Minister Jevtic supports ‘Sun Valley’ project

(KTV, RTK2)

Kosovo Minister for Communities and Returns, Dalibor Jevtic, stated on Monday that the main goal is to return all the internally displaced persons (IDPs) to Kosovo. He added that the support of the Serbian Government in the framework of the project “Sun Valley” is of extreme significance for the return of IDPs.

Addressing the technical working group meeting on the first day of the regional conference on durable solutions for the displaced persons within the so-called “Skopje Initiative,” Jevtic again requested from all relevant institutions in Kosovo, both local and international, to support the return of IDPs. Jevtic stressed that he expects stronger support for implementation of measures and recommendations adopted by the Inter-ministerial Commission on Return.

“I expect the result at the technical level to be the harmonization of necessary steps and deadlines for their implementation, as without deadlines we will end up in a situation to wait 16 years or more to resolve the issue of displaced persons. They no longer have patience and are tired of constant analysis, reports and stories that they are statistical numbers. They are not numbers and we need to treat them in a different manner,” Jevtic said.

According to him, giving priority to displaced persons is only effective if the process runs through talks with the displaced persons and their representatives. He added that responsible implementation of agreed measures and actions plans in the fields of property rights, civil documentation, and safe return would give numerous advantages to improvement of the lives of displaced persons.

Jevtic emphasized that he fully supports the ‘Sun Valley’ project, as, according to him, it is of significance for the return process. He said this project will be officially presented at this meeting.

According to him, the idea and the goal of this regional initiative was for the governments of Montenegro, Serbia, and Macedonia to join the resources and solve the issue of IDPs.

The regional initiative was organized by the international organizations UNHCR and OSCE in co-operation with the Ministry for Communities and Returns.

A high-level political meeting will be held on the second day of the regional conference, which will be attended by the Director of the Serbian Office for Kosovo Marko Djuric, the Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia Peter Burkhard, and the UNHCR Representative for the Southeast Europe, Andrew Mayne.

Two offices of Agency for Free Legal Aid closed due to lack of budget

(Klan Kosova)

A research found that a big number of Kosovars need legal aid, but two of the municipal centres that did this for free no longer have funds to operate, Klan Kosova reported.

According to the OSCE researches, about 70 per cent of Kosovo citizens meet the conditions for receiving free legal aid. Furthermore, this is also a guaranteed right with the Constitution of Kosovo. However, citizens of Ferizaj/Urosevac and Gjakovë/Djakovica are not being able to use this right as the Agency for Free Legal Aid was forced to close its offices in these two towns due to lack of budget.

Ramadan Gashi, Executive Director of this Agency, said that the right to equal approach in justice is being denied to a big number of citizens by the closure of these two offices.

The Agency for Free Legal Aid has sought assistance about this at the Kosovo Assembly Legislation Committee. Members of this Committee said they will do everything that is possible to help it out.

Assembly proceeds draft law on EULEX to the Assembly

(RTK1, KTV)

Government Kosovo convened in an urgent meeting late on Monday. During this meeting it proceeded the draft law that envisages extension of EULEX mandate to the Assembly with the recommendation to hold a plenary session before the end of EULEX mandate.

If the Assembly will take Government’s recommendation into consideration, it should immediately meet on Tuesday about this topic, as this is also the last day of EULEX mandate in Kosovo.

Covering the same story, Radio and Television of Kosovo reported that draft law of Kosovo Government for extension of EULEX mandate has gone through a number changes, which stipulate that this Mission shall not be able to launch new war crimes and corruption cases, prior to their initiation by the State Prosecution.

Kosovo becomes part of the Permanent Court of Arbitration

(Klan Kosova)

Kosovo has become part of the Permanent Court of Arbitration, the online version of Klan Kosova reported.

This news was made public by the Kosovo Minister of Foreign Affairs, Enver Hoxhaj, in Twitter social network.

“Delighted to announce the admission of Kosovo in the Permanent Court of Arbitration, an important for our full integration in the international system,” Hoxhaj wrote.

In another Twitter post, Hoxhaj said that Kosovo is grateful to all countries that supported this step of Kosovo and commended the work of Ambassador Vjosa Dobruna.

Radojevic: Crimes against Serbs going unpunished

(RTK2)

Kosovo Deputy Minister of Interior Affairs, Milan Radojevic, expressed his concern about the increased number of incidents and attacks in the Serb returnee settlements south of Ibër River, stating that the responsibility lies with the certain Kosovo institutions.

“If we check, incidents in Parallovë, which happened not only in recent days, but also in past months, we have a situation in which at least ten criminal charges have been raised against certain persons; however there is no reaction from the judiciary. Which message does this convey? It conveys the message that any crime might go unpunished, particularly if it targets Serbs”, Radojevic said.

Hoti: Development Fund integrates the north

(Klan Kosova)

As of 2013, when the Development Fund for North was initially established, about 10 million Euros have been collected from the two border points in this area. Six out of these 10 million are in the process of investment in different projects.

In an interview with RFE, Kosovo Minister of Finance Avdullah Hoti said this Fund has improved quality of life for people in this area and at the same time it had positive influence in their integration in Kosovo institutions.

Minister Hoti said that this Fund does not put the municipal budget at risk at all

“The amount collected is relatively low and of course this is a temporary Fund which aims to develop that part of country and its integration in the other part of Kosovo,” Hoti underlined.

Kosovo citizens trust religious institutions more than the Government

(All monitored broadcasters, KTV)

Kosovo Centre for Security Studies (KCSS) published the latest Kosovo Security Barometer Report titled “Citizens’ views against violent extremism and radicalization in Kosovo”.

According to this report, Kosovo continues to be considered as country with high potential for recruitment and spread of radical ideologies, while the majority of respondents said that Government has failed to fight violent extremisms and radicalization.

The report also found that Kosovo citizens, trust religious institutions more than the Government, or the courts.

About 55 per cent of respondents said that Kosovar citizens who have returned from the Syrian and Iraqi wars should be part of strict programs for their reintegration, rehabilitation, and de-radicalization.