Leskovac Serb in legal contest with the OSCE Mission in Kosovo

(RTK2) 

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo is present since 2000 and, above all, it is mandated to protect human rights and fight against any form of discrimination. However, Milo Zivkovic of Leskovac, Serbia, is in legal contest with this Mission. Namely, he claims that the OSCE Mission illegally usurped a part of his land in Industrial Zone in Fushë Kosovë/Kosovo Polje. For this reason, Zivkovic organized a press conference on Tuesday.

“The OSCE Mission has taken away 1.37 hectares from me, and it will certainly not give them away soon. Since 2008 until now I have asked compensation for this to all in protocol that were chiefs, directors of administration and finance,” Zivkovic stated.

Following the press conference, RTK2 crew visited the legally disputed piece of land. On this occasion, Zivkovic called for implementation the decision of the Special Chamber of Supreme Court, which, as he says, last year it was taken on his favour.

“Last year it took the fourth decision which decisively states that this legal contest can no longer be considered to be of valid documentation, that the owner is my late mother, while I am currently the owner,” Zivkovic added.

On the other hand, at the OSCE Mission in Kosovo say that this international institution got the disputed property in 2000 from the UNMIK Mission, while they say that it is socially owned property. They also call on the same decision of the Supreme Court, but they interpreted in a different way.

“We do not run away from the responsibility. We also said this to Mr. Zivkovic that the when we will receive complete documentation from the competent institutions, we will certainly fulfil our obligations. Mr. Zivkovic possesses the decision of Municipal Court, which is not competent for these types of cases. Special Chamber of the Supreme Court is competent when it comes to socially owned property under the possession of social enterprises,” stated Senad Sabovic of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo.

Zivkovic said that his property has been usurped by three parties, five Albanians, Kosovo ministry of agriculture and the OSCE Mission in Kosovo.

A big number of problems related to property disputes arise from non-adoption of the law on restitution. The Assembly of Kosovo is the only one Parliament in the Balkans that still has not adopted this law.

OSCE hosts regional conference on non-discrimination 

(RTK2)

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo organised a regional conference on challenges and best practices in implementation of non-discrimination legislation.

Panel members of this conference were human rights experts, Ombudsperson Institutions, civil society organizations from the Western Balkans countries, as well as representatives of institutions, including the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).

Presenting their experiences in the field of human rights, representatives of non-governmental and independent institutions agreed that the number of discrimination complaints in the Western Balkans is high, while a small number of those are processed.

Initiation of procedures in government bodies and the persistence on the urgency of solving these problems are some of the mechanisms to combat this phenomenon

One of the key reasons for non- reporting of discrimination is the inability of the discriminated person to get legal aid. Serbia still awaits adoption of law on free legal aid, while this law already exists in Kosovo.

Coordinator of the Agency for Free Legal Aid, Drita Rexhepi, said that free legal aid is provided to all persons receiving social assistance, unemployed and marginalized/vulnerable groups of people, including displaced persons, refugees, elderly and minors, those with special needs, women and children and victims of domestic violence. Rexhepi said that due to these criteria, and according to OSCE statistics, over 74 per cent of people in Kosovo are entitled to free legal aid.

The Assembly of Kosovo has recently adopted the Law against discrimination, which strengthens the position of discriminated, as well as the position of Ombudsperson. OSCE Mission in Kosovo also had a role on development of this legislation.

“Enhanced implementation of the anti-discrimination laws is the key in ensuring human rights. Laws against discrimination exist in all countries of the region, but we are still witnessing segregation and unequal treatment based on sexual orientation, ethnic backgrounds, social status, gender or disability. For this reason, it is vital that we use this conference to work together to find the appropriate steps for the implementation of this law,” Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Ambassador Jean-Claude Schlumberger stated.

According to the reports of international organizations, minorities in Kosovo are the most discriminated, particularly related to the use of the native language, because many laws in Serbian language, which is also the official language in Kosovo, are misspelled or translated.

Roma, Ashkali and Egyptians continue to be exposed to widespread discrimination, because of the insufficient number of measures aimed at their integration, the report said. Hate crimes because of sexual orientation or identity are also frequent.

Jevtic: Continuation of regional cooperation important for the return process

(RTK2)

Meeting between representatives of Ministry of Communities and Return (MCR), the OSCE, UNHCR and EU in Kosovo to discuss the topic of continuation of regional cooperation and organization of the second regional conference was held on Tuesday at the MCR premises.

Minister of communities and return Dalibor Jevtic considers the previous conference held in Skopje as very successful. He said that the aim of Tuesday’s meeting was to learn more from partners in this process about developments related to organization of regional cooperation continuation at the political level, while he offered all the possible support for it.

Representatives of international organizations expressed their support for the return process of IDPs from Montenegro, Macedonia and Serbia to Kosovo.

Decision on Prizren Mayor case within two weeks

(Most monitored broadcasters, KTV)

The case of Prizren Mayor, Ramadan Muja, started after fifteen months at the Court of Appeal.  Muja is calling for rejection of the verdict that sentences him to two-year conditional imprisonment, or to return the case to retrial.

The Court Panel is expected to take a decision about this case within two-weeks. 

Parties accuse each other lynching, dictatorship and political liquidations

(KTV)

Political parties in Kosovo have accused each other for lacking internal democracy.

In a debate organized in KTV Rubicon show, they addressed serious accusations against each other for lynching, dictatorship and even political liquidations. 

KTV crew threatened in Malishevë/Malisevo school

(KTV)

It is suspected that student’s grades have been changed in “Hamdi Berisha” gymnasium of Malishevë/Malisevo, namely the success of the son of Nisma për Kosovën MP Enver Hoti was amended.

But the gymnasium principal, who threatened KTV crew and forced them out of the school building, did not like the news about it. He did not accept to show the grade book to KTV, saying that it was not at the school premises.

Later on KTV demanded explanations from the Director of Municipal Education Directorate (MED) regarding this case. However, the school principal came to the Directorate and put pressure on MED Director not to speak about the case.

He continued to tell KTV crew that they should not deal with this case. Nonetheless, following a brief discussion that the director and school principal had, irrespective to earlier threats, the latter accepted to speak in front of the camera and denied that grades of several students have been amended.

In the later news editions, Association of Kosovo Journalists condemned the case and considered it concerning. It called on Kosovo Police to investigate it. 

Media digitalization process postponed

(TV21)

Upon the request of working group for drafting of the Law on digitization of radio diffusive and terrestrial broadcasting the media digitalization process has been postponed for an indefinite period of time by the Assembly committee for economic development.

The request for its postponement came after media companies that operate in Kosovo said they are still not ready for digitalization and gave their reasons why they fear digitalization at this period of time.

New political party established

(Klan Kosova)

A new political party has been added to the list of many parties in Kosovo – Partia Fjala (Word Party).

Gëzim Kelmendi, Partia Fjala founder, said that they established the party because they had bad experiences with other political entities.

According to founders of this party, it has already established its branches and sub-branches in almost all towns of Kosovo.

Partia Fjala has applied for certification at the Central Elections Commission (CEC) on 13 March this year.