this news.

‘The case involved an allegation two defendants had been offered and received an undue advantage of 200,000 EUR in return for agreeing to exert an improper influence over the decision making of official persons from the Privatisation Agency of Kosovo prior to a bid ceremony that took place on 20.05.2009 for the privatisation of an area of agricultural land near to the village of Muzakaj’ EULEX press statement reads.