Failure to establish special court will have negative consequences for SAA and visa liberalization (Koha)
The paper reports on its front page that the international community is stepping up the pressure on Kosovo’s political leaders to adopt the legislation for the establishment of the special court. Unnamed diplomatic sources told the paper on Thursday that the failure to establish the special court will send the matter to the United Nations Security Council and it will also have negative implications with regards to Kosovo’s European integration prospects. “If they don’t establish the special court, they can forget about the Stabilization/Association Agreement and the visa liberalization,” a European diplomat said. He added that such a position would not be said in public, “but it was already made clear to the leaders”. Kosovo government spokesman and Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, Arban Abrashi, said for the paper that one cannot pretend that the establishment of the special court is an ad-hoc process and that it is not relevant for Kosovo’s relations with the international community. “We have many examples that show that the approach of the international community vis-à-vis countries in the region is based on the fulfilment of requirements and standards. The establishment of the special court should be seen as an interest for the future of our country. We need to prove that we are committed to the European path; the visa liberalization and the Stabilization/Association Agreement are crucial steps in this respect,” Abrashi said.
EU calls for radical changes in public procurement (Zeri)
The paper on its front page reports that the European Union requested the institutions of Kosovo to make radical reforms in the public procurement sector, including staff changes. Kosovo’s Minister for European Integration, Bekim Collaku, said that public procurement reforms are among the key points in the visa liberalization report that will be submitted today to the EU Special Representative in Kosovo, Samuel Zbogar. According to Collaku, the main achievements during the reporting period have been the adoption of several laws and strategies. “The report also lists several international agreements on police cooperation and agreements in the rule of law area,” Collaku said. According to him, the legal framework has been completed in accordance with the EU acquis and the European Commission recommendations.
Kosovo terrorism suspects to appear in court today (Zeri)
The paper reports that 32 Kosovars, who are accused of fighting alongside terrorist groups such as Al-Nusra and ISIS, will appear before a court in Pristina today. The Special Prosecution of Kosovo has filed three indictments charging the 32 suspects for having trained and fought with terrorist groups in Iraq and Syria. The majority of the suspects denied having been part of such groups and said they went to Turkey on business trips. Some of the suspects have admitted that they were in Syria but added that they were deceived.
Sami Lushtaku: Who did I kill? (Koha/Epoka)
The Mayor of Skenderaj and former commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army, Sami Lushtaku, sent an open letter on Thursday to all those working in the judiciary, after he was found guilty for war crimes last week. In his letter, Lushtaku writes that it was not easy to argue that they he didn’t kill a civilian. “When one does not know his family, and who he is, this means that he doesn’t exist,” Lushtaku writes. According to him, a decade of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) leading the government created strong negative views towards the Kosovo Liberation Army. “Moreover, ministers and deputy ministers contributed greatly against us. Their intensive lobbying in the embassies and in EULEX against us, for a very long time, has made this happen.” Lushtaku further writes that he would continue to insist on justice, demanding to at least know his victim. At the end, Lushtaku made a public call for all the MPs and specifically PDK officials not to use his name and the Drenica Group case in order to vote or not to vote the special court. “For two years now I am dealing with my case. Those who are elected by the people should deal with the special court.”
Ahmeti: FYROM leaders to respect the agreement (Epoka e Re)
The leader of the Democratic Union for Integration (BDI) in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Ali Ahmeti, said on Thursday that FYROM leaders need to begin the implementation of the agreement reached as soon as possible. He urged the other leader who signed the agreement to respect it otherwise the FYROM would lose the support of its allies, the US and Europe. Ahmeti indicated that there is still no final decision on whether to establish a technical government until new elections in the FYROM. He said that the issue remained to be discussed between the parties.
ICTY to shut down in 2017 (Koha)
Theodor Meron, the President of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, told the United Nations Security Council on Thursday that he expects the last cases of this court to be concluded in 2017 as planned. The ICTY Chief Prosecutor Serge Brammertz said at the Security Council that the final verdicts on the cases of Vojislav Seselj and Radovan Karadzic are expected by the end of this year.
