Over 20 persons with indictments in lists of political parties

(KTV) 

Political parties have failed to remove from their lists the people who have indictments for crime and corruption and others for different charges.

Although the lists still have not been certified, there are 22 persons in them that KTV has managed to confirm that there are indictments against them.

In the coalition led by PDK, six persons officially have problems with the law. Out of them, two are accused for misuse of duty in posts they had earlier and of organised crime.

Fatmir Limaj, who often pointed the finger toward his former party members for orchestrating the case and who currently joined them in coalition, continues to be tried for the case known as MTPT.

Sami Lushtaku’s son, Mërgim, is accused of offering assistance to persons after having committed a criminal offence, respectively in relation to assistance given to his father in 2014 when he escaped from the Kosovo University Clinical Centre.

Now, after their unification in the PDK-AAK-Nisma coalition, in the list led by Kadri Veseli there are MPs who are accused of firing teargas. Pal Lekaj, Haxhi Shala, Time Kadrijaj, and Teuta Haxhiu are included in this list.

In total, the most indicted persons are in Vetëvendosje’s list for MPs.  Out of 110 candidates, 15 of them have indictments, including the first candidate in the list – Albin Kurti.

Albert Krasniqi of Kosovo Democratic Institute says that their campaign #AsUne [MeNeither], aims to raise awareness to not vote the corrupt candidates.

LDK-AKR-Alternativa coalition list has no indicted persons in it.

Two coalitions continue campaigning before official electoral campaign

(KTV)

The electoral campaign does not begin for 10 more days, but the political parties have already launched it. Aside from electoral video clips, candidates for Prime Minister are continuing to present their programs in different towns, without leaving out visits to private businesses and universities.

The nominee of PDK-AAK-Nisma coalition, Ramush Haradinaj, accompanied by the PDK head, Kadri Veseli, discussed with students of the University for Business and Technology – UBT.

“Former Government was moving with ‘Slow Motion’ and Kosovo needs to move fast”, Haradinaj told students. He stressed that Kosovo needs courage in order for its borders to remain intact.

To Veseli, Ramush Haradinaj is already the Prime Minister of Kosovo. He said that they joined together with Ramush Haradinaj for the sake of citizens and that this unification has always produced results.

Being an economist by occupation, the candidate for Prime Minister from LDK-AKR-Alternativa coalition, Avdullah Hoti, said that 40 thousand new jobs were opened in the formal sector during the last mandate, while he is certain that new 40 thousand jobs can be opened in the first part of his mandate.

Mustafa: PDK hindered visa liberalisation process

(KTV)

The acting Prime Minister and at the same time the LDK chairman, Isa Mustafa, accused his coalition partner so far, PDK, that it hindered visa liberalisation and deceived citizens regarding establishment of Kosovo Army.

Mustafa wrote in Facebook that Kosovo needs European governance.  Kosovo needs a Government whose doors are open in the EU and U.S. and it is not dictated by any neighbouring country, he said.

“The people know who hindered liberalisation and who deceived it with establishment of the Army. None of them are done with pre-electoral statements or protagonism, and particularly from those who hindered,” Mustafa wrote.

Veseli: Let us talk to Montenegrin part about demarcation

(RTK&KTV)

New talks from the beginning regarding the border demarcation issue with the Montenegrin part is demanded, by holding talks with them immediately after 11 June in order to intensify this process within the first three months. This was stated by PDK chairperson, Kadri Veseli, on Monday afternoon during a meeting he had with business representatives in Vushtrri/Vucitrn. On this occasion, he said that the coalition will be very successful and visa liberalisation will happen soon, KTV portal reported.

“It is true that we had many disagreements regarding the concept for overcoming this situation, the demarcation issue, but the most important thing is that we will work intensively with the Montenegrin part immediately after the 11 June. We shall sit together, because we do not lose a lot of time if we sit together, and once again discuss the claims of Montenegrin part and our claims, so that we have the border line. I am very certain that we will intensify our efforts within three months,” Veseli said.

In the meantime, the AAK chairman and the candidate for Prime Minister of PDK-AAK-Nisma coalition, Ramush Haradinaj, in an interview with “Debate” show said that they will establish the Army in first 90 days of work, RTK portal reported.

Speaking of demarcation, he said that resumption of the process with Montenegro is a sign for moving toward the solution; however, he underlined that the current version is not in question. “That one is dead,” he stressed.

