EU urges Prishtinë/Pristina to cooperate with Special Court

(RTK)

For the first time, the European Union officially requested from Prishtinë/Pristina to cooperate with the Special Court.

In a statement issued by the Slovak EU Presidency after the Council of the European Union meeting held on Tuesday, the Council welcomed the fact that Kosovo fulfilled its remaining obligation on the establishment of the Specialist Chambers and Specialist Prosecution Office to investigate alleged crimes committed during and after the 1999 conflict.

“All authorities in Kosovo should comply with their requests for assistance,” states the document.

The Council welcomes Kosovo’s significant progress in meeting the requirements of its visa roadmap, which led to a proposal by the Commission, in May 2016, to transfer Kosovo to the Schengen visa-free list. The Council will decide on lifting the Schengen visa obligation as soon as Kosovo meets the two remaining requirements: the ratification of the Agreement on Border Demarcation with Montenegro and the continuation of strengthening of its track record in the fight against organized crime and corruption.

The Council remains concerned about the protracted political stand-off in Kosovo and incidents of violence in the Assembly throughout 2016. It calls on all political parties and local stakeholders to show responsibility and ownership and re-engage in a constructive dialogue, with the Assembly as the key forum for political debate.

The document calls on Kosovo and Serbia to implement agreements reached during the EU-facilitated dialogue in Brussels, so that Kosovo and Serbia can continue on their respective European paths. The Council also welcomed the signature of the Stabilization Association Agreement (SAA).

Mustafa: KSF ready to be transformed into Army

(All monitored broadcasters, KTV)

Kosovo Security Force (KSF) will close the year without properly defining its future, KTV reported.  Despite the fact that KSF Ministry  submitted  the draft-laws required to change the status of this force into an Army, Kosovo Prime Minister Isa Mustafa did not processed the package to the Assembly due to disagreements  with the ruling coalition partner, Srpska List.

During a visit in the First KSF Rapid Reaction Battalion in Gjilan/Gnijlane, PM Mustafa admitted that the decision on this issue is political.

“The KSF is a force which is ready to be transformed into Kosovo Army and a political decision is needed, namely approval of the Law on Kosovo Army by the Assembly of Kosovo,” said Mustafa.

Also KSF Minister, Haki Demolli, said that the KSF is ready to be transformed into a military force. “We are waiting for the political decision of the Assembly of Kosovo,” said Minister Demolli.

Assembly to discuss Dehari’s case next week

(KTV & TV21)

Kosovo Assembly Speaker, Kadri Veseli, said on Tuesday that he will call a plenary session next week to discuss the death of Vetëvendosje Movement (VV) activist Astrit Dehari in the detention centre of Prizren.

Speaker Kadri Veseli, who had promised a session on 14th of December,   said that the planned session will not be held upon the request of VV as some of its MPs will be in court proceedings on that day.

Veseli said that the session will be held either on 19^th of December or 20^th of December. He said that PDK is expected to collect the required signatures to call an extraordinary plenary session.  However, Vetëvendosje considers this act as delayed and as hypocrisy of Speaker Veseli.

AKJ to address to Constitutional Court about the constant closure of court sessions

(KTV)

Constant closure of high profile court proceedings to media and audience, is forcing the Association of Kosovo Journalists (AKJ) to consider legal measures to oppose these decisions.

AKJ is carrying out consultations to see whether this issue can be addressed to the Kosovo Constitutional Court.

At least two high profile cases have been closed to the media, while in the third case, namely in the trial against Azem Syla, the presiding Judge changed its decision and opened the session.

AKJ chairperson, Shkëlqim Hysenaj considers the decision of Judge Shasivar Hoti, who closed the entire process against the former President of the Court of Appeals Salih Mekaj, as most scandalous decision.

According to Hysenaj closing of the main hearing sessions to media and public are happening despite the pledge of the President of the Basic Court of Prishtinë/Pristina, Hamdi Ibrahimi that this will not happen.

Ibrahimi told KTV that he continues to believe that the presiding judge on Mekaj’s case will review his decision and will close only those sessions where needed, as foreseen by the Criminal Procedure Code.

Vujacic requests Stojanovic’s resignation

(TV21)

Slobodan Vujicic, the head of Kosovo Montenegrin Association, requested the immediate resignation of Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Branimir Stojanovic and of all ministers and deputy ministers of Srpska List. Vujacic said Srpska List ministers have failed to provide security and sustainable return for non-majority communities in Kosovo.

He considered the boycott of Srpska List to Kosovo institutions as hypocrisy.

Albanians in Leposavic/Leposaviq feel discriminated

(Klan Kosova)

Only two out of 80 new employees hired in the municipality of Leposavic/Leposaviq are Albanians.  Heads of the local government in the Serb majority resided municipality deny allegations of discrimination in employment, but Albanians who represent minority in this municipality complains that they are not wanted and discriminated in the north, Klan Kosova reported.

Documents that Klan Kosova got hold of show that out of 80 individuals hired recently in the municipality only two are Albanians.

Klan Kosova sources said that the majority of the recently hired employees’ are people close to parallel structures in the north which are backed by Belgrade.

Tahiri: No Association without dissolution of parallel structures

(Summary of Klan Kosova – Zone B show)

Klan Kosova’s Zone B show hosted Kosovo Minister for Dialogue Edita Tahiri to discuss current developments in Kosovo such as the wall in Mitrovica/Mitrovicë north and Brussels dialogue.

At the opening of the debate Minister Tahiri reiterated that the wall in Mitrovica/Mitrovicë north is illegal.

“We are talking about an illegal wall, which suddenly appeared on the evening of 6^th of December. I received the news about it from the media and Kosovo Police,” said Tahiri, noting that EU was immediately informed about the wall and measures were taken to stop its construction.

According to Tahiri, the wall violates Brussels agreement.  She said that the wall was constructed by an illegal group instructed by Belgrade.

“This wall is illegal for Brussels, as it’s not part of the Brussels Agreement,” said Tahiri, concluding that the wall will be removed without any tensions and with the support of the international community.

Among other topics, she reiterated that Kosovo will get its dial code on 15^th of December and Kosovo President will decree Serb judges on 10^th of January as it is planned in order for Kosovo to expand its justice system in north, too.

Commenting the existence of parallel structures in north, Minister Tahiri said that parallel structures in some key sectors in north, such as police and Customs have been dissolved. However, she said that parallel municipal structures continue to exist.

“Our condition for the Association, respectively for its implementation, is that while the Statute of the Association is being drafted, work on the dissolution of the remaining parallel structures of Serbia in Kosovo will continue,” said Tahiri stressing that the Association of Serb Majority Municipalities will have no executive competencies and it’s not a third level Government.

“After the Constitutional Court reviews and verifies the constitutionality of the Statute and before its establishment by the Government, the parallel structures must be dissolved,” said Tahiri.