Members of the Management Team for Association appointed

(RTK2 & Klan Kosova)

Kosovo Local Government Administration Minister Ljubomir Maric announced that the new members of the Managing Team for the establishment of the Association of Serb Majority Municipalities have been appointed. He did not reveal the names of the Managing Team, but admitted that this has been done in compliance with the first agreement reached in Brussels on 19 April 2013, which has been ratified by the Assembly of Kosovo.

Through a press release issued on Thursday, the Ministry informed that the statute of the Association will be drafted in coordination with the OSCE and European Union representatives, RTK2 reported.

Government withdraws Agreement on demarcation from Assembly

(All monitored broadcasters, KTV)

Kosovo Prime Minister, Isa Mustafa continuously insisted the Agreement on border demarcation with Montenegro will be ratified on September 01, but Isa Mustafa himself withdrew the Agreement from Assembly’s agenda on Thursday. PM Mustafa justified the withdrawal with the absence of Srpska List MPs. He emphasized that the withdrawal of this draft-law does not imply that the Agreement will be reviewed or renegotiated.

PM Mustafa stated that Srpska List requested new concessions which, as he said, Kosovo is not willing to accept.

“The government has withdrawn the draft law from the agenda. In the meantime, we will try to reach a joint position on this law. I believe it is not appropriate to discuss this draft law at this point, when one parliamentary group conditions its vote for this draft-law with concessions. We don’t want to make concessions about this draft-law which defines the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of the Republic of Kosovo. Withdrawal of this draft-law does not imply that the government is backing down from the agreement or that the agreement will be renegotiated,” said PM Mustafa while addressing to MPs. After this statement, Mustafa immediately left the session.

Opposition parties reacted immediately. They said two thirds of Serbs are not required for ratification of international agreement, therefore they requested from PM Mustafa to tell the truth that the ruling coalition does not have even the votes of PDK and LDK MPs.

AAK MP Daut Haradinaj said that they do not need Srpska List to resume the session, as there are more than 100 MPs present in the session and they have the quorum.

While Nisma chairperson said that the real reason behind the withdrawal of the draft-law is the lack of the votes even by ruling coalition MPs.

Glauk Konjfuca of Vetëvendosje attributed the failure of the Assembly to ratify the Agreement on border demarcation to their activities and supporters, representatives of the AAK and Nisma and to several MPs of the ruling coalition who opposed the agreement.

On the other hand, PDK and LDK caucus chiefs supported the withdrawal of the draft-law by PM Mustafa.

Thaçi: Delays jeopardize visa liberalisation and establishment of Army

(All monitored broadcasters, KTV)

Following the withdrawal of the agreement on demarcation from the Assembly’s agenda, Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi reacted immediately on Facebook saying that the circumstances which are causing further delays in implementing state’s agenda of international agreements are serious concern for Kosovo citizens and the Euro-Atlantic partners.

“This hesitation by the elected people unjustly endangers state’s interests, which are linked with visa liberalisation and the establishment of Kosovo’s Army. With these delays, we are removing the arguments to our international partners to further support us in achieving our great goals and interests”, wrote President Thaçi.

On the other hand, Kosovo Prime Minister Isa Mustafa thanked citizens for their dignity and commitment to the state. PM Mustafa, through a post in his Facebook profile, said that “Calls and the threats of Vetëvendosje Movement to overturn the state did not get the support of citizens.”  He emphasized that Thursday’s events demonstrated that citizens trust to the institutions and not to the streets and violence.  PM Mustafa also thanked Kosovo Police for their professionalism.

Fajon and Lunacek disappointed by non-ratification of demarcation

(Most monitored broadcasters, KTV)

European Parliament (EP) Rapporteur for Kosovo Ulrike Lunacek and the EP Rapporteur for visa liberalisation for Kosovo, Tanja Fajon expressed their disappointment with the postponement of the ratification of the Agreement on Border Demarcation with Montenegro.

Lunacek and Fajon, in their personal Twitter accounts, confirmed that EP Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) will proceed with the visa-free travel vote for Kosovo on Monday.

“I regret today’s postponement in Kosovo Parliament. We need all our voices to move ahead with demarcation Agreement. I remain committed to the process. My plan is to go ahead with visa-free travel vote for Kosovo in LIBE on Monday. I strongly urge Kosovo to fulfil both remaining conditions for visa liberalisation. The ball is now on Kosovo’s court” Fajon said.

