Mustafa’s proposal fails in Brussels, Demarcation required for visas

(All monitored broadcasters, TV21)

Kosovo Prime Minister Isa Mustafa failed to convince the European Commissioner, Dimitris Avramopoulos to suspend demarcation with Montenegro as visa liberalisation criterion.

Instead, Commissioner Avramopoulos encouraged Prime Minister Mustafa, to proceed with the vote in the Assembly as soon as possible.

PM Mustafa announced that he would request initially the abolishment of the visa regime for Kosovo citizens and then within two years Kosovo should fulfil the request of the European Commission and ratify Border Demarcation Agreement with Montenegro.

“Today European Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos and Prime Minister of Kosovo Isa Mustafa met in Brussels to discuss the final steps needed to fulfil the remaining requirements of the visa liberalisation dialogue with Kosovo,” reads a press release issued by the Office of Commissioner Avramopoulos.

Avramopoulos recognised the efforts Kosovo has made to ratify the border demarcation agreement with Montenegro, and encouraged Prime Minister Mustafa, his government and the political parties to proceed with the vote in the Assembly soon.

Commissioner Avramopoulos also expressed his support to Kosovo in the last stages towards visa liberalisation, and offered to visit Kosovo before the summer.

Thaçi: Serbia’s re-actualisation of Greater Albania aimed at destabilizing Kosovo

(RTK)

“There is nothing more disgusting and at the same time ridiculous than to hear Serbia’s allegations for ‘attempts to create a Greater Albania,” Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi wrote in his Facebook page, RTK portal reported.

“Of course, the re-actualization of this old Milosevic era propaganda is by no means unintended.  This propaganda of Serbia, among other things, has two essential goals:  First, to legitimize the functioning of Greater Serbia created through the genocide committed in Bosnia and Herzegovina;  and secondly, to encourage nationalist and extremist elements to destabilize and violate Kosovo’s territorial integrity. Albania as an independent and sovereign state was never an obstacle to Serbia.

During Brussels dialogue meetings, Serbia’s representatives several times, in an unashamed way, said that Serbia would prefer to have the dialogue with Albania rather than Kosovo. But such a thing will never happen, because Kosovo as an independent and a sovereign state is a permanent reality. All this orchestrated campaign by Serbia is prepared by the same protagonists, who 20 years ago practiced the same habit.

Unfortunately, the EU with its usual naivety in relation to Kosovo is falling prey to this Serbia’s propaganda. Consequently, it is no coincidence that some EU officials’ behaviours and statements match those of Serbian officials when referring to Kosovo. I do not expect Serbia to give up on her dreams of trying to restore Kosovo under its regime, although they know this is impossible. However, I expect the EU to treat Kosovo as an independent and sovereign state and not be manipulated so easily by Serbia,” concluded President Thaçi.

Lunacek: Nationalist rhetoric does not solve any problems

(TV21)

The Vice President of the European Parliament and the EP standing rapporteur on Kosovo, Ulrike Lunacek, stated that EU is well advised to harness the positive energy present in the Western Balkans – and even more so because in some countries of the region change towards authoritarian thinking and acting has become visible again, after a period of steady democratic progress which is now in danger of being reversed.

“Nationalist rhetoric does not create jobs. Nationalist rhetoric does not strengthen the economy. Nationalist rhetoric does not build institutions and functioning states. On the contrary: Nationalist rhetoric paves the way for conflicts,” wrote Lunacek in an opinion piece.

Serbian mobile operators interrupt their signals in Kosovo

(KTV)

Serbian mobile operators ‘Telenor’ and ‘Vip Mobil” issued a joint press release announcing that as of 01 May 2017 they will stop their signals in Kosovo in compliance with Telecom Agreement reached between Prishtinë/Pristina and Belgrade, KTV portal reported.

As of 01 May, these two mobile operators have no licenses to operate in Kosovo and they will remove their 15 base stations.

“Telenor’ and ‘Vip Mobil’ will continue to offer to their clients the same services with unchanged terms through an agreement with the company ‘MTS d.o.o’ who is the only mobile operator with business license to operate in the areas where ‘Telenor’ and ‘Vip Mobil’ used to operate.

