Court suspends Agreement on the Association with interim measure

(All monitored broadcasters, KTV&TV21)

Constitutional Court of Kosovo suspended the Agreement on Association of Serb majority municipalities. The interim measure is valid pending the final decision. This information was made public by the Constitutional Court on Tuesday evening.

A press release issued states that the Constitutional Court of Kosovo deliberated and unanimously granted an interim measure in the referral submitted by the President of Kosovo “concerning the assessment of the compatibility of the Association of Serb majority municipalities in Kosovo.”

The Constitutional Court has issued and published its decision on interim measure, suspending the implementation of any further legal actions on the basis of these “general principles/main elements” of the Association of Serb-majority municipalities in Kosovo pending the Court’s review of the compliance with the Constitution of these Principles.

The release also adds that this decision on interim measure is without prejudice to any further decision which will be rendered by the Court on the admissibility, or merits of the referral.

Vetëvendosje considers suspension of the Agreement on Association by the Constitutional Court as a victory of the opposition, KTV reported.  Speaking on behalf of the joint opposition, Vetëvendosje spokesperson Frashër Krasniqi said that after two months of active resistance of the opposition and over 200.000 signatures of citizens, submission of the power has started.

“It is this Constitutional Court that has illegally prolonged PDK’s continuation in power, and we naturally do not expect any decision in favour of defence of the state and Constitution by a captured Court. So, we will not stop and wait for its decisions. At the contrary, opposition entities will continue their activity even more intensively. There will not be any normal functioning of state institutions without retraction of agreements with Serbia and agreement on demarcation with Montenegro,” Krasniqi told Kohavision.

EC Progress Report on Kosovo issued

(All monitored broadcasters, KTV)

In this year’s Progress Report Kosovo was only praised for its decision for establishment of Special Court and agreements achieved with Serbia, but it did not receive any big promise for its integration in the European Union.

The opposite has happened with Serbia, which was promised resumption of membership negotiations. Nevertheless, this year’s Progress Report speaks about little progress as far as internal organisation is concerned.

Special emphasis is put on influence on the politics in justice system and lack of accountability.

High level of corruption and organized has also been marked as a concerning finding in the report on Kosovo. The report also mentions actions of the opposition at the Assembly of Kosovo, and states that a solution for this situation must be found.

After presenting the Progress Report, Commissioner Johannes Hahn said that Kosovo has provided results in its two international commitments – the establishment of Specialized Chambers and dialogue in Brussels.

But Hahn was laconic regarding promises for European perspective of Kosovo, although he considered signing of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement as the first big step in the European path.

“Kosovo is at an early stage in numerous areas and needs to stay focused on its reform agenda,” he said.

Hahn mainly spoke about the Brussels dialogue and he did not want to comment on obstructions that Serbia is making to Kosovo for its membership in international organizations.

On the other hand, Samuel Zbogar, Head of the European Union Office in Kosovo, considered this year as a challenging year for Kosovo due to delays in establishment of institutions.

“With the Kosovo’s Assembly once again blocked, key reforms that Kosovo needs are also being delayed. Kosovo has no time to lose. The time lost pushes Kosovo away from a better future for its people, its children,” Zbogar said.

Kosovo Government continues dialogue with Serbia

(KTV)

Irrespective to incessant obstructions that Serbian state does to Kosovo, as in the case of UNESCO, dialogue between the two countries will go on.

Minister for European Integrations, Bekim Çollaku, said that UNESCO case was not a defeat for Kosovo. According to him, unilateral stoppage of dialogue would also imply stoppage of Kosovo’s path toward the European Union.

Minister Çollaku made these comments after receiving officially the Progress Report from the Head of European Union Office in Kosovo, Samuel Zbogar.

According to Çollaku, its recommendations and findings will be taken into account and they will be duly addressed.

On the other hand, Vetëvendosje, AAK and Nisma për Kosovën, aside from their request for annulment of the Agreement on the Association, have also called for suspension of dialogue as a whole and its continuation to be conditioned with recognition of Kosovo by Serbia. This reaction came after Kosovo’s failure to become a member of UNESCO.

They said that failure to become a member of UNESCO is a result of talks without any condition or criterion with Serbia.

Kosovo nongovernmental organizations and individuals have expressed their dissatisfaction for non-admission of Kosovo in UNESCO. Through a press release issued, they requested: Setting of necessary conditions toward Serbia in order to continue with dialogue; Provision of opportunities for equal dialogue by the part of European Union; Provision of institutional accountability for this failure, and fulfilment of international obligations toward the cultural heritage even without being a member of UNESCO.

AKJ welcomed Progress Report findings on freedom of expression

(RTK1) 

The Association of Kosovo Journalists (AKJ) welcomed findings of the European Commission’s Progress Report in the area of freedom of expression, and it remains concerned of the unfavourable conditions to freely exercise the profession of journalist in Kosovo.

According to AKJ, the increase of assaults, threats and the non-punishment of crimes against journalists, are evidence of the continuous violation of the freedom of expression, which also results with the lack of progress in this sector.

AKJ opposes any kind of pressure against journalists, and also calls upon security and justice institutions to promptly undertake measures by investigating and timely adjudicating the violators of the freedom of expression.

Opposition parties consider Veseli call as a naive effort

(Most monitored broadcasters, KTV)

Assembly Speaker Kadri Veseli has made a public call to all opposition MPs to return to debate at the Assembly and to the issues requested by the opposition.

He requested that this debate happens this week, or at another date, but he called on the opposition to return to the Assembly by all means.

However, the opposition parties have immediately refused this call of Speaker Veseli, considering it as a naive effort of him. 

Serb representatives visited a burned house in Cigë village of Pejë/Pec

(RTK2, Klan Kosova)

Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo, Branimir Stojanovic, together with the Minister of Returns, Dalibor Jevtic, and the Serbia’s Liaison Officer in Kosovo, Dejan Pavicevic, visited Cigë village of Pejë/Pec, where the house of a Serb was burned down.

Stojanovic said they want to send the message to all the ones that are burning down houses and to those that should catch them that these houses will have to be paid by the Kosovo budget for as long as the perpetrators will not be caught.

Pavicevic, on the other hand, said that attacks against Serbs and their property are topics for Police and Prosecution. According to him, this is not a topic for dialogue in Brussels, as it is a fundamental human right.