Kosovo Council Tells Serbs Not to Come Back

(Kallxo.com & BIRN)

Kallxo.com and Balkan Insight reported that Suharekë/Suva Reka municipal assembly declared that Serb families should not return to the village of Mushtisht/Mustiste, the focus of recent protests about wartime crimes.

Suharekë/Suva Reka municipal assembly members issued a statement on Monday saying that Serb families who left Mushtisht/Mustiste after the war in 1999 should not return.

The statement came two months after a protest by Albanian residents of the village who prevented Serb families making a visit to their abandoned homes.

“We have come to the conclusion that conditions have not yet been met for their return to Mushtisht,” the statement said.

Municipal councilor Alush Shala, of the governing Democratic Party of Kosovo, PDK, said that before the Serb families’ return could be considered, the Serbian state and local Serbs should apologize for crimes committed against the Albanian population in the village.

“Our wounds are still open so we are asking for an apology for the murders, terror and destruction, while the perpetrators of those crimes should be brought to justice,” Shala said.

Suharekë/Suva Reka’s mayor, Sali Asllanaj, declined to comment on the municipal council’s statement, while the Ministry of Local Government ,which oversees decisions taken at a local level, downplayed the its relevance.

Deputy Minister Bajram Gecaj told BIRN that the statement was not voted upon and so does not have any legal effect.

“Unless this act has the character of a decision, it does not create any legal effect so the ministry has no power to assess the legality of such statements,” Gecaj said.

The head of the municipal assembly, Regfki Gegaj, told BIRN that the statement was voted upon, but agreed that it had no legal significance.

“It was approved only to satisfy the political appetites of political parties,” Gegaj said.

The OSCE’s mission in Kosovo criticized the council’s statement.

“Return is a legally guaranteed right and conditions for return should be created separately from investigating and prosecuting war crimes,” OSCE mission spokesperson Senad Sabovic told BIRN.

Mushtisht/Mustiste, which was mixed before 1999 war, was the scene of deadly violence and human rights abuses during the conflict. Many Albanians from the village are still missing.

After the peace agreement which ended the war in 1999, the remaining Serbs in the village were expelled or fled in fear of retaliation.

Since then, they have not been able to return to the village or to visit the church and their relatives’ graves.

Clashes in August during a protest against the possible return of the Serbs to the village were condemned by Kosovo, Serbia and the international community.

“The scenes from the village of Mushtisht are completely unnecessary and unacceptable,” Kosovo President Hashim Thaci said in a statement at the time.

People in Mushtisht/Mustiste also staged a protest in September urging the Special Prosecution, which took over investigations of war crimes in Kosovo in 2014, to launch a new probe into killings in the village in 1999.

Jevtic: Statement of Suharekë/Suhareke Assembly violates human rights

(RTK2)

After the Municipal Assembly of Suharekë/Suva Reka adopted a statement against the return of displaced Serbs in village Mushtisht/Mustiste, Kosovo Minister for Communities and Return, Dalibor Jevtic discussed with the Mayor of this municipality, Sali Asllanaj about the situation that has been created.

Both officials expressed dissatisfied with the statement, which, according to them, violates human rights. Minister Jevtic said that the adopted statement is unconstitutional, too.

“We started the return process in  Mushtisht/Mustiste in a an entirely transparent way, talking to representatives of all relevant institutions and communities about the return of the first ten families and for that we had the full consent of all concerned, and everything was done in compliance with all applicable laws and procedures. The statement adopted by the Municipal Assembly of Suharekë/Suva Reka is against the Constitution of Kosovo and it violates the basic human rights. I expect from respective institutions, including the President and PM to react to it. In discussion with Mayor Asllanaj, I emphasized the need for local authorities to be more firm in ensuring the conditions for the return. In the end, this is the initiative of a group of people who usurped land owned by Serbs and in this way Suharekë/Suva Reka municipal councilors supported usurpers,” Jevtic said, online version of RTK2 reported.

Minister Jevtic said that he will discuss this issue with Kosovo senior officials, the President, PM and representatives of international community in Kosovo and will seek solution to this issue as soon as possible.

“I see the solution of this issue through institutional ways, and we will act accordingly. I reiterate that whoever committed any crime should be held accountable regardless of the ethnicity, but respective institutions should deal with this issue” said Jevtic.

Srpska List indicates potential return to institutions  

(Klan Kosova)

Srpska List caucus chief, Slavko Simic says that a potential return of this political entity in the Government and Assembly might happen.

Despite the fact that he is not firm on this issue, he considers that by boycotting the work of the institutions, they are losing.

“For Serbs in Kosovo, the work in the Assembly is very important as Laws and resolutions are adopted there. If we continue our boycott we will be far from the solutions for complex issues. I cannot confirm nor deny the potential return, as Srpska List has not made any decision yet but in the coming period we will have lots of consultations about this issue,” Simic said.

Although Simic denied, Klan Kosova learned that consultations within Srpska List will officially commence on Wednesday.

There are some MPs within Srpska List that want to end the boycott and some others that want to be in the opposition. However, Simic does not prefer at all the option to to be in the opposition.

“We should not end with this scenario as we have correct relations with the ruling partners. We have different opinions and the situation with Trepça might force us for one or the other decision, but surely we have to be connected with the ruling partners. While, the Government should be more firm and take into consideration the stance of Serbs,” Simic emphasized.