Court confirms suspension of Kurti’s arrest warrant

(KTV)

The Basic Court of Prishtinë/Pristina has temporarily suspended the arrest warrant against Albin Kurti.

This was confirmed to KTV by the Court’s spokesperson, Mirlinda Gashi.

“With regards to your request, we confirm that the Basic Court in Prishtinë/Pristina has temporarily suspended execution of the order of 21 April 2017 for arresting the defendant Albin Kurti and his transportation to the detention centre,” the Court’s response reads. 

IMC stops debates of electoral nature, Haxhiu reacts

(Klan Kosova)

The Independent Media Commission (IMC) decided to stop debates of electoral nature as well as promotional advertisements for candidates and political parties until the electoral campaign officially starts, that is 31 May.

Klan Kosova’s General Director, Baton Haxhiu, reacted against IMC’s decision. The first response of Haxhiu regarding IMC’s letter deals with the context and time.

“The 2017 is completely different from 1999. Media world has fundamentally changed,” Haxhiu stated.

He further said that IMC letter is against TV stations and it favours hundreds of portals, Facebook and party websites. Haxhiu also said that this letter violates the right to get informed. 

Children’s rights violated in PDK’s political video clip

(KTV)

Appearance of children in a video clip of Democratic Party of Kosovo, which was screened by KTV, for the electoral campaign, is considered as violation of children’s rights.

The Ombudsperson Institution considers that Convention on the Rights of the Child was violated in this video, KTV reports.

The Coalition of NGOs for Child Protection in Kosovo (KOMF) has made a public call to all political entities not to exploit children for their propagandistic political campaigns.

No one from Democratic Party of Kosovo accepted to speak about this topic.

Valmir Ismaili of Democracy Plus says that exploitation of children for electoral campaigns is worrying. According to him, the non-declaration of funds for publication of such political clips is non-transparent.

The Independent Media Commission has also requested from the media to be cautious when broadcasting political video clips, where children are screened, since the Code of Ethics prohibits their use in political clips.

Leposavic/Leposaviq mayor forced out of his office

(Klan Kosova)

The incumbent mayor of Leposavic/Leposaviq municipality, Dragan Jablanovic, was forced out of his office on the order of the parallel mayor of this municipality, Zoran Todic.

Jablanovic, who was elected as Leposavic/Leposaviq mayor according to the Kosovo Law on Municipal Elections, is the father of the former minister in Isa Mustafa’s Government – Aleksandar Jablanovic.

Mother and sister of Srpska List’s chairperson, Slavko Simic, reportedly were involved in Jablanovic’s eviction.

Unofficially it was learnt that tensions rouse following the division of Srpska List in two fractions, Klan Kosova reported.

Few days ago, Aleksandar Jablanovic registered his political party called “Party of Kosovo Serbs’, in compliance with the Constitution of Kosovo.

Although it has not been confirmed, according to witnesses at the scene, the Jablanovics were called traitors utterly due to these actions, RTK portal reported.

Around 370 diplomas issued in Mitrovica/Mitrovicë north verified

(Klan Kosova)

Kosovo Ministry of Education has verified around 370 diplomas issued by the University of Pristina in Mitrovica/Mitrovicë North.

Verification of diplomas is being done based on the Agreement on Diplomas reached between Kosovo and Serbia during the EU-facilitated dialogue in Brussels.

Kosovo Director of the Office for Communities, Ivan Tomic, said that they have received 519 requests for verification of diplomas and until now they have managed to verify 369.

Stojanovic: Politics complicate return process

(RTK2)

While celebrating an Orthodox feast the leaving Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister, Branimir Stojanovic, said that politics complicate the return process.

According to him, the Albanian politicians and political elite do not want normalisation of relations between Serbs same as they do not want normalisation of conditions for people to return.

Austria will continue supporting Kosovo

(Most monitored broadcasters, TV21)

The President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi, met on Monday with the President of the Republic of Austria Alexander Van der Bellen in Vienna, with whom he talked about the deepening of the bilateral relations, the enhancement of regional cooperation and the intensification of the Euro-Atlantic agenda for Kosovo.

“Austria has been among the main supporting voices for Kosovo before the war, during the war and after the war. Today, it is one of the main investors in Kosovo. We want to deepen our cooperation even further,” President Thaçi said.

On the other hand, the President of Austria, Alexander Van der Bellen, said that Austria will continue supporting Kosovo.