Braathu: Independent institutions ensure good governance
(Most monitored broadcasters, TV21)
Independent institutions which play an essential role in overseeing the work of the Government are highly politicized. This was concluded by the participants of the conference ‘Strengthening the performance of independent institutions’, organized by the OSCE in cooperation with Kosovo Assembly, most TV broadcasters reported.
Assembly Speaker, Kadri Veseli, said that Kosovo’s Euro-Atlantic path is seriously hindered by the corruption which has been installed in the independent institutions.
“Kosovo has been criticised for a long time for politicisation of independent institutions. Phenomena, such as nepotism and clientelism, which exists in different levels of governance, have damaged the reputation of institutions and lowered citizens’ trust in them. Corruption is closely related to these phenomena. They are very serious obstacles in consolidation of a democratic system and progress of our country towards the Euro-Atlantic integration. We know these problems and we will not be silent,” Speaker Veseli emphasized.
OSCE Head of Mission, Ambassador Jan Braathu, said that the OSCE has helped strengthening the independent institutions since 1999.
“The issue of financing is not les important and we have to be clear that there must be a balance between exercising legislative authority and enabling the operational independence of these institutions. This means that there is a thin line between oversight and political interference and together we must ensure that this line is observed and respected in this conference, where we treat the obstacles and challenges that independent institutions and parliaments of the region encounter,” Ambassador Braathu said.
Chairperson of Kosovo Assembly legislation committee, Albulena Haxhiu, who comes from Vetëvendosje, criticized the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly.
“Parliamentary questions should be in favour of the MP and because of the current rules it goes in the favour of the executive. Always, the question is concluded by the Minister and often it is misused. Usually, the Minister is given more time than the MP. Another concern that we encounter often during the plenary sessions, is the absence of Ministers’ during the parliamentary questions. There are no sanctions for Ministers if they are not present in the plenary sessions,” said Haxhiu.
Representatives of institutions from Albania, FYROM, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina attended the regional conference on strengthening the performance of independent institutions. The conference will resume on Tuesday.
Constitutional Court declares the claim of Srpska List inadmissible
(All monitored broadcasters, KTV)
Constitutional Court of Kosovo declared the referral of Srpska List for annulment of the Law on Trepça, adopted by Kosovo Assembly, inadmissible. The Constitutional Court also declared that the Law on Trepça is constitutional as regards its substance and the procedure followed for its adoption by the Assembly
“The Court finds that the Applicants did not substantiate their allegations on constitutional grounds and did not provide evidence indicating how and why the challenged Law on Trepça has violated the Constitution, either in procedure or in substance,” reads the conclusion of the Constitutional Court.
Constitutional Court also concluded that the referral is clearly unfounded.
“The Court finds it necessary to draw the attention of all interested parties to the fact that all legal and administrative acts that may be in contradiction with the provisions of Law no. 05/L-120 on Trepça are estopped and shall not be implemented,” concludes the ruling of the Constitutional Court.
Immediately, following the ruling of Constitutional Court, Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi promulgated the Law on Trepça. President Thaçi said that new law enables the restructuring of Trepça, emphasizing that this Law is in favour of improving the social welfare for residents of that area and throughout Kosovo.
On the other hand, Srpska List reacted after the decision of the Constitutional Court. Srpska List caucus chief, Slavko Simic considered that Kosovo Constitutional Court reconfirmed the political decision and not the legal ruling.
“If Constitutional Court rejected our request, we will also reject its implementation,” said Simic, TV21 reported.
Director of the Office for Kosovo at the Serbian Government, Marko Djuric, reconfirmed, during a visit in Leposavic/Leposaviq on Monday, that Serbia will not allow the implementation of the Law on Trepça in north, Klan Kosova reported.
Djuric, who was accompanied by Serb officials of Kosovo Government, pledged that Trepça will continue to remain under the control of Belgrade.
While, Kosovo Assembly Speaker, Kadri Veseli welcomed the Constitutional Court’s decision on Trepça Law. He said that the verdict of the Constitutional Court, confirms that Trepça Law is in compliance with the Constitution.
Government of Kosovo approved the draft budget for 2017
(All monitored broadcasters, KTV)
Government of Kosovo unanimously adopted on Monday and proceeded to the Assembly the Draft Law on Budget 2017 amounting two billion of Euros. Prime Minister Isa Mustafa expressed confident that this Budget properly addresses Kosovo’s demands and needs, and, as he said, it is in compliance with the governing program of the ruling coalition, KTV reported. According to him, the current Government will avoid leaving debts to the future Governments, in particular public debts.
Minister of Finance Avdullah Hoti, on the other hand, stated that the budget has been prepared in compliance with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). According to him, economic growth forecast for 2016 will be 4 %.
