Cornerstone of “Sun Valley” returnee settlement laid

(All monitored broadcasters, Klan Kosova & KTV)

Without authorization and against the will of Kosovo leaders, Serbs of the north laid the cornerstone of 300 houses in “Sun Valley” settlement in Zvecan/Zveçan, where over 1.000 Serbs will return.

Director of Serbian Government Office for Kosovo, Marko Djuric, said that with this settlement, Serbia is guarding its land, Kosovo.

President of the interim body of Zvecan/Zveçan, Ivan Todosijevic, present in the inauguration ceremony, said that Serbian state once again demonstrated that Kosovo is part of it.

On the other hand, Prime Minister of Kosovo Isa Mustafa expressed his confidence that this project will not be allowed to happen.

“They have no right to construct that settlement”, said Mustafa during a visit to Istog/Istok on Thursday. 

While Kosovo Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning (MESP) explained that although they support the return of displaced people, a project such as ‘Sun Valley’ cannot be constructed without a permit.

MESP Minister Ferid Agani considered this project as illegal and expressed his confidence that this project will be stopped.

The Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) also reacted, saying that this project financed by Serbia, is an effort for the third colonization of Kosovo. 

On the other hand, Klan Kosova reported that Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Branimir Stojanovic, Minister of Local Government Administration Ljubomir Maric and Minister for Communities and Return, Dalibor Jevtic, who come from Srpska List, attended the inauguration ceremony in Zvecan/Zveçan.

Minister Jevtic did not want to comment the statement of PM Mustafa, but admitted that he is in contact with the Minister for Environment and Spatial Planning, Ferid Agani.

“Ministry for Communities and Return wants the return of displaced people and we support any project that guarantees the return. However this needs to be done in compliance with the laws”, said Minister Jevtic, expressing his confidence that the necessary documents will be soon completed. 

Thaçi announces establishment of a working group for the Association

(RTK2&KTV)

President of Kosovo Hashim Thaçi said that the working group for establishment the Association of Serb majority municipalities in Kosovo will be set up in the coming days.

In an interview with Serbian portal ‘Tanjug”, President Thaçi did not specify who the members of this working group will be, but he was firm that there will be no representatives of Serbia, KTV reported.

“I respect Serbia’s legitimate interest regarding its people who live in the territory of Kosovo, but Kosovo is an independent state,” Thaçi said.

President Thaçi also restated that the Association of Serb majority municipalities in Kosovo will have no executive competencies and that it will be based on the Brussels Agreement, Kosovo’s laws and the verdict of the Constitutional Court of Kosovo. 

Mustafa: No Association without dissolution of parallel structures

(RTKlive & KTV)

Kosovo Prime Minister Isa Mustafa, in an interview for the public broadcaster, said that the Association of Serb majority municipalities will not be established without the dissolution of the remaining parallel structures in Kosovo, online edition of KTV reported.

“Activation of the Association will be conditioned with the dissolution of parallel structures, because it is worthless to establish the Association and not to dissolve the parallel structures. Association can be established by respecting the agreements on energy, telephony code and dissolution of parallel structures,” said Mustafa.

He also blamed Serbia for not implementing the agreements reached in Brussels.

Mustafa also announced that the discussions for the extension of EULEX mandate are coming to an end.  He said that in the on-going meetings with the European Union about this issue, for EULEX was decided to have fewer members who would continue the unfinished cases and create conditions for the transfer of those cases to local institutions.

Regarding the Special Court, Mustafa said that no deadline has been announced when this will happen. However, according to him, it is a matter of the EU to create conditions for the personnel, administration and building.

As far as the visa liberalisation process concerns, PM Mustafa expressed his confidence that in this fall Kosovars will be able to travel without visas. 

Vetëvendosje Movement returns to Assembly

(All monitored broadcasters, KTV)

After a three months long absence, Vetëvendosje Movement returned to the Assembly. There was no teargas at Thursday’s Assembly session, but the strict check-ups in Assembly’s hall continued, KTV reported.

At the start of the plenary session, VV MPs accused the ruling coalition parties, particularly Prime Minister Isa Mustafa and Assembly Speaker Kadri Veseli for, as they said, capturing the state.  Opposition MPs also criticized the Government for not being present in the session

VV MP Glauk Konjufca said they have returned to the Assembly and they will be part of it for as long as other points, except Demarcation of the Border with Montenegro and the Association of Serb majority municipalities, will be discussed in it. He added that they shall not allow Demarcation and Association to pass by any means.

On the other hand, LDK MP Vjosa Osmani opposed the statements of Srpska List MPs regarding transformation of the Kosovo Security Forces (KSF) into the Kosovo Armed Force (KAF).

“I want to assure all Srpska List MPs that transformation of KSF to KAF does not depend on them nor from their chief in Belgrade”, Osmani said while addressing the Assembly’s session on Thursday

LDK MP Armend Zemaj and VV MP Glauk Konjufca considered as unjust the verdict of the Constitutional Court to give the ownership of a land to Visoki Decani Monastery.

Konjufca said that with this verdict the Constitutional Court legitimized Slobodan Milosevic’s decision. He requested from the Assembly to abrogate the verdict of the Special Court.

MPs ratified a loan agreement between Kosovo and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) for rehabilitation of regional roads. 

Topalli warns with protests

(RTKlive)

Vetëvendosje Movement MP, Faton Topalli said that they are interested to cooperate with other opposition parties.  He said that the teargas in the Assembly was not an action of choice bur rather, according to him, the only possibility to stop the ‘two harmful agreements for Kosovo’, online edition of RTK reported.

Topalli warned with protests, saying that Vetëvendosje will oppose by any means the demarcation and the Association of Serb majority municipalities. He said that the current Government will not fight crime, as, according to him, parties in power are linked to corruption.