LDK and PDK object results in Prishtinë/Pristina, Prizren, and Dragash/Dragas
(KTV)
Political parties are waiting for the Central Election Commission (CEC) to announce final election results, before initiating legal procedures for objecting the results in some municipalities.
LDK objects the result in Prishtinë/Pristina and Dragash/Dragas, and PDK in Prizren.
CEC will announce final results of mayoral elections on Wednesday. However, some political parties have announced that they will not accept the result, and they will continue to file complaints to relevant institutions.
PDK vice chairperson Memli Krasniqi said that after publication of election results, legal procedures will be followed.
PDK claims that its candidate in Prizren, Shaqir Totaj, has been damaged versus his opponent from Vetëvendosje, Mytaher Haskuka, who, according to CEC, won elections in this municipality.
Krasniqi believes that the PDK Branch in Prizren has sufficient evidence to prove irregularities during the election or count process.
LDK also has announced that it will object election results in Prishtinë/Pristina and Dragash/Dragas municipalities.
According to CEC, the LDK candidate Arban Abrashi lost in Prishtinë/Pristina with a small difference of votes versus Shpend Ahmeti of vetëvendosje.
In a press release, LDK explained that it would employ all constitutional and legal mechanisms, in order to protect citizens’ will, which was expressed in local elections, particularly in the cases where irregularities have been found, such as in Prishtinë/Pristina and Dragash/Dragas.
On the other hand, Vetëvendosje vice chairperson Dardan Sejdiu told Radio Free Europe that what was seen on the runoff Election Day 19th November, cannot be undone by any grumpy leader or entity. He said that those who lost should accept the reality.
According to Sejdiu, the process can no longer be blocked, since other political parties have already used all legal resources available.
Basic Court rejects VV request for recusal of judges
(KTV)
Four Vetëvendosje MPs will face the same judicial panel in the 1st December trial session. This is because President of the Basic Court in Prishtinë/Pristina Aferdita Bytyqi rejected their motion for recusal of the judicial panel in this case.
The motion was considered hasty even by Haxhi Millaku, defence lawyer of MP Faton Topalli; nevertheless, Millaku does not exclude the possibility that the motion may be brought forward at a later stage.
Vetëvendosje Movement considered that judicial panel political, because the same panel judged the Movement’s activists, who were accused and sentenced for terrorism.
Consent of both sides required for US involvement in dialogue
(RTK1)
Both Prishtinë/Pristina and Belgrade must give their respective consent on whatever change in format of the dialogue on normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia. This was stated by Maja Kocijancic, spokesperson to the EU Foreign Policy Chief, Federica Mogherini. According to Kocijancic, this implies also the possibility of a greater US involvement in the discussion table.
“EU is the dialogue facilitator. It is up to both sides to agree about the content, format, speed, or agenda,” Kocijancic told journalists.
She added that Brussels and Washington cooperate closely about all activities in the Western Balkans, including the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue.
Kosovo facing challenges on its EU integration path
(Klan Kosova)
Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj appeared to be quite optimistic when he was asked about Kosovo’s integration path last Saturday in Korça, Albania. But Naim Rashiti of the Balkans Group has the knowledge that Kosovo will be assessed negatively in February next year, when the EU will publish its Expansion Strategy. According to him, Serbia, Albania, Macedonia, and Bosnia will receive recommendations for progress in the integration process.
“The EU officials continuously complain about a lack of political will in consolidation of institutions, lack of meeting the requirements and reform,” Rashiti said.
Rashiti thinks that Kosovo should be more demanding. In his opinion, non-ratification of Demarcation has no effect in this respect.
“One should not discuss visa liberalisation in the Expansion Strategy. Liberalisation is a separate, short-term process, and Kosovo should not allow itself to be satisfied with the visa liberalisation from the Strategy,” Rashiti highlighted.
However, former Minister of EU Integration Mimoza Ahmetaj thinks that Kosovo and Serbia should not even be compared in this respect.
“The Strategy speaks for each country individually. Any comparison between Kosovo and Serbia is not in line with the reality. Next year, it will be ten years since Serbia signed the Stabilisation Association Agreement,” Ahmetaj explained.
According to Ahmetaj, it is important that Kosovo institutions come up with an accurate programme in the Summit which will take place in May 2018 in Sofia. The Summit will gather the Western Balkan countries to discuss their EU integration path.
Protest held in Prishtinë/Pristina against Kumanovo case verdict
(Most monitored broadcasters, KTV)
Many citizens and relatives in Kumanovo case protested at Skanderbeg Square in Prishtinë/Pristina. They expressed their dissatisfaction with the sentences imposed by the Court in Skopje.
Osman Bilalli of the KLA War Values Organisation said that the sentences were unfair.
Mother of Valdet Zekaj, who has been sentenced to life imprisonment, joined other relatives of the convicted, to protest against the sentences.
On behalf of war emerging associations, Muhamet Bilalli demanded freedom for the convicted persons.
