• Punishment of corrupt officials demanded at OSCE conference (All monitored broadcasters, RTK1& KTV)
• Fajon: EU losing credibility, Kosovo citizens losing hope (RTK1)
• Avramopoulos: Kosovars deserve visa liberalisation (KTV)
• Swiss Ambassador: We pay your water supply, you pay fake veterans (All monitored broadcasters, KTV)
• Serbia trying to destabilise Kosovo, according to intelligence report (GazetaExpress)
• More suspected policemen in the case of minor in Gllogoc/Glogovac (KTV)
• Rrahim Hashimi summoned by Specialist Chambers (KTV)
• Kosovo readies for census 2021 (GazetaExpress)

Punishment of corrupt officials demanded at OSCE conference

(All monitored broadcasters, RTK1& KTV)

Punishment of corrupt officials was demanded at the conference on prevention and fighting of high-level and grand corruption, which was organised by the OSCE.

“It should also be clear to everyone that corrupt stakeholders involved in ‘grand corruption’ cases should not get away unpunished. There should be no impunity for this corruption, and as time passes we can see that corruption acts are combatted in different local institutions. Lastly, allow me to highlight that our common goal is nothing else but to increase the fierce resistance against ‘high-level’ and ‘grand’ corruption, being so highly damaging to the economy, society and the institutions,” Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Ambassador Jan Braathu stated.

In the meantime, RTK quoted Ambassador Braathu to have said: “Based on our observations, the number of cases involving those abusing with their official position has declined from 168 in 2016, to 127 in 2017, and to 122 in 2018.  This downward trend does not imply success.”

Ambassador Braathu said that the OSCE Mission was committed to supporting Kosovo Government in fighting corruption.

“As a new state we must make no compromises to the prevention and fighting of this phenomenon. The rule of law and good governance, aimed to fight negative phenomena, including corruption in all levels, nurture economic development and regulate the wellbeing of citizens,” said Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi, KTV reported.

Other remarks by President Thaçi, as posted on his official website, can be read at: https://www.president-ksgov.net/en/news/president-thaci-fighting-of-corruption-to-be-set-as-a-priority-above-all-other-priorities

Fajon: EU losing credibility, Kosovo citizens losing hope

(RTK1)

On Wednesday, the European Parliament discussed visa liberalisation for Kosovo citizens. In their discussions, the EU representatives expressed different views concerning visa regime for Kosovo.

Rapporteur for Kosovo to the European Parliament Tanja Fajon said that the EU has failed to keep its promises to Kosovo.

“The increase of radicalism is not related to travel restriction, especially for youth and for visiting purposes. But yes, the increase of radicalism may be a result of Kosovo’s isolation and frustration, since the EU failed to fulfil its promise,” she said.

“If today you say that Kosovo has not met the requirements, you are simply lying, you are being irresponsible,” Fajon added.

In addition, on a Twitter post Fajon stated that Europe is losing credibility, and citizens of Kosovo are losing hope.

After the discussions, the European Parliament on Thursday is expected to vote next steps of this process.

Avramopoulos: Kosovars deserve visa liberalisation

(KTV)

On Wednesday evening, the European Parliament discussed visa liberalisation process.

At the meeting, the EU Commissioner for Migration Dimitris Avramopoulos said that Kosovo deserves liberalisation.

“I am glad that the European Parliament recognises the importance of free movement for Kosovo. This is not only about being fair and recognising their efforts; it is about stability in the region, as well. The entire region should have a European perspective,” Avramopulos said.

Swiss Ambassador: We pay your water supply, you pay fake veterans

(All monitored broadcasters, KTV)

The Swiss Ambassador to Kosovo Jean-Hubert Lebet was firm on Wednesday in Skenderaj/Srbica.

Although he came to inaugurate a project funded by his state, Lebet said it was not normal that his Government funds projects, whereas Kosovo pays fake veterans.

