OSCE and Kosovo Government start discussing Serbian parliamentary elections

(Klan Kosova)

Kosovo Government has started talks with the OSCE on the way how the latter will organise Serbian parliamentary elections in the territory of Kosovo, too. This is also confirmed in the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).  Officials of this Mission say that these consultations are at their very beginning, while elections for the Serbian Parliament will be held on 24 April 2016.

As the OSCE Spokesperson Senad Sabovic says, Government officials in Prishtinë/Pristina did not give a negative response about Serbian elections, and they have also stated this publically.

“We have been in constant contacts with Government officials and the Office of Prime Minister for the issue in question. They have not stated anything final for now, or generally about this. As a result of this, we will continue to talk with them to address the issue of holding these elections,” Sabovic said.

Spokesperson of Kosovo Government Arban Abrashi and PM’s Chief of Cabinet Sokol Havolli were not aware of the things stated by Sabovic. Over the phone, both of them addressed the issue to the deputy minister of local government Administration, Bajram Gecaj. Gecaj denied that talks for holding of Serbian elections have started, while he pledged that in case this happens, then everything will happen in accordance with Kosovo laws.

Whereas, a senior official source in the Serbian Government stated for Klan Kosova that details are being talked with the OSCE.

“We are in constant contact with the OSCE regarding the issue of holding our parliamentary elections in Kosovo, too. More concretely, at this time the parties are agreeing as when will the polling stations and voting centres will be. Regarding the statements of Prishtinë/Pristina officials who claim that there will be no Serbian elections in Kosovo, they should know on what grounds are they making these statements” the source stated.

The OSCE in Prishtinë/Pristina refutes these claims from Belgrade.

“These consultations are at their beginning. What I just heard is quite interesting. I cannot confirm this at present. I must reiterate that talks have just started with both parties and there are no details about voting centres and polling stations,” Sabovic underlined.

Kosovo DPM Branimir Stojanovic also told Serbian media that these elections will also be held in Kosovo. Furthermore, referring to her colleague Edita Tahiri, said it is important that these people who are against Serbian elections in Kosovo do not have any influence on decision-making.

Serbia held its parliamentary elections in Kosovo in 2014, too. This process was carried out under the patronage of the OSCE. 

OSCE starts consultations on RTK’s sustainable financing

(RTK2, RTK1) 

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo organised a consultative meeting with civil society and media representatives in Mitrovicë/Mitrovica on Monday on the ways how to secure sustainable funding for the public broadcaster – Radio and Television of Kosovo.

The OSCE representatives stated that Kosovo public broadcaster should have sustainable funding, without which it cannot be developed and provide services to its audience.

“We hope that a wide spectrum of people, not only journalists and politicians, but also civil society representatives, artists, will come and share the ideas on how the public broadcaster should be financed. We also plan to organise a public conference where we will invite director generals of the all countries of the region to present their issues and discuss the ways how the solved the issue of financing in the countries they come from,” stated Senad Kamenica, Acting Head of the OSCE Media Section.

RTK managers welcomed this initiative of the OSCE, moreover, taking into account the importance of the public broadcaster for a country.

“It was a good opportunity to discuss here in front of Mitrovicë/Mitrovica municipality public about the situation in RTK, RTK’s financing and the situation that RTK, as an institution of special importance, is facing… We presented our views, facts and arguments regarding the vital need that RTK has for a sustainable financing and solution of the property issue. We also had the opportunity to listen to other participants of the roundtable who expressed their views and opinions,” said Mufail Limani, RTK Director.

The OSCE will organise similar meetings in the municipalities of Pejë/Pec, Prizren, and Gjilan/Gnjilane. Roundtables will be followed by a regional conference in April, with participation of experts from the Western Balkans and the European Broadcasting Union to take out recommendations from the relevant institutions during the amendment and implementation of the Law on RTK. 

Opposition is divided over Assembly’s work boycott

(Most monitored broadcasters, KTV) 

The unified opposition is divided in its stance regarding participation in Kosovo Assembly’s sessions. While Vetëvendosje will decide depending on the importance of the sessions, AAK is already certain that it will no longer take part in the Assembly’s work for this mandate.

AAK chairperson Ramush Haradinaj is categorically against the participation in the Assembly, which he considers to have lost its credibility.

“The Assembly was used to cover up state’s capturing and agreements, but also with Thaçi’s election for President, who is the architect of this capture of the state. Therefore, such an Assembly deserves to be dissolved and country must enter new elections. AAAK is not part of this Assembly,” Haradinaj said.

He added that even the opposition partners have a different stance, boycotting of this legislature is a permanent decision for the AAK.

The biggest opposition party, VV, considers that opposition should take part in important sessions, such as the one when it will be decided about the statute of the Association of Serb majority municipalities.

Irrespective to this, opposition remains unified on other issues such as bringing down of Isa Mustafa Government.

