UNSC discusses Kosovo quarterly report
(KTV)
The Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UNMIK in Kosovo, Zahir Tanin, presenting his quarterly report on Kosovo at the United Nations Security Council, emphasized that many of the political expectations with which Kosovo began the year yielded fewer results than hoped.
“Territorial demarcation agreement with Montenegro remains non-ratified, with attendant consequences for Europe’s visa liberalization plans for Kosovo,” SRSG Tanin said, online version of KTV reported.
The report notes that political violence of earlier months has subsided but the divergent positions of the ruling and opposition parties are just as entrenched, and the general political atmosphere remains deeply polarised which, according to him, is unfortunate.
Tanin highlighted President Thaçi’s recent engagement jointly with the family associations of both Albanian and Serb missing persons, and his emphasis on treating this issue on humanitarian, not political, grounds.
“The death in custody of Vetëvendosje activist, Astrit Dehari, has raised concerns, and has provoked indignation in many quarters. In light of the many questions that have been raised, an objective, thorough and transparent investigation into this incident is essential,” Tanin stated.
Tanin also emphasized that authorities in Kosovo arrested a number of individuals who have allegedly been recruited by extremist militants in Syria to plan and conduct attacks in Kosovo and the region.
Addressing this meeting, the Serbian Foreign Affairs Minister Ivica Dacic reiterated his accusations against the institutions of Kosovo, online version of KTV reported. A novelty in his speech was the Law on Trepça which was adopted by the Assembly of Kosovo.
He qualified this Law illegal and said that Serbia has annulled it for the same reason. Dacic called on all the Security Council member countries to do everything to halt implementation of this Law. He also said that Trepça is a property of Serbian enterprises operating in Serbia.
“Trepça is the heart of Serbia,” he stressed.
Dacic also called for sooner establishment of the Association of Serb Majority Municipalities, saying that it is the basis for preservation of the rights of Serbs in Kosovo. He also said that security situation is not favourable, in particular about the Serbs willing to return. In this context, he also mentioned the protests against the Orthodox Church at the University of Prishtina campus.
Kosovo Ambassador to the United States, Vlora Çitaku, spoke about the religious tolerance in Kosovo, for which Kosovo was negatively portrayed by Ivica Dacic. Çitaku said that many mosques were burned during the last war in Kosovo, while she spoke about the Church at University of Prishtina in particular.
She said that in Kosovo there are mosques and churches located at the same yard, while the church at UP campus is the only one that Kosovo has issues with, as it was built without a permit.
“The church was built when all Albanians were forced out of the University of Prishtina, including myself,” Çitaku emphasised, adding that this church will not be touched, and it will remain there.
She also argued with Dacic about halting of Serbs from returning to Mushtisht village of Suharekë/Suva Reka. Çitaku said that no one has been convicted for crimes in Mushtisht, while they [Serbs] are being faced with the persons who are victims of crime.
“More precisely, on 3 April 1999, Serbian forces, where the local Serbs of this village also took part, forced out the Albanian population from Mushtisht village. On that particular day, Serbian forces have burned down 25 houses of the village, while until 10 June 1999; they burned down the other following buildings of the village, 1051 of them. The number of local Serbs uniformed as soldiers who committed crimes is 128. These are small communities and they know who did what. No one has been convicted for this,” Çitaku underlined.
Kosovo Ambassador to US, Vlora Çitaku, reacted to Serbian claims that Trepça mining complex is a Serbian property. She said that Trepça belongs to Kosovo, and there are no dilemmas about this. She further said that time when Belgrade decided about Trepça is long gone.
Thaçi decides to establish two working groups for electoral reform
(RTK1)
Following the two meetings that Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi had with political party representatives, except the three opposition parties, to discuss electoral reform, it turns out that a decision for establishment of two Working Groups, which entered into force two days ago, has been taken.
According to this decision, the Working Group for Amendment of Constitution of Kosovo and the Working Group for Laws Elections have been established.
