Thaçi announces sooner changes of Law on KSF

(All monitored broadcasters, KTV) 

Manifestation of Kosovo Liberation Army Epopee officially started on Sunday at the “Adem Jashari” cantonment in Prishtinë/Pristina.

Initially, President Hashim Thaçi as the Supreme Commander of Kosovo Security Force (KSF) and Rrahman Rama, commander of this Force, saluted KSF members.

President Hashim Thaçi said that KLA Epopee is the most heroic event of people’s endurance for freedom for over 18 years now.

Addressing troops of the Force, President once again pledged that KSF will be transformed into an Army.

He announced that in the coming days he will take the initiative for changing the Law on KSF, which will enable transformation of KSF into Armed Force, without touching on the constitutional changes.

Thaçi said that Kosovo Constitution does not present any obstacle to this. He said that neighbouring countries, which have their armies, must understand KSF transformation.

On the other hand, Prime Minister Isa Mustafa said that heroic sacrifice of Jashari Family will always be remembered. According to him, 5 March is day the day when good triumphs over the evil, and truth over fabrication.

Although they were invited, representatives of Jashari Family did not take part in this ceremony.

“KLA Epopee” manifestation will continue on 06 and 07 March.

Mustafa urges ratification of border demarcation with Montenegro

(RTK1&Klan Kosova)

Prime Minister of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa, wrote on Facebook that there is no more sense to continue with the ungrounded opposition related to demarcation with Montenegro. According to him, strength should be found to ratify the border, as there is no other border than the existing one.

At the contrary, according to him, citizens are being damaged by being kept isolated. Mustafa also wrote that Kosovo never had bigger surface than 10,908 square kilometres.

According to him, commission of experts has concluded that Kosovo has this territory and that the country has not lost any metre of land with delineation of the borderline with Montenegro.

In the meantime, political analysts commented the visit of High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, who, among other things, called for voting of demarcation and give the chance to visa liberalisation, RTK1 reported.

Analysts say that it is an obligation of the Government to submit this issue to the Assembly of Kosovo as soon as possible, while in case the agreement does not get the necessary votes, according to them, the country should enter elections.

Opposition’s violence and lack of punishment for corruption, Kosovo’s problems

(RTK)

The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor of the U.S. has issued its annual report on human rights practices in world countries.

A part of ‘The Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2016” has also been dedicated to Kosovo.

The report of this Bureau says that opposition’s violence and lack of punishment for corruption are Kosovo’s biggest problems, online version of RTK reported.

Here is what is said on report’s part on Kosovo: “As for Kosovo, one of the most serious human rights problems was the occasionally violent obstruction of parliament by opposition deputies, who clearly stated that their intention was blocking free debate and the passage of legislation.

Government and private-sector corruption coupled with the lack of punishment for corrupt acts remained an important human rights problem. Although the law provides criminal penalties for corruption by officials, the government did not implement the law effectively. On top of that, lack of effective judicial oversight and general weakness in the rule of law significantly contributed to the problem.

The report suggests that media freedoms were violated. While the government generally respected media freedoms, credible reports persisted that some public officials, politicians, businesses, and radical religious groups sought to intimidate media representatives. Media also encountered difficulties in obtaining information from the government and public institutions as provided by law.

Interethnic tensions and real and perceived security concerns restricted freedom of movement.

Also, restrictions on religious freedom included the repeated vandalism of religious property and restrictions on freedom of worship for Serbian Orthodox pilgrims. In addition to that, security concerns limited the number of displaced Kosovo Serbs seeking to return.”

Hyseni: Security situation in Kosovo stable, institutions should be watchful

(TV21)

After a long period of provocations from Serbia and tensions in the northern part of the country, according to Minister of Interior Skender Hyseni, security situation in Kosovo during currently is being seen as stable. However, according to him, this quietness leaves no room for commodity; therefore security institutions should be watchful.

“What is known from the information we possess is that we have a stable security situation, but this by no means makes us feel completely comfortable because it is never known what provocations might happen. Because of this, we try to be ready to face any situation that might come up, such it was the case with the train, the wall or similar situations that might provoke unpleasant situations in the security field,” Minister Hyseni told TV21 in an interview.

Minister Hyseni also describes security situation in the northern part of the country calm and under control, although he says that there are people with radical inclinations from the remaining Serb structures in this area. He denies by all means that Serbian military formations are operating in this area.

