UNMIK Headlines 13 March
EU High Representative Mogherini to visit Kosovo on 25 March (Lajmi)
The European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Federica Mogherini will visit Kosovo on 25 March, Lajmi reports. One of the issues that Mogherini will discuss with Kosovo leaders, as confirmed by Kosovo Prime Minister Isa Mustafa, will be the issue of missing persons.
EULEX denies interfering in Limaj case (dailies)
The head of the European Union Office in Kosovo / EU Special Representative Samuel Zbogar, and the head of the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX), Gabriele Meucci, on Thursday met with the chairman of the National Council of the Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA), Jakup Krasniqi. They exchanged views on recently published allegations of interference into judicial procedures involving NISMA leader Fatmir Limaj. Zbogar insisted that EU does not interfere in court decisions. Zbogar said: “EULEX is not in Kosovo to pursue any political agenda, but justice and rule of law. There are mechanisms to find out potential irregularities. Justice should never be political, but based on evidence and facts”. Meucci explained that published allegations were simply not factual. “EULEX did not interfere with the outcome of the trial. No EULEX staff member asked for protection in relation to this case. And finally, no judge from the disqualified panel will be on the new panel,” Meucci said.
NISMA says Meucci accused Koha for trying to destroy EULEX (Koha)
In a front-page story, the paper quotes Bilall Sherifi, the secretary general of the Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA), as saying that the meeting between NISMA leaders and EULEX senior officials on Thursday was tense. Sherifi said the EULEX chief Gabriele Meucci made it clear to NISMA officials that EULEX doesn’t want to conduct investigations into possible political interference in the Klecka case, because according to him there is no sufficient evidence. “He [Meucci] told us that Koha Ditore’s mission is to destroy EULEX and to force this mission to leave Kosovo. Meucci told us there is no evidence that a EULEX official has sought the status of an informer or protection. He also told us that the emails and recordings were fabricated by the reporter. He made it clear that there would be no investigations,” Sherifi added. Koha Ditore editor-in-chief Agron Bajrami writes in a reaction that this newspaper does not want the destruction and departure of EULEX. “The destruction and departure of EULEX is wanted by those who refuse to address misuses, corruption, political manipulation and other failures in EULEX, by shifting the blame to Koha Ditore,” Bajrami argues.
EU will strengthen border control (Zeri/Koha)
The European Union on Thursday reviewed new ways to strengthen the borders, after unprecedented flow of migrants travelling through the Balkans. Latvia, as the current holder of the EU, is struggling to convince the 28 member states to provide more funding and resources for border agency Fontex. "The situation is dramatic. The pressure of migration is not decreasing, but increasing," warned the Latvian Interior Minister, Rihards Kozlovskis. The EU ministers said that the priority for Kosovo must be the repatriation of those who were refused asylum. Some EU ministers said that EU countries should invest more in the Balkans in order to improve the lives of people there.
Kosovo adopts law prohibiting participation in foreign wars (dailies)
The Assembly of Kosovo on Thursday adopted law that prohibits people of Kosovo from fighting in foreign conflicts. The legislation provides for up to 15 years imprisonment for anyone violating the law and taking part in armed conflicts abroad.
Vetevendosje’s Derguti elected Assembly deputy speaker (Kosova Sot)
Aida Derguti from Vetevendosje has been elected yesterday as Assembly deputy speaker. Derguti is replacing in the post her fellow party MP, Glauk Konjufca, who resigned after taking on the leadership of the Vetevendosje parliamentary group.