In the first Working Group, the President has envisaged an extended composition with a member each from all the relevant institutions. Online version of RTK1 reported that it will be composed of a member from: Office of the President, Assembly of Kosovo, Office of the Prime Minister, Central Elections Commission, Elections Complaints and Appeals Panel, Secretariat of the Consultative Committee for Communities, and a member of civil society.
The document notes that the President has requested that while drafting the constitutional amendments, the Working Group for Amendment of the Constitution should also take into consideration the proposed constitutional amendments in three cases addressed by the Kosovo Assembly Speaker in March 2012, in May 2012 and the Constitutional Court’ Verdict of 20 July 2012.
While the Working Group for the Law on Elections will also have representatives from the relevant institutions that compose the Working Group for Amendment of the Constitution of Kosovo, and that earlier draft prepared by the Assembly Committee must be taken into consideration while compiling the initial version of the draft law.
Viets: No elections before 2018
(Most monitored broadcasters, KTV)
While the opposition parties continue to insist that elections in Kosovo should be held as soon as possible, a part of the coalition and the international diplomatic corps do not agree with this idea.
German Ambassador to Kosovo, Angelika Viets, said no to elections before 2018; at the contrary, according to her, there would be flaws in all the reforms and all the fields.
Different from PDK, which is talking elections a lot recently, Prime Minister Isa Mustafa believes that coalition is doing an excellent job and that elections can never be related with the Demarcation.
Mustafa also believes that Kosovo has met all the visa liberalisation required criteria, apart from the ratification of Demarcation.
Apostolova met caucus leaders of governing and opposition parties
(Most monitored broadcasters, KTV)
Head of EU Office in Kosovo, Nataliya Apostolova, met caucus leaders. According to a press release issued by her Office, during the meeting with caucus leaders from governing and opposition parties she discussed the political and economic situation; rule of law, visa liberalisation and implementation of Stabilization and Association Agreement and the European Reform Agenda.
Apostolova appreciated leaders’ honest views how to bridge the current political stalemate in Kosovo; and found it important and useful to listen to Assembly representatives, the ones that represent people of Kosovo, the release of EU Office in Kosovo states.
Nineteen terrorism suspects arrested
(Klan Kosova)
Kosovo Police announced that it has arrested 19 persons suspected of planning terrorist attacks. The operation was launched on 04 November and concluded on 11 November, Klan Kosova reported.
The suspects were planning to conduct terrorist attacks in Kosovo and the region. One of their plans was to attack the Israel national football team and their fans during the football match between Albania and Israel.
18 suspects are Kosovo citizens, while one is from Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). Aside from one, the other suspects have been sentenced to thirty-day detention.
Non-majority communities requests more airtime in RTK
(RTK2&RTK1)
Non-majority members of Kosovo Assembly requested more space for their presentation in the public broadcaster (RTK).
“We do not have sufficient space for presentation in RTK and Radio Kosova. Bosniak community needs more presence, more quality reporting and information. We understand that there are financial issues, however we request more work in this regard,” said MP Cerim Bajrami of 6+.
“The airtime allocated to Ashkali community is insufficient. Every two weeks, fifteen minutes are allocated to Ashkali community, which is not enough for the Ashkali audience”, said MP Danush Ademi.
RTK representatives reported about the airtime allocated to communities, concluding that almost all communities are maximally covered, including RTK’s main TV channel RTK1 and RTK2, as well.
RTK Board Director Ismet Behxheti said that RTK1 has gradually managed to fulfil the 15 per cent quota of minorities. While, RTK Deputy Director, Safet Zejnullahu, said that all communities are also represented in the RTK website, which contains news in all languages that RTK broadcasts.
RTK representatives emphasized that RTK has expanded and fulfilled all the legal requirements, while it has not been supported financially. According to them, because of financial issues, RTK currently cannot fulfil all the requests.