MPs criticize RTK management

(KTV)

On Tuesday, Kosovo Assembly Committee on Budget and Finances adopted the financial report of Kosovo’s public broadcaster (RTK) covering the period January-March 2017.  Chairperson of this Committee, Naser Osmani requested from the Assembly to allocate EUR 2 million to RTK, TV21 reported.

RTK during April-June, plans to spend over 3.3 million Euros, KTV reported.  Out of this amount, over 2.4 million Euros will be allocated from Kosovo’s budget while half million Euros will be generated through marketing.

For the three-month period, RTK dedicated around 2 million Euros for salaries and per diems.

In its financial report covering period January-March 2017, RTK reported to have spent in officials visit abroad over 55.000 Euros. RTK expenses for goods and services are over 928.000 Euros for the period under report.

In relation to these expenses, LDK MP Besa Gaxheri, member of this Committee, addressed a series of critics. MPs requested to functionalise the Assembly Investigative Committee on RTK. They also criticized RTK management for the enormous number of employees and for not presenting the Employees’ List to the Committee.

Finances, obstacle for implementation of Law on transmission digitalisation

(TV21)

Non-implementation of the Law on digitalization of terrestrial broadcasting transmissions was criticized again.

On Tuesday, Assembly Committee for Economic Development, Infrastructure, Trade and Industry organized a public hearing about the implementation of this Law. LDK MP Blerim Grainca considered the law on digitalisation of the media as a failure due to the delays in its implementation. On the other hand, representatives of the Association of Independent Electronic Media of Kosovo (AMPEK) blamed the Independent Media Commission (IMC) for its non-implementation. But, IMC representatives said that they lack funds to implement this law, TV21 reported.

Haradinaj: Serbia’s extradition request a direct invitation to war 

(Summary of KTV Rubicon show)

On 27 April the French Court will pronounce its decision whether AAK leader, Ramush Haradinaj will be extradited to Serbia or not.  Haradinaj believes that the French court will refuse Serbia’s request for his extradition, based on the arguments given during the preliminary session.

“I believe that the decision will be negative and Belgrade’s extradition request will be rejected because it has been confirmed that this request is politically motivated,” said Haradinaj in an exclusive interview to KTV ‘Rubicon’ show from France. He noted that other countries have an understanding of his history and ignore Serbia’s arrest warrant, but France did not.

“I think that they are treating Serbia’s justice as credible or in fact France does not know or maybe have other reasons why they did not immediately understood that this is a game of the Serbian politics,” said Haradinaj, adding that it is not true that the trial is based on new facts, as the French ambassador to Kosovo stated few days ago

Haradinaj told KTV ‘Rubicon’ show, that the request for his extradition to Serbia is a direct invitation to war.  According to him, those who do not see the extradition request as such are cheaters and cowards.

“It is a direct war request. If there is someone who does not consider it like this then he is either a coward or a cheater; or refuses to face the truth,” said Haradinaj.

Haradinaj said that his detention in France is a certain tendency to keep him away from the current decision-making processes in Kosovo.

“They (Serbia) know my past, they know that they cannot use any of their instruments against me,” said Haradinaj.

Haradinaj stressed that the time has come for Kosovo citizens to vote for change. He excluded any potential pre-electoral coalition with LDK or PDK. He said that they had discussions to have a pre-electoral coalition with Nisma për Kosovën, Lëvizja për Bashkim and AKR, noting that they are even open for the newly established party, Alternativa.

“PDK, LDK and communities have no reason to be against early elections,” said Haradinaj, stressing that Mustafa’s Government is among the worst Government.

According to Haradinaj the only way to be freed from this bad governance is to vote the opposition.

“Citizens should not vote PDK or LDK but instead should give a chance to the change,” he said.

Commenting the opposition known as VLAN Bloc, Haradinaj said that VLAN failed to block PDK.

“We, as a Bloc, wanted to put PDK in opposition, but we failed to do so. This is the truth. The idea that all of us block PDK and leave it out of the Government demonstrated to be unsuccessful,” said Haradinaj, adding that he cannot allow anymore entering into new Bloc adventures when, as he said, the rest play their own games.

Haradinaj said that if there is a vision, he is ready to help Kosovo but not by protesting but by being there where the decisions are taken. He expressed his sorrow for not being in the Assembly when Demarcation with Montenegro and Association of Serb Majority Municipalities were discussed.

Commenting whether he would take Prime Minister’s position, Haradinaj left it open saying that he might take that position but he is not insisting on this.