Thaçi and Daka discuss the date for extraordinary elections in Gllogoc/Glogovac

(Most monitored broadcasters, KTV)

Through a press release issued on Tuesday, the Office of Kosovo President announced that President, Hashim Thaçi, after receiving the notification from the Ministry of Local Government Administration on the completion of the mandate of the Mayor of Gllogoc/Glogovac, has started consultations on setting the date of the extraordinary elections for Mayor of this municipality.

President Thaçi has received on Tuesday, the Chairperson of the Central Election Commission (CEC), Valdete Daka, whereas during the coming days he will invite the representatives of the political parties for consultations.

At this meeting, President Thaçi and Chairperson Daka have also discussed about the start of electoral reforms.

“The date of the elections will be set in accordance with the legal terms and after consultation with the representatives of the political parties”, said President Thaçi.

Daka, on the other hand, said that after the announcement of the elections by the President, within the legal deadline the CEC is also ready to technically organize the elections for mayor in Gllogoc/Glogovac.

“In accordance with my constitutional and legal powers, during the following days I shall also invite the political parties for consultations”, said President Thaçi.

The extraordinary local elections for Mayor of Gllogoc/Glogovac shall be held not earlier than thirty (30) days and no later than forty-five (45) days after the resignation of the current Mayor of Gllogoc/Glogovac.

Nehat Thaçi released from detention

(All monitored broadcasters, Klan Kosova & KTV)

Serbian authorities released from detention the Kosovo Police (KP) Director for Mitrovicë/Mitrovica region, Nehat Thaçi. Upon his arrival to Kosovo, Thaçi said that he feels proud what Kosovo institutions have done for his release. “I felt proud in Serbia’s prison when hearing in the news that Kosovo institutions are seriously engaged in releasing their citizens. As of tomorrow I will work hard and return the debt to my country.”  Kosovo Minister of Foreign Affairs, Enver Hoxhaj, welcoming Thaçi at the border crossing with Serbia, said that Thaçi was kept unjustly in Serbia’s prison.

Thaçi’s release comes a day after another Kosovo Albanian was arrested in Serbia. Hilmi Kelmendi was detained by Serbian police on charges of war crimes earlier this week.  In a press release issued on Monday, the Kosovo Ministry of Foreign Affairs considered Kelmendi’s arrest as unacceptable, noting that this act seriously jeopardizes the achieved progress in the negotiations for the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also sent a note of protest to the Serbian authorities over the arrest of Kelmendi, while a court in Belgrade imposed 30-days detention measure to Kelmendi, KTV reported.

Transformation of KSF to KAF will take up to ten years  

(All monitored broadcasters, KTV)

Transformation of Kosovo Security Force (KSF) into Kosovo Armed Forces (KAF) will last ten years following the adoption of the Law. This was stated by KSF Minister, Haki Demolli, while reporting to the members of the Assembly Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Minister Demolli reiterated that since one year they have submitted the Law on KAF to the Government but because it has not been included in the agenda of the Assembly, the Law has been returned.

Nisma MP Zafir Berisha asked if Srpska List had any specific requests as a condition to vote the establishment of KAF. But Minister Demolli said that there were no illegal requests from Srpska List.

AAK MP, Pal Lekaj said that the Assembly failed to proceed and vote the Law on KAF. He also raised the question if the budget allocated to this force is appropriate.

Minister Demolli confirmed that the budget will be sufficient. He pointed out that the Army will not be voluminous but it will be modern and in compliance with NATO criteria, and will be concern for the region.  Minister Demolli emphasized that the gender balance and multi-ethnicity will be fully respected.

He also announced that during this period the number of active members will be doubled, from 2,500 to 5,000 and the number of reservists shall be increased from 800 to 3,000.

KPC condemns political statements on Limaj’s case

(KTV)

Kosovo Prosecutorial Council (KPC) reacted against political statements made after indictment has been raised against Fatmir Limaj, saying that attacks and political propaganda against the case prosecutor will be considered as attacks against the prosecutorial system and KPC will react for the protection of the prosecutors.

KPC, through a press release issued, said that it is closely following the reactions and political comments, after war crime indictment has been raised against Fatmir Limaj.

On the other hand, KTV reported that thirteen witnesses will testify in Limaj’s case, including former KLA General Commander, Azem Syla, and Vetëvendosje MP Rexhep Selimi. While, Limaj reacted saying that there are 13 witnesses who describe the event and circumstances, but they are not witnesses against him.

KPC and State Prosecution dissatisfied with budget for 2017

(KTV)

Budget of 2016 did not fulfill the needs and obligations of Kosovo Prosecutorial Council (KPC) and those of the State Prosecutor while it looks like the same situation will follow in 2017, too.

KPC continuously requested from the Government additional funds, but Government responded with 1/10 of the requested amount or even ignored the requests entirely.

For the next year, KPC requested additional staff, but this request has not been fulfilled. Also KPC requested EUR 3 million for wages and per-diems while Government allocated only EUR 500,000.  For goods and services, out of EUR 1.5 million requested, Government only allocated 86,000 euros.

Experts consider the increase of budget as essential for increasing the human resources, facilitating the work of prosecutors and decreasing of backlogs.

KPC in the next year will at its disposal over 9.5 million Euros.

One of the key capital projects planned for the coming year is the construction of the building for Prosecution in Mitrovicë/Mitrovica, for which EUR 50,000 have been allocated while the amount of this project totals up to EUR 400,000.