OSCE’s confirmation for involvement in 24 April elections expected

(RTK2)

Extraordinary Serbian parliamentary elections will be held on 24 April. Same as in 2014, these elections would need to be organized in Kosovo with the OSCE’s facilitation. One of the political questions that most frequently follow the electoral process is if it will impact on Brussels dialogue, RTK2 reported.

Elections have been called and campaign has already started in Serbia, whereas as far as Kosovo is concerned, the question raised is who will organize these parliamentary elections and what will the turnout in polling stations be.

“I do not think there will be problems. I believe it will have a normal course, same as in Serbia. I think that the time has come for Serbian elections in Kosovo to be organized through the Serbian representative in Kosovo, Mr Pavicevic and his [liaison] office,” political analyst Nexhmedin Spahiu stated for RTK2.

Spahiu considers that this would decrease the possibility of manipulation of votes. He is not the only one in his idea for the liaison officer to take over this role. One could hear several times in Prishtinë/Pristina, from the opposition parties in particular, that all the ones with Serbian citizens can and should vote, but it must be done as in other countries, in diplomatic and consular branches, by-mail, or in Serbia.

On the other hand, political representatives of Kosovo Serbs have requested opening of a bigger number of polling stations, different from 90 that were opened two years ago. The model from 2014 is known, while the OSCE’s facilitation is inevitable.

Spahiu said he does not expect any changes in the political spectrum in Serbia and that implementation of Brussels agreements will continue.

Prishtinë/Pristina considers Serbian elections as stagnancy in Brussels talks. “It is clear to us, we have a Euro-Atlantic orientation and Kosovo’s Euro-Atlantic agenda is widely known. We want Kosovo to become an EU and UN member state as soon as possible. Good neighbourhood is one of the conditions for European integration. This also goes for the Serbian side. If they are interested to move toward EU, they will also be committed to dialogue,” Kosovo minister for dialogue Edita Tahiri said.

The OSCE’s official confirmation for involvement in organization of the 24 April elections is expected to happen soon. This Mission and the Serbian Central Elections Commission will decide about the number of polling stations. 

PM Mustafa announces throwing light on post-war political murders

(All monitored broadcasters, TV21)

Prime Minister Isa Mustafa announced a number of measures that will be taken during 2016 in the economic development aspect, but also on throwing light on the missing persons’ cases; throwing light on doubts related to political murders through the local justice system; war damage compensation, including compensation of the robbed pensions by Serbia prior, during after the war, as well as the election reform.

Using the Facebook social network, PM Mustafa wrote that the election reform will create a better environment for 2017 municipal elections and the 2018 general elections. 

Kosovo with new agenda in talks with Serbia

(Most monitored broadcasters, TV21)

Kosovo’s chief negotiator in Prishtinë/Pristina-Belgrade technical dialogue, Edita Tahiri, says that procedure of elections in Serbia will postpone the process of talks.

However, Tahiri says that Kosovo will have a new agenda in political talks with Serbia, by touching on hot topics for which Prishtinë/Pristina has interest about, including pensions, dismantling of Serb parallel structures in Kosovo, border demarcation with Serbia, up to the issue of war reparations that Kosovo must demand from Serbia for the great damages and losses that Kosovo suffered during the last war. 

Serb students do not enter State Matura exam in Kosovo

(RTK1)

Serb community students in Kosovo continue not to enter State Matura exam, although this is obligatory by Law. Azem Guri, advisor in the Ministry of Education, told RTK that Matura exam is also prepared in Serbian each year, but rare are the ones who respond to requests to enter this test.

Guri said that Serb community education directors were also constantly invited to meetings with the municipal education directorates, but they have not responded to the invitations over the last two-three years.

In the meantime, director of education in the Municipality of Gracanica/Graçanicë, Gordana Toskic, said that although there is an invitation by the Ministry of Education for Serb students to enter State Matura exam, this is an individual choice of theirs, as they attend their classes with Serbia’s curricula. 

Political appointments in boards of public enterprises continue

(KTV) 

Kosovo Government led by Prime Minister Isa Mustafa has continued the trend of political appointments in boards of public enterprises.

Civil society and the Kosovo Anti-Corruption Agency concluded in a report that appointments of members of nine boards of public enterprises were done in contradiction with law.

Kosovo Government, on the other hand, still has not come out with a decision regarding this matter. 

The European Union Office in Kosovo has also reacted against the political appointments of boards of directors. These appointments were also among the most pronounced issues in the European Commission’s Progress Report on Kosovo.

Thaçi: Anti-US voices sponsored by Russia

(TV21) 

President-elect of Kosovo Hashim Thaçi said that voices against the United States of America are sponsored by Russia and different former-Yugoslav elements.

He does not rule out the possibility that these voices could have been sponsored from outside, in particular having in mind an increasing involvement of Russia in the region, and on increase of misinterpretation of Kosovo’s issue by Russian leaders in their debates or clashes with the Western world.

CDHRF calls on justice not to be influenced in Agim Bahtiri’s case

(TV21)

Council for the Defence of Human Rights and Freedoms (CDHRF) calls on justice bodies not to be influenced politically in the investigation case of Mitrovicë/Mitrovica Mayor Agim Bahtiri.

CDHRF Mitrovicë/Mitrovica branch considers that since Agim Bahtiri took over the office, no case of negative phenomena was marked in municipal administration. Through a press release issued, CDHRF raised its doubts that filing of indictment against Bahtiri at this time is politically motivated.