UNMIK Headlines 13 April
Thaci: Let us strengthen our state identity (media)
On the occasion of the eighth anniversary of the endorsement of the Constitution of Kosovo, President Hashim Thaci said that he would encourage political parties and the civil society of Kosovo to undertake the required actions to fulfil the dream of pride for the state and strengthen state identity. “The Constitution of Kosovo has its roots in the Vienna compromise and the creation of defense mechanisms for the minority communities. Kosovo is an independent and sovereign republic thank to this compromise and it is not moral today, eight years after we gained the most sacred and greatest result of our history, our independent state, to avoid our obligations,” Thaci said. Kosova Sot highlights Thaci’s statement that “people with criminal records and indictments will have no place in Kosovo’s institutions or agencies”. Thaci also said that the fight against terrorism will continue and that Kosovo’s Criminal Code will be improved. Meanwhile Kosovo’s Prime Minister Isa Mustafa said that respecting the Constitution must be an obligation for all citizens and institutions.
Haliti: PDK won’t have red lines after elections (Epoka e Re)
Member of the leadership of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Xhavit Haliti, told the paper that his party has no reason to refuse cooperation with any political party after the future elections. He said that when it comes to the interests of Kosovo, PDK is ready to cooperate with each political party. Haliti assessed as positive the readiness of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) and the Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA) to be open to PDK as well after elections, saying that these political parties know each other well and that they have nothing to hide. According to him, PDK’s coalition with the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) is functioning well for now. He said that at the moment that coalition parties would have functioning disagreements, they would hold meetings also with other the parties in order to overcome problems.
Opposition participates at the commission for SAA (Epoka e Re)
The Commission for Stabilization Association Agreement, established a few days ago at the Assembly of Kosovo, held on Tuesday its constitutive meeting, where MPs from the opposition parties were also present. Head of the Parliamentary Group of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), Pal Lekaj, justified participation of the opposition at this meeting by saying that the SAA exceeds party interests. The Commission endorsed at this meeting the working regulation and draft-agenda of the first meeting between Kosovo and the EU, which will be held on 16 and 17 May, in Pristina.
Collaku travels to Strasbourg for visa liberalization process (Bota Sot)
Kosovo’s European Integration Minister, Bekim Collaku, yesterday travelled to Strasbourg where he will meet with EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement, Johannes Hahn and also with European Parliament Members to discuss the visa liberalization process for Kosovo.
There is progress, but no date yet on visa liberalization for Kosovo (Koha)
The paper reports on its front page that Brussels has no timeline yet on visa liberalization for Kosovo’s citizens. EU officials in Brussels told the paper that they are waiting for the assessments of their experts that visited Kosovo recently. They also believe there has been progress in six out of the eight remaining requirements, but that there is no date yet for visa liberalization. Unnamed diplomatic sources also told the paper that Kosovo would have to provide concrete evidence in the fight against high-level corruption and organized crime.
Seselj cancelled visit to Mitrovica (Zeri)
Serbian nationalist leader Vojislav Seselj yesterday has cancelled his planned to Mitrovica after Kosovo authorities threatened that he will be arrested if he enters the territory of Kosovo. Seselj addressed his supporters in Mitrovica over the phone and said that he was prevented from visiting Mitrovica by Pristina and Belgrade.
Agency chief bans reporter from covering media event (Koha)
In one of its front-page stories, the paper reports that the chief of the Kosovo Medicines Agency (KMA) Jeton Shala, banned the paper’s reporter, Saranda Ramaj, from covering Prime Minister Isa Mustafa’s visit to the KMA on Tuesday even though there was an open invitation to the media. Asked to comment on the matter, KMA chief Shala said there was a conflict of interest at stake. The reporter, however, argued that the decision to ban her from the event come after a series of articles on how Shala obtained his pharmacist license and about investigations against Shala who is suspected of stealing medicines and laptops from the KMA. The Association of Kosovo’s Journalists issued a reaction condemning Shala’s decision to ban Koha Ditore’s reporter from the event.