Mitrovicë/Mitrovica citizens against idea for municipal territory exchange

(KTV) 

Delimitation of the administrative line between Mitrovicë/Mitrovica South and the one in the north has remained hostage to non-signing of the agreement between Agim Bahtiri and his counterpart, Goran Rakic.

After all the situations created in Mitrovicë/Mitrovica, at the Municipal Assembly in the south, an idea for exchange of territories was presented, namely to exchange Kroi i Vitakut neighbourhood with the Bosniak Neighbourhood.

This, according to Mitrovicë/Mitrovica South Mayor, Agim Bahtiri, was a proposal of Serbian side, and as such it was presented in front of the southern municipal councillors.

Goran Rakic did not speak about this issue at all, while Albanian municipal councillors at the Municipal Assembly in the north said they were not aware of this proposal.

On the other hand, Mitrovicë/Mitrovica citizens think this is an absurd idea. However, there are also others who think that if such an exchange of territories is done on legal grounds, then it would be a positive process.

Most political parties do not disclose sources of their financing

(Klan Kosova, RTK1&KTV)

During 2016 political entities benefited over 4 million euros from the state.

But with the change of the amendment for percentage of budget allocation from 0.17 to 0.34 per cent, this amount might be increased up to 8.4 million euros.

So far, aside from Vetëvendosje and AAK, other political parties do not disclose sources of their financing.

Furthermore, parties in power, PDK and LDK, do not even have official websites, as the Law on Financing of Political Entities stipulates.

Publication and non-publication of finances of political parties has provoked accusations and counter-accusations between members of the Assembly Oversight Committee on Public Finance.

Civil society representatives say that non-publication of finances by political parties is being done on purpose. They say that even when auditing of political entities will be done, ways of financing will not be made public. According to them, auditing does not work for finances of parties, but a rather professional and independent investigation is needed.

On Wednesday the PDK chairman, Kadri Veseli, promised to Heads of EU Missions in Kosovo that this party will soon make its finances public.

In the meantime, RTK1 reported that PDK published its financial reports as its chairman, Kadri Veseli, promised a day earlier. According to a press statement, the budget of PDK was allocated from the democratization fund which falls under the Central Elections Commission’s budget and it is allocated to all parliamentary political entities according to the number of their MPs.

In line with legal deadlines, PDK will publish 2016 financial reports the latest by 31 March this year. Since its establishment, PDK has submitted all financial reports to the CEC.

Mustafa: I hope political parties will tell who financed their Molotov and teargas

(KTV)

Prime Minister of Kosovo and LDK chairman, Isa Mustafa, has considered the request for making financial statements of political entities transparent and their auditing as very appropriate.

“As the LDK chairman I have requested from LDK officials in charge to officially request from the Central Elections Commission to make LDK financial statements submitted to CEC public and accessible for each citizen. We will also activate the LDK website and present any cent spent for the party,” Mustafa stated.

“I hope that entities that are exalting that they have made their financial statements public will also reveal with what money and from which sources were financed the teargas, Molotov bottles, glass spheres, mechanisms for overturning vehicles, violent protests… Financing sources of political entities and their expenses should be transparent,” Mustafa said, online version of KTV reported.

Kosovo and Serbia to meet again at beginning of February

(TV21, RTK1) 

Prime Minister of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa, stated on Wednesday evening that dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo will go on with more frequent meetings and that the next meeting will be held at the beginning of February.

“We have agreed that the dialogue will continue; to speed the dialogue up and make a very tight agenda of dialogue in order not to prolong talks for new issues that might be opened, but also regarding implementation of agreements that were reached so far. I think that another meeting will happen at the beginning of next month on other issues, such as the wall, because it is a prevailing issue,” he told RTK Monitor show. 

Blushi: If Kosovo will be divided, unification with Albania a reasonable outcome

(Klan Kosova&TV21) 

Head of LIBRA Party in Albania, Ben Blushi, criticized Albanian diplomacy for situation in Kosovo and requested on Albanian state to seriously deal with this issue.

According to Blushi, if Kosovo will be divided in the north then unification of Kosovo with Albania would be the only reasonable outcome. Blushi made these comments at the Albanian Parliament while arguing with Foreign Minister Ditmir Bushati.

Bushati, on the other hand, said that few days ago Albania has raised the issue of Serbian provocation with the train in NATO.

In the meantime, former Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha stated that if there will be an aggression in Kosovo, Albania will respond with its entire means.

On the other hand, Lëvizja për Bashkim (Movement for Unification), which is part of the governing coalition in Kosovo, has opposed the idea of territory exchange between Kosovo and Serbia, Klan Kosova reported.

Krasniqi: Dialogue encouraged Serbia to make provocations

(Most monitored broadcasters, KTV) 

Head of Nisma për Kosovën National Council, Jakup Krasniqi, opposed the invitation of Prime Minister Isa Mustafa for inclusion of opposition in dialogue with Serbia.

“Instead of being held accountable for the damages they have caused to the country with dialogue, these people shamelessly call on the opposition to join it,” Krasniqi stated at a press conference.

He said that dialogue with Serbia did not only bring normalisation of relations, but it encouraged Serbia to the point that it made the last three provocations. Krasniqi said that dialogue which started in 2011 without a serious preparation had no chance to end otherwise.

“Dialogue was not used for taking Serbia out of country’s northern part, this dialogue brought harmful agreements for Kosovo,” Krasniqi concluded.

Surroi: Talks with Serbia did not bring peace

(KTV) 

The message of Pope Francis for 2017 was presented in Prishtinë/Pristina. From there he sent the message for peace and tolerance with the motto stop injustice and violence.  Don Shan Zefi, Chancellor of the Kosovo Bishopric, quoting the message of Pope Francis, said that violence is a sacrilege in God’s name.

Publicist Veton Surroi said that Kosovars were lucky people to be publicly known as the people of Mother Theresa. According to him, Pope’s message of peace must be read as a call for activism, a call for transformative engagement of society, by supporting on love and not violence.

However, Surroi added that Kosovars cannot be in peace while there is an open conflict with Serbia.

According to him, seven years of dialogue did not manage to bring peace between the two countries.