Contested wall in Mitrovica/Mitrovicë north demolished

(All monitored broadcasters, KTV)

The wall that was illegally constructed months earlier close to bridge over Ibër River was demolished on Sunday noon. This wall which raised tensions between Kosovo and Serbia remained for almost two months in this part of the Mitrovica/Mitrovicë town. Works related to the wall demolishment were carried out without any incident.

Citizens’ interest for this was high. Head of the European Union Office in Kosovo, Nataliya Apostolova, was also there to closely watch demolition of the wall. She promised that there shall be no more walls.

“I would like to commend both sides for their wisdom, for their political wisdom, restraint, for their intensive political efforts that brought this moment. I think this is a very good sign that when there is will then both sides reach agreement, and I hope that other problems that might happen in a near future will be solved with the same political wisdom, and we will support them,” Apostolova stated.

Head of EU Office called for establishment of the Association of Serb Majority Municipalities, referring to it with “Zajednica.”

“I am looking very much forward to the start of the discussion on the Association of Serb Majority Municipalities with the same commitment that we had for removal of this wall. I hope we will have good results,” she said.

Apostolova did not set a date as when works on refurbishment of the bridge will conclude, but, she said that, “Ibër Bridge will be the most beautiful bridge in Kosovo.”

Mayor of Mitrovicë/Mitrovica South, Agim Bahtiri, also welcomed demolition of this wall. Citizens of both parts of Mitrovicë/Mitrovica town also welcomed its demolition.

Mustafa: Wall was solved as an internal matter

(All monitored broadcasters, KTV)

Few minutes after the wall close to main bridge over Ibër River in Mitrovica/Mitrovicë was completely demolished, Prime Minister of Kosovo Isa Mustafa, accompanied by Minister of Environment and Spatial Planning, Ferat Shala, held a press conference.

Prime Minister also spoke about many negotiations that he had since January with the Mayor of Mitrovica/Mitrovicë north and internationals for achievement of the agreement that led to demolition of this wall.

He stressed that the wall was an internal issue of Kosovo and it was solved as such. Nevertheless, he emphasised that he opened this issue in Brussels only with Federica Mogherini.

“As Prime Minister, I met several times Mitrovica/Mitrovicë North Mayor Goran Rakic in January. We have discussed about the possibilities for the municipality to solely take actions for removal of the wall and construction of the boulevard in harmony with the law. We had rather extensive meetings with international representatives, with Mitrovica/Mitrovicë north representatives and other representatives of Serb community,” PM Mustafa stated during the press conference.

“In Brussels, we discussed this issue only with the EU High Representative, Ms Mogherini. This was not part or dialogue with Serbia, because we considered it to be an internal matter,” he added.

Certain that about ninety per cent of the agreement on the wall has been implemented, Government officials expressed their conviction that after demolition of this wall in Mitrovicë/Mitrovica there will be no more obstacles that will block free movement.

For all this cooperation, both PM Mustafa and Minister Shala made sure to express their gratitude several times to Mitrovica/Mitrovicë North Mayor Goran Rakic, saying that he was very cooperative in implementing Kosovo laws.

However, it is precisely Mitrovica/Mitrovicë Nothr Mayor Goran Rakic the one who came out with the announcement that construction of concrete structures few meters away from the wall that existed until Sunday would start on Tuesday.

This wall that will have a height of 70 centimetres and width of 120 centimetres, according to Rakic, will guarantee safety of Mitrovica/Mitrovicë north citizens.

Mogherini believes that constructive commitment brought results

(All monitored broadcasters, KTV)

The European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, said that the constructive commitment seen in the last two meetings of the Dialogue in Brussels has brought results.

Commenting demolition of the wall in Mitrovica/Mitrovicë north, Mogherini said that agreement achieved in Brussels was implemented.

“This will contribute to the freedom of movement, people to people contacts and ultimately reconciliation, and will benefit all citizens of North and South Mitrovicë/Mitrovica,” reads a statement issued by her.

