Kosovo Police arrests an individual involved in Kumanovo events (dailies)
The dailies report that Sulejman Osmani, who escaped from the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) police after the armed incident that took place in Kumanovo in May this year, was arrested yesterday by the Kosovo police on the basis of an international warrant issued by FYROM. Osmani was arrested in Vitia, Gjilan/Gnjilane Municipality.
Jacobson: Don’t put personal interests over Kosovo’s interests (Zeri)
The United States Ambassador to Kosovo, Tracey Ann Jacobson, told the paper on Tuesday that the failure to establish the special court allows the interests of a few individuals who might be accused to be put above the interests of Kosovo. According to her, the opponents of the special court have different reasons for their position. “Some suspect that they might be accused, others have friends who they think might be accused … while some from the opposition don’t have anything against the special court but they just do it to gain political points against the current government,” Jacobson said. She said that the United States would always support Kosovo, but that it is natural for the attention to be shifted elsewhere if Kosovo is unable to move forward with the special court. “If the issue goes to the United Nations, no one will ask for the Kosovo government’s opinion,” she added. Jacobson also said that Kosovo has not done enough in regards to combating corruption and organized crime.
Content of special court constitutional amendment won’t be changed (Koha)
The paper reports on its front page that the Kosovo Assembly is waiting for the government to resubmit the constitutional amendment for the creation of the special court. The government meanwhile is discussing the time, manner and form of submitting the constitutional amendment. Government officials told the paper on Tuesday that there will be no changes in content of the constitutional amendment. Legal experts are arguing that before being resubmitted to the Assembly, the constitutional amendment would have to get the green light from the Constitutional Court.
EULEX clarifies Meucci’s statement on specialist chambers (RTK)
The EU rule of law mission has come out with a statement to clarify the answer its chief Gabriele Meucci gave on whether EULEX is ready to support specialist chambers. “Head of Mission Meucci reminded that, if the Kosovo’s Assembly approves the constitutional amendments, the Specialist Chambers and SITF (Special Investigative Task Force) would become part of Kosovo institutions. If the Assembly does not approve the constitutional amendments, the present structure remains within the EULEX legal framework, as it is now. So the question is whether Kosovo is ready to support the Specialist Chambers, not EULEX”, the statement reads. It further notes that current EULEX mandate extends through June 2016.
EC progress report to focus on rule of law (Epoka e Re)
The European Commission’s annual report on progress in Kosovo is already underway and according to EC officials, it will focus on the rule of law as well as economic development and public administration reform. The Head of the EC’s enlargement directorate for Kosovo, David Cullen, said in a conference in Pristina that the report should provide clear political messages to ensure Kosovo authorities undertake steps in compliance with EU standards. Cullen also called on civil society representatives to contribute to the drafting of the report through comments and remarks.
AKJ condemns threats against journalist Serbeze Haxhiaj (Zeri)
The Association of Kosovo Journalists (AKJ) through a statement issued yesterday expressed its concern about the continual threats made to the Radio Kosova journalist Serbeze Haxhiaj by some individuals who declare themselves as former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). Haxhiaj reportedly was threatened and prevented several times from writing an article about revealing the truth about the status of the KLA war veterans. “The AKJ urges rule of law institutions to identify the attackers and address the problem in line with the law,” noted the press statement.
