Opposition parties remain united, announce big protest

(All monitored broadcasters, KTV)

No matter that leaders of the opposition were divided about their participation to the political leaders’ meeting party leaders called by Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga, they went on with their joint meetings far from media glare.

AAK reported about their meeting through a press release which stated that opposition leaders discussed arrangements they are doing in relation to next week’s protest.

The press release quoted Visar Ymeri, Ramush Haradinaj and Fatmir Limaj as saying that their political opposition is firm and it will become stronger than ever, until the Assembly is dissolved and announcement of early elections.

“The 17 February protest will be among the biggest protests organized so far,” the release concludes.

Prime Minister Mustafa calls for dialogue

(Most monitored broadcasters, KTV)

Kosovo Prime Minister, Isa Mustafa, has once again called on opposition to dialogue.

“Why should the citizens be called to protest, burn, and throw things toward the Government building and Kosovo Police, and not to dialogue on the topics which are used as a pretext for these actions? If the opposition parties are truly concerned about the two agreements, than they should dialogue about them. The lack of will to dialogue does not entitle them to carry out violent actions,” PM Mustafa wrote in his Facebook.

PM Mustafa applauded the initiative of AAK chairperson Ramush Haradinaj to meet at the President’s Office. Mustafa said that Haradinaj demonstrated political maturity with this.

“Reflections of such actions we see today in global headlines. Kosovo needs a headline, but this headline should be our synergy to build this country, not conflict and disunity,” Prime Minister Mustafa concluded.

O’Connell welcomes revocation of Rrustem Mustafa’s mandate

(Most monitored broadcasters, KTV)

British Ambassador to Kosovo Ruairí O’Connell made a pronouncement in relation to revocation of mandate from Kosovo Assembly Members who are convicted of war crimes.

Ambassador O’Connell said that the Assembly is the not proper place for people convicted of war crimes.

“I am glad that the Assembly has finally expelled one of the MPs convicted of war crimes. “The proper place for people convicted of serious crimes is not in the Assembly, or in public office, nor at liberty. The proper place is jail,” the UK diplomat wrote in Facebook social network.

Otherwise, the MP mandate was revoked to PDK MP Rrustem Mustafa, who was convicted of war crimes in the case known as the Llapi Group.

Jevtic and Bishop Teodosije discussed assistance to SOC

(RTK2)

Kosovo minister for return and communities, Dalibor Jevtic met with Bishop Teodosije of Raska-Prizren Diocese. Minister Jevtic and Bishop Teodosije discussed security situation in Kosovo, implementation of reconstruction projects and the assistance to the Serbian Orthodox Church in Kosovo.

Minister Jevtic informed Bishop Teodosije about the last meetings that he had with representatives of international organisations and missions in Kosovo. Jevtic emphasized that in these meetings he raised his concern regarding the recent incidents, particularly incidents in returnee areas and the latest incident that occurred close to Visoki Decani Monastery, where an armed group was arrested.

Other TV broadcasters quoted minister Jevtic as saying that Srpska List will soon decide if they will support any candidate for the post of Kosovo president.

According to Jevtic, majority of Srpska List members consider that they should run with their own candidate for Kosovo President’s post.

Additional 1.9 million euros awarded to Kosovo northern municipalities

(Klan Kosova)

Almost 1.9 million euros were awarded to Kosovo’s northern municipalities by the Management Board of the Development Fund at its meeting held in Prishtinë/Pristina on Wednesday.

Over 1 million euro was awarded to the Municipality of Leposavic/Leposaviq for three projects supporting start-up businesses, small and medium enterprise (SMEs) and agricultural development, construction and rehabilitation of facilities for cultural and sports purposes, and construction and repair of uncategorized local roads in the municipality.

The Board also awarded 400.000 euros to Mitrovica/Mitrovicë north municipality for the regional institute of culture, while it decided to allocate over 450.0000 euros to Zvecan/Zveçan municipality for construction of youth centre and land expropriation, as well as for cleaning the illegal industrial landfill gutter.

Zubin Potok municipality was previously awarded almost 1.4 million euros for four projects. Thus far, over 6.6 million euros have been awarded from the Development Fund to the four northern Kosovo municipalities.

Albanian and Serb students discuss common problems

(RTK1 & Klan Kosova)

The two biggest communities in Kosovo, Albanians and Serbs, demonstrated on Wednesday that they can dialogue even without the mediation of internationals. As a matter of fact, students of Mitrovicë/Mitrovica south and Mitrovica/Mitrovicë north were the ones that debated between them without the interference of internationals, who were only symbolic observers in this case.

At the beginning of the meeting, a participant requested that activities such as this one should be organised more often, while the Serb peers supported his request. The issues that the Serb young people encounter are no different from those of the Albanians. A Serb young woman, who took part in the meeting, highlighted that the pollution of Ibër River is a common problem for both parts of Mitrovicë/Mitrovica. One of the participants suggested that they should take things over and not wait politicians to make the changes.

Irrespective to the past between Albanians and Serbs, participants of this meeting agreed that the future will be better for all communities living in Kosovo. This meeting was organized by TV Mitrovica and TV Mir from Mitrovica/Mitrovicë north.

President Jahjaga received Ashkali community representatives

(Klan Kosova)

On the verge of the Ashkali Community Day, February 15, Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga received a delegation of Ashkali community representatives who were led by Kosovo MP Danush Ademi.

According to a press release issued by the Office of the President, Jahjaga congratulated members of this delegation for their concrete work and engagement on the improvement of the living and working conditions of the Ashkali community in Kosovo.

Members of RAE communities request jobs through protest

(All monitored broadcasters, KTV)

A group of RAE community members protested on Wednesday in front of the Government building. They demand from the Government to treat them equally with all the other citizens.

“Where am I among you,” “Government respect the communities” and other posters were held in the hands of about 50 protesters from this community in front of the Government building.

“We want jobs” they constantly acclaimed during this protest. “We want our jobs in state and public institutions to be guaranteed as the Constitution stipulates”, said Esak Skenderi, one of the protest organizer.

They also demanded more engagement from RAE community MPs at the Assembly of Kosovo.