UNSG discussed quarterly report on Kosovo

(All monitored broadcasters, KTV)

The United Nations Security Council discussed the quarterly report of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Kosovo.

In his address, Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo Hashim Thaçi focused on economic development of the country and big number of citizens that fled Kosovo in search for a better life in the West.

Thaçi said that he is not satisfied with the behaviour of Serbian state, in particular with actions of Serbian police, which, according to him, took bribes to permit and facilitate migration of Kosovo citizens.

During his speech, DPM Thaçi said that Kosovo wants to follow the example of France and Germany in its relations with Serbia. He also spoke about developments in Macedonia, saying that Kosovo Government has condemned the violence in Kumanovo.

On the other hand, Serbian foreign minister Ivica Dacic considered the latest attack in Kumanovo as a terrorist attack.

Surroi: Special Court is being set up to pay sins of the past

(KTV)

“Special Court is being set up to pay sins of the past and its depth is not current, but of the past 16 years,” publicist and writer Veton Surroi told KTV Rubicon show.

He blamed lack of accountability, disrespect of the law, criminalized political elite, dependence created on internationals and creation of the idea that others must deal with the issues of Kosovars.

According to Surroi, even strong states have problems in judging people of the war. However, according to him, maturity of a state is achieved when a sort of of recycling exists, be it the recycling of political leaders.

Surroi said that even Isa Mustafa’s Government is not showing any difference from Hashim Thaçi’s Government, while he considers President Jahjaga as incapable for the position she holds.

Jevtic and Viets discussed return process

(RTK2)

Kosovo minister for communities and return Dalibor Jevtic met with the German Ambassador to Kosovo Angelika Viets. They discussed return process, security, and German assistance to the process of return.

Minister Jevtic told to the German Ambassador that when it comes to the security situation in areas where returnees live, except in the municipality of Klinë/Klina; there are no major problems in other areas.

Moreover, Jevtic added that attacks in Klinë/Klina cannot and should not be characterized as ordinary criminal acts, because besides the physical assaults and robberies, in the majority of these incidents the assaulters threatened verbally returnees, also demanding from them to leave Kosovo and sell their property.

Working groups for monitoring of the laws on minorities announced

(RTK2)

The rights of minority communities are defined by Kosovo law; however, these rights are not fully implemented in practice, representatives of minority communities at the Assembly of Kosovo agree.

In the coming period, working groups will intensively work on monitoring of the Law on Prizren Historic Centre and Velika Hoca/Hoça e Madhe, civil service and local self-government.

Srpska List MP at the Assembly of Kosovo, Jasmina Zivkovic, announced that these working groups will control implementation of the laws and draft reports about situation on the ground.

“This is one of the ways of our fight,” Bosniak community MP Cerim Bajrami stated. He underlined that minority communities must fight for their rights, because, as he says, it is an illusion to wait for someone to grant them such rights.

Representatives of Ashkali representatives are neither satisfied with the minority rights situation.

It is expected that reports of these working groups will be presented to the Assembly by autumn, while appropriate measures shall be recommended to the Government.

Assembly committee adopt package of justice system bills

(Klan Kosova)

Package of justice system bills is ready for Assembly’s plenary session. On Tuesday these bills got the blessing of the Assembly legislation committee MPs. However, this package of bills did not pass all that easy. The biggest contradictions were related to the Bill on State Prosecution, in particular to a point that deals with assignment of cases to prosecutors.

However, dilemmas regarding this issue were clarified by the Director of Kosovo Judicial Council Secretariat, Albert Avdiu.

Debate did not miss for the Bill on Judicial Council, either. Valdete Daka requested removal of a provision that deprives candidates who have committed any criminal offence from the right to become a judge or a prosecutor.

The Bill on Ombudsperson was also briefly discussed. Head of the Ombudsperson Institution, Sami Kurteshi, requested that this law should not be voted.

“From Government to the Assembly it has changed on several things, which are fundamental. I can assume that with adoption of such norms proposed by the Government, the Law will be both illegal and anti-constitutional,” Kurteshi warned.

Ministry of interior criticized for not working on prevention of human trafficking

(KTV)

Fight against trafficking in humans is one of the priorities of Kosovo Government and one of the basic preconditions for visa liberalization. Nonetheless, the inter-ministerial group against trafficking in human beings led by the ministry of interior is being criticized for not working enough in this field.

Since the establishment of Mustafa Government this group had only two meetings. The new strategy against human trafficking was managed to be adopted only this month, irrespective of the fact that old strategy ended last year.

However, ministry of interior officials justify themselves saying that assessment of old strategy and transfer of unaccomplished objectives to new strategy needed to be done.

Members of the Assembly committee on internal affairs and security say that every time that Government is not willing to fight negative phenomena, it creates committees and inter-ministerial groups.

Security experts consider that governmental crisis caused delays in creation of these working groups.

Only during the first months of this year, nine victims of trafficking have been identified in Kosovo.