Headlines-11062016

Kosovo government against Sunny Valley (dailies)

Kosovo government through a press release said it considers as unacceptable the attempts to initiate construction of the project called the Sunny Valley in the north. “The Government has been informed by the relevant ministers for these illegal acts and charged the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning and the Ministry for Returns and Communities, in cooperation with the municipality of Zvečan/Zveçan, to take appropriate measures to terminate such actions and fulfil all legal requirements,” reads a press release issued by the government. “The Government of Kosovo also considers as unacceptable the involvement of the Government of Serbia by encouraging certain municipalities of Kosovo to take illegal actions and damage the relations between the citizens of Kosovo. The Government of Kosovo is committed to establish normal conditions for all its citizens and their return to their homes, regardless of their ethnicity. This process will be possible and sustainable only by respecting laws that provide security and stability for all citizens and in line with EU integration processes.”

Haliti: Serbia has the right to help Serb citizens in Kosovo (Koha)

Kosovo Assembly Deputy Speaker and senior member of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Xhavit Haliti, was quoted as saying for Pristina-based Kosovapress that Serbia has the right to build and to help Serb citizens in Kosovo. "I have my own opinion in accordance with the Ahtisaari Agreement and the Constitution of Kosovo, Serbia has the right to build and help the Kosovo Serb citizens in many areas, including infrastructure. Therefore, I would wish that the environment in the north to be suitable for northern Albanians as it should be for the Serbs in the south, to live together and be all Kosovars,” Haliti said.  Regarding the construction permit, Haliti said the Municipal Assemblies give permits, and if they are not in accordance with the spatial plan of Mitrovica, then the Ministry of Environment can react.

Fajon: Border-demarcation, absolute condition for visa liberalization (RFE)

The European Parliament rapporteur on visa liberalisation for Kosovo, Tanja Fajon, urged the Kosovo Assembly to as soon as possible ratify the agreement on border-demarcation with Montenegro, in order for the visa liberalisation process to open.  Fajon told Radio Free Europe that after numerous conversations in the European Commission, the ratification of the border-demarcation agreement with Montenegro was finally set as the absolute condition for visa liberalisation for Kosovo. “In its last report the European Commission said very clearly that Kosovo Assembly must ratify the border-demarcation agreement with Montenegro, before being granted visa liberalisation. Recently I’ve had a number of discussions with the European Commission and other institutions and I urge Kosovo to ratify this agreement as soon as possible, because otherwise we will not be able to proceed further, not even with the vote in the European Parliament,” Fajon said.

Still no support for visa liberalisation for Kosovo in the EU (Koha Ditore)

The paper reports that on Friday the hopes in Kosovo that the European Union would approve the visa liberalisation by summer have faded, amid new concerns raised by EU member states.  While there are no problems foreseen in the European Parliament because there is a clear support from the majority, the paper argues that problems may arise in the Council where there are some countries still reluctant to support Kosovo, Georgia, Ukraine and Turkey.  It was during the meeting of interior ministers of the European Union that took place on Thursday in Luxembourg, where some ministers expressed reservations and suggested that they receive some additional clarification before final decisions are taken. According to a Wall Street Journal report published also by media in Kosovo, EU officials and diplomats now say that September appears to be the earliest date that EU governments and the European Parliament could sign off the agreements.