UNMIK Headlines 13 January
Thaci in Tirana: Kosovo has stable government (dailies)
Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Hashim Thaci, said yesterday in Tirana that the current coalition in Kosovo was formed with goodwill and represents the majority of the people. He said the coalition has involved all communities in Kosovo and is focused on economic development and European prospects. Thaci made the comments after meeting Albanian Foreign Minister Ditmir Bushati.
Serbian Prime Minister to visit Kosovo (Zeri)
Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic will visit Kosovo on Wednesday along with two other ministers: Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic and Defence Minister Branislav Gasic. Vucic will participate in the inauguration of the Gynecological Hospital in Pasjan, in the municipality of Gjilan/Gnjilane, and will visit some nearby Serb-inhabited areas.
Tahiri: If the EU doesn’t act, we’ll use the “force of law” (Zeri)
Minister without portfolio Edita Tahiri said in an interview for Radio Free Europe that Kosovo institutions are coordinating with the European Union on how to respond to Serbia’s continuing appointments of parallel municipal officials in Kosovo. Tahiri said that if the EU does not act on the issue, Kosovo institutions will use the “force of law” to deal with these cases. The Kosovo government has informed the EU that Serbia is violating the Brussels Agreement.
Jablanovic: I never heard of massacres in Kosovo (Koha Ditore)
Kosovo’s Minister for Communities and Returns, Aleksandar Jablanovic, told KTV that he was not aware that massacres were committed in Kosovo during the 1998-99 conflict. Jablanovic said he was a teenager at the time and that there was no fighting in Leposavic, where he was living. He also said that Prime Minister Isa Mustafa had not called him to ask for clarifications of his recent criticism of people protesting in Gjakova/Djakovica against the visit of Serbian pilgrims during Orthodox Christmas.
Veseli to replace Thaci (Zeri)
Zeri reports on its front page that Kosovo Assembly Speaker Kadri Veseli wants to lead the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) in 2016, when the current leader, Hashim Thaci, expects to become President of Kosovo. The paper writes that Veseli already has his supporters working intensively within the PDK to achieve this.
Intelligence chief to be dismissed (Bota Sot)
The head of the Kosovo Intelligence Agency (KIA), Bashkim Smakaj, is expected to be dismissed from his post this week. Sources told KTV that Kosovo government officials have asked Smakaj to resign, and if he doesn’t do so, he will be dismissed. The decision came after several Agency scandals.