Headlines - 17.02.2016

Institutional leaders: Independence day to serve for reflection (Telegrafi)

Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga and Prime Minister Isa Mustafa on the occasion of the eighth anniversary of Kosovo’s independence said Independence Day should serve for reflection and not for violent acts. Jahjaga said the eight anniversary of Kosovo’s independence is a journey that strengthens the foundation of the state of Kosovo. Meanwhile, Mustafa said Kosovo eight years after independence Kosovo has had many setbacks and failures. “I assure you that together we will combat corruption and citizens will defeat radical infiltration trends in Kosovo,” he said. Speaking about the recent developments in Kosovo, Mustafa said Kosovo citizens will not surrender to the acts of violence.

Thaci: Opposition anarchy in Kosovo, not institutional crisis (RTK/VoA)

Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Hashim Thaci, told Voice of America that in Kosovo there is no institutional crisis but opposition anarchy. Thaci said new elections will be held in constitutional terms, after two years, while the presidential election will be in February. He denied rumors that the current crisis in Kosovo is being used to hinder the establishment of the special court for war crimes. “We are determined as legitimate institutions to continue the necessary reforms in the economy, politics and legislation, work for good neighborly relations with all countries of the region and to create an environment in which every citizen feels good and proud to live in Kosovo,” Thaci said. According to him, the opposition is demanding to take power without elections.

Opposition to protest against government today (Indeksonline)

The three opposition parties – Vetevendosje Movement, Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) and Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA) - will protest today to demand the resignation of the Kosovo government. While it was often repeated that the protests will be peaceful, opposition leaders said this protest will be the biggest one so far and will bring the end of this government. Meanwhile, the international community has consistently called for a peaceful protest. The protest will begin at 14:00 at the National Library in Pristina.

Kurti: Wednesday’s protest will be peaceful (media)

In an interview for KTV on Tuesday, former Vetevendosje leader and MP, Albin Kurti, said the protest on Wednesday will be the greatest in the history of protests in Kosovo. “The protest on Wednesday will be peaceful. It will also be the biggest protest ever held in Kosovo. I am confident the protest will be entirely peaceful and we have doubled the number of wardens for the protest,” Kurti added.

Lunacek: Celebrate as Rugova taught you (Zeri)

The Vice-President of the European Parliament, Ulrike Lunacek, said in a message for Kosovo’s Independence Day that the government and opposition should celebrate in a peaceful spirit “as Ibrahim Rugova taught the people of the new country”. In a Twitter post, Lunacek called on the opposition and government to celebrate peacefully for the sake of Kosovo’s European future. She also wrote that renewed violence would harm the visa liberalization process. “As a devoted friend of the new republic of Kosovo, I would be deeply moved if the celebration is transformed in a violent and destructive event,” said Lunacek. “After the finalization of the Stabilization Association Agreement and on the way of liberalization of visa regime, there are good reasons to celebrate the independence. However, Kosovo this year should remember the winner of the Sakharov Prize Ibrahim Rugova, who passed away ten years ago. He remains the symbol of Kosovo’s independence, and what is more important, today in politics, he is the symbol of peaceful efforts, a poet and a great leader of Kosovo Albanians for their European future”. Lunacek further encouraged all political parties to continue with their work also after the eighth anniversary in a constructive manner and in European spirit, in the spirit of recalling the good Kosovar tradition of civilian rebelling without violence.

EULEX: We are not involved in Vetevendosje activists’ arrests (media)

Following media reports of recent arrests of Vetevendosje activists, the EU Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) reacted by saying the mission had no involvement in such arrests. “These arrests were carried out by Kosovo Police on the order of a local judge at the Basic Court of Pristina,” reads a press statement issued by EULEX. Kosovo Police yesterday arrested several activists of Vetevendosje, among them the MP Glauk Konjufca. Vetevendosje said in a statement that PM Mustafa’s police arrested its activists on EULEX’s orders.

Zejnullahu resigns from post of Pristina University Rector (media)

All media report that Ramadan Zejnullahu has resigned his position as Rector of the Pristina University. Zejnullahu announced his resignation through a public letter.

PAK regrets: EULEX and UNMIK are not usurpers (Insajderi)

The news site reports that one day after it published a list of usurpers of public properties, the Privatization Agency of Kosovo (PAK) issued an explanation on Tuesday saying that apart from local and international institutions all others entities and persons mentioned in the initial list are usurpers. PAK cited the administrative directive for releasing the assets of socially-owned enterprises to explain why local and international institutions are not qualified as usurpers of public property. PAK also said it will continue discussions with the respective institutions to determine the rent fee they will have to pay for utilizing the premises of socially-owned enterprises and that the initial list will be updated periodically.