Partnership between police and citizens
(RTK2)
Representatives of 47 Local Public Safety Committees (LPSCs) held their fourteenth meeting in Prishtinë/Pristina.
For the first time, this meeting was attended by the members of four new committees that have been established in northern Kosovo.
The purpose of Local Public Safety Committees is to improve the overall security and respond to the needs of communities in cooperation with relevant institutions. LPSC can be established by the police at the request of the local community whereas members of LPSC are e police and local representatives of the community.
Representatives of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo said that the establishment of the new committees demonstrates that citizens recognize the important goals of LPSCs.
The OSCE Mission in Kosovo supports the activities of LPSCs through a project funded by the Norwegian Government.
The conference was organized by the OSCE Mission in Kosovo and was attended by representatives of the police of Montenegro and Macedonia.
Courts in Kosovo north to be functional by September
(RTK1)
The call for judges and prosecutors for courts and prosecutions in Kosovo north has finished.
87 candidates have applied for judge positions in the Courts in Kosovo north. President of the Kosovo Judicial Council (KJC), Enver Peci stated that 48 judges will be employed; meanwhile the functionalization of the courts is expected to happen on 1 September.
Peci said that the interviewing panel for the candidates will consists of three local and two EULEX judges. Moreover, he said that he hopes the interviewing procedures are completed soon in order for the President to decree the judges during August.
KJC has not yet launched the call for the administrative personnel which will work in the northern courts. RTK1 learns that this delay is happening because of the disagreements about the position of the Court Administrator. Serbs demand that this post belongs to the Serb community whereas Albanians oppose this request.
Senior AAK official interviewed by the Kosovo Police
(All monitored broadcasters, TV21)
While attending Isa Boletini’s reburial ceremony in Mitrovicë/Mitrovica, Muhamet Kelmendi, senior member of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) was arrested and after being interviewed he was released.
Police informed that five individuals have been escorted to the police stations for questioning including Mr Kelmendi. They all have been interrogated for a case that is under police investigation. According to Kosovo Police, Mr Kelmendi has been questioned in the capacity of the witness.
On the other hand, Kelmendi said in an interview for TV21 that he was not arrested and that he went to the police station in Mitrovicë/Mitrovica in a police car but that he was not handcuffed and willingly went to the police station.
On the other hand, Kosovo Police spokesperson Baki Kelani told TV21 that Kosovo Police in Mitrovicë/Mitrovica in line with its procedures stopped five persons. Kelani emphasized that Kosovo Police had information that these persons were suspects, excluding Mr Kelmendi.
‘By chance, Mr Kelmendi was amongst this group. Police brought them for interviewing in line with the official duty and police had legal grounds to stop them’, said Kelani.
Mr Kelmendi was released shortly after, while his party, AAK condemned the incident.
Social media campaign against Veton Surroi
(KTV)
Those that cannot agree with a different thought, continue to choose the most evil manners to oppose to those that choose to speak up freely for certain issues or phenomena related to the country or society. During last years’ there were tens of cases in which public and political figures, representatives of civil society or media have been lynched.
In these campaigns, besides the hate language, there are also calls for the assassination of these f public figures.
Recently in the social network Facebook, a page has been opened, in which a campaign against the writer and publicist Veton Surroi has been launched related to his statements made in Belgrade during the promotion of his new book ‘The Millionaire’
Tens of threatening comments against Surroi have been made under a picture that has been posted on this page.
This campaign started only few days after Surroi’s statements to TV B92station, which seems that have been misunderstood.
In this interview, Surroi said that Drenica Group was found guilty for killing of minorities because of Dick Marty and Clint Williamson reports.
Assembly member Alma Lama, Editor in Chief of Zëri newspaper Arbana Xharra, and Koha Ditore journalist Vehbi Kajtazi, are some of the individuals that continuously have been insulted or threatened in similar forms.
Seventy-five officials did not declare their assets
(Most monitored broadcasters, TV21, RTK1)
A report drafted by NGO ‘Çohu’ notes that the number of public officials that have failed to declare their wealth has increased compared to last year. According to the report, in 2015, 75 officials did not declare their wealth.
Representative of this organization Arton Demhasaj said that Kosovo also lacks mechanisms that verify the wealth declared by officials.
Koha Ditore journalist awarded first prize for investigative journalism
(KTV)
KTV in its late news edition reported that Koha Ditore journalist Vehbi Kajtazti has been awarded was awarded first prize for investigative journalism, a prize funded by the European Commission. Kajtazi was awarded for the topic ‘Strong suspicions of corruption within EULEX mission”, a topic that triggered many reactions by the European Union.
On this occasion Kajtazi said he still continues to believe in the EU and that he feels honoured for this award.
