UNMIK Headlines 16 September
VLAN: The PDK government will end this week (dailies)
Ramush Haradinaj, leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), and Albin Kurti, leader of the Vetevendosje Movement, met on Monday for final consultations before the constitutive session of the Assembly on Thursday. The two leaders did not reveal their plan for the constitutive session but said they were confident that the PDK government would end on Thursday. “We discussed the best possible options for Thursday’s session. In the last couple of weeks, there were different decisions which unrightfully delayed the establishment of the Assembly and the government. In the last three months, we witnessed how the PDK was unable to form the institutions, therefore, it belongs in the opposition and the seized state must be liberated once and for all,” Kurti told reporters after the meeting.
Asked to comment on the Serbian List’s position after the agreement between the opposition coalition and Vetevendosje, Haradinaj said he expects the Serbian List to be part of the new government. “We could not meet today, but I believe that the Serbian List same as other communities have the opportunity to be part of Kosovo institutions as foreseen by the Constitution. The coalition will benefit all,” Haradinaj said.
Formula for resolving the crisis (Tribuna)
Political crisis in Kosovo is set to enter its last stage following the 18 September session of the Assembly, reports the paper on the front page. If the session however fails yet again, the Constitutional Court should step in to resolve the deadlock present since 9 June. International sources told the paper that consultations are underway on a scenario increasingly being seen as the only solution for overcoming the political crisis. According to this scenario, Assembly session would be declared closed once the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) fails to elect its candidate to the speaker’s post and following this development, President of Kosovo Atifete Jahjaga would address the Constitutional Court asking it to clarify the way ahead in a situation when the Assembly cannot be constituted. The Court would then be able to explain whether the post-election coalition can nominate a candidate although this is an unlikely scenario, the source added.
Zbogar: End the political deadlock (dailies)
EU Special Representative to Kosovo, Samuel Zbogar, whilst on a visit to Prizren said that political parties should put an end to the deadlock and provide solutions in the forthcoming session of the Assembly. Zbogar said June elections were democratic and it is now time for Kosovo politicians to reflect on the creation of new institutions.
Koha Ditore quotes Zbogar as saying, “I don’t believe that going to new elections is the first option. Politicians should do everything in their power to find a solution. People have voted and within this framework politicians need to find a solution”.
US Embassy denies Vetevendosje’s Molliqaj (Lajm)
The US Embassy in Pristina said on Monday it has contacts with the Vetevendosje Movement at the level of working groups, but denied that Vetevendosje had meetings with senior US officials. “Claims made in an interview with Klan Kosova that Vetevendosje officials have met with senior officials of the US State Department are not true,” the US Embassy said in a written response to Klan Kosova. The reaction comes after Vetevendosje’s Organizational Secretary Dardan Molliqaj said in an interview for Klan Kosova that the United States have realized that Vetevendosje is the best solution for Kosovo. The statement from the US Embassy also notes that Ambassador Tracey Ann Jacobson would meet Vetevendosje representatives if they publicly withdraw from violent practices.
Constitutional Court without a quorum for at least one month (Koha)
The paper reports on the front page that U.S. judge Robert Carolan has refused to continue working in the Constitutional Court of Kosovo and as a result the court cannot address political cases because it lacks quorum. There are reports that a replacement for Carolan will be found soon through a procedure that is not foreseen in the Constitution. The legal basis for the replacement will be the letter exchange between EU High Representative Catherine Ashton and Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga. A source told the paper that this procedure could take more than a month.
The replacement of American judge will take some time (Bota Sot)
The EU Rule of Law mission in Kosovo (EULEX) will immediately initiate procedures for finding a replacement for the US judge who refused a contract extension with the Constitutional Court. Samuel Zbogar, head of the EU Office in Kosovo, said he respects Judge Robert Carolan’s decision to leave the Constitutional Court and added that he knows that Carolan resigned over personal reasons.
Hasani to represent Kosovo at the Venice Commission (Tribuna)
The paper reports that president of the Constitutional Court, Enver Hasani, has been appointed Kosovo representative at the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission. Appointment was confirmed by outgoing Foreign Minister, Enver Hoxhaj, who said that other members also send heads of respective courts to the Commission. Hasani is to be assisted by another Constitutional Court staff, judge Arta Rama-Hajrizi.
Karaceva in the hands of the Serbian Gendarmerie (Zeri)
Residents of the village of Karaceva, in Kamenica municipality, said they would start protesting from 19 September due to lack of security. According to the villagers, Karaceva is being controlled by the Serbian Gendarmerie. Villagers also said they have asked for assistance from Kosovo Police but according to them the latter does not even go there.
Police arrest two legal officers at Privatization Agency of Kosovo (Express)
Kosovo Police this morning arrested two legal officers at the Privatization Agency of Kosovo. Reshat Fetahu, head of the Legal Department at PAK, and Gani Ademi, legal officer, were arrested on the suspicion of illegal expropriation of land.