Haradinaj meets Zannier, discuss integration of minorities

(KTV)

Prime Minister of Ramush Haradinaj received the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, Ambassador Lamberto Zannier, to a meeting.

Through a press release issued it was said that Haradinaj and Zannier talked about topics related to regional cooperation, integration into society and advancement of minority rights through education and growth of social welfare, KTV portal reported.

Haradinaj stressed that “Kosovo has made concrete and sustainable steps in promoting and advancing the rights of all minorities, and their integration into Kosovo’s institutions.”

The OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, Lamberto Zannier, praised Prime Minister Haradinaj’s governing dynamics in advancing the overall processes in Kosovo, particularly with good integration of all communities in Kosovo.

Jevtic and Zannier discuss protection of non-majority community rights

(RTK2) 

During Wednesday the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Communities and Return Dalibor Jevtic met the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, Lamberto Zannier.

Jevtic and Zannier discussed protection of the rights of non-majority communities in Kosovo, as well as the efforts of institutions to protect these rights.

During this meeting, the importance of equal use of the Serbian and Albanian languages, especially in the judicial system, was also emphasized, because it often happens that due to the mistranslation in Serbian the laws are also misinterpreted, which sometimes causes great damage.

It was mentioned that Offices for Communities and Return, which now belong to local self-governments, must be more proactive and accountable to the return process, since good co-operation between these offices and the ministry can contribute to addressing some of the basic issues when it comes to return.

In the meeting it was also discussed the need for implementation of Brussels agreements and greater commitment of all in resolving security and economic problems.

Minister Jevtic: Serbian must be equal to Albanian language

(RTK2) 

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Communities and Return Dalibor Jevtic met on Wednesday in Prishtinë/Pristina with the British Minister for America and Europe, Alan Duncan. British Ambassador in Kosovo, Ruairi O’Connell, was also part of the delegation of the latter.

Security problems in returnee areas and the return in general, implementation of agreements reached in Brussels, delay in establishment of Association of Serb Majority Municipalities, language rights of Serb people in Kosovo, were the topics discussed by two officials during Wednesday’s meeting.

Serbian, as the official language, must be equal to the Albanian language, and this is one of the future things that will be worked on because the situation is such that the Law on the Use Languages in Kosovo is not being respected. In this meeting it was concluded that it is important to work on this issue not only from practical, but also because of traditional reasons.

In this context, the British Minister Duncan said that it is very important to respect the rights of non-majority communities in Kosovo, as this is the key to progress of every society.

“The issue of return in general should be an issue that all institutions in Kosovo need to deal with,” Minister Jevtic said, adding that the return was largely hindered by economic and security problems.

Jevtic informed Duncan that as far sa the current Government of Kosovo is concerned, it is positive that this Government has a better attitude when it comes to resolving the problem of non-majority communities.

At the meeting it was concluded that the Brussels agreements must be respected, which implies their full implementation. 

“Establishment of the Association of Serb Municipalities is a key Brussels agreement that has to be implemented as soon as possible. Nearly 1700 days have passed since the signing of this agreement, and not a single day of concrete work to implement this agreement,” Minister Jevtic underlined.

Britain promises support for Kosovo’s membership in EU

(All monitored broadcasters, KTV)

Although Britain is in the process of leaving EU, this state pledges it will continue to support Kosovo for the EU membership. 

In his visit to Kosovo, Britain’s Minister of State for Europe and America, Sir Alan Duncan, was received by leaders of country’s institutions, to whom he pledged support on the European integration, KTV reported.

He said that the UK’s focus is to help Balkan states fight organized crime, hoping to work with Kosovo in this area.

Duncan said that even though they are leaving the EU, they still want to cooperate with the EU and want a strong EU.

On the other hand, Prime Minister of Kosovo Ramush Haradinaj considered Duncan’s visit as positive, saying that good relations between Kosovo and the United Kingdom have been renewed with this visit.

British Minister of State for Europe and America on Wednesday also met with Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi.

Fifty-eight deputy ministers of Haradinaj Government, burden to budget

(KTV) 

Ministry of Innovation has been founded, but Besim Beqaj’s ministry does not even have a website on internet. However, this ministry has a deputy minister, who has been appointed on Tuesday from the PDK ranks.

