Headlines-13022016

No Assembly session prior to 17 February (Klan Kosova)

Kosovo Prime Minister Isa Mustafa and his deputy Hashim Thaci yesterday met with Quint ambassadors to discuss the election of the president, Klan Kosova reports. Reportedly, the ambassadors did not agree that the extraordinary session of the presidential election be held during this weekend or the beginning of next week. International sources told the news site there will be no session prior to 17 February when the opposition parties are expected to protest against the government.  According to the source, the internationals want to give another opportunity to the opposition parties to reflect on the situation and participate in the session.

Opposition: Thaci’s career depends on the LDK (Koha Ditore)

The role of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) in the process of electing the president is being seen as very important by the opposition parties, who say the PDK leader Hashim Thaci’s career depends on the LDK MPs. Opposition representatives urge the protection of the LDK MPs from pressure to vote Thaci for president. Unnamed sources told the paper that a number of LDK MPs who were unhappy with the coalition agreement were convinced to stay in the hall during the session for president’s election. Vetevendosje Movement spokesperson Frasher Krasniqi said if Thaci is elected president, the opposition will challenge the decision at the Constitutional Court. Despite this, the government has continued final preparations for the session.

Delawie: Political crisis in Kosovo is manufactured (dailies/VoA)

The United States Ambassador to Kosovo, Greg Delawie, told Voice of America the current political crisis in Kosovo is manufactured. He also said the US Embassy officials are willing to meet with all political parties that renounce violence. “I have to say this is a manufactured crisis.  I don’t think it’s a real crisis.  The problem is that the opposition, which failed to achieve its objectives at the ballot box less than two years ago, is now trying to use violence to achieve its objectives.  The best way out of the political crisis is for the opposition to allow the Assembly, the Members of Parliament that were elected by the people of Kosovo to do their job, to meet in the Assembly and to begin to focus on the important issues that face Kosovo citizens,” Delawie said.
Read the full interview: http://pristina.usembassy.gov/voa_interview_2122016.html

Mustafa: No one can diminish the celebration of independence (Kosovapress)

Kosovo Prime Minister Isa Mustafa said today Kosovo is not yet the place everyone dreamed for but everyone needs to gather the positive energy to turn Kosovo on the path to stability and prosperity. Through a Facebook post Mustafa said no one can diminish the celebration of Kosovo’s independence on 17 February. “I invite you to demonstrate maturity and refuse the possible tendencies of acquiring squares and celebrations for the narrow political interests,” Mustafa said.

EU welcomes the agreement on new premises for the Ombudsperson (dailies)

The EU Office in Kosovo/EU Special Representative welcomed the agreement on the new premises for the Ombudsperson signed between the Ombudsperson and the Government of Kosovo yesterday. “On this occasion, we thank Ombudsperson Hilmi Jashari for his constructive approach in finding a solution for the premises. This is an important precondition for the Ombudsperson to be able to carry out his constitutional role of protecting human rights and freedoms of citizens and institutions from unlawful and irregular actions or inactions of the public authorities. We also appreciate the Government’s effort to resolve this long-standing Stabilisation and Association Agreement Feasibility Study commitment, which is also a visa liberalisation recommendation, and expresses hope that the remaining visa liberalisation recommendations will be met shortly.”