Opposition delivers a ten-day ultimatum to the government (dailies)
In yesterday’s protest, opposition leaders gave the government of Kosovo ten days to resign and announce new elections. Thousands of people participated in the protest called by the opposition parties – Vetevendosje, the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), and Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA) – but while the Kosovo Police gave the figure of about 15,000 protesters, the opposition claimed there were over 100,000. Opposition leaders blamed the government of Kosovo, led by Isa Mustafa and Hashim Thaci, for the lack of progress and for signing damaging agreements with Serbia and Montenegro. At the end of the protest, the moderator called on the crowd to gather on Friday and protest against Hashim Thaci’s election to the post of Kosovo president.
Government: Elections will be held in 2018 (dailies)
Kosovo Prime Minister Isa Mustafa and Deputy Prime Minister Hashim Thaci, during a press conference yesterday, said they don’t take seriously the opposition’s demands for their resignation, and that new elections will be held in 2018. Media report that Thaci was more cynical calling the protesters cowards who didn’t dare to attack the government. Thaci also accused the opposition of falsifying the petition against Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities and border demarcation with Montenegro. According to him, 200,000 signatures were forged and “the opposition will be brought to justice for those forgeries.” Meanwhile, PM Mustafa said the opposition can give as many deadlines as they want until June 2018. “I will not deal with their deadlines because we have much bigger obligations to our citizens,” Mustafa said. He also added that the government is unwavering in its mandate, and invited the opposition to return to parliament and not to deal with pointless things.
Jahjaga: Time to build our country without violence (Bota Sot)
In her address during the ceremony marking the eighth anniversary of Kosovo’s declaration of independence, President Atifete Jahjaga said Kosovo is still an unconsolidated democracy and that the state-building process requires will. She said the eighth anniversary of Kosovo’s independence is a time when everyone should come together and engage in dialogue for building the country, free of violence.
US, UK ambassadors satisfied with the peaceful protest (dailies)
The United States Ambassador to Kosovo, Greg Delawie, said he was happy that the opposition protest yesterday was peaceful. “I’m glad I saw a beautiful Independence Day and that the protest was peaceful,” Delawie wrote on Twitter. Also British Ambassador to Kosovo, Ruairi O’Connell stated he is happy that the protest ended without incident. “I hope that Wednesday’s protest represents the opposition’s decision to renounce violence. I also hope the government will respond to the concerns of citizens about corruption and the rule of law,” O’Connell said.
Veseli: President will not be elected this week (RTK)
Kosovo Assembly President Kadri Veseli said that the new president of Kosovo will not be elected during this Friday’s session of the Assembly. Veseli, who is currently on a visit to Brussels, said that the upcoming session will be about the visa liberalization process. “The session for election of the president will be special, it will be a session deserving of a president,” said Veseli.
Police arrest Vetevendosje’s Dardan Molliqaj (Telegrafi)
The Kosovo Police arrested Dardan Molliqaj, a senior member of the Vetevendosje Movement, early this morning in his apartment in downtown Pristina. A Vetevendosje official confirmed Molliqaj’s arrest. Molliqaj was wanted by law enforcement authorities for “violating public order and for destroying official vehicles”.
Former NATO spokesman Jamie Shea to visit Kosovo today (media)
All media report that Jamie Shea, former NATO spokesman during the Kosovo conflict in 1999, will visit Pristina today. Shea will receive an international award for human rights from a Pristina-based private university. Attending the ceremony will be the heads of institutions of Kosovo and Albania and senior international officials and ambassadors working in Kosovo.
Serbian court convicts eight former KLA fighters (Telegrafi)
A court in Serbia has convicted in absentia eight former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) fighters for their alleged role in the attacks against former Yugoslav Army troops in the village of Koshare in September of 1998. The group was sentenced to fifteen years in prison and it also includes Kosovo MPs, Anton Cuni and Rrustem Berisha. Kosovo Prime Minister Isa Mustafa reacted to the court’s decision by saying it is a “farce”. “Serbia ought to try and convict the criminals that killed 15,000 innocent citizens of Kosovo,” he wrote on Facebook.