Bujar Cakolli is just one of the 58 deputy ministers nominated so far by Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj.

The long list of those who have been ‘settled’ in this state-run position will continue.

No deputy of the Ministers of Trade, Justice, Public Administration and Infrastructure has yet been appointed.

Based on the online data and data of some ministries that have responded to KTV’s questions, currently the Ministry of Education has most deputy ministers. Muharrem Nitaj, Arbër Geci, Bajrush Sezairi, Mustafë Myrtaj and Heset Sahiti are deputies of Shyqiri Bytyqi of Nisma për Kosovën.

According to property declaration data, a deputy minister is paid about one-thousand and one hundred euros basic salary. 58 deputy ministers and two of their administrative staff cost Kosovo taxpayers more than 110 thousand euros per month.

According to the Kosovo Bureau of Statistics, about 18 percent of the population live in poverty with only 1.82 euros per day, while 5.2 percent in extreme poverty with only 1.30 euros per day.

Many of the deputy ministers have been appointed after their failures to be elected as mayors, as is the case of Fatmir Gashi of AAK in Pejë/Pec, Faruk Nura in Viti/Vitina and Heset Sahiti of Nisma in Lipjan/Lipljane.

Haradinaj has about 60 days in Prime Minister’s post, while his government has been characterized by overall growth in its positions. In addition, ministries and deputy prime ministers have been added to the Government of Kosovo with the arrival of Haradinaj at its head.

281 is the total number of employees in Ramush Haradinaj’s cabinet. His press office has confirmed that appointment of deputy ministers has not been completed and new appointments are expected, as stated in its reply, in the departments where necessary.

Only 6 per cent of women employed in Government of Kosovo

(KTV) 

After the end of the war in Kosovo, Nazlie Musliu returned from Germany and for 14 consecutive years she has been seeking for a job. Although she had the adequate training and attended many courses, she hardly managed to get employed four years ago. She says she was not employed many times only because she was a woman, KTV reported.

Although from all public universities the largest number of graduates is females, in employment women are not being supported enough in Kosovo, KTV continued.

A research by the GAP Institute, which deals with employment and representation of women in Kosovo, shows that 94% of the employees in the Government of Kosovo are men, and only 6% are women.

According to this research, the private sector is not in a better situation either. Moreover, GAP considers it the most negligent sector toward women noting that it calls vacancies with requirements which imply that the vacancy is only called for males.

Luljeta Demolli, director at the Centre for Gender Studies, says the state should also create jobs for women, as in most cases they happen to be far more successful than men.

According to statistics of this research, 4 thousand and 587 women graduated last year while only 2 thousand and 640 males did so. But the number of employed males is 48%, while employed females are only 12.7%. 

Legislation Committee asks Government to decide on Bar Commission names

(KTV)

The Assembly of Kosovo does not take into consideration the request of Minister of Justice to retract from procedure the decision with the names proposed for the Bar Examination Commission.

The Legislation and Mandate Committee has asked the Government to clarify what it wants to do with its proposal for the Bar Commission, as the request of Minister of Justice is out of the Assembly’s regulation procedure.

Committee’s chairwoman Albulena Haxhiu said that Minister of Justice has sent three letters to the Committee, but none of them can be considered grounded.

Other members of the Committee also gave their opinions on the request of Minister of Justice.

Nevertheless, the Committee decided to discuss names of members of Bar Examination Commission next week, after the government will clarify what it will do with them.

The Legislation and Mandate Committee will also discuss the proposal of independent MP, Korab Sejdiu, to also have representatives of Kosovo Bar Association within the Bar Examination Commission.

Court of Appeal acquits its former President

(Most monitored broadcasters, KTV)

The Court of Appeals has acquitted former President of the Court of Appeals Salih Mekaj of charges of misuse of official duty, where three other persons are also charged with the criminal offense of bribery.

“At this point, the indictment has been dismissed and the criminal proceedings have been terminated, as there is insufficient evidence to support the well-grounded suspicion that he has committed this criminal offense,” the Court of Appeal’s announcement reads.

The trial will continue for other points of the indictment. Former President of the Court of Appeals, Salih Mekaj, allegedly met some people in an attempt to repay a 200,000 euro debt for a member of his family.