Thaçi hopes that Srpska List will help KSF transformation into an Army

(All monitored broadcasters, KTV) 

For the President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi, return of Srpska List to the Assembly is seen is an opportunity to persuade its MPs to vote constitutional amendments for transformation of Kosovo Security Force (KSF) into an Army.

After his withdrawal from the initiative for legal changes, which he personally initiated, Thaçi has turned his attention toward the international allies in order for this process to be done in full coordination with them.

Kosovo President has considered the offer for assistance by the international community to convince all those that have reserves for voting the Kosovo Army as positive, but he also said that no one can use veto for this process.

Addressing the “Speak Freely” forum, Thaçi did not want to comment statements of the U.S. Ambassador regarding this issue, but he said that it will be worked on constitutional amendments, while the draft will also remain on the agenda.

As far as Demarcation with Montenegro is concerned, Thaçi said that this agreement should pass, at the contrary, according to him; the governing coalition will be the guilty one for keeping visa liberalisation hostage.

President Thaçi said it is unnecessary to enter early elections since, according to him, Government has the majority, but he also said that it is the political parties that decide about this matter.

Vetëvendosje announces actions if Demarcation will be sent to Assembly

(KTV)

Assembly of Kosovo will not have a plenary session this week to express its solidarity with Ramush Haradinaj, who will have a trial session on Thursday in Colmar of France. This request was made at the Assembly Presidency by Haradinaj’s party – AAK.

From there, Pal Lekaj called on the governing coalition to set the date of elections. Vetëvendosje also requested elections as, according to them, the Assembly is not functioning.

But, in case the coalition tries to bring Demarcation in the Assembly, Albulena Haxhiu of Vetëvendosje announced similar actions, both inside and out of the Assembly premises.

However, for parties in power, the Assembly is functioning normally, although sessions are failing to hold for weeks due to lack of quorum.

LDK continued to accuse the opposition for, what is says, impeding Demarcation to pass in the Assembly, although together with PDK and Srpska List it has over three-thirds of votes of MPs.

Ismet Beqiri of LDK does not know if the agreement will be brought for ratification in the Assembly, while he admitted that they have problems with votes. Xhavit Haliti of PDK does not know the time when Demarcation will be re-brought to the Assembly either. Otherwise, the Assembly will return to plenary session only next Tuesday.

Extremism prevention project launched in Gjilan/Gnjilane

(Klan Kosova) 

By putting in their signatures they are trying to set a mechanism for prevention of extremism. This agreement was achieved between the Municipality of Gjilan/Gnjilane, Ministry of Interior and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Klan Kosova reported while airing video footage from the signing ceremony. 

Its importance was voiced by the Italian Ambassador to Kosovo, Piero Cristoforo Sardi, the country of which funds this project.

“The importance of this program lies on the fact that this implies beginning of a new way of addressing this phenomenon by preventing extremism and based on experience that we will learn from Gjilan/Gnjilane, in the future we might also continue the program in other municipalities,” Ambassador Sardi said.

However, according to Gjilan/Gnjilane Mayor Lutfi Haziri not many extremism cases are present in this municipality.

“A good cooperation between leaders of religious community, State Prosecution, State Police, and all other relevant institutions in the municipality of Gjilan/Gnjilane make us have the initial positive results in prevention of extremism forms,” Haziri stated.

On the other hand, Minister of Interior Skender Hyseni said that more needs to be done in this regard to prevent cases such as the one of Venice which happened few days ago.

Aleksandar Jablanovic, Head of Srpska List

(RTK2)

Tribuna Channel sources confirmed this by stating that on Monday Aleksandar Jablanovic has completed all legal procedures in the Central Elections Commission and he officially is the Head of the List.

Jablanovic will replace the current Head, Slavko Simic, RTK2 portal reported.

Jablanovic was Minister for Return and Communities in Isa Mustafa’s cabinet until February 2015, when he was dismissed for his insulting language toward mothers of Gjakovë/Djakovica, calling them “savages”. Two mass protests in the capital preceded his dismissal.

Supreme Court declares Enver Hasani not guilty

(KTV)

Enver Hasani has been declared not guilty of the charges raised by the State Prosecutor for forgery and abuse of official position. Supreme Court, as the final judicial instance, has dropped the charges.

