Draft-law on border demarcation adopted in spite of teargas

(All monitored broadcasters, RTV21, KTV)

Vetëvendosje MP Driton Çaushi released teargas during the meeting of Assembly Foreign Affairs Committee, which was reviewing the draft-law on the Agreement on border demarcation with Montenegro. In spite of the smoke present in the chamber, six MPs voted in favour of the draft-law, which is expected to be submitted to the Assembly for voting during this week.

During the meeting, representatives of opposition parties object the Agreement on border demarcation because, according to them, through it the Government is giving Kosovo’s land to Montenegro. They promised that they will use all possible methods to object the deal.

Puhije Demaku, a Vetëvendosje MP, called upon the MPs present to vote against this draft-law. “Our stand is that this draft-law should return to the Government. Let us not be accomplices in this crime. Maybe not today, but one day, we will face with history, legal facts, and we will be held accountable for it,” she said.

Furthermore, Pal Lekaj, the chief of the AAK caucus said, “If this agreement passes, it will create a revolt.”

PDK MP Shaip Muja expressed himself against the Agreement as well. “This issue requires an explanation and we are going to the Assembly session without such an explanation.”

After the end of the Committee meeting, the police arrested Çaushi for the release of the teargas in the room. Under the escort of police officers, Çaushi told the media, “As long as we have a criminal Government, which betrays national interests, no one should hope that the resistance of opposition parties will end.”

Vetëvendosje reacted against this arrest considering it politically motivated. They also called for immediate release of Çaushi.

On the other hand, Kosovo Democratic Institute (KDI), an organization that monitors Assembly’s work, assessed that the release of teargas during the Committee meeting constitutes infringement of democracy and parliamentary life. The Institute also stated that proceeding of this Agreement through fast-tracked procedures is unnecessary and MPs as well as Committees should be given sufficient time for revision of this Accord.

AAK reacts against adoption of draft-law

(Most monitored broadcasters, KTV)

The AAK caucus reacted against the adoption of the draft-law on the Agreement on border demarcation with Montenegro by the Foreign Affairs Committee. According to them, the Committee made a mistake as it approved a time bomb for the future of Kosovo.

“Second article of the Agreement does not say anything about the future of the document. This is an intention of the Government to make the MPs vote for it and spread confusion amongst the public, alleging that there will be a new possibility for presentation of new arguments and revision of the Agreement,” the reaction reads.

“We have to be careful about the legacy we are leaving to the coming generations. Let us not open new wounds 17 years after the war and eight years after the independence,” AAK’s reaction reads.

Government presents facts on border demarcation

(All monitored broadcasters, KTV, RTK1)

After the Foreign Affairs Committee adopted the draft-law on border demarcation between Kosovo and Montenegro, Prime Minister Isa Mustafa, Minister of Foreign Affairs Enver Hoxhaj, and head of the State Commission for Border Demarcation, Murat Meha, held a press conference to present facts related to border demarcation.

The Prime Minister specified that Kosovo has 10.906 square kilometres in accordance with the Constitution of 1974. “Kosovo does not lose any part of its territory, administered based on the Constitution of 1974, the Declaration of Independence, and the territory within which it has been recognised as an independent state by 112 countries of the world,” Mustafa said.

He also added that the cause of the opposition parties is false and it is being used for political points. “The cause of opposition parties and insistence of some geography experts, who use different maps and do not take into account the reality based on which the independence of Kosovo was declared, is false, politically motivated, and for political points,” PM Mustafa said.

Minister Hoxhaj also said that Kosovo does not lose any territory because of the Agreement. “Border demarcation is a regular process, Kosovo loses no territory, and there should be no doubt about that,” Hoxhaj said.

In addition, Meha presented the facts based on which the Agreement was reached. “We have fulfilled this duty with pleasure, responsibility and commitments during the past three years. We did not do that by collecting maps in streets and kiosks, but by collecting official documents, which offer data about administration, sovereignty, and definition of our state,” Meha said.

During this press conference, PM Mustafa said that the Agreement on border demarcation with Montenegro will be submitted to the Assembly for ratification in the next session.

