Brussels urges Kosovo to establish special court (dailies)
The European Union has called on the Kosovo authorities to avoid further delaying the establishment of the special court. The spokesperson for the EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Maja Kocijancic, told Radio Free Europe that the EU has offered Kosovo authorities all the necessary assistance for the adoption of constitutional amendments and the relevant legislation. “It is in the competence of the Assembly to appoint the plenary session for the establishment of the specialized chambers so that there is no more delay in this matter,” Kocijancic said. Also the spokesperson of the EU Office in Kosovo, Stojan Pelko, said that the EU considers that everything is ready now for the adoption of constitutional amendments and the law that enable establishment of the special court.
Assembly, Government with different approaches on special court (Koha)
The paper reports on its front page that the Kosovo Assembly and Government have contradictory approaches to the decision-making process on the constitutional amendments and the draft law for the special court. The paper recalls that, two weeks ago, the Assembly postponed the session on constitutional amendments related to the special court saying that the government had yet to submit the necessary draft legislation. Assembly Secretary Ismet Krasniqi said on Thursday that the government has not submitted the draft law. On the other hand, government officials insist that they can submit the bill only after the vote on the constitutional amendments.
Konjufca: Special court, a debacle for Kosovo (Zeri)
The head of the Vetevendosje parliamentary group, Glauk Konjufca, told the paper that protests against the special court are completely legitimate, as according to him, this is an ethnic court and unprecedented in the history of democratic countries. “With the establishment of special court is destroyed the Kosovo judicial system, and this is a debacle for Kosovo,” he said. On the tenth anniversary of the establishment of the Vetevendosje Movement, Konjufca said that the cooperation between Vetevendosje and the international community is increasing steadily. According to him, this has happened due to Vetevendosje’s maturity and serious development.
William Walker against the special court (Kosovapress)
The former OSCE ambassador to Kosovo, William Walker, told Pristina-based TV 21 on Thursday that he is against the establishment of the special court. He said that Kosovo people and leaders should decide for themselves and not allow the international community to decide for them. “I do not understand the need to establish the special court,” Walker said.
Government hopes decision on barricade will be reached this month (Koha)
An unidentified source within the Kosovo government told the paper on Thursday that the 23 June meeting between the Kosovo and Serbia Prime Ministers, Isa Mustafa and Aleksandar Vucic, is expected to result in a decision to remove the barricade on the Iber/Ibar Bridge in Mitrovica. Arban Abrashi, a spokesman for the Kosovo government, said on Thursday that the two prime ministers would discuss energy, telecommunication and freedom of movement in the northern part of Kosovo.
Prosecution initiates investigations against people threatening Surroi (Koha)
The paper reports that Kosovo’s Chief Prosecutor Aleksander Lumezi has authorized the Basic Prosecution in Pristina to initiate investigations against people using social networks to make threats against publicist Veton Surroi. The paper notes that “the lynching campaign” against Surroi began recently after the publicist promoted his latest book in Belgrade. In an interview for Belgrade-based B92, Surroi said that the reports prepared by Dick Marty and Clint Williamson blamed the Drenica Group for the killing of minorities. Mergim Lushtaku, the son of former KLA commander Sami Lushtaku who was recently sentenced to 12 years in prison for a murder committed in 1998, also issued a reaction on Facebook on Thursday saying he would sue Surroi and the Koha media group.
