Government reshuffling expected this week
(KTV)
The Government of Isa Mustafa and of the LDK-PDK-Srpska List coalition is expected to be reshuffled by the end this week. KTV learned from its sources that agreement on changes within the Government will be presented after the meeting of PDK’s steering council scheduled for Wednesday.
The current Minister of Justice Hajredin Kuçi is expected to leave the Government. Sources within PDK told KTV that minister Kuçi has filed the request for being released from minister’s post; however, this request still has not been discussed in PDK. Kuçi, who is also the PDK deputy chairperson, has always been seen as Thaçi’s right-hand man. Nevertheless, coalition partners and their working groups still have not met to discuss potential changes.
PDK must also replace the President-elect Hashim Thaçi in the positions he held as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs. It was reported earlier that Enver Hoxhaj, who led this ministry earlier, will potentially return to this post.
Opposition wants interim measure on Thaçi’s election case
(KTV)
It has been three weeks since the Assembly has only 119 MPs, taking into account that AAK chairman Ramush Haradinaj resigned his post. According to the Constitution, the Assembly must have 120 MPs. This is one of the key reasons why the opposition addressed the Constitutional Court regarding Hashim Thaçi’s election as Kosovo President on 26 February.
The 28 opposition MPs have requested annulment of Assembly’s decision of 26 February and blamed the Assembly for this decision. Their request addressed to the Court says that considerable violations were made during the election of the President, adding that election of the President must be done with two-thirds of votes of all the MPs.
Among many other questions addressed to the Constitutional Court they also requested an interim measure on this case. They also requested that in the capacity of the party, to be invited for the hearing by the Constitutional Court.
Croatia offers assistance in transforming KSF to KAF
(All monitored broadcasters, RTK1)
Kosovo is the first country to be visited by the Defence Minister of Croatia, Josip Buljevic, since he took his post.
Following a meeting with the minister of Kosovo Security Force (KSF), Haki Demolli, the Croatian minister said that he expects transformation of KSF into Kosovo Armed Force (KAF) to happen soon. Buljevic noted that there has been great progress in KSF and offered Croatia’s support in the transformation of KSF to KAF.
“I think that Kosovo forces are qualitative forces … We think that sooner the transformation happens, the better it is. We are ready to provide support in this regard, indeed,” said Buljevic.
On the other hand, Demolli emphasized that the visit of minister Buljevic demonstrates the excellent cooperation that KSF has with the Defence Ministry of Croatia.
Regarding the deadlines for KSF transformation, Minister Demolli said that the ministry he leads has completed all the necessary steps. He said they are ready to launch the transformation process as soon as the political conditions are created for proceeding with amendments of the law.
The Croatian defence minister was also received by Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga, RTK1 reported.
No constitutional amendments needed to establish the army
(KTV)
Kosovo Security Force (KSF) is an armed force and there is no need to amend the Constitution to transform it into an Army. There are no legal restrictions that stop KSF to be treated as an Army without amending the respective legislation and the Constitution, says a report published on Monday by the Kosovo Centre for Security Studies (KCSS).
KCSS says that neither the name of a defence institution does not determine if it is an army or not, using names of different armies in the world as an example. According to this Centre, Kosovo can still have its army even if it does not officially name it with the term ‘Army’.
EBU senior official urges sooner solution regarding RTK financing
(RTK1)
Radka Betcheva, a senior European Broadcasting Union (EBU) official, is visiting Kosovo to closely look into the working conditions and the situation in Kosovo’s only public broadcaster – Radio and Television of Kosovo. She is also assessing the support that Kosovo Assembly, as the founder of this broadcaster, is providing for it.
In an interview with RTK, Betcheva said she met with members of Assembly media committee about RTK financing and that she noted understanding between political parties for the issue of RTK financing.
During Monday, Betcheva also met Speaker Kadri Veseli and discussed the urgency of finding a solution for RTK. She said models of other regional broadcasters must be looked at until a sustainable solution for the RTK financing is found.
