Hahn reminds Serbia and Kosovo about their obligations

(Klan Kosova)

Belgrade is insisting on establishment of the Association of Serb majority municipalities. However, a senior official in Brussels reminded both parties of the obligations they must meet.

Kosovo Minister for Dialogue Edita Tahiri and Marko Djuric, Director of Serbia’s Office for Kosovo, held another round of talks in Brussels on Thursday.

Djuric said they did not discuss new topics, but they requested more pressure on the Kosovo side to implement the agreements signed last year. Djuric said they came to Brussels to ask what is going on with the establishment of Association of Serb majority municipalities and the Serbian company for telecommunications.

At the European Union said that implementation of the agreements does not depend on one side, only. EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn said that if Kosovo and Serbia want to progress toward Europe, then implementation of the agreements reached remains a condition for them. “On this path, both Serbia and Kosovo should carry out their tasks,” Hahn stressed.

In the later news editions, TV broadcasters reported that the meeting between Kosovo and Serbia on cadastre failed. According to Edita Tahiri, Serbian side should be blamed for the failure of this meeting.

Fajon demands clarifications for conditioning of visas with demarcation

(Most monitored broadcasters, TV21)

The first debate regarding the European Commission’s recommendation on visa liberalisation for Kosovo was held on Thursday at the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs.

Rapporteur for Kosovo, the Slovenian MEP Tanja Fajon, demanded from the European Commission to clarify how demarcation of the border with Montenegro turned into a condition for visa liberalisation for Kosovo, whilst other countries did not have conditions of this nature.

Fajon insisted on getting a response, asking how an agreement on delineation of the border with Montenegro could be asked from Kosovo, while a similar thing was not requested by Montenegro, or any other country of the Balkans that went through the visa liberalisation dialogue process.

After this meeting, Fajon will have to draft the report that will need to undergo the parliamentary procedure. Fajon announced that she will do everything to have an ambitious plan.

Assembly did not take EU recommendations into account

(KTV)

“The European Commission says, or the EU representatives say that this law is not in harmony with the directives,” LDK Sabri Hamiti asked during Assembly session held on Wednesday.

A day after members of the Kosovo Assembly approved the Law on Money Laundering; the European Union reminded them that their recommendations were not taken into account.

Head of the political and economic section in the EU Office in Kosovo, Tomas Gnocchi, said that EU is looking closely into the fight against corruption and money laundering. He demanded giving of a clear signal to society that corruption and money laundering are the cancer of society, and that this must end.

Addressing the launch of a project on economic crimes, Kosovo Prime Minister Isa Mustafa said that implementation of this project will support Kosovo in the fight against corruption, money laundering and terrorism financing.

Meanwhile, Minister of Justice Hajredin Kuçi repeated that fight against corruption and organised crime remains a priority for the Government of Kosovo.

Tahiri conditions Association with dissolution of parallel structures

(KTV)

We have emphasized that the Government of Kosovo will not give green light to establishment of the Association of Serb majority municipalities until the parallel structures of Serbia in Kosovo are not entirely dissolved, Kosovo Minister for Dialogue Edita Tahiri said, the online version of KTV reported.

Tahiri said that Kosovo will not do anything until Serbia does not unblock implementation of the agreement on Kosovo’s telephone code. She said that Kosovo continues to request from Serbia to stop blocking implementation of the agreement on energy.

She stressed that the Association will be established in compliance with Kosovo laws and reassured that it will have no executive powers.

Online version of KTV quoted Deputy Director of Serbian Government Office for Kosovo, Dusan Kozarev, responding to Tahiri’s condition that the Association will not be established without the dissolution of Serbian parallel structures in Kosovo. Kozarev said that “at this moment, these (structures) are the only guarantee for survival of Serbs in Kosovo.”

Deçan/Decane refuses Constitutional Court’s verdict

(All monitored broadcasters, KTV)

Constitutional Court’s verdict on 23 hectares of land in Deçan/Decan is unacceptable to citizens of this municipality, KTV reported. Citizens expressed their contradiction through a peaceful march which was held on Thursday in Deçan/Decane. Several AAK MPs joined the march, too.

Addressing the protestors, Mayor of this municipality, Rasim Selmanaj, reiterated that they will not accept Visoki Decani Monastery ownership of the 23 hectares of land.

Considering the Orthodox Monastery as municipality’s cultural heritage, Selmanaj called upon the Monastery leaders and international community to find a joint solution to this issue.

Deçan/Decan citizens also consider this verdict as unfair, saying that the land belongs to Deçan/Decane.

On the other hand, Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Branimir Stojanovic stated for RTK2 that Constitutional Court’s verdict has damaged the Monastery, as, according to him, there are still some parcels over which the Monastery claims ownership. He considers the protest as a reason for triggering instability.

KCSS: Kosovo Police politically influenced

(Most monitored broadcasters, KTV)

Action of the Kosovo Police elite units on 28 November in Vetëvendosje’s offices was the last resort to be used by the Police. This was said by the researchers of Kosovo Centre for Security Studies (KCSS) during the presentation of the monitoring and evaluation report for the integrity of Kosovo security institutions.

However, Kosovo Police deputy director general Naim Rexha said that they are ready for the investigations launched by Prosecution related to the arrest of Albin Kurti and other activists during the 28 November protest.

Plator Avdiu of KCSS said that Kosovo Police is politically influenced, mentioning the suspension of two police officers, because they issued a traffic fine to a Minister’s driver.

According to the report findings, Kosovo Security Force (KSF) is considered as the most trusted institution.

PAK releases 130 usurped socially-owned properties

(Klan Kosova)

Privatisation Agency of Kosovo (PAK) reported that around 130 properties of socially-owned enterprises have been released from illegal owners and users.

Referring to a request addressed to the Police for assistance in releasing usurped socially-owned properties in Mitrovica/Mitrovicë North, scheduled to be carried out on Thursday, PAK informed that in coordination with the Police, this action has been postponed to a later date.