KohaVision could not get a stance of Nisma për Kosovën about these issues. Later during the evening, in an interview with Interactive show of this broadcaster, Nisma për Kosovën caucus leader Valdete Bajrami denied speculations that opposition is dividing. She said that Nisma is in favor of boycotting the Assembly, but it is still harmonizing its stance with the other two opposition parties.

Vetëvendosje enters coalition with AAK in Prishtinë/Pristina

(Most monitored broadcasters, RTK1)

Prishtinë/Pristina Mayor Shpend Ahmeti and AAK chairperson Ramush Haradinaj signed the agreement on co-governance in Kosovo capital.

The AAK, which has only four councilors at the Municipal Assembly, was given the Directorate of Public Services, which leads with the current biggest project, the public transport one. 

Opposition and civil society criticize Adem Grabovci’s statement on justice

(KTV)

Last Thursday, PDK caucus leader Adem Grabovci addressed harsh statements against the Kosovo justice institutions, but, his statements are being considered as direct interference in justice system.

In Vetëvendosje says that Grabovci’s speech demonstrates best the situation that Kosovo’s justice is in.

Vetëvendosje’s deputy chairperson, Driton Çaushi, reminded Grabovci of ‘Pronto Affair’. He also reminded him of the case when his sons stroke a Kosovo Police officer until he fainted, while as they ended up being sentenced with a fine.

The AAK caucus leader Donika Kadaj Bujupi says that the person who has installed crime in the Assembly is talking about the crime.

Betim Musliu of Kosovo Law Institute also qualified Grabovci’s statement as direct interference of politics in the justice system.

Support for Kosovo’s membership in INTERPOL and EUROPOL pledged

(All monitored broadcasters, RTK1)

Addressing a press conference staged on Monday, the Kosovo Interior Minister Skender Hyseni said that Kosovo Police has many leads regarding the attacks with Molotov cocktails against official vehicles and institutions. However, he refused to enter details, as he did not want to harm the on-going investigations.

Minister Hyseni made this comments after a meeting he had with the Interior Minister of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern of Germany, Lorenz Caffier.

Hyseni and Caffier also discussed the visa liberalization process.

“Kosovo has fulfilled all criteria to travel without visas to Schengen… Unfortunately, Kosovars being the most pro-European nation are allowed to travel without visas only to the East, and not to Europe”, said Minister Hyseni, considering the situation paradoxical.

On the other hand, the German minister said that the issue of visa liberalization does not depend on Germany only. He said that Germany supports Kosovo’s efforts for membership in international mechanisms, such as EUROPOL and INTERPOL.

Ministers Hyseni and Caffier also discussed the issue of repatriation of Kosovo emigrants and the fight against terrorism.

Court blamed for not allowing sale of confiscated assets

(Klan Kosova) 

Most of vehicles that have been confiscated under the suspicion that they have been illegally gained, are being stored in the warehouse of Kosovo Agency for Administration of Sequestrated or Confiscated Assets (AASCA).  The goal of this institution is to preserve the value of the movable assets, but this goal is not being achieved.

Each of these vehicles loses about 2 per cent of market value every month, while the only way to prevent the loss is to sell them before criminal proceedings end, but this is not happening.

According to AASCA Head, Rrahim Rama, Kosovo’s budget is losing by not selling these vehicles and movable assets. While the warehouse is overcrowded, Rama blames the courts for not allowing the sale of these vehicles and assets.

In the Prishtinë/Pristina Basic Court state that they are not aware of any case in which the conditions were met and the sale was not allowed by the Court.  They even suggested to the Prosecution and AASCA to coordinate their actions.

Skopje Basic Court extends detention measure to Dugolli

(Most monitored broadcasters, RTK1)

Basic Court in Skopje extended detention measure for 48-hours to the Chief of Protocol of the Ministry of Kosovo Security Force (KSF), Gafur Dugolli, on the grounds that they need to conduct identity verification.

On the other hand, the Association of the KLA veterans expressed its concern regarding the arrest of their fellow combatant Gafurr Dugolli, and requested his immediate release from custody.

“We demand from Kosovo institutions to take measures and make possible the immediate release of the detained Kosovo citizen, who is also a Government official, or else we will continuously protest in front of the Macedonian Embassy in Kosovo,” the reaction of KLA veterans reads. 

Only 630 officials declared their assets thus far

(KTV)

Since beginning of this month, there are only 15 per cent of state officials who declared their assets to Kosovo Anti-Corruption Agency (KACA). Out of 4,300 state officials obliged to declare their assets, only 630 did so.

Gracanica/Graçanicë mayor Vladeta Kostic urged all mayors of Kosovo municipalities to meet, as he said, this legal obligation.

On the other hand, KACA representatives said that state officials frequently neglect this legal obligation. The deadline for declaring assets is 31 March.