UNMIK Headlines 16 November
Ruling coalition MPs to request boosting of security in the Assembly (Koha)
The paper reports on the front page that 84 MPs from the ruling coalition parties have signed a petition asking the Government of Kosovo and the Ministry of Internal Affairs to undertake security measures to enable the functioning of the Assembly. A source from the Assembly said the coalition MPs are determined to hold plenary sessions even if it means they are not held in the hall dedicated for the purpose. “The international community in Kosovo insists on holding the sessions and approving the parliamentary agenda even if the session takes place outside the Assembly’s premises,” the source said.
Kosovo Government to discuss armed forces with Serbian List (Telegrafi)
The government of Kosovo, according to KTV reports, is planning to resume talks very soon with representatives of the Serbian List in a bid to secure sufficient votes for the creation of the Kosovo Armed Forces (KAF). Although Serbian List officials have said they would not support the establishment of armed forces, sources said the government is optimistic in winning over the Serb MPs.
Serbian List threatens to leave the government (Zeri)
Kosovo Minister for Communities and Returns, Dalibor Jevtic, said yesterday that the Serbian List would reconsider its participation in the government and even withdrawal from the government, if the latter doesn’t respect the agreement on the establishment of the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities. According to him, this is not only for the Association/Community, but also the “loss of the trust that we are trying to build, not only through the dialogue in Brussels, but also with our own participation in Kosovo institutions.”
Thaci suspects that opposition’s petition was falsified (dailies)
Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Hashim Thaci has put into question the opposition’s petition against the agreement on Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities and border demarcation with Montenegro, where more than 200,000 signatures were collected. "These are unconfirmed names and signatures that might have been forged. If the petition is officially sent to the Kosovo Assembly, we will require the verification of those signatures. It could be that a person has signed the petition up to 600 times. And for those who forged the signatures, people might face justice," Thaci said. On the other hand, the opposition parties said they are ready to verify all the signatures in the petition. Vetvendosje Movement parliamentary group chief, Glauk Konjufca, said only those who want to invalidate large number of signatures on the petition suspect the signatures are forged. "The government is very afraid of this very large petition, so they challenge its legitimacy," Konjufca said.
Grabovci: Thaci President, Veseli PDK leader (RTKlive)
The head of the parliamentary group of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Adem Grabovci, said in an interview for Rrokum TV that Hashim Thaci is ready to leave the seat of the leader of the party to the current Assembly President, Kadri Veseli, if he is elected President of Kosovo. ‘Currently, the leader of the PDK is Hashim Thaci, but if we conclude that there is no legal obligation, and that we would not violate the law, being that we have sufficient capacities also in this field, why shouldn’t Kadri Veseli become the leader of the party?” Grabovci said.
Kosovo, not safe from terrorism (Zeri)
Naim Maloku, expert on security issues and former military leader, told the paper that Kosovo citizens who participated in wars in Iraq and Syria are seen as a potential risk of terrorist attacks in Kosovo and the region. “Security authorities in Kosovo stated that they increased the control measures, but the terrorist attacks in Paris are an indication that security situation is quite fragile in Kosovo,” Maloku said. Meanwhile, Kosovo Police confirmed that the attacks in Paris were the reason for increasing security measures in Kosovo. According to police, at present there is no indication that there could be any attacks in Kosovo. The paper’s editorial board last night received a threatening email from an ISIS supporter which stated that the attack on France was just the beginning.
Kosovo side to participate at the excavations in Serbia (RTKlive)
Excavations began at Jaloviste in Serbia at a location of a suspected mass grave site where up to 200 Kosovo Albanians may be buried. The head of the Kosovo government commission for the missing, Prenk Gjetaj said that Serbia initially started digging at the site on its own, and only after the reaction of the Kosovo side, was it decided that they could be present at the site from Monday. The Serbian side had announced that they would commence the digging in Jaloviste on their own, in the absence of the late Pajazit Nushi, who was a member of the Working Group on missing persons.