Simic: Ruling coalition did not fulfil its promise on the Association

(Most monitored broadcasters, Klan Kosova)

Srpska List MPs gave different justifications about their boycott to the Thursday’s Assembly session on border demarcation with Montenegro.

Srpska List caucus chief, Slavko Simic told Klan Kosova that besides the fear from the protest, Serb MPs also boycotted the session because the ruling coalition did not fulfil its pledge to establish the Association of Serb Majority Municipalities.

Moreover he told to RTK2 that some of the other reasons for their boycott are also the aggravated security situation in Kosovo, the continuous attacks against Serbs and their property and the recent incident in Mustisht village against the return Serbs.  While the other MP from this political entity, Nenad Rasic, said that they did not participate in the session because nobody consulted them prior the session.  He denied the reports that Belgrade ordered the Serb MPs to boycott the session.

Protest against demarcation ends peacefully

(All monitored broadcasters, KTV)

Protestors from all over Kosovo joined the protest against the Agreement on Border Demarcation with Montenegro in Prishtinë/Pristina. The protestors were under the monitoring of a big number of Kosovo Police officers, who were placed in every corner of the city.  Helicopters were seen in the sky over Prishtinë/Pristina, while on the top of the Assembly and Government buildings a big number of police officers were stationed, who were also filming the protest.

Despite these security measures, Rugovasit (residents of Rugova) expressed their determination to continue to oppose, according to them, this harmful agreement. After the start of the Assembly session, the protestors moved to the other side of the Assembly building.  Meanwhile, Assembly’s building was surrounded by Kosovo Police officers. The protestors stayed there for several hours, until Kosovo Prime Minister Isa Mustafa withdrew from Assembly’s agenda the draft-law for ratification of the Demarcation Agreement with Montenegro.

After this, Vetëvendosje leaders joined the protestors outside the Assembly. VV chairperson, Visar Ymeri and MP Albin Kurti considered the withdrawal of the draft-law by PM Mustafa, as a victory of protestors.  After speeches made by Ymeri and Kurti, the crowd peacefully was dispersed.

However, after the protest ended, Kosovo Police arrested eight VV activists. Sadri Ramabaja, VV municipal councillor in Prishtinë/Pristina and the son of VV MP Donika Kadaj-Bujupi are among the arrested.  Kosovo Police Spokesperson, Daut Hoxha confirmed that ten persons have been detained in Thursday.

Police also reported to have found in Dardania neighbourhood in Prishtinë/Pristina, 50 bags filled with Molotov cocktails and bottles with petrol, in two private warehouses. The owner of the warehouses refused to cooperate with the Police, KTV reported.

Police also denied media reports of gunshots fired in the border-line with Montenegro.

Two VV MPs arrested

(All monitored broadcasters, KTV)

On Thursday, Kosovo Police arrested two MPs of Vetëvendosje Movement, Donika Kadaj-Bujupi and Aida Derguti.

MP Kadaj-Bujupi was arrested in Assembly’s hallway, after the security found she was carrying a suspicious spray when they checked her at the entrance to the assembly hall.

The other MP, Aida Derguti was arrested within the Assembly premises. KTV reported that MP Derguti was arrested in bathroom, as she was suspected to have carried out a suspicious spray.

VV: A victory for Kosovo citizens

(All monitored broadcasters, KTV)

After the failure of Kosovo Assembly to ratify the Agreement on border demarcation, Vetëvendosje Movement organized a press conference after the session on Thursday.

VV representatives said that the failure to ratify the demarcation is a victory of citizens’ and Government’s loss.  According to VV, the persistence of the state leaders to ratify the demarcation is linked with their personal interests.

VV chairperson, Visar Ymeri said that Thursday’s events and other developments so far, demonstrate that Belgrade is being factorized in Kosovo through Srpska List, and this, as he said, is being done with the assistance of Isa Mustafa and Hashim Thaçi.

While Vetëvendosje’s Organisational Secretary Dardan Molliqaj, considered the verdict of the court for the six activists arrested few days ago as political. He also condemned the arrests of the two MPs and other activists on Thursday.

Molliqaj also requested the dismissal of institutional leaders, senior justice officials and the dismissal of RTK General Director and editor.