Sejdiu ready to return at LDK head, if party asks him
(RTK – Monitor Show)
“I think that it is not fair for Kosovo to be conditioned with demarcation of the border with Montenegro, because other countries did not have one such condition,” stated former Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu in RTK Monitor show.
Speaking about functioning of governing coalition, the former President of Kosovo, Fatmir Sejdiu, said it is part of a nightmare that describes the two biggest political entities, particularly regarding some specific issues. ”Statements regarding leaving or not leaving the coalition to enter elections are not all that sincere. I do not know if elections are a solution, but even the situation is not good as it is,” he said in RTK Monitor show.
According to him, LDK has people with potential who have been left out of the Government and, as he said, this can also be seen in the Government’s composition.
Asked about his ambitions to be at the head of LDK, Sejdiu said that he is ready if LDK asks him to do so, although he currently is a member of honour at the LDK General Council.
Fatmir Sejdiu publically said that he did not find a language of cooperation with Isa Mustafa. “The last time I met him was in 2013, where I expressed my opinion, but we did not find a common language,” Sejdiu stated.
Skenderaj/Srbica municipal administration employees protested
(Most monitored broadcasters, KTV)
Skenderaj/Srbica Municipality employees are not agreeing with Court of Appeal’s verdict. They protested for about an hour in front of the Municipality building in defence of Mayor Sami Lushtaku.
With this protest, they requested an independent investigation from the Supreme Court. Xhevat Dervishi, one of the organizers of this protest, said that Appeal’s verdict is political. Citizens of this municipality are also considering the verdict as unjust and political. According to them, Mayor Sami Lushtaku is innocent and he must be released.
Although the protest was organized by the municipality employees, who are mainly members of Democratic Party of Kosovo, in the Municipality said they are not involved in organization of this protest. On the other hand, Organizational Committee of the protest is determined to continue with the protests over the coming days, too.
Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) believes that charges against Lushtaku are ungrounded and that his innocence will be confirmed once again.
Chairperson of Nisma për Kosovë, Fatmir Limaj, also reacted against the seven-year sentence for Sami Lushtaku. In a Facebook post, Limaj wrote that sentencing of Lushtaku and other fellow fighters is sad news and a blow for the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA).
Law allows governance of municipalities from prisons
(KTV)
Kosovo has a law which allows municipalities to be governed from prisons. There have been more than three years since the Municipality of Skenderaj/Srbica is continuing to function with a Mayor, who is currently in detention, KTV reports. Nevertheless, Sami Lushtaku will continue his mandate of the Mayor further.
Emphasizing the fact that Lushtaku is legally provided this, former Minister of Local Government, Sadri Ferati, says that it is difficult for a municipality to function with a Mayor in prison.
For Bekim Salihu of GAP Institute, this legal base would need to undergo changes.
A day earlier, the Court of Appeal acquitted Skenderaj/Srbica Mayor, who was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment from the first instance for the criminal offence of murder. However, the Appeal sentenced him to 7 years of imprisonment, as it says, for the commanding responsibility.
Havolli pledges uncompromising fight against corruption
(RTK1)
Kosovo Anti-Corruption Agency (KACA) Director, Shaip Havolli, spoke for the first time exclusively for Radio and Television of Kosovo about high level corruption cases that this Agency is investigating.
Havolli said that he will be uncompromising in the fight against this phenomenon. He stressed that he will also change the legal framework for the institution he leads in order for this Agency to have more competencies.
“There is corruption. We are clear about this. There are problems. There is a huge perception of corruption. However, I believe that there are positive moves and I believe that this trend must continue. We should not stop with this. There are no big or small fish when it comes to breaking the law. The ones that violate the law are all law violators, but based on the information I have and those submitted earlier to the prosecution there are people of different profiles against which the Agency has filed criminal reports, or it has sent additional information for investigation to Police and Prosecution,” Havolli stated in a longer interview with RTK1.
He pledged his maximum efforts in treating the corruption phenomenon, which, according to him, is damaging Kosovo a lot in local and European integration processes.
