Headlines - 20.06.2014

Jahjaga addresses Constitutional Court (dailies)

The President of Kosovo, Atifete Jahjaga, has addressed the Constitutional Court and asked it to clarify certain issues relating to her competencies, namely articles 84 and 95 of the Constitution of Kosovo. Clarification and a Court decision will enable President Jahjaga to undertake the necessary measures to propose a candidate for Prime Minister.

Jacobson: President Jahjaga’s decision is a responsible act (Botapress)

The US Ambassador in Kosovo, Tracey Ann Jacobson, supported the decision of Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga to ask for clarification from the Constitutional Court about her role in the formation of the new Kosovo government. She said to Voice of America that this was a responsible action.

Matoshi: Jahjaga violated the Constitution (Botapress)

Analyst Halil Matoshi reacted to the decision of the President to seek clarification from the Constitutional Court on which leader should be proposed as Prime Minister – Hashim Thaci, who won the 8 June elections, or Ramush Haradinaj, who has been nominated by the coalition of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) and Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA). According to Matoshi, President violated the Constitution in this case. “The decision to request interpretation from the Constitutional Court supports the goals of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK). The Constitution already clarifies that the President has the power to propose a Prime Minister who has the majority in the Assembly,” Matoshi told Gazeta Blic.

Opposition leaders divided over dialogue with Belgrade (Koha)

The paper reports on page two that Isa Mustafa, leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Ramush Haradinaj, leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), Albin Kurti, leader of the Vetevendosje Movement, and Fatmir Limaj, leader of the Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA), met on Thursday at AAK headquarters to discuss dialogue with Belgrade. No agreement was reached. Kurti told reporters after the meeting that leaders are now in the second phase of talks, on topics including dialogue with Belgrade, the implementation of the association of Serb majority municipalities, and completed privatization ventures. “We, as Vetevendosje, presented our positions. We also submitted a written proposal on future strategic steps. I believe in future meetings we will be able to find the right solutions and I am optimistic about the second phase talks. No agreement was reached on our requests, but talks will continue,” Kurti said. Haradinaj, who is proposed for Prime Minister by the opposition coalition, said no one in Kosovo is against dialogue but added that talks should be a fruitful process. “A final agreement was not reached but there was an approximation of positions,” Haradinaj said.

Jahjaga: Reinstatement of Mitrovica barricade is unacceptable (Botapress)

The President of Kosovo, Atifete Jahjaga, met with KFOR commander Salvatore Farina. They talked about the present situation in Mitrovica and the northern municipalities. Jahjaga said the reinstatement of the Mitrovica barricade was unacceptable and violates freedom of movement for all people. She added that the reinstatement prevents progress and the full integration of all people into the social and institutional life of Kosovo.

Austrian Chancellor to visit Kosovo today (Tribuna)

The Chancellor of Austria, Werner Faymann, is currently visiting the Balkans. He visited Belgrade yesterday and will be in Pristina today. The paper reports that Faymann will only meet President Atifete Jahjaga and pay a visit to Austrian peacekeeping forces serving under KFOR.

Williamson to present findings in August (Tribuna)

The lead prosecutor for the European Union Special Investigative Task Force (SITF), Clint Williamson, will present the findings of his investigations into allegations of war crimes and criminal activity contained in the Council of Europe (CoE) report of 2011, the paper reports on the front page. The original plan was for the results to be presented in the second half of this month but that has now been postponed for a few months. Sources told the paper that, after a lengthy debate on the way the results would be presented, it seems likely that the SITF will not draft a report but will issue a statement explaining that the investigations have provided sufficient reasons to file several indictments, but that the rest of the CoE report claims are groundless.

Ahmeti leaves open possible legalization of church at university campus (Koha)

The Serb Orthodox church built in the 1990s on the Pristina University (UP) campus during Slobodan Milosevic’s regime will undergo a process after which it may be considered a legal construction. Pristina Mayor Shpend Ahmeti said this during a meeting he had on Thursday with UP Rector Anton Berishaj. “In the next six months, we will identify all illegal constructions in Pristina. The application period for all these constructions will run from January 2015 until June 2015. Someone will need to apply on behalf of the church, and then I believe this will be part of public discussions not only between the University and the municipality, but also between all people, on what should happen with this construction. I think it is too early to discuss the matter,” Ahmeti was quoted as saying.