Kadri Veseli elected as PDK Acting Chairman
(All monitored broadcasters, KTV)
Deputy PDK chairperson Kadri Veseli has been elected as the Acting Chairman of this party after the PDK leader Hashim Thaçi left the party for President’s post. Veseli was elected with anonymity vote.
Addressing the PDK Steering Council meeting, Veseli said he will continue the governing coalition with LDK.
PDK Secretary Basri Musmurati proposed 7 May as the date for the PDK General Convention where the chairman of this party is expected to be elected.
New plenary session on 10 March
(Most monitored broadcasters, RTK1)
Kosovo Government brought series of decisions during the regular meeting held on Wednesday. One of the decisions was also the approval of Kosovo Assembly’s request for allocation of EUR 270.000 for purchasing of scanners. Assembly’s request comes out as a result of recent events, in which the current scanners failed to detect teargas canisters brought inside by the opposition MPs.
Kosovo Assembly Presidency has set the next plenary session for 10 March. 18 points will be on the agenda of this session.
However, based on the stances of the two opposition parties, AAK and Nisma për Kosovën, these scanners might not be used at all. These two political entities might change their way of protest and give up firing teargas in the Assembly building.
According to RTK1 sources, AAK has already decided not to continue firing teargas. Nisma për Kosovën has also opposed use of teargas.
Quoting its sources, RTK1 reported that AAK MPs will take a decision if they will attend or boycott this session prior to its resumption. On the other hand Vetëvendosje Movement (VV) stated it will continue to use the same means to impede Assembly’s work.
VV deputy chairperson Driton Çaushi said there is no reason to change the way of the protest, as situation remains the same.
During a press conference staged on Wednesday, Vetëvendosje MPs Rexhep Selimi and Aida Dërguti harshly criticized behaviour of the Police during the plenary sessions and protests. They demanded holding of the Government, Prime Minister, Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Police Director General legally responsible for, as they say, ‘using the Police as a pressuring tool’.
Mustafa: Foreign Affairs Ministry belongs to PDK
(RTK1)
Kosovo Prime Minister Isa Mustafa confirmed that there will be changes in the Government cabinet. But, according to Mustafa, the coalition agreement between LDK and PDK specifies division of ministries as they were until now. Mustafa said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to belong to PDK.
In an interview with RTK1 ‘Monitor’ show, among other things Mustafa said that those who are throwing Molotov cocktails at the Government building are the same persons who are burning the vehicles.
Selimi takes many decisions as Acting Foreign Minister
(KTV)
Within few days as the Acting Foreign Minister of Kosovo, Petrit Selimi has taken a series of decisions, KTV reports. He has sent a part of Ministry of Foreign Affairs in different diplomatic services in countries such as France, Japan and German.
Sources close to the process have told KTV that instantaneous sending of staff abroad increases costs and harms the work efficiency in this Ministry.
Minister Selimi was not ready to talk to KTV about this. Media office of this ministry did not respond to KTV questions, either. All decisions entered into force on 1 March, while Prime Minister Isa Mustafa appointed Petrit Selimi as Acting Foreign Minister on 29 February this year.
Enver Hasani pleads not guilty
(KTV)
Former President of the Constitutional Court Enver Hasani once again repeated his claims that Chief State Prosecutor Aleksander Lumezi is behind the charges against and is revenging him in relation to the Chief State Prosecutor’s post.
These claims were refuted by the Prosecution. The Court staff said this is a usual case for them.
On the other hand, Enver Hasani pleaded not guilty for the criminal offence of fraud. This case is related to the procurement of translation services at the time when Hasani was rector of University of Pristina.
KDI criticizes Government’s non-transparency
(TV21 & KTV)
Kosovo Government cabinet did not mark any improvement compared to last year on the publication of documents related to budget, procurement, audit or expenses. This was stated in a report presented by Kosovo Democratic Institute (KDI) named “Transparency Index in Public Procurement for Government Cabinet”.
Burim Ejupi of Institute Development Policy (INDEP) said that government institutions are mostly silent when there are large amount of money in question. According to him, this happened with the construction of Ibrahim Rugova and Arbën Xhaferi highways. Ejupi said that still remains unclear where the highway will pass, how much it costs, or what the action plan for it is.
Participants also stated that the number of published tenders in the webpages of government institutions generally differs from the number of tenders published in the webpage of Public Procurement Regulatory Commission (PPRC).
