UNMIK Headlines 2 December
Haradinaj removed from Interpol arrest warrant list (media)
Most of the media report that the International Criminal Police Organization has decided to remove Kosovo’s Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj and 17 other Kosovans from the list of suspects, submitted by Serbia. Media report that Kosovo Police submitted the request to remove them from the list almost a year ago. “Today I was informed that Interpol has removed 18 people from Kosovo that are wanted by Serbia and this list includes also the prime minister,” Abelard Tahiri, Kosovo’s Justice Minister reportedly said.
Serbia has charged Haradinaj with murdering Serbs in the late 1990s conflict. Early this year he was arrested in France based on this arrest warrant issu. He was released after a French court rejected Belgrade’s extradition request.
EU aims reach of Kosovo-Serbia legally binding agreement by 2019 (Koha)
The paper brings as an exclusive story details of a 12 page European Union draft document which foresees Montenegro’s and Serbia’s membership at EU by 2025, while the other countries of the region are also foreseen to have advanced with their integration agenda. By 2019 Kosovo and Serbia would have reached comprehensive normalization of relations in the form of legally binding agreement, mentioned as a basic condition for both parties in their path of European integration, the document reportedly notes.
Thaci: We should end our isolation (media)
The President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, said during the reception of the Embassy of Finland organized in Prishtina in honor of the 100th Anniversary of the Independence of the Finnish state, that Kosovo has no more time to loose.
“We must give an end to our isolation by ratifying the agreement on marking the border line with Montenegro”.
The President welcomed Prime Minister Haradinaj’s initiative for the demarcation agreement with Montenegro to be processed from the Government to the Assembly of Kosovo.
“We need to establish the Association of Serb-majority Municipalities in Kosovo, to prove that we are a reliable state and people. We must establish the Armed Forces of Kosovo, in order to give our modest contribution to the preservation of peace everywhere in the world. We must continue the dialogue on the normalization of relations with Serbia and reach the final peace and reconciliation agreement as soon as possible, as a key condition for the membership of the two respective states in the Euro-Atlantic structures”, he said.
Haziri: We should bring the government down (RTK)
Deputy leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo and recently elected major for Gjilan/Gnjilane, Lutfi Haziri, told RTK that the current government has not worked as required during its first 100 days. He said major opposition political parties should start thinking about motion of distrust and bring down Haradinaj’s government. “LDK and Vetevendosje should submit this motion,” Haziri said. 3The have the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) inside, after the first 100 days, we should not leave them in peace even for a single hour,” he said.
He mentioned that current government promised to resolve major issues, however they were not even been brought in front of the Assembly yet.
Kurti and Kadaj-Bujupi remain in detention (RTK)
Most of the media report that after Friday’s trial at Basic Court in Pristina, where four Vetevendosje MPs are accused for throwing teargas at the Assembly of Kosovo, the defense has requested Albin Kurti’s and Doniak Kadaj-Bujupi’s release from detention. After the decision of the Court to reject the request, the defense submitted a complaint at the Court of Appeals which remains to decide. The next session of this trial is expected to be held on 7 December at 09:00 hours. Kosovo Assembly MPs Naser Osmani, Armend Zemaj, Bekim Haxhiu and Assembly President Kadri Veseli are expected to appear as witnesses of the case.
Hoxhaj: The region needs permanent military presence of the U.S. (RTK)
Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo, Enver Hoxhaj, held on Friday a lecture at John Hopkins University in Washington, on Kosovo’s state-building, challenges, and achievements. Hoxhaj reportedly said that the U.S. presence in Balkans is more than needed at the time when Russia is using Serbia to exercise its influence in Balkans and trying to distant countries of the region from European perspective.
Hoxhaj welcomed recommendations of the most recent report of the Atlantic Council for a permanent military presence of the U.S.
Former Minister Edita Tahiri denies attack in the north (Gazeta Metro)
Gazeta Metro reported last night that Former Minister for Dialogue, Edita Tahiri, was attacked in Mitrovica north, while she was sitting at a cafeteria after participating at a roundtable to discuss the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia. The paper also published photos of broken windows and a couple of stones which were reportedly thrown there.
“Friends and media, I want to inform you that the news that I was attacked in Mitrovica North is not true,” Tahiri wrote.
The portal on the other hand insists on the attack of the cafeteria and police presence there.