Kuçi: Cooperation with OSCE is vital to strengthening rule of law

(KTV) 

Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo Hajredin Kuçi received the new Head of OSCE Mission, Ambassador Jan Braathu, online version of KTV reported.

Kuçi thanked him for his earlier contribution as former Ambassador of Norway in deepening of inter-state relations, and congratulated Ambassador Braathu for his new role as the Head of the OSCE with the goal to support democratic development of the country.

Deputy Prime Minister stressed that cooperation with the OSCE is vital to strengthening the rule of law and protection of human rights, also including the protection of women’s property rights and non-majority municipalities.

On the other hand, Braathu expressed his commitment to continue close cooperation for strengthening of country institutions at the interest of all Kosovo citizens. 

Hyseni highlights support that OSCE has given to consolidation of democracy

 (TV21)

Kosovo Minister of Internal Affairs Skender Hyseni received the new Ambassador of OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Jan Braathu. Hyseni congratulated Braathu for the new post and offered his full support to accomplishment of this Organisation’s mission in Kosovo.

The good cooperation between the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the OSCE Mission in Kosovo was also discussed in this meeting. The two interlocutors agreed that this cooperation will continue, and it will also be intensified in the future.

On this occasion, Minister Hyseni highlighted the support that the OSCE has given to consolidation of democracy in Kosovo, in particular the support it has given to the Ministry of Internal Affairs in achievement of its goals in implementation of rule of law in Kosovo.

Veseli speaks elections; Mustafa says they will be held in 2018

(KTV)

The possibility of early elections has once again been mentioned by the biggest party in power, no matter that the PDK head is presenting the governing coalition as solid and stable.

PDK chairman Kadri Veseli says that it will not be the end of the world if they will enter elections before 2018, but he says that consensus between all the parties is needed for this, KTV reported. However, Veseli says that having compromise with the current opposition is a problem.

The LDK head, who also heads the Government of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa, says that elections will be held in 2018.

Whereas, LDK caucus leader Ismet Beqiri says that Government is not only of a political party, but of the coalition.

Opposition parties call for announcement of the election date as soon as possible.

The possibility of elections was stated for the first time by the Assembly Speaker, Kadri Veseli, in an interview with Koha Ditore, thus leaving the possibility for the way out of demarcation to also be sought through early elections.

Mustafa: ASMM will be established

(All monitored broadcasters, RTK1&KTV) 

Prime Minister of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa, said that Association of Serb Majority Municipalities (ASMM) will be established, while as far as demarcation with Montenegro is concerned, Government is certain that no square meter of Kosovo’s territory was lost.

Mustafa made these statements in the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Rose-Roth seminar which took place in Prishtinë/Pristina.

“We have had violent protests, but we have managed to overcome them,” Mustafa said.

Kosovo Prime Minister also spoke about terrorism in this seminar. According to him, Kosovo institutions have worked a lot in fighting this phenomenon.

He also spoke about Kosovo Security Force (KSF) saying that he expects it to become member of NATO, but first it has to transform into Kosovo Armed Force.

Kosovo Minister of Internal Affairs, Skender Hyseni, spoke in this seminar about security, fight against terrorism and risk from radicalism. He reminded that no one can fight these evils alone, RTK1 reported. 

Mustafa insists that Trepça will not be addressed in Brussels

(All monitored broadcasters, RTK2 & KTV) 

Prime Minister of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa, has reiterated that Trepça will never be addressed in Brussels’ talks, responding to voices that have raised this possibility in debates.

In the meantime, Mustafa stated that everyone has the right to complain, but he said that Serb ministers are not invited to hold meetings in Brussels on Trepça, because this topic is closed.

“I do not think that they even had the chance to talk about Trepça, because no one can speak about Trepça in Brussels. Trepça is arranged here, in the Assembly of Kosovo and the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo; therefore, someone might please himself, but the issue of Trepça has been closed at the Assembly of Republic of Kosovo,” Prime Minister Mustafa underlined.

During the visit he paid to Trepça mining complex, Mustafa said that with the new law it was made possible to create a better for future for this enterprise and the miners.

PM Mustafa also had a meeting with Mitrovicë/Mitrovica South mayor, Agim Bahtiri, and promised him more budget and support in infrastructure, education, and health.

