UNMIK Headlines 20 January
Trepca debate postponed (dailies)
Zeri reports on the front page that Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic has forced the Kosovo government to remove the debate on the ownership of the Trepca mining complex from the Parliament’s agenda. Kosovo’s Parliament on Monday was supposed to adopt legal amendments that would have transformed Trepca into a public enterprise. However, after meetings with Quint ambassadors in Pristina, Prime Minister Isa Mustafa decided to withdraw this item from the Parliament’s agenda. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Vucic told reporters in Belgrade that, in cooperation with international officials, he had managed to bring about the decision to postpone the voting on Trepca. Koha Ditore claims to have secured a draft document that guarantees that local authorities in northern Kosovo would have a say in future decisions related to Trepca. Serb officials in the Kosovo government said this was a great achievement and a product of their negotiations with other members of the ruling coalition.
Haradinaj: Protests are inevitable (Zeri)
Ramush Haradinaj, the leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), said on Monday that, after yesterday’s parliamentary session, protests are inevitable and Parliament can no longer guarantee that the Trepca mining complex will remain under government control. Fatmir Limaj, the leader of the Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA), said the ruling coalition is implementing Belgrade’s agenda. “Kosovo’s treasures will now be discussed in Brussels, exactly as Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic has requested,” Limaj said.
Kuci: Special court will protect Kosovo’s image (Lajmi)
Kosovo’s Minister for Justice, Hajredin Kuci, said on Monday that the establishment of the special court, that will address war crimes allegations, will protect Kosovo’s image. He said the Chief Prosecutor of the European Union Special Investigative Task Force (SITF) Clint Williamson had told him that he was pushing for the special court so that Russia would not raise the matter at the United Nations Security Council. This involves protecting the image of Kosovo and the image of the Kosovo Liberation Army,” Kuci said.
Jablanovic apologizes to mothers of missing persons (Zeri)
Kosovo’s Minister for Communities and Returns, Aleksandar Jablanovic, apologized on Monday to mothers of missing persons from Gjakova who were insulted by his recent statement. He had called them “savages” for protesting against Serb pilgrims on Orthodox Christmas. “I express regret to all those that lost their loved ones during the war in Kosovo and I don’t want my statement to be a cause for protests,” Jablanovic said. However, mothers of missing persons did not accept the apology. Nusrete Kumnova, the head of the “Cries of Mothers” association, said protests would be held very soon in Pristina. Another protest against Jablanovic’s statement will be held in Ferizaj/Urosevac today.
EP concerned by Kosovo’s efforts to fight corruption (Kosova Sot)
The European Parliament’s Rapporteur on Kosovo, Ulrike Lunacek, presented to the Parliament’s Foreign Policy Committee a draft resolution on Kosovo which hails the overcoming of the political stalemate but also expresses concern over the appointment of government officials with dubious backgrounds. It also regrets the fact that the Kosovo government has so many ministers but only a small number of women in leading positions. The draft resolution further calls on the government to immediately begin reforms and stresses that the insufficient progress in fighting corruption and organized crime presents an obstacle to Kosovo’s social and economic progress.