EC to criticize Kosovo for lack of progress in rule of law
(All monitored broadcaster, KTV)
Rule of law in Kosovo has not marked any progress. At least this is stated by MPs of the Assembly of Kosovo, anticipating that this area will be criticized the most in the forthcoming European Commission Progress Report.
LDK MP Vjosa Osmani considers that for many years the lack of fight against corruption, organized crime and the lack of the rule of law have become the main challenges for Kosovo.
Meanwhile, AAK MP Donika Kadaj-Bujupi said that she does not expect any progress in the rule of law, economic and administration reforms, but according to her the report will most likely emphasize regress int these sectors.
PDK MP Blerta Deliu expects that the challenges which will be addressed in the progress report to be approximately same challenges addressed in the previous report.
Whereas, Fisnik Korenica from the Group for Legal and Political Studies (GLPS) said that the only progress that might be marked is the approval of nine laws, namely four laws in the judicial package, the law on interception and four human rights laws, but according to him the report will stress the lack of implementing those laws.
European Integration Minister, Bekim Çollaku, said that besides evidencing the progress, they expect criticism in many areas of the work of Kosovo institutions, particularly in the area of the rule of law.
Twenty-six cases of threats against journalists proceeded to courts
(KTV)
Journalists in Kosovo continue to face obstacles while exercising their duty. Twenty-six cases of threats and attacks against journalists have been proceeded to Kosovo Courts whereas 36 journalists have requested legal assistance so far from the lawyer Musa Dragusha.
Since December last year, Kosovo Journalists Association (KJA), engaged lawyer Musa Dragusha, to provide free legal assistance and support to journalists in Kosovo.
Dragusha said that he continuously receives complaints from journalists related to intimidation, threats, blackmail and attacks.
Dragusha considers that journalists are operating in a hostile environment. He highlighted also the last Human Watch Report about the work of media in Kosovo.
KAJ chairperson, Zekirja Shabani, acknowledges that the report of Human Watch presents the real situation and positions in which the journalists in Kosovo carry out their duty.
Meanwhile, Koha Ditore’s journalists Besnik Krasniqi said that threats have become a routine and according to him, despite the fact that he reported threats made against him, justice institutions have never solved those cases.
Krasniqi, expressed concerned also about the obstacles that journalists face in accessing public documents.
Lack of political will impedes the Law on Referendum
(KTV)
Because of the lack of the Law on Referendum, people of Kosovo continue not to have the decision-making right on important processes.
Sixteen years have passed since the end of the conflict and seven years since the independence, but institutions have never taken any steps for Kosovo to have the Law on Referendum.
While big changes in democratic world happen when the people become the decision-makers, Kosovo has not yet reached that phase.
Political parties and political analysts consider that there is a strong reason why the Government is not prioritizing this law.
Agreements with Serbia, huge privatisations, and the recent case of the Special Court would be opposed harshly by the people and therefore the ruling parties would lose politically a lot.
One of the authors of the Constitution of Kosovo, Riza Smaka, said that before the independence the internationals did not allow this, whereas according to him now is only the lack of the political will.
Vetëvendosje deputy-chairperson, Driton Çaushi, said that because of the lack of the political will, citizens are facing with harmful decisions for Kosovo without having the power for change.
Fisnik Korenica from the Group for Legal and Political Studies (GLPS) said that the international factor and ruling parties are not interested to make referendum instrument legal because many processes that PDK in the previous Government has entered did not had people support.
The role of protected witnesses, crucial for achieving justice
(Klan Kosova)
Protected and cooperative witnesses are placed in Dubravë/Dubrava correctional center; however the number of those is very little.
As far as it is known, one protected witness and three cooperative witnesses are placed in this center. All of them received this status by EULEX.
The role of the protected witness is considered to be crucial for achieving justice. For this reason, Kosovo authorities within the Kosovo Police have established a directorate that deals exclusively with this issue. But not much information can be obtained from the police about the work of this directorate.
Kosovo Police spokesperson, Baki Kelani, said that the management of Kosovo Police has paid special attention to the establishment and functionalization of this directorate by engaging professional staff that went through additional trainings in order to be efficient in fulfilling the assigned tasks.
A committee headed by the Chief State Prosecutor Aleksandër Lumezi decides about the inclusion of individuals in the witness security program.
However, also the office of the Chief State Prosecutor does not disclose much information about the work of this committee.
“The work and all documents of the assessment committee program are official secrets. Therefore we cannot disclose information about the work of this committee’, reads a response of the Office of Chief State Prosecutor.
For this reason, the office of the Chief State Prosecutor did not answered Klan Kosova’s question if there are any requests for inclusion in witness security program.
On the other hand, police officials say that they have been engaged in such operations. Kosovo Police spokesperson acknowledges that the directorate is functional and that there have been cases that required engagement. However, he denied revealing the name of the person that leads this directorate.
