Headlines - 15.04.2016

EULEX to remain in Kosovo beyond June (Koha)

The EU rule of law mission (EULEX) will remain in Kosovo beyond 14 June when its current mandate is set to expire, reports the paper on the front page. Sources said the EU doesn’t plan to close down its mission in Kosovo but is nevertheless ready to halve its staff and retain the mandate redefined two years ago. “The Kosovo leadership has expressed readiness to, in the worst case scenario, have EULEX downsized to an advisory mission for the rule of law, justice and customs authorities but also facilitate in the implementation of Brussels Agreements,” said a Kosovo government source adding that it is likely EULEX will retain its executive component.

EU plans to adopt special court’s budget by June (Koha)

The paper reports that European Union member states have not yet determined the financial costs needed for the functioning of the specialized chambers and as a result, the selection of the staff that would work in this mechanism has not yet been carried out. Officials from the EU Office in Kosovo said that the budget for the special court is undergoing standard procedures within relevant EU structures and will finally require the approval of the European Council. “This process is ongoing as planned and is expected to be finalized by the first half of 2016,” said the EU Office in a reply to the paper.

Mustafa is waiting for Veseli’s proposals on changes at government (Lajmi)

The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa, said on Tuesday during his visit to Kamenica that he is awaiting Kadri Veseli’s return from the visit in U.S.  in order to reformat the government. Asked whether he is planning to visit municipalities in the north, Mustafa said that he has foreseen such visit for the next month.

Thaci: Committed to justice reforms and combating corruption (dailies)

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci yesterday commented on the annual US State Department report on human rights saying that such evaluations are welcomed.  “The report noted the obstruction of the work of the Assembly, sometimes with violence.  It is welcomed the fact that there is no more violence. Even more welcome is the reaction of Kosovo society, which refused to accept violence as a means to achieve political goals. We proved that violence has no place in Kosovo.  As president, I will commit to strengthening the rule of law, continuing and accelerating reforms in justice and to combat corruption wherever that occurs in our society. The report should serve as a guide for all those who commit themselves to promotion and protection of human rights and freedoms,” Thaci wrote on his Facebook account.

AAK doesn’t rule out prospects of coalition with NISMA (Bota Sot)

Following the statement by the Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA) senior official Bilall Sherifi that the party could enter a pre-election coalition with the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), officials at the AAK did not rule out the possibility of such a union. Muharrem Nitaj, AAK spokesperson, said NISMA is a serious party and could be “an excellent partner in the opposition journey or even in a possible pre-election coalition.”

Opposition: Elections prior to election reform (Zeri)

The paper on its front page today reports that representatives of the opposition parties say that election reform can be done only after early elections in Kosovo. They oppose the initiative of the ruling-coalition partners who are discussing the election reform and closing the election lists. According to the opposition, the current legislature has no legitimacy to take decisions, while civil society representatives say that the initiative for election reform should be more inclusive and that various social groups, political parties and citizens must be consulted on the matter.

Thaci promises to Delawie to fight corruption (Epoka e Re)

The President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, hosted today a meeting with the Ambassador of the United States in Kosovo, Greg Delawie. Thaci expressed appreciation for the support of the U.S. as the main partner of Kosovo, for the excellent cooperation. He informed Delawie that he will engage on reforms of the justice sector, fighting of corruption and discrimination as well as on dialogue. Thaci hailed the annual report of the U.S. State Department on the human rights in the world in 2015 and stressed that he will pay special attention to the findings of the report.

KLA war veterans to protest on Monday (Lajmi)

The Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) war veterans will protest on Monday outside the government building with the demand that government to establish as soon as possible a medical commission to determine the degree of disability for the disabled who are not yet in the pension lists. Xhevdet Qeriqi, chairman for the protection of rights of the KLA veterans said they will also oppose the idea of reducing the pensions for war veterans.

Deda: Majority of Kosovo political elite do not understand Serbia (Lajmi)

Vetevendosje movement MP, Ilir Deda, said for RTK that Serbia’s election campaigns in Kosovo are responsibility of the government of Kosovo. According to him, no one should be allowed to come and behave “as if it was his father’s property” in Kosovo. “You do not have to give permission to anyone to come and make statements such as the ones made by Dacic and Vucic. Kosovo Serbs have the right to vote in Serbia’s parliamentary elections, they do, but not through experiments.” he said.  He added that majority of political elite does not understand Serbia. “Serbia is very transparent. They say in a direct manner what they want during the campaign and when there is no campaign. They say what they want because they are a normal state,” Deda said.

Rasic: Without Serbia’s intervention, my word is not heard in Kosovo (Lajmi)

Kosovo MP from the Serbian Progressive Party, part of the Serbian List parliamentary group, Nenad Rasic, said that he has understood that he cannot reach any aim in Kosovo without going through Belgrade. “The tragi-comic issue is that I finally had to go to Belgrade to fulfill my right in Pristina,” He said that he visited the Prime Minister of Kosovo Isa Mustafa three times, but the latter did not undertake anything.

Kosovo’s two mistakes on UNESCO (Epoka e Re)

Former Ambassador of Greece to Kosovo Dimitris Moschopoulos said during the conference “Kosovo and UNESCO’ organized by NGO “Ec me ndryshe” and Forum 2015 (KFOS) that except for Serbia’s harmful campaign to prevent Kosovo’s membership at UNESCO, there were also two mistakes made by Kosovo, which were used as arguments to deny membership. “The first one were the riots of 2004, and the second, repetitive scenes of teargas at the Assembly of Kosovo during the last year. These images were seen throughout the world,” Moschopoulos said.

Basic Court judge Agim Kuci threatened by a defendant (RTK)

The Basic Court in Pristina through a press release yesterday informed that the judge of Criminal Affairs Department Agim Kuci was stopped and threatened yesterday after the working hours. According to the press release, Kuci was threatened by an individual who is a defendant in a criminal case where Kuci is a judge in that case. “The Basic Court in Pristina condemns this low act and considers it as a direct attack in the justice system. We urge the responsible authorities to take appropriate measures and also assure the public that this case will not affect the work of the judges of this Court who will continue to take the right decisions while respecting the law and serve justice,” reads the press release.