War crimes to be treated by locals too (Koha Ditore) In a front-page report, the paper quotes Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuci saying that the Special Investigations Task Force (SITF) will address only war crimes allegations made in Dick Marty’s report and that other issues will remain in the competencies of local and EULEX prosecutors that will be working in Kosovo. Aleksander Lumezi, chief prosecutor in the Appeals Prosecution, said on Tuesday that local prosecutors need to be trained to address war crimes in Kosovo after the establishment of the special court. Citaku: Kosovo should not fear the special court (Koha Ditore) During a visit to Kacanik municipality on Tuesday, Kosovo’s European Integration Minister Vlora Citaku said Kosovo has no reason to fear the special court that will address alleged war crimes committed by members of the former Kosovo Liberation Army. “The sooner this issue will be cleared the better it will be for Kosovo and for the future generations,” she said. “There are two issues. The first one: should Kosovo fear this court? Kosovo has no reason to fear it because our fight was righteous and this has been proved several times. Second: is the establishment of the court rightful or not? In the last 15 years, justice in Kosovo has been managed by internationals and they managed almost every important judicial process,” Citaku added. Netherlands has conditions for Kosovo’s special court in Hague (Koha Ditore) The Netherlands is ready to take on obligations and tasks related to the special court of Kosovo, but with several conditions. Dutch Ambassador to Kosovo, Robert Bosch, told the paper on Tuesday: “The court needs to have a strong legal base and its proceedings must be in accordance with the highest international standards. Standards drafted according to the European Treaty for Human Rights should be a priority. Kosovo authorities together with the European Union need to see how they can meet these requirements.” Special court to be voted on April 22 (Epoka e Re) An exchange of letters between Kosovo and the European Union regarding the extension of EULEX’s mandate and the establishment of a special court that would investigate allegations made in Dick Marty’s report is expected to conclude on Tuesday with Baroness Catherine Ashton’s response to President Atifete Jahjaga’s letter. This letter would pave the way for the Kosovo Parliament to discuss and vote on a package of laws, which will be handed out to the deputies by the Kosovo Government. According to Government officials, Ashton’s letter on approving requests by Kosovo institutions to extend EULEX’s mandate and establish the special court will be submitted from the Office of the President to the Government of Kosovo, which will then present it to the Parliament as a special law. The special law will be voted on by the deputies, reported Voice of America. Since the international community in Kosovo requested that the correspondence be submitted this week, officials from the Government of Kosovo claim that there is a great possibility for the Parliament to vote on the package of the laws on 22 April. Pettifer: Special Court, attack on legal sovereignty (Epoka e Re) Renowned researcher and author of several books on the Kosovo conflict, James Pettifer, strongly objects on the establishment of a special court for war crimes allegedly committed by the KLA. He said that this is an effort by certain international community members, who did not approve Kosovo’s independence. “The Assembly of Kosovo decided in 2013 that the time to conclude EULEX has come, and that Kosovo should be responsible for its legal system. The effort to prolong EULEX’s mandate through the establishment of a tribunal, is a direct attack on the legal sovereignty of Kosovo,” said Pettifer in an interview for Illiryapress. He called on local institutions not to vote for the establishment of this court and not to cooperate if it is established. Williamson advised creation of EULEX (Tribuna) In a front-page report, U.S. prosecutor Clint Williamson (then U.S. ambassador for war crimes) was part of a team of experts in 2006 that helped shape EULEX to be efficient in addressing war crimes. Since the establishment of the EU mission, the former U.S. ambassador no longer trusts its. Williamson namely heads the special task force that is investigating allegations made in Dick Marty’s report. The U.S. prosecutor never publicly expressed his lack of trust in EULEX. Collective silence produced the Tribunal (Lajm) The paper reports on the front page that there were no proper legal mechanisms in Kosovo that would punish violations of the law in the post-conflict period. This was concluded at a conference organized by Pristina-based think tank Forum 2015, where panelists said that it wasn’t convenient for politics in Kosovo to have a strong and functioning judicial system. Panelists also said that Kosovo will have to pay the price for the collective silence and that it is now being faced with the tribunal for war crimes. Parallel institutions are not dismissed (Lajm) Despite that local elections in northern municipalities was presented as one of the main steps in the integration of the north into Kosovo’s system, Serb parallel institutions there are continuing to operate with increased intensity. This is the assessment of the Kosovo Government’s administrative office in Mitrovica North and political experts. Adrijana Hodzic, head of the administrative office, told Radio Free Europe in an interview that except for the integration of former MUP members in Kosovo police, no other parallel institution in northern Kosovo has been dismissed. “All parallel institutions have stepped up their activities. This goes to show that none of these institutions have been dismissed,” Hodzic said. Ambassador Jacobson justifies Dell’s employment at Bechtel (Bota Sot) The U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo, Tracey Ann Jacobson, regarding the employment of the former Ambassador Christopher Dell by Bechtel-Enka, stated that there is no rule which forbids employing a former diplomat at a private company. Asked where she would see herself employed after leaving Kosovo, she explained that after her diplomatic service she would either continue with her diplomatic mission or she would go back home. “It will be difficult to find something like Kosovo,” tweeted Jacobson. Investments in Trepca started (Lajm) During a visit to the Trepca mining complex, Kosovo Government officials said the first investments in the mining complex will be made by the enterprise itself, which is now publicly-owned. Deputy Prime Minister Behxhet Pacolli said the mining complex will not be privatized and will not be given for concession. “The mining complex will be returned to the miners, it will be returned to all generations of Kosovars and therefore should be treated based on market rates,” Pacolli said.