News

Kosovo and Serbia women pledge to support each other

(Klan Kosova)

The OSCE screened a documentary about meetings of Kosovar and Serbian women to discuss their position in society. At the beginning there were hesitations on both sides, but with the time passing they worked together.

Differences between them are unnoticeable around this table. However, women of different profiles from Kosovo and Serbia have overcome differences to focus on their joint problem, their position in society.

“If a woman holds a certain position, she does not have the support to hold it,” said Dubravka Filipovski, Member of Serbian Parliament.

Therefore, after three meetings that they held, Kosovo politicians and civil society activists are pledging to support each other.

“Let us support each other, and although some will judge me because of today’s meeting with powerful women from Kosovo, I think that is important that I offer my support to you today, and that you should support me in the future, on the occasion of talks about the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Prishtinë/Pristina” stated Marija Obradovic, also a Member of Serbian Parliament.

But, concerns that these women have are many in the documentary which was posted on internet, and which is supported by the OSCE.

The hesitation to meet Belgrade side initially did not miss from Kosovars.

“The second meeting started from a different note. We started to talk more openly,” said Teuta Sahatqija, Kosovo Assembly Member.

The meetings that are expected to continue further are also pleasing their initiators with the given results.

“What is very good now, I think, after these first meetings the relations have become, I would say, quite naturally. These women pick their phone up and call and discuss, even between the meetings, for practical issues,” stated Ambassador Jean-Claude Schlumberger, Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo.

Meetings of prominent women, Budva 2015 will also continue in the future with the aim of empowering women in politics and decision-making processes, on which they seem very persistent.

“There is one joke that goes like this: politics is too important to be left to men,” Member of Serbian Parliament Obradovic concluded.

Jahjaga received OSCE PA Special Representative on South East Europe Roberto Battelli

(TV21)

Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga received today Roberto Battelli, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Special Representative on South East Europe.

She said that Kosovo was making efforts to become a member of all international organizations, including of the OSCE.

Battelli congratulated President Jahjaga for her devotion to fulfilling of human rights. He informed President Jahjaga about the actions taken for Kosovo’s accession to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.

EUR 3 million allocated for return projects in Kosovo north

(Most monitored broadcasters, Klan Kosova, TV21)

Ministry for communities and return allocated EUR 3 million for return projects in the four municipalities of Kosovo north.

Minister of communities and return Dalibor Jevtic said that the ministry has allocated half of its budget for projects in the north and he hopes that implementation of projects will be done in line with the set deadlines, so that funds do not end up as a budget surplus.

In addition, Klan Kosova reported that the inter-ministerial council for return convened for the first time on Wednesday. The council decided to establish working groups that will deal with return of IDPs of Kroi i Vitakut neighbourhood in Mitrovica/Mitrovicë north, Frashër village in Mitrovicë/Mitrovica south, and in Mushtishtë village of Suharekë/ Suva Reka municipality.

At a press conference staged following this meeting, minister of communities and return Dalibor Jevtic and minister of local government administration Ljubomir Maric, underlined that that only 700 Serb IDPs will return to Kosovo during 2015.

Ambassador Jacobson calls for Special Court establishment

(All monitored broadcasters, KTV)

The United States Ambassador to Kosovo Tracey Ann Jacobson once again called on Kosovo lawmakers to establish Special Court.

At the contrary, she said that US and other Kosovo strategic partners will no longer block this process at the United Nations.

“I am hoping that the Government can come to a conclusion on this issue soon, in order for it to be sent to the Assembly, and the Assembly to take its decision. Because, we all know what it the alternative of this – if Kosovo Government and Assembly do not adopt this, then the United States and other strategic partners of Kosovo will no longer block this process at the United Nations,” Ambassador Jacobson underlined.

On the other hand, leaders of opposition parties, Visar Ymeri of Vetëvendosje, Ramush Haradinaj of AAK, and Fatmir Limaj of Nisma për Kosovën – addressed a public letter to leaders of Kosovo institutions – President Atifete Jahjaga, Assembly Speaker Kadri Veseli, Prime Minister Isa Mustafa, and DPM Hashim Thaçi. In this letter they request that constitutional amendments that open path to establishment of Special Court are not sent to the Assembly.

They called on leaders of Kosovo institutions to immediately stop all political and institutional actions related to establishment of Special Court.

CEC does not comment LDK’s statement

(KTV)

The Central Elections Commission (CEC) had nothing to say on Wednesday about LDK’s statement that CEC cannot interfere in election processes of political entities.

Justification of the institution that monitors and regulates functioning of political parties was that “it does not comment statements of others”.

LDK conclusion why CEC cannot interfere in its Assembly is that CEC is composed of political party representatives, although the same composition with political parties has certified Isa Mustafa’s party.

Political analyst Halil Matoshi considers LDK attacks against civil society and media surprising, as they come from a party that has acclaimed itself as defenders of these democratic values. Matoshi said that Mustafa is not showing any difference from all other authoritarian leaders in Kosovo.

Assembly committee approves RTK financial report

(TV21, RTK1)

Kosovo Assembly budget and finance committee unanimously approved the Radio and Television of Kosovo (RTK) financial report, which has been proceeded to Assembly for adoption.

Initially, Committee members made their remarks and demanded explanations from RTK management regarding budget overspending over the course of 2014.

RTK Director General Mentor Shala said that with opening of new channels, the need for new staff has increased, which has also impact on increase of budget spending.

“At the second part of 2013 we have launched RTK2 in Serbian, a channel that was a legal obligation based on Law on RTK. Certainly, with the opening of new channel, new employments are also needed,” Shala said.

He added that during 2014 RTK2 was additionally consolidated with staff and it has reached the number of about 100 members. According to him, this has impacted on budget overspending, underlining again that it was a legal obligation.