Assembly approves draft law on prevention of money laundering
(All monitored broadcasters, KTV)
The remaining points from the last session lasted only for a couple of minutes. Six annual reports of different agencies were adopted in the Assembly of Kosovo within a short time to start with the new session.
Discussions started with a proposal made by the PDK MP Zenun Pajaziti to add the draft law on census for the four municipalities in the north, which in 2011 refused to be part of this process, in the agenda. However, this proposal was opposed by the LDK MP Melihate Tërmkolli.
“A new law on census in Kosovo for a part of the population is in fact a law on census in another state. If these four municipalities to you are another state, to me, they are Kosovo. If they are Kosovo, the law exists,” Tëmkolli said.
With the agreement of LDK and PDK caucus leaders, this proposal was postponed for the next session
Draft law on prevention of money laundering and the fight of terrorism financing at its second reading was the point with most interest for MPs of the ruling parties.
In his recommendation, Chairperson of the Assembly Committee for Budget and Finance, Naser Osmani, recommended voting of this law, although he immediately requested amendment of the same, since EU Office in Kosovo experts have assessed that this draft law is not in harmony with the EU legislation.
“By the EU Office experts it was said that the draft law in general is not in harmony with the EU directives,” Osmani said.
LDK MP Sabri Hamiti had problems with the request of his party fellow member, Naser Osmani.
However, with votes of 58 MPs in favour, seven abstentions, and no vote against, the Assembly of Kosovo approved this draft law.
Deçan/Decane municipality request revision of Constitutional Court’s verdict
(All monitored broadcasters, KTV)
Municipality of Deçan/Decane still believes that there is a chance and legal room to oppose the Constitutional Court’s verdict, which lately gave the right to ownership to Visoki Decani Monastery for over 23 hectares of land in this municipality.
This optimism was expressed by the Mayor of this Municipality, Rasim Selmanaj, in an extraordinary meeting of the Municipal Assembly held on Wednesday.
The Municipal Assembly issued a joint statement opposing the Constitutional Court’s verdict and requesting return of this case to retrial.
Maric calls on Deçan/Decane citizens to not direct their protest against the Church and Serbs
(Most monitored broadcasters, KTV)
Minister of Local Government Administration coming from Srpska List, Ljubomir Maric, said it is important that the protest of citizens in Deçan/Decane municipality to not be directed against the Serb Orthodox Church and the local Serbs.
Maric told Serbian news agency Tanjug that everyone has the right to express their political views, but it is important to not direct political will and positions against the Serb community.
Meanwhile, Daut Haradinaj, the chairperson of the AAK branch in Deçan/Decane called on Monastery and its leaders to distance themselves from gifts of Milosevic and his regime.
According to him, Albanians have protected this Monastery at difficulties time even when the power was on the hands of Albanians.
PM Mustafa warned Maric about his statements
(KTV)
Kosovo Prime Minister Isa Mustafa has warned Minister of Local Government Administration Ljubomir Maric following his statements in Serbian media against Kosovo’s membership in UEFA and FIFA.
PM Mustafa’s advisor Faton Abdullahu has confirmed that PM Mustafa met the Serb minister, Maric, and told him that his statements are intolerable for the Government of Kosovo.
“Minister has been warned with the suggestion that he should concentrate on the agenda of Kosovo Government, and not to go beyond his competencies,” Abdullahu said.
Inter-ministerial commission discussed return process
(RTK2)
Kosovo inter-ministerial commission for return held its third meeting in Prishtinë/ Pristina on Wednesday. Commission members discussed return of displaced people in Mushtishtë village of Suharekë/Suva Reka municipality, Kroi i Vitakut neighbourhood in Mitrovica/Mitrovicë north and the adoption of a proposal on establishment of two sub-working groups for solving the problem of identification documents for displaced persons in Montenegro and Macedonia.
Kosovo Minister for Communities and Return, Dalibor Jevtic, who is also chairman of the working group, underlined the importance of these proposals, as, according to him, they would contribute to the return process in these two places. Jevtic said that these proposals would also help resolve the issue of identification documents for the displaced persons in Montenegro and Macedonia.
CHDRF: PAK’s threats against RTK are unacceptable
(RTK1)
Council for the Defence of Human Rights and Freedoms (CHDRF) reacted against the request of Privatisation Agency of Kosovo (PAK) addressed to Radio Television of Kosovo (RTK) to release the usurped properties. CHDRF considers PAK’s request as a campaign and threat against the Kosovo’s public broadcaster.
In its reaction, CHDRF said that relevant institutions should have and must decide about the ownership of disputed property.
“Only then PAK, as an institution that has regularly violated the rights to access the property to displaced persons from Kosovo north, the rights of employees who suffered during criminal privatizations, would have the moral right to threaten those that with the assistance and approval of internationals have occupied the socially owned premises,” the CHDRF reaction concludes.
