EU concerned about Assembly’s failure to establish Special Court

(All monitored broadcasters, KTV)

The European Union expressed its concern about the failure of Kosovo’s Assembly to establish Specialized Chambers of the Court. This is message that was conveyed in Prishtinë/Pristina by the European Commission’s Director of Western Balkans, Jean Eric Paquet.

Paquet took part in the fifth plenary meeting of the Stabilisation and Association Dialogue held in Prishtinë/Pristina.

“Prime Minister, allow me to use this opportunity to express my concern, Zbogar’s concern, and the concern of European countries about Assembly’s failure to vote necessary legislative changes that would enable establishment of Special Court. I am aware that this is not an easy process and I am also aware of the commitment of the Prime Minister and Government, and believe that this issue will be reviewed and will be resolved soon. I do not think I will be able to sufficiently stress the critical importance of the establishment of the Special Court for Kosovo,” Paquet said.

On the other hand, Kosovo institutional leaders said that Kosovo is at the verge of signing the SAA and establishment of contractual relations with the EU.

“We are witnesses of a serious commitment of all institutions of Kosovo to fulfilment of the criteria of the visa liberalisation roadmap, as well as implementation of the recommendations of the assessment missions of the European Commission. Thus, I would like to express my gratitude to all Kosovo institutions for fulfilling the obligations of this process,” Prime Minister Isa Mustafa said.

Mustafa said that public administration reform is Government’s priority.

On the other hand, the President of Kosovo Atifete Jahjaga met on Wednesday in London the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Special Representative of the British Prime Minister for the prevention of sexual violence in conflict, Baroness Joyce Anelay, with whom she discussed about rehabilitation and reintegration of the survivors of rape during the war in Kosovo and establishment of Special Court.

President Jahjaga expressed her disappointment with the nonvoting of the constitutional amendments for the establishment of the Special Court and stressed that she expects from the country’s institutions to find a way and encouraged them to meet this international obligation in accordance with the decision of the Assembly and the international agreement.

Srpska threatens to quit Government if the Association is not created

(KTV)

Srpska List may once again suspend its participation in Kosovo institutions. According to the Belgrade-based daily Novosti, this List has conditioned to remain a partner in the governing coalition with the creation of the Association of Serb Municipalities.

“Should Kosovo fail to show willingness for an agreement with Serbia for creation of the Association, Serb representatives in Kosovo Government might once again review the possibility to freeze their participation in Kosovo institutions,” the Kosovo minister of local government administration Ljubomir Maric said.

Maric said that the logical course of the List’s representatives is to distance themselves from the government, if the Government fails to form the Association as it has been the key condition for joining it and the first point of the coalition agreement.

Independent TV channel in Serbian requested

(RTK2)

The Serbian negotiation team will be addressed the request to include the independent TV channel in Serbian in Kosovo in the agenda of talks in Brussels.

This was agreed in a meeting in Gracanica/Graçanicë, where journalists, representatives of the Serbian Office for Kosovo and most of the Serb representatives at the Government of Kosovo took part.

In the meeting that was held on Wednesday in Gracanica/Graçanicë, which was organized by the Journalists’ Association of Serbia (UNS), it was agreed that Serb representatives in Kosovo institutions will seek reform of media legislation, by which, among others, meeting of the constitutional obligation for Serbs to get an independent TV channel would also be ensured.

The meeting participants concluded that in order to achieve this, amendment of the Law on Radio and Television of Kosovo (RTK) is necessary, the UNS branch in Kosovo said in a statement.

Auditor identifies many irregularities in Kosovo municipalities

(KTV)

Mayor of Klinë/Klina municipality, Sokol Bashota, got involved in a pure conflict of interest; Mayor of Gjakovë/Djakovica paid for repair of Mabetex company vehicle; a municipality in the north works with UNMIK regulation; while the Gllogovc/Glogovac municipality has paid thousands of Euros for court decisions.

These are only some of the violations that municipalities have done over the course of last year according to General Auditor.

For the municipality of Klinë/Klina, the Auditor mentions the trend of expenditures’ increase on lunches, unjustifiable compensation of the Mayor for travels abroad, or payment of incentives for healthcare workers.

Budget in the Municipality of Viti/Vitina was damaged with over EUR 12.000 because of a miscalculation of maternity leave payments. The Municipality of Istog/Istok paid over EUR 43.000 for the project that did not finish.

In the Municipality of Prishtinë/Pristina, the Auditor identified poor financial control for expenditures and incomes.

The Municipality of Ferizaj/Urosevac paid over EUR 400.000 for court decisions, while it did not receive a dime from management of parking places by the war emerged associations, which own it over EUR 130.000.

Indictment filed against HIB Petrol person in charge for deceit

(All monitored broadcasters, KTV)

The Basic Court of Prishtinë/Pristina filed indictment against the HIB Petrol person in charge for the criminal offence of deceit of purchasers.

The indictment is related to supply of 44 educative institutions in the municipality of Prishtinë/Pristina with fuel for heating and generators.

The defendant acted in contradiction with the contract between the municipality of Prishtinë/Pristina and the company that he owns by selling fuel that does not correspond to the product quality agreed.