Zbogar: Association/Community to be established by year’s end (Kosova Sot)
Head of European Union Office in Kosovo Samuel Zbogar said for Serbian news agency Tanjug that the Association/Community of Serb majority municipalities will be established by the end of the year and that he sees no concrete obstacle to this. “The regulation is being prepared by the government of Kosovo and we have guarantees they are ready to move forward and approve it at the Assembly of Kosovo, as the parties have agreed in Brussels,” said Zbogar.
Opposition aims to block the Assembly again (Epoka e Re)
The paper reports that chances for the Assembly session to continue today (Thursday) are scarce. Opposition representatives said on Wednesday that they will not allow Assembly works to take place if Prime Minister Isa Mustafa does not withdraw his signature from the agreement on the formation of the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities. Meanwhile, the Pristina-based Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms as well as political analysts called on opposition representatives not to block the work of the Assembly, “as this would constitute a threat to the institutional life”.
Opposition: Assembly work regulation was violated on 22 September (Zeri)
Opposition parties claim that the Assembly regulation was infringed on 22 September when members of the opposition threw eggs at Prime Minister Isa Mustafa as he was delivering a speech on agreements reached with Belgrade. Vetevendosje’s Albulena Haxhiu said the presence of security personnel in the session was an attempt to “terrorise” MPs. “According to the work regulation, Assembly Speaker had to immediately end the session and remove them [security staff] from the hall and the Assembly”, said Haxhiu.
Thaci: We got support for membership of international organizations (Lajmi)
Kosovo’s Principal Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hashim Thaci told RTV21 on Wednesday that the Kosovo delegation in New York received support from many countries for its membership of various international organizations. Thaci said the Kosovo delegation also lobbied with non-recognizing countries and that it invited different investors to invest in Kosovo.
Kosovo warns of imposing provisional license plates for Serbia (Zeri)
Kosovo delegation currently in Brussels for technical talks with the Serbian side has informed the dialogue facilitator, the EU, of measures Serbia is employing regarding the agreement of free movement. Kosovo chief negotiator Edita Tahiri said if Serbia continues to issue provisional license plates for Kosovo vehicles, Kosovo will respond with reciprocal measures.
Nazim Bllaca is free, ready for Bllaca 4 (Koha)
The paper reports on its front page that Nazim Bllaca, a self-proclaimed agent of the former Kosovo Intelligence Service (SHIK) is expected to be released from prison on Thursday. Bllaca, who was arrested for the murder of Ibush Kllokoqi an alleged collaborator of Serbian authorities, served two thirds of his conviction and is now expected to be transferred to a safe location. According to the paper, his family has been removed from their house in the village of Ribari i Madh, in Lipjan/Lipjane municipality. Bllaca is now expected to testify in a new trial where one of the suspects is Azem Syla, member of the Kosovo Assembly and former commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army.
Albanians, Serbs protest against construction of hydropower plant (Koha)
In one of its front-page stories, the paper reports that Albanian and Serb residents from the village of Biti, in the municipality of Shtërpce/Strpce, protested together on Wednesday against the construction of a private hydropower plant on the Lepenci River. Special police units, present at the site, arrested five Albanians and two Serbs for “impeding official persons from their carrying out their duties”. The arrested were later released.