Minister Hoti also spoke about the fund of EUR 50 million dedicated for the pensions of war veterans’ categories.
However, the Budget did not satisfy PDK ministers, who requested more funds to carry on their official duty.
Minister for Dialogue, Edita Tahiri said that during the year additional support should be allocated to the Ministry she leads.
Minister of Public Administration also expressed concern with the budget allocated to his Ministry and said that in the end of the year additional funds shall be allocated to the Ministry.
From this budget, EUR 1.5 million are dedicated for the legal defense of potential defendants of the Special Court.
Nevertheless, the Budget does not include projects such as ‘Kosova e Re’ and investments deriving from the Law on Strategic Investments and Law on Trepça.
Government also adopted the proposal for opening of two new border crossings with Serbia, with the framework of Brussels agreement, while it was requested the opening of a new border crossing with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM).
Foreign Affairs Ministry urges Kosovars to avoid travelling through Serbia
(Most monitored broadcasters, TV21)
Kosovo Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) stated that it had received with deep concern the information about the arrest in Serbia of another citizen of Kosovo, Hilmi Kelmendi, under the so-called “war crimes charges.”
“Arrest of Hilmi Kelmendi is unacceptable and puts at risk the dialogue for the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia,” reads the press release of MFA.
MFA called upon Kosovo citizens, who for whatever reason choose Serbia as a transit country to avoid traveling through it. MFA will also request from countries in the region and the EU not to take into account Serbia’s arrest warrants for Kosovo citizens, TV21 reported.
Resolution on Serbia’s genocide in Kosovo to return in the Assembly
(KTV)
Kosovo Assembly failed two times to pass a resolution about the genocide of Serbia in Kosovo. PDK initiative for such a resolution firstly failed in March 2015, while on 03 August, on the day when the Special Court was voted, opposition parties failed to get the votes for such a resolution. Dissatisfied with this fact, PDK MP Flora Brovina continued this initiative but still this issue has not been discussed in the Assembly Presidency in order to include it in the agenda of one of the plenary sessions.
MP Brovina considers as shameful the fact that the Assembly failed twice to adopt such a resolution.
“We should have been cooperative on this issue and issue an opinion that there was genocide in Kosovo and serious crimes which should be judged by the world,” said MP Brovina.
However, MP Brovina will receive support by AAK about this initiative this time, despite the fact that they do not believe in the implementation of this resolution.
“We are ready to again support this but based on the previous experiences, the resolution of Kosovo Assembly are made only to create an opinion but nothing more,” Ahmnet Isufi of AAK said.
However, Brovina said that the resolution should be more than a Law, and must be respected as everywhere in Europe and in the world.
Gllogoc/Glogovac citizens protested against the conviction of KLA commanders
(All monitored broadcasters, KTV)
Despite the fact that the Drenica region has more than 8,000 war veterans, the number of those who came out in support of the KLA commanders did not exceed even 200, KTV reported.
However, with nationalistic songs and graffiti in support of the KLA war, the residents of Gllogoc/Glogovac protested against the latest decision of the Court of Appeals to uphold the decision of the Basic Court in Mitrovica/Mitrovicë for the members of ‘Drenica 2’ group.
Gllogoc/Glogovac mayor Nexhat Demaku, received support from his colleagues and municipal employees.
Xheme Binaku, speaking on behalf of employees of the Gllogoc/Glogovac Municipal Assembly, said that they were sentenced without any legal basis and the decision of the Appeal is discriminatory.
While Enver Hajdari, the head of KLA veterans’ organization in Gllogoc/Glogovac said that war verdicts are influenced by Belgrade. He announced that they will defend the values of war and, according to him, if there is a need they will fight for it.
On the other hand, Gllogoc/Glogovac citizens requested continuation of protests until all charges filed against KLA members are withdrawn.
Jashari: Public institutions and courts top human rights violators
(KTV – Puls)
In Monday’s ‘Puls’ show of KTV, Kosovo Ombudsperson Hilmi Jashari discussed among other topics the violation of human rights. Ombudsperson Jashari said that there are over 117 thousand unexecuted verdicts in Kosovo courts. Speaking about the most serious violators of human rights in Kosovo, Jashari considered the courts and public administration as the top human rights violators.
Ombudsperson considered as necessary the amendment of the Criminal Procedure Code due to the extremely high level of corruption. He said for acts falling under ‘official corruption’ charter, there should be no specific deadline for the conclusion of investigations and for filing indictments.
Among others, he said that the decisions made by the Commission for verification of the status of KLA war veterans should undergo a legal review, and according to him five judges should be appointed to only deal with this case.
Jashari also announced that they have proposed to the Prime Minister to annually report in front of MPs about the efforts of the Government in respecting human rights. According to him, it is the obligation of the Assembly to monitor the implementation of human rights by the Government.
