Kosovo has new president – and the fight continues (Deutsche Welle/Telegrafi)
Hashim Thaci is ascending to Kosovo’s highest office. National unity has unraveled since the country declared independence in 2008, and many doubt that Thaci can hold things together, Deutsche Welle’s Vilma Filaj-Ballvora writes. “Massive resistance to a legislature’s decision is not a sign of good things to come: Sharpshooters and special police units protected Kosovo’s […]
Read More →Kosovo top court finds parts of EU-sponsored deal with Serbia unconstitutional (Deutsche Welle)
Kosovo’s Constitutional Court has found parts of a deal between Serbia and its former province illegal. The deal has sparked a political crisis in Kosovo. http://www.dw.com/en/kosovo-top-court-finds-parts-of-eu-sponsored-deal-with-serbia-unconstitutional/a-18937945
Read More →UNMIK Headlines 26 November
• Biden: Kosovo-Serbia agreements historic (dailies)
• Kerry will meet with Jahjaga, Mustafa, Veseli and Thaci (dailies)
• Serbia aims at taking control over Kosovo’s airspace (Koha Ditore)
• EU: PM’s initiative to be used to reestablish dialogue (Koha Ditore)
• Thaci: Opposition should apologize (Zeri)
• Ymeri: We want the power only through votes (Kosova Sot)
• Limaj: Government is contributing to crisis (Kosova Sot)
• Deda: Government and opposition will agree (Epoka e Re)
• Veseli: There is no room for Wahhabi criminals in our country (RTK)
Chill returns to Kosovo and Serbia (Deutsche Welle)
Kosovo’s Constitutional Court has suspended an agreement with Serbia negotiated with the support of the EU. The move marks a significant new deterioration in the relations between the two countries. http://www.dw.com/en/chill-returns-to-kosovo-and-serbia/a-18850857
Read More →Germany mulls asylum reform (DW)
Germany wants to add Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro to a list of “safe” countries. The move would make it easier to deport people whose asylum requests have been rejected. Refugee groups have criticized the plans. http://www.dw.com/en/germany-mulls-asylum-reform/av-18749957
Read More →Kosovo’s premier pelted with eggs during parliamentary speech (DW)
Kosovo’s opposition lawmakers have thrown eggs at Prime Minister Isa Mustafa, protesting against the government’s deal with former master Serbia to give the minority Serb population greater local powers. http://www.dw.com/en/kosovos-premier-pelted-with-eggs-during-parliamentary-speech/a-18730845
Read More →The failure of the political elite in the Balkans (Deutsche Welle)
War, hunger and torture are no longer commonplace in Kosovo, Albania, Serbia and Macedonia. For a decade and a half now, the states of the former Yugoslavia and their neighbors have been living in peace. Croatia and Slovenia have joined the European Union. The other Balkan countries have been working toward membership for years. Read […]
Read More →The hazy notion of safe countries of origin (DW)
In order to cut down the number of asylum applications, three Balkan states are set to be labeled as safe countries of origin. Yet Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro struggle with enormous problems. http://www.dw.com/en/the-hazy-notion-of-safe-countries-of-origin/a-18648450
Read More →Germany urged to deter Balkan asylum claims (Deutsche Welle)
German politicians have called for measures to deter people from the Balkans from seeking asylum in Germany. Only a tiny percentage are ever granted asylum, with many deemed to be economic migrants. Volker Kauder, a senior member of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU), said Balkan citizens with little prospect of asylum should be sent […]
Read More →Kosovo and Montenegro favor “safe country of origin” status (Deutsche Welle)
The leaders of Kosovo and Montenegro have said they believe Germany should designate their countries as “safe” countries of origin. This status should make it more difficult for people to be granted asylum in Germany. According to a report published in Tuesday’s edition of the German business daily “Handelsblatt,” both Kosovo’s Prime Minister Isa Mustafa […]
Read More →Germany shuts out refugees with ‘safe’ states list (Deutsche Welle)
With refugee numbers on the rise, German political parties have been wrangling once again over which Balkan states to add to its list of “safe countries of origin.” But whether there is any point to it is another matter. As conflicts abroad become refugee panics at home, Angela Merkel’s government is reaching for time-worn methods […]
Read More →UNMIK Headlines 13 July
• Kosovo leadership assures Nuland on special court’s establishment (dailies)
• Special court at Assembly this week? (Epoka e Re)
• Ymeri: Imposition for establishment of special court, unacceptable (Epoka)
• Terrorism suspects were planning to poison water supply (Zeri/Kosova Sot)
• Tahiri: Ibar River barricade to be removed on 1 October (dailies)
• Kosovo-Montenegro border demarcation agreement reached (Koha)