Mustafa not aware of Serbia’s ‘Sunny Valley’ project in the north

(Klan Kosova)

Kosovo Prime Minister Isa Mustafa is not aware that Serbia will build a settlement of 300 houses for Serb returnees in an area between Mitrovica/Mitrovicë north and Zvecan/Zveçan.

Although, Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Branimir Stojanovic was seen in Belgrade during the official launch of this project, Mustafa said that he is not aware that Serbian Government is building a settlement with the permit issued by the interim body of Zvecan/Zveçan.

On the other hand, Kosovo Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning (MESP) reacted on Wednesday saying that Serbia cannot build the ‘Sunny Valley’ project without a prior agreement with Kosovo authorities.

“Concerning the announced project of the Serbian Government to build a quarter for  returnees in municipalities of Mitrovica/Mitrovicë north and Zvecan/Zveçan, MESP emphasizes that this project cannot be implemented without a an inter-state agreement and without the approval of municipal development plans and regional maps of these municipalities by the Ministry.  Municipality of Mitrovica/Mitrovicë north and Zvecan/Zveçan, and any other municipality in the Republic of Kosovo must initially adopt the abovementioned spatial planning documents, and then present the proposals for approval in compliance with documents”, the MESP reaction reads.

Officials of Kosovo ministry for Communities and Returns said that construction of this settlement is funded by Belgrade, but they stressed that they are not involved in this project.

An official of Belgrade Government told Klan Kosova that it is unlikely that Serbia will ask permission from Prishtinë/Pristina about constructions in the north.

Jevtic: We want ‘Sunny Valley’ south of Ibër River, too

(RTK)

Kosovo Minister for Communities and Return, Dalibor Jevtic, said that the Belgrade funded project ‘Sunny Valley’ gives positive a response to questions raised by the displaced persons, such as where will they live, where will they receive medical care, how to educate their children, and whether they can find a job.

“Ministry for Communities and Return is very much interested to implement a similar project in municipalities south of Ibër River. We want to do this because anything that brings solutions to the problems of displaced persons should be implemented. We want to do this together in the framework of the regional initiative that has been launched, and through other programs and projects,” Jevtic said.

Mustafa pledges support to PAK

(Most monitored broadcasters, RTK1)

On Wednesday, Kosovo Prime Minister Isa Mustafa visited Privatisation Agency of Kosovo (PAK), thus becoming the first PM to have visited this Agency.  PM Mustafa and representatives of this Agency discussed return of property to their proper owners and the track PAK is keeping for finalisation of the privatisation process.

PM Mustafa promised support for processes that PAK requires, adding that they will not intervene in the work of the PAK, as, according to him, this institution is independent.

The Head of PAK, Petrit Gashi, said they briefed the Prime Minister on the challenges and issues this Agency faces. He said that by September this year they will have to draft a plan for finalisation of the privatization process but, according to Gashi, until then PAK will operate throughout Kosovo’s territory.

EU fears migrants, still no visa liberalisation of visas for Kosovo

(Klan Kosova)

The European Union states failed to agree to ease travel rules for Georgia on Wednesday, while citizens of Turkey, Ukraine and Kosovo should wait longer for visa liberalisation amid fears that even more migrants might enter EU is visas are abolished to these countries, online version of Klan Kosova reported quoting Reuters news agency.

EU is hesitating to abolish visas for the countries in question due to the big wave of migrants, Turkey in particular, which they had it very hard to keep under control, it added.

Shortages in laws on courts identified

(Klan Kosova)

Not a year has passed since the package of laws on justice entered into force. However, bodies in charge of implementing these laws are requesting amendment of at least four of them.

Leaders of the Judicial Council and Prosecutorial Council are saying they have identified shortages in the Law on Courts, on the Judicial Council, State Prosecution and the Prosecutorial Council.

These remarks were also addressed by Agim Maliqi, Deputy Head of Kosovo Prosecutorial Council, at a roundtable organised by the Assembly Legislation Committee in cooperation with the Group for Legal and Political Studies (GLPS).

Officials of the Disciplinary Counsel also have remarks about it. Hasime Osmani of this Institution said that their work has been hindered with the new law.

Recommendations for change of the laws are also coming from the civil society.

A senior EULEX official did not like the things stated in this meeting.

“You cannot go back and regulate laws every year or every half a year because you did not do it right the first time. There is a basic rule that laws must be steady. With all the issues that were raised, it seems to me that what you want is to rewrite all the laws – the Law on Kosovo Judicial Council, Kosovo Prosecutorial Council, Criminal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code. I think that this is not really possible,” said Peter Bach, Head of EULEX Strengthening Division.

Surroi: Consensus is the only way out of the blockade

(KTV)

“Consensus if the only way that has remained to the authority to utilise so it can take the country out of the blockade of several months,” writer and publicist Veton Surroi said during an interview with the KTV Rubicon show.

Surroi considers that the authority should not hide by pretending that nothing is happening. On the other hand, according to him, the opposition should make its position clear.

He recommends to Government to use the easiness it does in dialogue with the Serbian side to also dialogue with the local opposition.

He called the arrest of Azem Syla and operation for releasing usurped properties as a measurement of pulse, stressing that for a ‘caught state like Kosovo it is difficult to make a transition into a state where there is rule of law’. Nevertheless, Surroi believes that Kosovo society cannot live endlessly under the repression of organised crime.