LDK and PDK MPs argued about the budget
(All monitored broadcasters, RTK1&KTV)
With about a two-hour delay, the Assembly of Kosovo started its plenary session on Wednesday where adoption of the budget in its second reading was in the agenda, KTV reported.
Change of some amendments that were in contradiction with the revised budget triggered issues and a debate that lasted for several hours. MPs of the two parties in power argued with each other to achieve their goal for adopting these amendments.
LDK MPs were the first ones that insisted on adoption of the Judicial Council’s request for new employments that would deal with solution of business disputes, the number of which has significantly increased. A part of these MPs demanded adoption of the request. However, chairperson of the Assembly Budget Committee, Naser Osmani, an LDK MP, was against it. According to him, such an adoption is in contradiction with the agreements reached in this Committee before it was finalised. The PDK MP Bekim Haxhiu was also against adoption of this request.
Seeing the battle between the two parties in power, the Bosniak MPs also increased their requests. They announced they will not vote the budget if some of their amended requests will not be voted. This goal, which was achieved, cost another one hour delay to the Assembly.
Intervention of PM Isa Mustafa was needed, who approved allocation of funds from the reserve budget, just to avoid sending the budget to its third reading.
RTK1 reported that the Assembly adopted the draft law on amendment of the Law on Budget with 70 votes in favour, two against and two abstentions.
No human remains found at University of Prishtina campus
(All monitored broadcasters, KTV)
Nothing has been found in the first point of excavations for suspected mass grave at the University of Prishtina campus.
After excavations did not result with any findings in the location between “Saint Nicholas” Church and the Faculty of Education, experts have started excavations at the other side of the church. Meanwhile, the point behind the University of Prishtina Rectorate building will be open in the coming days.
As of Wednesday, local and international experts started excavations to verify suspicions that bodies of Kosovo Albanians were buried there.
Elez Blakaj, prosecutor of this case, said that it will be excavated in each area suspected of mass graves and they will continue to do so for as long as it is needed.
The request for debate on demarcation to be discussed
(Most monitored broadcasters, RTK1)
In its meeting scheduled for Friday, the Assembly Presidency has planned to discuss the request of the group of MPs for organisation of a professional and scientific debate between the State Commission on Demarcation and the group of experts to discuss and face the facts related to demarcation of the border between Kosovo and Montenegro.
In the meantime, Prime Minister Isa Mustafa reiterated that Kosovo’s land has been defined with the declaration of its independence.
On the other hand, the AAK requested from the Government to not present the Kosovo Armed Force, Association of Serb majority municipalities, and border demarcation as inter-connected issues.
UN rebuked regarding its Mission in Kosovo
(Klan Kosova)
The United Nations received a rebuke from a human rights panel attached to its peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, which described the panel’s efforts to make the mission accountable for rights violations as “a total failure”.
The 49-page report by the Human Rights Advisory Panel, part of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) is very critical about the way the mission acted, including failures to investigate human rights violations, disappearances and killings, as well as negligence in the mass lead poisoning of Roma at United Nations camps.
The report’s conclusions are a potential source of embarrassment for the United Nations, which regularly assails governments for a lack of accountability and defends victims whose human rights have been violated in conflict zones around the world.
Breaking of LDK-AAK coalition in Gjilan/Gnjilane announced
(KTV)
Mayor of Gjilan/Gnjilane, Lutfi Haziri, has announced breaking of the governing coalition with AAK in this municipality.
“Political consultations are underway. AAK is expected to leave and it will be replaced with PD of Selvete Shurdhani and partners such as ‘Vatra’,” Haziri stated.
A number of LDK municipal councillors in Gjilan/Gnjilane have been requesting breaking of coalition with AAK for a while now, KTV reported.