Explosive device found in Meha’s house

(All monitored broadcasters, RTK1, KTV)

Few hours before the start of the press conference for presentation of facts about border demarcation process, an explosive device was found in the balcony of the house of Murat Meha, the head of the State Commission for Border Demarcation. However, the police have deactivated this device in controlled manner, but they have not arrested any person in relation to this case.

Around 14:00 hrs, the police were informed about a suspected device in Meha’s house. Local residents were evacuated and the traffic was halted.

Reacting against this incident, Meha stated during the press conference, “They send people in the middle of the day to throw hand grenades. These acts will be one day on the agenda of the police, prosecution, and the state. I have had nothing personal with them. Let everyone know that we owe nothing to anyone, and those that get into debts should pay them to the state,” Meha said.

This incident was condemned by Kosovo institutional leaders. Assembly speaker Kadri Veseli said that this is a worrisome warning and tendency aiming at disrespecting rule of law in Kosovo. In addition, Prime Minister Isa Mustafa called it an unacceptable act.

In addition, President Hashim Thaçi condemned this incident via his Facebook profile. “Any stand or political belief should be protected and promoted with political arguments only. Violence, threats, intimidation and terrorisation of families of state officials with explosive devices are unacceptable in Kosovo and should end immediately. Threats against public officials are threats against the state,” Thaçi said.

US Ambassador in Kosovo, Greg Delawie, also condemned the attack against Meha. “I am here in Prizren for Dokufest to talk about corruption, my favourite topic to talk about in Kosovo, but I have to address some other issues. First of all, this week had a good start for Kosovo with the golden medal won by Majlina Kelmendi in Olympic Games. This is a great success for Kosovo. But today is Tuesday and I feel a great disappointment. I have to say that I am disappointed with one MP, who chose to use violence as a means for achievement of political goals. I have to say that last week’s debate on the Agreement on border demarcation was an example how democracy should look like. People that talk do not have to necessarily agree, but to discuss issues. I have to say that democracy should not be teargas in the Parliament. Political violence is in conflict with European and democratic values. Unfortunately, we learned that an explosive device was found at the house of a public official. I am afraid about the future of Kosovo if this political violence turns into a norm. We have seen this story in the Balkans too many times in the last decades and it does not end well for anyone,” Ambassador Delawie said.

Vucic speaks about Kosovo in his inaugural speech

(Klan Kosova, Koha.net)

Aleksandar Vucic, the Prime Minister of Serbia, aims to take over Trepca and Brezovica during his new mandate. Addressing the Serbian Parliament, he stated something that Serbian MPs and people want to hear; he stated that Serbia will not recognize the state of Kosovo.

However, during the inaugural speech, which lasted several hours, Vucic said something that majority of the Serbs do not know. “Our people and citizens probably do not know and perhaps would never like to hear that Serbs and Albanians are two biggest nations in the Balkans. There used to be two other nations. We have to talk with the Albanians about the future. Good relations between us are the backbone of security in the Western Balkans,” Vucic said.

However, according to him, Kosovo Albanians are the ones that do not want good relations between the two nations. He illustrated this with an issue related to religious and cultural heritage.

“You have seen what happened with publication of textbooks in Albania and Kosovo. They say that Gashi dynasty built Decan/Decani Monastery and our monasteries were not built by Milutin or any other Serb king or prince, but by Albanian dynasties. We will not accept this,” Vucic said.

In this spirit, he criticized Prishtinë/Pristina for blocking the Sunny Valley project, which will be built by the Serbian Government in Zvecan/Zveqan municipality for the displaced Serbs that want to return there. He said that Albanian politicians are objecting something that is a right to living.

During his speech, Vucic implied that his Government has other goals in addition to guaranteeing living of Serbs in Kosovo. He wants the main public enterprises in Kosovo to be managed by Belgrade.

“We have fought and we will fight to keep the control over Trepça, Gazivoda/Ujmani lake, Brezovica, and all other properties privatized in illegal manner by Prishtinë/Pristina,” Vucic said. He also called for establishment of the Association of Municipalities with Serb Municipalities, which, according to him, will guarantee the existence of Serbs in Kosovo.

In addition, Koha.net quotes Vucic as saying that he will continue to take part in the dialogue with Prishtinë/Pristina and he will be there when it get very tough and will not hide behind others’ signatures.