The verdict was taken on 28 March, but it still has not been published, KTV portal reported on Tuesday evening.

Decision-makers believe that time for Association’s Statute has come

(RTK2)

Does the political will ultimately exist to start work in drafting the Statute of the Association of Serb Majority Municipalities? Kosovo decision-makers say that time for this has come. After the return of Srpska List in institutions, they consider that all the conditions have been fulfilled to start working on this Agreement.

Deadline for drafting the Statute expired in December 2015. Since then, a lot has happened, much was talked about the Association, but very little work was done. To the President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi, implementation of Brussels Agreement is of crucial importance.

“We have to establish the Association of Serb Majority Municipalities, which is something that derives from the Ahtisaari Plan and Vienna Process. It must be established in compliance with the Constitution of Kosovo and Government must be engaged in this process. This should be done so that no one would have any reason to blame Kosovo for not implementing what was agreed in Brussels,” President Hashim Thaçi said.

From Belgrade say they can only believe to deeds and not words.

Director of Serbian Office for Kosovo, Marko Djuric, said that Kosovo should establish the Association as it was agreed in Brussels. “So far, we have noted they are not ready to implement their part of the Agreement,” said Djuric.

Spokesperson of the U.S. Embassy to Kosovo conveyed a clear message: “We believe the time has come for all interested to leave aside personal political remarks and start working on preparation of the Statute, as soon as possible. Time has come to end prolongation and to move ahead for the benefit of all inhabitants in Kosovo”, said Michelle Schohn, Spokesperson of the U.S. Embassy.

Deputy Assembly Speaker, Slobodan Petrovic, said that enough time has been wasted and he stressed that it is necessary to find a way how to implement the Association.

“In order to move forward in European integration it is essential to respect what we have taken as obligation, and that is an obligation to the citizens and to our partners in the European Union and U.S.”, said Petrovic.

On the other hand, a part of Kosovo opposition, respectively Vetëvendosje Movement, stands firm to its stance that Association should not exist in Kosovo.

“We should not bargain with our country and we will not allow Bosnization of Kosovo. We have experienced what has happened in Bosnia with Republika Srpska and therefore Kosovo should not be turned into a second Bosnia,” Vetëvendosje MP Albulena Haxhiu stated.

Recently, Kosovo Prime Minister Isa Mustafa said that Prishtinë/Pristina is ready to start the work in drafting the Statute of the Association in compliance with Kosovo Constitution.

Murtezaj: No decision yet if Kosovo will apply for UNESCO membership

(RTK2)

Kosovo Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Valon Murtezaj, said that Kosovo Government has not decided yet if it will apply for UNESCO membership this year, Prishtinë/Pristina media reported.

“We are working on this, but it is not sure if we will apply for UNESCO membership this year.  This requires work and coordination with international partners,” said Murtezaj.

Ahmetaj: Demarcation, only condition for visa liberalization

(Most monitored broadcasters, Klan Kosova)

Kosovo Minister of European Integration, Mimoza Ahmetaj, reconfirmed that border demarcation with Montenegro remains the only condition for visa liberalization.

Addressing the Kosovo Assembly European Integration Committee, Ahmetaj said that during the last visit to Kosovo, the EU High Representative Frederica Mogherini announced that all other conditions have been fulfilled and that demarcation with Montenegro is the only remaining condition.

Ahmetaj said that State Prosecution and Kosovo Judicial Council have filed indictments which clearly demonstrate the Kosovo is constantly combating organized crime and corruption.

Gashi: Thaçi’s statement on Association threatens Kosovo’s stability

(KTV)

LDK MP Arben Gashi considers the statement of Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi that the Agreement on Association of Serb Majority Municipalities should be submitted to the Assembly of Kosovo, as a threat to Kosovo’s stability.

“If the Association comes to Assembly then this is a risk for Kosovo’s constitutional stability,” Gashi told KTV ‘Rubicon’ show. According to him, this must not happen.

Moreover, Gashi said that political stability might be ensured only through national consensus.

“Demarcation and Army require national consensus,” said Gashi, underlining that these issues should not be passed without a national consensus.