Thaçi confirms, Special Court will be voted next week
(All monitored broadcasters, KTV)
The thing that should have been done by the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa, is being done by his deputy Hashim Thaçi, who said that Special Court will be voted next week at the Assembly.
Thaçi confirmed this after the second meeting with PDK MPs. He said that Special Court establishment is an international commitment of Kosovo. This is the second time that Thaçi is forced to gather PDK MPs to convince them to vote for the Special Court.
Asked if he managed to convince MPs of his party, Thaçi did not answer and simply left the media room.
Meanwhile, addressing the media after this event, PDK MP Ganimete Musliu said that she will not vote in favour of Special Court.
KTV learned that after these meetings Thaçi has managed to secure the necessary votes to pass the constitutional amendments required for establishment of so-called Specialized Chambers.
The opposition parties, Vetëvendosje, AAK and Nisma për Kosovën have once again opposed re-proceeding of Special Court at the Assembly, Klan Kosova reported.
AKJ condemns threat against its Board Chairperson
(KTV, TV21)
The Association of Kosovo Journalists (AKJ) condemns the threat against the Chairperson of AKJ Board and editor of Gazeta Fjala, Zekirja Shabani, by the representatives of Al Petrol Company.
Shabani was threatened with his life by representatives of this company following publication of an article regarding citizens’ allegations for theft in fuel litres by the Al Petrol Company.
The Association of Kosovo Journalists learned that this is not the first case that owners of this company threaten journalists. AKJ requests from security bodies to take measures against those that made the threats and bring perpetrators to law.
Police interviews GazetaBlic portal managers, AKJ reacts
(KTV & Klan Kosova)
Publication of incomes of the then the candidate for Chief State Prosecutor, Aleksandër Lumezi, got GazetaBlic managers in trouble with the police. Astrit Gashi, founder of this medium, and Editor Adrian Çollaku, were invited to interviews by the police investigators.
“It is senseless. Together with the tropical heat, a wave of pressure, intimidation and blackmailing from state institutions is being put on GazetaBlic portal, which is a new news portal, established a year ago, but which is a critical and completely independent portal,” Gashi told Klan Kosova.
His colleague, Adrian Çollaku, qualified the interview as police blackmail. Through a press release issued, police denied such blackmail.
Nonetheless, Gashi considers that country mechanisms are impeding media to do their work.
The Association of Kosovo Journalists (AKJ) condemned the manner that Kosovo Police treated GazetaBlic editor-in-chief Adrian Çollaku, KTV reported.
“Threats and attempts to intimidate journalists in their work are a proof that the journalists’ workplace is becoming more difficult and insecure each day on,” the AKJ press release states.
Haxhiu: Cyrillic is not the problem, but the logo of Kosovo institutions
(Klan Kosova, RTK2)
Upon the request of Vetëvendosje MP and chairperson of the Assembly legislation committee, Albulena Haxhiu, election of the free legal aid committee members proposed by the Ministry for communities and returns was postponed with explanation that the request was written in Cyrillic in the last meeting of this committee.
However, on Wednesday’s meeting, Haxhiu said that the problem does not lie in Cyrillic or the Serbian language, but in the logo of Kosovo institutions, which according to her, in this case is not in line with the set standards.
“As the chairperson of the Assembly legislation committee I asked explanations from the Legal Office of Prime Minister of Kosovo if the logo written in Cyrillic is in line with Kosovo Constitution and laws, as until now we received documents with logos in three languages, but in Latin letters. The committee has not returned the document, but it only asked legal interpretation of the Law on Use of Languages. This decision is grounded on the earlier decision that was made by the former Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi, where the official insignia of Kosovo were given, including the logo – it is written in Latin and not Cyrillic,” Haxhiu said.
Minister for communities and returns, Dalibor Jevtic, said that rejection of this proposal is a violation of the Law on Use of Languages.
Language Commissioner at the Kosovo Government, Slavisa Mladenovic, confirmed to RTK2 that Serbian language and Cyrillic letter in official use in Kosovo institutions and that rejection of the proposal with this explanation is a violation of the Law on Use of Languages.
Serbs do not allow inspection of Jugobanka
(RTK2, KTV)
The Economic Crime Unit from Prishtinë/Pristina was not allowed to enter the facilities of Jugobanka bank in Mitrovica/Mitrovicë north.
This Unit wanted to inspect the work of this bank, which has been operating illegally in Mitrovica/Mitrovicë north, but the staff invited a number of citizens, and members of the so-called Civil Protection to hinder them from doing their job. All this lasted about one hour and the Economic Crimes Unit had to withdraw.
However, detailed control was done in Jugobanka Office in Gracanica/Graçanicë. Kosovo Central Bank inspectors took a big number of documents and interviewed a staff member of this bank. Similar control efforts were also made in Strpce/Shtërpcë.
The Serbian Office for Kosovo reacted harshly following this action, saying that its main goal is to financially block Kosovo Serbs. Representatives of this Office called on Prishtinë/Pristina authorities to, as they say, stop the destructive activates against Kosovo Serbs.
