UNMIK Headlines 18 January
Thaçi: Serbia agreed to remove security parallel structures (dailies)
Koha Ditore reports that the fourth round of the dialogue between Kosovo Prime Minister, Hashim Thaçi, and Prime Minister of Serbia, Ivica Dacic, started on 17 January in the evening and extended through to Friday at 01:00am. This was the longest round until now even though, according to EU diplomats, this was the case because the meeting tackled extremely sensitive issues, such as the issue of the north of Kosovo.
After the meeting, Kosovo PM Thaçi said that he is “more optimistic than other times that there will be progress in the building of relations between Kosovo and Serbia”.
Asked by Koha Ditore if the Serbs will continue to pay customs fees and where these funds will go, Thaçi said: “Everything will be according to the laws of Kosovo. Kosovo will be one customs zone and this will be strictly respected. We will develop a fund for the north. In this round a solution of the issue of north of Kosovo has been open for discussion”. “Kosovo will respect the will of the citizens in the north to elect their representatives”, added Thaçi further.
Meanwhile prime minister of Serbia Dacic said that though Serbia does not recognize Kosovo, it temporarily respects its territory”.
Zëri reports that the two prime ministers reached an agreement on customs duties and that as of today, customs fees, including in the north, will be settled in accordance to the Kosovo Government policies. PM Thaçi told reporters in Brussels after meeting Dacic that they also spoke about disbanding Serb security structures in the north and that for the first time, the Serbian side assumed responsibility for disbanding them.
Thaçi also said that the issue of north’s autonomy was not discussed and gave assurances that any arrangement would be in harmony to the Constitution of Kosovo and Ahtisaari’s plan.
Serbia steps up presence in Preshevo Valley (dailies)
Situation in the Preshevo Valley following the expiration of the Serbian Government’s ultimatum to local authorities to remove the UCPMB monument remains tense while the Serb Gendarmerie is reported to have stepped up its force’s presence, reports Zëri.
At the same time, Koha Ditore writes that Albanian representatives in the Valley have rejected the proposal of placing the monument inside the compound of a local mosque as was requested by Serb authorities. “The monument is neither of a mosque or of an Orthodox church, the martyrs are of the nation and they do not belong to a religious grouping,” said Preshevo Mayor Ragmi Mustafa.
Thaçi endangers governance by not discharging of Çeku (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore reports that the possible withdrawal of Behgjet Pacolli’s AKR from the governing coalition after Kosovo Security Force Minister Agim Çeku joined PDK will impose on two options for Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi: To either initiate himself in the motion of mistrust or to agree to a compromise with Ramush Haradinaj. In AKR, however, there is a belief that Thaçi would choose a third option: discharge of Çeku from the position of minister and that they have already found a potential candidate for the replacement for a KSF minister.
Is there another ministry for PSD? (Express)
Deputy leader of the Kosovo Social Democratic Party Kaqusha Jashari stated that the party will demand a new ministry from the Government following Agim Çeku’s departure from the party and joining PDK.
Jashari said the PSD will not ask for Çeku’s ministry as it considers him to be the most appropriate person to continue running Kosovo Security Force Ministry but that they will insist on taking a ministry that corresponds to PSD’s profile.
Unserious threats (Express)
Officials at the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) have not taken seriously threats from the AKR that it will leave the ruling coalition if they don’t get another ministry now that Agim Çeku moved to PDK. “I am convinced that AKR MPs and those of the New Kosovo Coalition (KKR) will continue to support the current ruling coalition,” said head of PDK parliamentary group Adem Grabovci.
To this, head of KKR group Myzejene Selmani said they stand behind what they said and demand the full respect of the coalition agreement.
KFOR remains in Kosovo (Epoka e Re)
Defense ministers of the NATO member states agreed on Thursday in Brussels that progress of the dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade is giving ground for optimism and promised to continue their work on securing a safe environment for all the citizens of Kosovo. “Concrete progress on the dialogue and implementation of the Integrated Border Management agreement, give ground for optimism”, said General Knud Bartles, chief of NATO Military Committee, at the press conference after the two-day meeting of the Ministerial Council. He stressed that KFOR will continue to complete its mission in Kosovo.
The UN apologizes for the song “March in Drina” (Koha Ditore)
The United Nations apologized on Thursday for a group of Serbs singing a song related to the massacre in Srebrenica, informed AFP. “We express sincere regret for the people offended by this song, which was not in the official program,” said UN Spokesperson Martin Nesirky, responding to the protests received due to the song “March in Drina,” sang at the UN General Assembly on Monday. Not being aware of the connotation of the song, Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon and other UN officials applauded the Serbian song chorus.
Three explosions in Pristina, government vehicles targeted (Koha Ditore)
The paper reports that three successive explosions took place in different parts of Pristina last night and all seemed to target Kosovo Government official vehicles. Though the motives are not known, the paper says the explosive devices were planted in the cars and that there are only material damages from the blasts.
Krasniqi: I didn’t write the letter to Thaçi (Epoka e Re)
Jakup Krasniqi, General Secretary of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) has denied to have written a letter to the leader of this party, Hashim Thaçi. Krasniqi stated that he has verbally requested postponement of the party convention, because the deputy leader of this party, Fatmir Limaj is in detention.
“I made a verbal request, I did not write a letter,” said Krasniqi for this daily. PDK organization secretary for the elections in the party, Basri Musmurati, stated that he is not informed about this request. “We do not have any information on this issue,” he said and added that members of the leadership met with their leader on Wednesday and this issue was not mentioned.