Dacic and Braathu discuss OSCE activities in Kosovo

(RTK2)

Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Jan Braathu, is on official visit to Belgrade where he met with the Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ivica Dacic, and Director of Serbian Office for Kosovo and Metohija Marko Djuric.

A press statement issued by Dacic’s cabinet emphasised that Serbian side thanked the OSCE activities in support of elections for the President of Serbia in Kosovo, held on 2 April this year.

Both sides emphasized the importance of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo and the implementation of its activities under the mandate and a status neutral manner, the statement adds.

On the other hand, Director Djuric thanked Ambassador Braathu for the support offered on drafting the statute of Association of Serb Majority Municipalities.

MFA perceives UNMIK’s role unnecessary

(KTV)

Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) perceives UNMIK’s role in Kosovo as unnecessary.

This Ministry has already started the initiative with several friendly countries of the Quint to downsize up to final closure of UNMIK in Kosovo, which has requested 8% increase of their annual budget during this year.

MFA justification in internal documents that KTV has seen refers to the fact that international supervision of Kosovo, envisaged in the Ahtisaari Plan, has ended in 2012.

At the same time, EULEX Mission exists with Kosovo Assembly’s mandate, while KFOR takes care of security; therefore UNMIK’s role is seen as unnecessary.

UNMIK has unfortunately turned into an instrument of Serbia, and Russia in particular, since some of its officials, in the Kosovo north in particular, are used for other goals and Kosovo Government is concerned about this behaviour, is another argument used by the MFA.

Even at the United Nations, some of the UNSC members have requested budget decrease and closure of UNMIK Mission in Kosovo.

Analyst Avni Zogiani said that UNMIK has no more work in Kosovo, emphasising the indispensable need for strengthening of Kosovo institutions.

“I think that foreign institutions in Kosovo would need to end once and for all. I think that Kosovo would need to start acting and exercise its capacities as a state, and ultimately function as a normal state as all other states do,” Zogiani said.

On the other hand, lawyer Kujtim Kërveshi said that UNMIK cannot be closed and that due to situation created in the country, responsibilities of this Mission might even be increased.

For these and many other issues, Head of UNMIK Zahir Tanin will report on Wednesday to MPs of Foreign Affairs Committee.

US Embassy does not express support for early elections

(RTK)

It has been a while since the opposition parties are asking for early elections. A part of PDK MPs are also supporting a new electoral process. However, the US Embassy in Prishtinë/Pristina does not express its support in relation to early elections, RTK portal reported.

In the meantime, the political analysts are also seeing the end of this legislation. Furthermore, concrete dates for holding of early elections are recently being mentioned.

In a statement for Indeksonline, Spokesperson of the US Embassy Prishtinë/Pristina, J.Michelle Schohn, says that the Embassy was never asked support for early elections and they did not express support for early elections in any specific date.

“The Embassy was not asked support for early elections nor has it expressed support for early elections in any specific date,” Schohn stated for Indeksonline.

Opposition harmonises text for no confidence motion

(Most monitored broadcasters, KTV)

Opposition parties are working on harmonisation of the text of no confidence motion for the Government.

Nisma për Kosovën caucus leader, Valdete Bajrami, said that starting from Tuesday and onwards they will work on achieving the number of signatures and making sure they have 61 votes.

She expressed her belief that this motion will pass and the Government will go home.

Bajrami said that many MPs have already expressed their opinions against this Government. She also expects the support of coalition MPs, who initially voted against Isa Mustafa.

On the other hand, Ismet Beqiri of LDK said that Government is functioning well, while it the motion’s issue is a matter of the opposition.

Thaçi and Delawie criticize MPs

(Most monitored broadcasters, RTK1)

Members of the Kosovo Assembly failed to continue works of the plenary session on Tuesday’s afternoon since there was no quorum for this. As a result, the Draft Law on Execution of Penal Sanctions failed to be reviewed. This fact has worried President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi, who considers non-voting of this law as a turn back in the efforts for strengthening of the rule of law.

“Regardless of the respect of work and independence of Kosovo Assembly Members, failures of this nature are unjustifiable,” Thaçi wrote in Facebook.

The United States Ambassador in Kosovo, Greg Delawie, also reacted regarding this issue. Delawie said he feels disappointed with Kosovo’s leaders who did not muster votes to close loopholes allowing politically-connected criminals to be granted leave from prison.

Thaçi started meetings with Srpska List MPs for Army

(RTK1)

The process of transformation of Kosovo Security Force (KSF) into an Army of Kosovo still has not taken a new direction, nevertheless, officials from the Office of President have announced movements that are expected to change KSF’s mandate.

Bislim Zyrapi, Security Advisor at the Office of the President, told RTK over the phone that President Thaçi has started tête-à-tête meetings with MPs coming from Srpska List, who have so expressed their resolution on non-voting, as they said, Kosovo’s Army.

Zyrapi did not want to talk more about this very sensitive issue in the country. He did not even tell any timeframe as when this process of discussions is expected to end.

Aside from President Thaçi, the US Ambassador Greg Delawie also pledged that he will impact on Serb side to persuade them to vote constitutional changes that enable transformation of KSF into an Armed Force. Using his authority, he said that he will play an active role in this process.

RTK asked the US Embassy what is happening in this regard, but the latter did not respond.

Srpska List, which seems to be the main obstacle for establishment of the Army, did not want to talk about this issue.

On the other hand, behind cameras, MPs coming from this political entity said that despite fractions within the party their stance regarding establishment of the Army has not changed.

Furthermore, they say that regardless of efforts of President Thaçi they will never vote constitutional changes that open way to KSF to become an Army.

Klokot/Kllokot deputy mayor insults Ramush Haradinaj

(RTK1)

While Daut Haradinaj is requested from the European Union to be careful with his statements which, according to them, incite hatred, the same ones keep silent when a Serb leader qualifies Ramush Haradinaj as a criminal, RTK1 reported.

Klokot/Kllokot deputy mayor, Milos Stojkovic, qualified the AAK leader as a criminal during a TV presentation in Belgrade.

He did not hide his joy about Haradinaj’s detention. Furthermore, he requested his extradition to Serbia.

Albanian parties in Klokot/Kllokot have requested his dismissal.

Over 50 officials did not declare their property

(TV21)

Over 50 state officials did not declare their property as it is stipulated in the law.

According to the Kosovo Anti-Corruption Agency, 47 senior public officials declared their property after the deadline; three did not declare it with justification, while 27 officials did not declare their property at all.

Officials that did not declare their property mainly come from the local institutions.