“There are no military formations in the northern part, in the sense of classical military formations. We would make a major mistake in case we would say that all in the north are angels, because they are not. There are still people with radical inclinations, with extremist inclinations from the remaining Serb structures here or there. Nevertheless, I remind that situation is under control in the north, too,” Hyseni added.

In this interview with TV21, Minister Hyseni did not exclude extension of Russian influence in the country; however, he says that they are watchful at this level, too.

“It is a public secret that Russian Federation will constantly make efforts to extend its influence, not only in the Balkans, but particularly in the Balkans through a satellite country that it might identify in the Balkans. However, we are also watchful at this level,” Hyseni continued.

Minister of Interior Skender Hyseni said that situation is also under control as far as extremism and radicalism is concerned, while he called on everyone, civil society in particular, to get engaged on de-radicalization of society where such things are present.

Judicial Council privileges Serbs all over Kosovo

(Klan Kosova) 

An annex has been added to the regulation for internal organisation of courts. There are 13 Articles that the Kosovo Judicial Council (KJC) has drafted especially for regulating the activity of the division of Court of Appeal in Mitrovicë/Mitrovica. This division was foreseen according to the first agreement on justice achieved between Kosovo and Serbia in April 2013.

In a document published few weeks ago at the Court of Appeal’s website, the composition of judicial panels is obviously ethnical.

“Each college is composed of two (2) Kosovo Serb judges and one (1) Kosovo Albanian judge, except when it tries only cases of Albanian parties. In this case, the College is composed of two (2) Kosovo Albanian judges and one (1) Kosovo Serb judge,” Klan Kosova quoted the document in question.

While this division has the exclusive rights to treat all cases that come from Mitrovica/Mitrovicë north municipalities, with the new Articles, the Judicial Council itself recognizes ten new municipalities which have Serb ethnicity majority.

For them, the Court of Appeal, no matter that it operates in Prishtinë/Pristina, must have judicial colleges with Serb majority.

Klan Kosova asked the Judicial Council about this positive discrimination toward the Serb majority, but this institution did not respond.

In the meantime, Ehad Miftaraj, a member of the working group for agreement on justice, considers this composition discriminatory.

Suriganë Albanians say that investments were made only in Serb-inhabited part

(KTV)

Suriganë village is located in the eastern part of Skenderaj/Srbica municipality. The village is shared together by Albanians and Serbs, which makes this settlement even more exceptional, KTV reported.

However, investments made after the end of war, mainly in the area inhabited with Serbs, have divided the village into two. This is at least stated by the Albanian residents, who say that they have been forgotten by the municipality and central level.

Serbs, according to Enver Demiri, a local Albanian resident, are continuously supported by the Government of Kosovo and the one of Serbia.

According to Demiri, President Hashim Thaçi has visited the mainly Serb-inhabited village of Banjë on several occasions, but not also the Albanian residents of Suriganë.

Institutions’ negligence and visits only at the time of campaigns have discouraged residents of this area.

The school built in 1923, where Albanian and Serbs used to hold classes together, risks to be closed due to low number of students, since, lacking investments, Albanian residents are abandoning this village.

A completely different view is in the area inhabited with Serbs.

Aside from the school which is at a very good state, they also have the health house, cultural centre and they do not lack public street lighting.

Despite KTV’s persistence, Serb residents did not accept to speak in front of camera, saying that they do not want problems with their neighbours.

In the meantime, Skenderaj/Srbica Municipality spokesperson, Hajriz Koci, said that municipality investments are not orientated on ethnic basis and that all Suriganë residents are Skenderaj/Srbica citizens, and there are no distinctions. 

AAK to propose resolution regarding Haradinaj’s detention

(Klan Kosova) 

AAK caucus has announced that they will call a debate at the Assembly of Kosovo, where they will propose a resolution in relation to Ramush Haradinaj’s detention in France.

They hope that this resolution will be supported by all MPs without distinction.

Among others, in their announcement, this caucus has called on local institutions to re-assess communication with Serbia since, according to them; it is being done without conditions and without the adequate platform. 

Kosovo Assembly session postponed to Wednesday

(RTK2, RTK1)

Assembly of Kosovo officially reported that due to activities being held to honour Kosovo Liberation Army Epopee, continuation of Assembly’s session has been postponed to Wednesday.

According to an announcement of the Assembly, continuation of session was planned to happen on Monday, but in agreement with the caucus leaders, it has been postponed to 10:00hrs of Wednesday.

Otherwise, on Saturday KLA war organisations annulled the protest scheduled for Monday with the explanation that Assembly’s session was postponed.