“It is not normal that the Swiss Government funds the water supply system here, because we know that there is money in this country, too. We know that the estimation of this project is 2.5 percent of the budget amount for war veterans. If the money is saved and fake veterans are not funded, you will be able to construct more than one water supply system. It is very strange to see that in this country there are three times more civil servants than in the regional countries. It has been done enough in improving public administration, but more work is needed in this respect,” Jean-Hubert Lebet said.

But a quick reaction was addressed by the Kosovo Assembly Speaker Kadri Veseli, who attended the event.

Veseli said that in the area where the water supply system was being inaugurated, there are many true fighters who used to be KLA members.

The water supply system that was inaugurated on Wednesday, will supply ten villages in Skënderaj/Srbica municipality. Over 11,000 residents will benefit from the project, which cost around 1.23 million euro.

Serbia trying to destabilise Kosovo, according to intelligence report

(GazetaExpress)

After chief of Kosovo Intelligence Agency (KIA), Shpend Maxhuni, reported before members of the Parliament’s Committee on supervision of the KIA, chairman of the Committee Faton Topalli said they were briefed of overall security situation in Kosovo.

“According to reports of the KIA director, the security situation in Kosovo appears calm but fragile with Serbia trying to destabilise the country, but the KIA has already informed the President, Prime Minister and is cooperating with other institutions to prevent any deterioration of situation,” Topalli told media after the Committee’s meeting.

According to Topalli Serbia’s tendencies to destabilise Kosovo are open and visible to public opinion and country’s institutions.

More suspected policemen in the case of minor in Gllogoc/Glogovac

(KTV)

Investigations in the Gllogoc/Glogovac case, where a police investigator was suspected to have been involved in abusing a minor girl, have been expanded.

The Kosovo Police General Director Rashit Qalaj said at the Assembly Committee for Police Performance Oversight that the Police Inspectorate has requested not to take measures in this case, as there are more persons under investigation.

Talking about the police officers who received disability pensions, Qalaj said that a detailed scrutiny found that they were healthy.

He explained that Afrim Karagja was suspended because of unauthorised access to confidential documents of the Kosovo Police, not because of making the information public.

According to Qalaj, Law on Police Pensions is vital, given that their average age currently is 45.

The Assembly Committee postponed discussion of the enquiry report on the Kosovo Police Inspectorate.

Vetëvendosje MP Rexhep Selimi was against the postponement, saying that there have been tendencies to influence the enquiry report. He qualified those tendencies as illegal.

Tendencies to influence the report findings were also confirmed by MP Labinot Tahiri. He said that two MPs and one official called him and asked him not to attend the Committee meeting, so that the report cannot be voted.

The Assembly Security Committee launched an investigation on overseeing legality at the Kosovo Police Inspectorate one year ago, following the reports of many scandals in this institution.

Rrahim Hashimi summoned by Specialist Chambers

(KTV)

Rrahim Hashimi, a former fighter of KLA Delta Commando Forces, Brigade 138-Drenica Operative Zone, has been summoned by the Specialist Chambers.

He stated that he has been summoned as a suspect.

“I will show up before that body on 9th April 2019 in The Hague,” he said.

He made these statements at the press conference organised by the KLA war veterans’ organisations.

Kosovo readies for census 2021

(GazetaExpress)

Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister, Enver Hoxhaj, received on Wednesday Eurostat Director Eduardo Barredo Capelo to discuss second census in Kosovo set to be held in 2021.

Hoxhaj thanked Eduardo Barredo Capelo, who is Director for methodology, corporate statistical and IT services in Eurostat, on the work done so far as part of preparations for the upcoming census, emphasising that the drafting of the Law on Kosovo Population and Housing Census is ongoing.

“Received this morning Director for Methodology, Dissemination, co-op in Eurostat System, Eduardo Barredo Capelot, on the upcoming census in 2021. Briefed him on the work done and expressed gratitude for supporting Kosovo’s Agency of Statistics,” Hoxhaj wrote in Twitter.

Hoxhaj briefed the Eurostat delegation on amending/supplementing the Law on Official Statistics of the Republic of Kosovo, in compliance with the European Parliament Regulation.