Delawie: Somebody has to be arrested for corruption (Zeri)
The United States Ambassador to Kosovo, Greg Delawie, told the paper that Kosovo’s future depends heavily on combating corruption and organized crime. “The future of Kosovo to a large extent depends on how Kosovo deals with the issue of corruption. The United States will help Kosovo to implement the institutional measures which can make progress and achieve results on the ground. If you want to change the culture, then certainly it is important that some people get arrested for corruption,” Delawie said.
Thaci: Withdrawal of agreements, devaluation of the state (RTK)
Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of foreign affairs, Hashim Thaci, told RTK on Wednesday that withdrawing signatures from the agreements on the establishment of the Association/Community of Serb-majority Municipalities and the border demarcation with Montenegro would imply the devaluation of Kosovo’s statehood. “This is not a children’s game. These agreements should not become means that devaluate the state.” Thaci said. He added that the ruling of the Constitutional Court says clearly that the Association should be established. Speaking about the upcoming protest by the opposition on 9 January, Thaci said he does not see a problem as long as the protest is peaceful. Speaking about his bid to assume the post of Kosovo President in 2016, Thaci said the process should be seen as normal and democratic. “The agreement between the PDK and LDK will be respected in its entirety. We have full legitimacy and we are a powerful majority with around 90 votes. It will be a transparent process therefore I do not see it as problematic.”
Limaj: Association/Community would topple the legal order (Koha)
The leader of the Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA), Fatmir Limaj, said yesterday that if the agreement on Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities would be implemented, it would have toppled the legal order in Kosovo. According to him, the only way to overcome the current crisis is by respecting the decision of the Constitutional Court on Association/Community and the resignation of the government. “The ruling coalition should respect the decision of the Constitutional Court by resigning,” Limaj said. He added that there should be sanctions for those who violate the Constitution. Limaj also said that the cause of the opposition to stop this agreement has not been realized yet and that they will continue to demand what is right for Kosovo.
Opposition with concerted actions against government (Koha)
Leaders of the Kosovo opposition parties – Vetevendosje, Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), and Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA) – met yesterday in an effort to harmonise their actions in the new year. AAK said in a statement that the opposition believes the current government has no more credibility to run Kosovo.
Petition for elections in the north of Kosovo (Koha)
The so-called “Patriotic Bloc” has launched a petition calling for local elections in the northern municipalities of Kosovo. The petition, signed initially in Mitrovica by the leader of the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) Sanda Raskovic, Dveri Movement leader Bosko Obradovic and analyst Djordje Vukadinovic, will be submitted to the Assembly of Serbia.
