UNMIK Headlines 19 February
Thaci: Serbia will recognise independence of Kosovo (Kosovapress)
Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Hashim Thaci, told Bulgarian news agency Novinite that Serbia will recognise Kosovo in a not so distant future and this, according to him, is because the EU wants to see countries in the region have good neighbourly relations. Thaci also spoke about the Kosovo Security Force and said that it will be transformed into Kosovo Armed Forces as soon as the constitutional amendments are adopted. With regards to visa liberalization, Thaci said that by summer, Kosovo will meet all technical criteria required to gain visa-free travel to European countries.
Special court without Albanian judges (Zeri)
Zeri on its front page reports that Kosovo has received a draft document from the European Commission on the functioning of the special court. According to this document, cases to be addressed by this court will not be entrusted to Albanian judges. The paper writes that two Special Chambers of this court and the Prosecution Office, will be within the judicial system of Kosovo, but sensitive procedures will take place in the Netherlands. The special court, which initially will have a four-year mandate, will delegate all the necessary powers and competencies to the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX).
Kuci admits Kosovo will only give opinion on special court (Koha)
KTV reported last night that certain details regarding the special court for Kosovo have finally been revealed. Hajredin Kuci, Minister of Justice, told the Assembly Commission for Legislation that Kosovo can only give an opinion on the presented documents and it will have very limited possibilities to change anything. Documents, including the draft law for the special court, are prepared by the European Commission. Minister Kuci said that he will insist for all the internal regulations of the special court to be passed for review to the Constitutional Court. He added that he will also request for not only international but also local judges of the Constitutional Court to have competencies to review any issue regarding the Special Chambers. Jurisdiction of the special court is expected to cover the period from 1998 to 2000.
Vetevendosje to make public special court documents today (Koha)
Vetevendosje is expected to make public today at two o’clock all the documents regarding the functioning of the special court, which European Commission and the Ministry of Justice requested to be kept confidential. Sources from Vetevendosje said that there is no legal provision that would justify confidentiality of these documents.
Economic development, government priority (Zeri)
Kosovo Prime Minister Isa Mustafa met on Wednesday with a delegation of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), headed by director for Central and Southeastern Europe, Jean-Marc Peterschmitt. Mustafa and Peterschmitt discussed the further cooperation and concrete support of the EBRD for projects in the private and public sector in Kosovo. Mustafa stressed that the economic development is a priority for Kosovo government. Peterschmitt, briefed Mustafa on current and future projects where the EBRD can provide support, including projects on financing of entrepreneurship for women in Kosovo.
Bavarian PM: No more financial aid for Kosovo migrants (Koha)
Bavarian Prime Minister Horst Seehofer said on Wednesday that asylum seekers from the Balkans will be expelled from Bavaria. "We are not a social support entity for the whole world," said Seehofer. According to him, Kosovo and Albania are safe places, therefore there is no need for asylum. He also announced that asylum seekers from Kosovo from now on, instead of money, will only be given food and clothing.