Kosovo’s Minister for Dialogue, Edita Tahiri, stated on Monday that Trepça issue will not be discussed in the framework of dialogue between Belgrade and Prishtinë/Pristina in Brussels, RTK2 reported.

Reacting to statements made by Eduard Kukan, Member of the European Parliament, who said that Trepça issue and must be solved in the framework of dialogue, Tahiri told Indeksonline portal that Kosovo Government’s stance regarding Trepça is clear. “We will not discuss Trepça in the framework of talks in Brussels,” Tahiri stressed. 

Apostolova believes there will be only one Mitrovica soon

(Alll monitored broadcasters, KTV) 

The North and the South might soon be removed as terms to show the town at both sides of Ibër River. This is at least what the new Head of the European Union Office in Kosovo, Natalia Apostolova, hopes.

Speaking from Mitrovica/Mitrovicë North, Apostolova said she hopes that very soon there will not be Mitrovica North and South, but only Mitrovicë/Mitrovica town.

Apostolova, who monitored three EU-funded projects in the northern part of the town, said she was optimistic that the project for refurbishment of Ibër Bridge will end soon. This project, according to her, will impact on normalisation of relations between the two parts of the town.

On the other hand, Mayor of Mitrovica/Mitrovicë North, Goran Rakic, constantly referred to Kosovo with “Kosovo and Metohija”, while he considered the journalist’s question if he will allow building of Ibër Mosque as a clear provocation. However, he stressed that he is not against reconstruction of religious buildings that were destroyed during the war.

The new Head of EU Office in Kosovo also the four mayors of municipalities in Kosovo north.

AJK condemns threats against journalist Leonard Kërquki

(KTV)

Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AJK) expressed its concern regarding death threats that are being made to their colleague – Leonard Kërquki.

“With great concern we have received the information that our colleague [Leonard] Kërquki has received hundreds of death threats after airing the show the author of which he is,” the AJK reaction says.

To AJK the fact that death of Kërquki and other part of the show crew is asked in hundreds of comments is intolerable, online version of KTV reported.

“We also condemn launching of a campaign in social networks where the photo of our colleague Leonard Kërquki is used with three bullets positioned on his forehead,” the reaction adds.

AJK calls on authors of this show to denounce all these threats to the police, ensuring the staff of this medium that it will continuously monitor actions of security institutions. 

About 30 million euro a year for Special Court

(KTV)

House of Representatives of the Dutch Parliament has approved the proposal of Foreign Ministry, which allows Kosovo to locate the headquarters of Special Court in the Hague.

Documents were voted without debate, but it was only preceded with written comments between the parliamentary groups and the Dutch Foreign Ministry.

“Some countries will contribute financially, but also with human resources. However, the Norwegian and US contribution still has not been made formally public. The EU decision is that an amount of 29.1 million euros have been allocated for the period of June 2015 – June 2016. Council of the European Union will decide for the other year, but the amount might be higher for the coming years, because the Court is under establishment,” the document states.

It also clarifies that the Court has temporarily been located in an unused governmental building, while the building in which Europol was placed in, which is being reconstructed for Special Court’s needs, will be ready in April 2018. 

Court of Appeal confirmed verdict on “Drenica II” case

(Most monitored broadcasters, KTV)

The Court of Appeal has confirmed the verdict of Basic Court in Mitrovicë/Mitrovica in the case known as “Drenica II”. While it has confirmed the first instance sentence for the nine convicted persons of this case, in the case of former Kosovo Liberation Army Commander, Sylejman Selimi, it has lowered the sentence from eight to seven years of imprisonment.

Sylejman Selimi’s lawyer, Tomë Gashi, is considering this decision of the Appeal as scandalous and politically motivated. Nevertheless, Gashi expect that Kosovo Supreme Court will put justice in place for this case.

The defence has announced an appeal to the Supreme Court. Because of this decision, the PDK MP Fadil Demaku has announced calling off his mandate.

Online version of KTV reported that Fadil Demaku’s brother, Nexhat Demaku, the current mayor of Gllogovc/Glogovac municipality, will also resign his post on Tuesday.