LDK calls on parties to distance themselves from recent attacks
(All monitored broadcasters, KTV)
The last two months have been characterized with numerous attacks with Molotov cocktails on vehicles and houses of state officials, and different offices.After the attack of 26 February against the house of Kosovo Prime Minister Isa Mustafa, the Office of the President recently has been attempted to be burned, too.
Kosovo Democratic League (LDK) published footage of surveillance cameras showing the attack against PM Mustafa’s house, on the day that theAssembly elected the new President of Kosovo.
Through a press release issued, LDK, by not prejudging the perpetrators, expressed its concern that such criminal have happened continuously in the last months, and according to them, there was not a clear distancing from such acts by all political entities.
LDK’s reaction was provoked by an AAK reaction which condemned attack against the Office of the President.In its reaction, AAKrequested from Government not to prejudge potential perpetrators of this act and considered unacceptable the fact that a building guarded by Police was attacked.
Kosovo Police spokesperson BakiKelani said that all these cases of attacks are being investigated. “All relevant evidence confiscated in certain cases, including video footage, are being investigated and analyzed by respective units, with the aim of solving these criminal cases at the earliest time possible and bring the suspects to justice”, Kelani said.
AAK and NismapërKosovën have distanced themselves from these acts;however, Vetëvendosje Movement says that LDK, through the presented footage, aims to blame the opposition for events which are not related to the protests at all.
No amnesty granted for Kosovo prisoners for two years
(Klan Kosova)
Over 16.000 prisoners are being held in Kosovo prisons. But, for two years now not a single prisoner was amnestied by Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga, as it was the practice in the previous years. Kosovo Presidents usually exercise their legal right to amnesty prisoners on Kosovo’s Independence Day, 17 February.
Over 495 amnesty requests were filed by prisoners to President Jahjaga during 2016, whereas in 2015 she received 512 such requests; but, none of them was accepted. Klan Kosova asked the Office of the President why Jahjaga she did not amnesty any prisoner, but this Office did not respond even a week after.
Behxhet Shala, Head of the Council for Defence of Human Rights and Freedoms (CHDRF), urges Jahjaga to use this legal right of hers. He said that former Presidents used to exercise this right more than she is using.
Sokol Zogaj, Kosovo Correctional Service (KCS) General Director, says that some prisoners meet the criteria for amnesty. He considers amnesty as a factor that positively impacts on prisoners’ socialization.
The last time that Jahjaga amnestied someone, were two prisoners out 515 requests which were filed in 2014.
Veseli: Kosovo respects the rights of all communities
(RTK1)
Kosovo Assembly Speaker Kadri Veseli is attending the International Parliamentary Conference on Combating Anti-Semitism in Berlin. In an interview with RTK1, Speaker Veseli, among other things, said that Kosovo is renowned for its interfaith and interethnic tolerance.
“Kosovo will demonstrate to conference participants that it fully respects the rights of all communities in Kosovo”, Veseli said.
Moreover, Veseli said that they will use the conference to also advance Kosovo’s Euro-integration and the visa liberalization process.
“Kosovars should be able to travel freely as all other citizens of the world,” Veseli said and called on EU to have understanding regarding the visa liberalization process.
KDI: Irresponsible politics jeopardizes Kosovo’s visa liberalization
(Klan Kosova & KTV)
Kosovo Democratic Institute (KDI) considers that irresponsible politics is ready to jeopardize the future, wellbeing and visa liberalization of all Kosovo citizens, so it does not harm its deals in the procurement sector.
KDI notes that Assembly of Kosovo dismissed BajramZogiani, a member of the Public Procurement Review Body (PPRB), only four months after he was arrested under the grounded suspicion of having been involved in trafficking with human beings.
KDI says that Zogiani was in detention for 14 months, while he continued to receive his regular salary from Kosovo budget.
According to KDI, his dismissal came only after the European Union conditioned visa liberalizationwith the dismissal of all PPRB board members who were accused of criminal acts.
Two new police stations established in north
(Klan Kosova)
With the aim to prevent criminal acts, two more Kosovo Police stations have been established in Kosovo north. The police stations have been established in Lleshak and Soqanicë villages of Lepsoavic/Leposaviq.
The police stations have been established after the request of Kosovo Police station in Leposavic/Leposaviq.
Kosovo Police regional deputy commander in north Besim Hoti considers that the new police stations will positively impact the safety of citizens.
Lack of waste management concerns EU
(KTV)
Garbage and environment pollution irritate internationals working in Kosovo. Environment, air quality, sewage and waste management are so degraded that they have forced the Head of the EU Office in Kosovo, Samuel Zbogar, to address the issue in written to the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning (MESP).
MESP Minister FeridAgani confirms the serious situation and saysit has been created because environment has never been one of Government’spriorities.
Kosovo environmental organizations say that the Ministry has not done much to improve this situation.
As a matter of fact, this situation might go on for another two years, when the MESP plans to start a public-private partnership for waste management.
VV accuses former minister Hoxhaj
(Most monitored broadcasters, RTK1)
Vetëvendosje Movement accused the former minister of foreign affairs, Enver Hoxhaj, of giving a EUR 1.5 million worth tender for development of the Healthcare Informative System to his brother-in-law. According to VV, this project came as a result of a prior agreement signed by Enver Hoxhaj in 2012.
The contract for establishing the system was signed with Printec Company, represented by Y.SH, who according to VV, is wanted by Interpol and FBI for millions of fraud.
Former minister Hoxhaj denied these accusations.
