UNMIK Headlines 18 October
CEC certifies final list of voters (dailies)
Central Election Commission approved yesterday the final list of voters for local elections enabling over 1.7 million citizens to take to the polls on 3 November. At the same time, Election Complaints and Appeals Panel has not yet concluded the review of complaints from outside Kosovo, reports Koha Ditore but Zëri adds that the applications previously rejected by the CEC are expected to be declared valid by ECAP as a result of pressure from the OSCE.
Tribuna stresses that officials from the CEC do not find strange the fact that the number of eligible voters is almost the same as number of residents in Kosovo. They say the list of voters still includes people no longer alive as well as those that lost the right to vote. However, they said this should not serve as motive for misuse of the voting process.
Kuçi stripped of competencies from permissions for Serb officials (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore reports that Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuçi has kept his promise not to give permission to any officials from Serbia to enter in Kosovo during the local election campaign. In fact, he will not issue permissions at all as the requests of officials from Serbia will not be reviewed anymore by Kuçi. The address has changed.
For several days now this responsibility has been put on the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Minister Bajram Rexhepi has got the power to equip official from Serbia with permissions to enter in Kosovo. According to the newspaper, this is done after Kuçi has placed a blockade for Serb Prime Minister, Ivica Dacic. The decisions of Rexhepi are treated indifferently by Serbs. For Aleksandar Vulin the request has been refused, but afterwards he entered in Kosovo illegally. Police said that they will expel as soon as they meet him while policemen in the north provided security for the Serbian minister.
Vulin promotes Republika Srpska in Kosovo (Tribuna)
During a recent stay in Kosovo, Serbian minister without portfolio Aleksandar Vulin was heard telling Serb residents in Hoça e Madhe to vote for the Serb list so that the “construction of Serbia’s can commence on 4 November”. The statement, says the paper, was perceived by authorities in Kosovo and diplomatic representations as a clear reference to the creation of a Republika Srpska in Kosovo. On this basis, it was decided that Vulin will not be allowed entrance to Kosovo anymore.
However, on Thursday Vulin is reported to have illegally entered Kosovo and stayed in the north while Kosovo Government refused to comment on the visit. Vulin, on the other hand, said he came to Kosovo because he was not stopped by EULEX from doing so. “I do not communicate with institutions in Pristina”, he added.
Erdogan to visit Pristina together with Rama (Zëri)
The Prime Minister of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, will visit Kosovo on 23 October, when the inauguration of the new terminal at Pristina Airport “Adem Jashari,” will take place. Sources of Reporteri.net, from the Government of Kosovo, informed that Erdogan will also visit Prizren “together with his “brother,” the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi. The Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama, will also join them.
Clash between supporters of PDK and Civic Initiative in Malisheva (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore reports that PDK, Malisheva Branch, has released a statement on Thursday where it stated that its election rally in the village of Bardh has been prevented by the sympathizers of Civic Initiative for Malisheva. “A violent group of Civic Initiative for Malisheva has entered inside the building where it was held the election rally and they used force towards our activists and attempted to prevent our election rally,” informed PDK. “Also supporters of Civic Initiative for Malisheva have chanted Limaj, Limaj and they also tried to burn the flag of PDK,” stated PDK. Police sources say that it was not a big clash and there was no injured that would have sought medical assistance.
IMF: Western Balkans still with serious problems (Epoka e Re)
Epoka e Re reports that same as in other regions of developed economies, financial markets in the Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe have been under pressure since spring. This way has evaluated International Monetary Fund (IMF), in its report the latest economic situation in this region. According to the report, the countries of Western Balkans, including, Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia and Serbia, are facing with serious problems in their financial markets.