Mogherini said that political leaders in the region are demonstrating courage and vision by taking down walls and focusing on building bridges. “This is very much the spirit of the EU-facilitated Dialogue for normalisation of relations between Belgrade and Prishtinë/Pristina,” she said.

Thaçi: Dialogue is working

(Klan Kosova, RTK1)

President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi, wrote in Twitter social network that the wall in the Mitrovica/Mitrovicë north is already down.

In his comment, Thaçi said he agrees with the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, that dialogue between two countries has worked and that it must worked together to build bridges and not divisive walls.

“The divisive wall by the bridge in Mitrovicë/Mitrovica is now down. Agree with Federica Mogherini, we must work to build bridges, not walls. Dialogue works!” Thaçi wrote on Twitter.

Veseli: Walls belong to past, Kosovo oriented towards future

(Most monitored broadcasters, KTV)

After demolition of the wall in northern part of Mitrovica/Mitrovicë, Kosovo Assembly Speaker Kadri Veseli said that demolition of this wall is a stance of Kosovo and its entire people.

Through a press statement issued Veseli said that this was not an action for daily politics, but a resolute commitment that Kosovo is one and as such it offers possibilities to all citizens, without distinction.

“The walls belong to the past, whereas Kosovo is oriented towards the future. Since day one, my position has been that we would not use the wall for nationalist rhetoric, and that it would be removed because of our citizens in the south and in the north. The demolition of the wall, in a completely calm manner, shows how important the internal dialogue is. For this reason, I am happy and I call on all citizens and political actors to not fall prey to any provocation or incitement,” he said.

Simic calls for establishment of Association

(RTK2, Klan Kosova)

Srpska List caucus leader, Slavko Simic, said that Kosovo Serbs have only one goal and that it establishment of the Association of Serb Majority Municipalities, online version of Klan Kosova reported.

In a press statement for Serbian news agency Tanjug he said that ‘statements of Albanian politicians to take unilateral actions for demolition of the wall, triggered disappointment and fear among the citizens.”

“Now, I expect that after all these events Prishtinë/Pristina will demonstrate maturity and refuse any form of provocation, to show interest for what is necessary for Serb people, and that it establishment of the Association of Serb Majority Municipalities ,” Simic stated.

Molliqaj insists, wall is only being dislocated

(KTV)

Vetëvendosje Movement Organisational Secretary, Dardan Molliqaj, continues to defend his statement that the wall will not be demolished, but it will only be shortened.

“That the wall is not being demolished, but it is only being shortened, is demonstrated with the fact that another wall will be constructed on 07 February, very little away from the current one, and it will be about a metre high. This in fact demonstrates that the wall is not being demolished, but it is only being dislocated little further away and it is being shortened a bit,” Molliqaj wrote in a post in his Facebook account.

According to him, the reason why the current wall is being demolished is for the Government of Kosovo to temporarily look good in front of its citizens.

“However, the latest agreement shows that Serbia has achieved its goal to have a wall in that part. So, initially Government of Kosovo gets points, then few days after Serbia gets a wall, while Kosovo further loses its control over the northern part of the country,” Molliqaj wrote.

Ombudsperson reacts to Supreme Court’s backlog

(KTV)

Ombudsperson has received about 49 complaints regarding treatment of cases by the Special Chamber of Supreme Court.

In a report published, this Institution has raised its concern about prolongation of cases which, according to them, resulted with violation of human rights.

The report concludes that case backlog at the Special Chamber is a result of limited number of judges, their frequent replacement, of the international judges in particular.

On the other hand, President of Special Chamber admits that this report mirrors the bad situation of this court.

To improve situation at this institution, Ombudsperson has recommended to Judicial Council to provide support in the organizational and operational aspect.

At the Kosovo Judicial Council confirmed they have received the report and according to them, this Council, will implement recommendations made within its possibilities.