UNMIK Headlines 2 November
Veseli calls on opposition MPs to attend Assembly session today (Zeri)
Kosovo Assembly President Kadri Veseli sent a letter to the three opposition parties calling for unity in today's session of the Kosovo Assembly that will review and adopt the draft law on the ratification of the Stabilization/Association Agreement with the European Union. “Monday should be a day of unity, a day of cooperation and joint action, a day when all of us who represent the people of Kosovo must prove to the people and to the world that we have a joint vision for the future of our country,” Veseli said.
“Veseli first closed Assembly doors, now calls for participation” (Kosova Sot)
The Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) issued a communiqué reacting against Assembly President Kadri Veseli’s invitation to opposition parties to attend today’s session of the Kosovo Assembly. The AAK said, “Veseli first did not allow MPs to enter the Assembly building on Saturday, but now he is inviting us to take part in the plenary session. He considered as invalid the signatures of over 200,000 citizens against the Association”. The paper recalls that on Saturday, opposition MPs were not allowed to enter the Assembly building to submit a petition with over 200,000 signatures against the agreement on Association/Community of Serb majority municipalities.
Serbian List “threatens” to boycott ratification of SAA (Koha)
The paper reports on its front page that, the Serbian List is thinking of boycotting the voting of the law for the ratification of the Stabilization/Association Agreement between Kosovo and the European Union. The paper notes that the Serbian List has 11 seats in the Assembly and that without their support it would be impossible to secure the 81 votes required for ratifying international agreements. Unnamed sources told the paper on Sunday that Serbian List representatives informed Prime Minister Isa Mustafa that they might not attend the Assembly session on Monday that will review and adopt the draft law for the ratification of the SAA. The paper also reports that partners of the ruling coalition will hold final consultations with the Serbian List to convince them to support the SAA.
Thaci: I will be coalition’s candidate for President (Epoka e Re)
Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hashim Thaci, said in an interview for KosovaPress that next year he will be the candidate of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) for the President of Kosovo. He added that he welcomed other candidatures from those who manage to collect thirty signatures from the Assembly deputies. “The agreement between PDK and LDK and other partners of the coalition will be respected, of course. We will work to take over responsibilities that we have agreed upon. I will continue as the most voted leader, to play my citizen’s role of unity, which is also required from the citizens,” Thaci said. In regards to Kosovo’s bid to join UNESCO, Thaci said that he is convinced that Kosovo will join this organization in November. But, according to him, the violent and illegal actions by the opposition parties are hindering this process and other integration processes.
Ymeri: Dialoguing with Serbia does not make sense (Epoka e Re)
The leader of the Vetevendosje Movement, Visar Ymeri, wrote on his Facebook profile that discussions for reconciliation and normalization of the relations between Kosovo and Serbia do not make sense without punishment for war crimes. He wrote that Momir Stojanovic, who participated in Gjakova massacres, is currently part of the Serbian Assembly. He requested punishment for Stojanovic and the “decriminalization” of Serbia’s Parliament. He accused Aleksandar Vucic and his party of keeping such people among themselves and added that they would never be worthy of discussing with them.
Haxhiu: I will not respond to prosecution (Epoka e Re)
Albulena Haxhiu, Kosovo Assembly deputy from Vetevendosje Movement, has decided not to respond to the Prosecution of State, which has invited her for an interview for throwing tear gas at the Assembly. She wrote on her Facebook profile that she expects investigation and sentencing of those in Kosovo’s police and politics “who kidnapped Albin Kurti…Finally, allow me to make it clear that I will not respond to these political invitations of the prosecution for informative discussions,” wrote Haxhiu.
Dacic: Brussels Agreement cannot be suspended (Kosova Sot)
Serbia’s Foreign Minister, Ivica Dacic, said on Saturday that there is no possibility of suspending the agreement that Pristina and Belgrade reached in Brussels. He added that Belgrade wants clear answer as to the position of the European Union on this issue. “We are very disappointed by the situation in Kosovo on the implementation of the Brussels agreements,” Dacic said.