RTK relates attack against its Director with Vetëvendosje

(KTV)

Kosovo Police cyber-crime investigators would need only a little time to understand from where the e-mails of “Rugovasit”, who have claimed responsibility for four attacks during the last month, are coming from. However, Police still has not arrested anyone for the recent attacks, the one on the Kosovo Assembly Building, Radio and Television of Kosovo (RTK), Murat Meha’s house and lastly the attack on RTK Director’s house.

KTV filed questions regarding investigation of these cases in Police, but Media Office did not respond.

The last attack, on the house of RTK Director General, Mentor Shala, happened on Sunday evening.

RTK management considered the attack as a terrorist method.

“We believe that the hate speech used by different political parties, especially by Vetëvendosje, poses a real threat to normal functioning of the public broadcaster,” the RTK management reaction states.

On the other hand, Vetëvendosje, mentioned in the RTK management reaction, reacted by saying that it does not support such actions, but it continues to believe that public broadcaster’s management is captured, as it states, by the “Pronto Clan.”

“Vetëvendosje Movement does not need protection from such groups, because bombs do not contribute to our cause. We believe that the way to liberate institutions from the captivity of political parties in power is peaceful public protest and general protest,” Vetëvendosje’s reaction states.

Two RTK unions and the Association of Kosovo Journalists reacted and called on rule of law bodies to shed light on this case and bring perpetrators of this criminal act to law.

Meanwhile, Government of Kosovo qualified this as a direct attack against media freedom and hindrance of free speech. The attack was also condemned by other institutions and opposition parties.

EU officials worried about cycle of violence in Kosovo

(Most monitored broadcasters, RTK1)

The European Union Office in Kosovo is very concerned by last night’s throwing of a bomb on the house of the RTK Director General, where he lives with his young children.

EU officials say they are worried about the cycle of violence in Kosovo, which, according to them, is becoming more and more serious.

“No disagreement over any issue can justify the use of a deadly weapon against anyone, much less children,” reads the statement of EU Office in Kosovo.

EU calls on the institutions and politicians from all parties to invest every effort to contribute to diffusing tensions.

US Embassy condemns use of violence for achievement of political objectives

(Most monitored broadcasters, KTV)

Through a press statement issued, the US Embassy condemns the violence of recent days in Kosovo, which, according to this Embassy, is being done for achievement of political objectives.

The statement stresses that democracy provides space for disagreement and even for protest. But, according to the US Embassy, under no circumstances is violence against police, the media, members of the government and other citizens, an acceptable expression of political views or a way to address past grievances, no matter how painful.

“Serious, unresolved issues remain in Kosovo, but they are no closer to resolution after these violent protests.  Much work has been done to normalize relations and create a modern, democratic state.  However, further political violence risks undoing much of this progress,” reads the statement of US Embassy in Prishtinë/Pristina.

Assembly confirms discussion of demarcation on 01 September

(Most monitored broadcasters, TV21)

Assembly of Kosovo informs that the plenary session to discuss the Agreement on the Border with Montenegro will be held on Thursday, but it was postponed for one and a half hour. It was initially planned to be held at 10:00hrs.

According to Assembly’s release, this postponement is due to participation of Assembly representatives in KFOR’s change of command ceremony.

Fajon: Violence and incidents in Kosovo may create difficulties in Brussels

(Most monitored broadcasters, TV21)

Tanja Fajon, the European Parliament Rapporteur for visa liberalisation for Kosovo, stated that violence and incidents in Kosovo may create difficulties in Brussels in relation to visa liberalisation.

Fajon underlined that demarcation may guarantee progress in the visa liberalisation process, but that can happen if the reports on demarcation are positive.

LDK against VV’s call for protest

(TV21)

LDK reacted against the call of Vetëvendosje Movement for protest on 01 September to oppose demarcation. According to LDK, citizens should know who is calling a protest.

LDK says that Prishtinë/Pristina Mayor Shpend Ahmeti employs party militants in the Municipality, while Faton Topalli is a self-declared millionaire.

Vetëvendosje’s reaction was instant. It said that LDK’s defamations will not stop civic mobilisation on 01 September, when the protest against the Agreement on Demarcation has been announced.

Eleven Serbs willing to return to Mushtisht involved in war crimes

(KTV)

Opposition of inhabitants of Mushtisht village of Suharekë/Suva Reka, to accept the visit and return of their former Serb neighbours to the houses they once lived, was harshly criticized. Starting from the President Hashim Thaçi, Assembly Speaker Kadri Veseli, the EU Office, KFOR officials and Council for the Defence of Human Rights and Freedoms, drew the attention for, what they considered, violence that happened on Sunday’s protest in Mushtisht, by which they made the visit of Serbs to this village impossible.

But, to Mushtisht inhabitants, names of Serbs placed in the billboard at the entrance of this village are the same ones that committed crimes and now they are requesting to return.

Bekim Blakaj of the Humanitarian Law Fund warns that Sunday’s reaction of villagers comes as response to non-provision of justice for 16 years.

Data of this Fund speak about a series of murders committed both against Albanians and Serbs during 1998-1999, which were not revealed thus far.

Special Prosecution, the institution that deals with investigation of war crimes, says that even the two war crimes’ related cases, committed in Mushtisht, have been turned down.

However, data of the Institute for Researching War Crimes in Kosovo speak about a statistics of 13 murdered Albanian civilians, while a number of them are still missing.

Based on testimonies of witnesses, this Institute says that out of 12 Serbs who have requested return to this village, 11 of them result to be suspected of taking part in war crimes in Mushtisht and Suharekë/Suva Reka region.

Thaçi: Shedding light on fate of missing persons is most important task

(Most monitored broadcasters, Klan Kosova)

On the occasion of the International Day of Missing Persons, Kosovo Assembly hosted a roundtable about the missing persons during the last conflict. On this occasion, family members of the missing persons expressed their disappointment with the 17-years delay in shedding light on the fate of all missing persons.

Bajram Çerkinaj of the Coordinating Council of the Association of Families of Missing Persons in Kosovo said they have the same pain and expectations for 17 years. He requested from relevant local and international institutions to do more on the issue of the missing persons.

Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi, through a press release issued, considered the issue of the missing persons as the most important task.

“The missing persons remain one of the gravest wounds which the war in Kosovo has left behind, whereas the resolving of the fate of the missing is one of the most urgent and most important tasks of all,” stated Thaçi.