EU member states to decide on special court’s budget (Koha Ditore)
The paper reports on its front page that the European Union and Kosovo institutions have not yet determined the financial cost to be allocated for the functioning of the Specialist Chambers and the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office. Representatives of the EU Office in Pristina told the paper that the financial details also depend on the talks that are on-going regarding the practical aspects of the special court. “It continues to remain a precondition of the EU member states to decide on the general budget. Therefore it is not possible to take a preliminary decision,” EU officials said.
CoE welcomes Assembly’s decision on special court (Kosova Sot)
The Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly Rapporteur, Augustin Conde, welcomed the decision of the Kosovo Assembly, which opened the way for the formation of a special court for war crimes. “I welcome the decisions taken by the Kosovo Assembly to pave the way for the creation of Specialist Chambers as an important step in the right direction,” Conde said. “This decision is definitively a step towards reconciliation. It also demonstrates the authorities’ willingness to fight against impunity and to respect the rule of law,” noted a press release issued by the Parliamentary Assembly.
Haxhiu: We’ll address Constitutional Court on the special court (Epoka)
Vetevendosje Movement MP, Albulena Haxhiu, told the paper on Thursday that the formation of the special court will damage Kosovo in the international arena and that it will portray a distorted picture of Albanians and the Kosovo Liberation Army, linking them to war crimes. Haxhiu said that the Vetevendosje Movement has already agreed with the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) and Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA) to send the Assembly’s decision to the Constitutional Court. “We will use all legal means to object to this unfair and unconstitutional decision which is extremely harmful for Kosovo,” Haxhiu said.
Serbs happy for special court (Zeri)
The paper quotes the director of the Serbian Government’s Office for Kosovo, Marko Djuric, as saying that the establishment of the special court is only the first step and that Serbia cannot be satisfied until everyone who committed crimes is brought to justice. Serbia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Trade Minister, Rasim Lajic, said that the establishment of this court constitutes “an important step in the reconciliation process”.
Gashi: Thaci played with special court to save himself (Koha)
Tomë Gashi, a Pristina-based attorney, told KTV on Thursday that the failure of the Kosovo Assembly to adopt the special court on the first try was a game played by Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) leader Hashim Thaci to raise the stakes. Gashi, who was advisor to Thaci when the latter served his first term as Prime Minister, also remarked that “Thaci wanted the first vote on the special court to fail and then to establish the special court, in order to raise the stake and eventually save himself and his friends from eventual indictments”. Gashi also called on the public not to fall prey to lists of possible indictees published by different persons. “No one knows who will be indicted. One can make assumptions about names mentioned in Dick Marty’s report, but no one knows who will be indicted or tried by the court. Williamson mentioned ten cases, but he didn’t say ten people. The names are not known,” Gashi added. Telegrafi also covers Gashi’s interview to KTV, highlighting his remarks about the death of Dino Asanaj, the former head of the Privatization Agency of Kosovo. Gashi believes that Asanaj was murdered and that he did not commit suicide as announced by the authorities. “Investigations into Asanaj’s death should be reopened because he was in charge of the privatization of half of Kosovo,” he added.
War veterans to protest today (Zeri)
The former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) war veterans will continue to protest today against irregularities in the lists made by the government commission for the status of war veterans. The chairman for the protection of rights of the KLA fighters, Xhevdet Qeriqi, said that the former KLA fighters are being forced to protest for their rights, since their rights are not being protected by anyone.
