UNMIK Headlines 20 May
Mustafa: Demarcation to be ratified before visa liberalisation vote (dailies)
Prime Minister of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa, in an interview for Radio Free Europe said that all possibilities have been exhausted with regards to the review of the border demarcation agreement with Montenegro and that he believes the document in the present form will be ratified by the Assembly of Kosovo. “I think the ratification needs to happen before the European Parliament and the European Union Council vote on the visa liberalisation for Kosovo”, said Mustafa. Asked about the dialogue with Belgrade, PM Mustafa said it should involve as many stakeholders as possible not only from the office of the Kosovo President and the Assembly of Kosovo but also from the opposition parties and the civil society. “This way the whole process would be simplified in the decision-making point of view.” Mustafa added however that the dialogue will continue as the only alternative to cooperation and partnership. He said further in the interview that the Association/Community of Serb-majority Municipalities will be established in accordance to the Kosovo Constitutional Court’s decision. However, Mustafa stressed that the establishment of the Association/Community cannot move forward without assurances that Serbia will meet its part of the obligations regarding the dialing code for Kosovo, energy, movement along the River Ibër/Ibar Bridge in Mitrovica and the dissolving of parallel structures.
Veseli: Serbian List should reflect, the Army of Kosovo will be formed (RTK)
The news site reports that the U.S. Congress has called on the U.S. administration to help Kosovo join the NATO Partnership for Peace Programme. Kosovo Assembly President, Kadri Veseli, said that the decision shows that the U.S. want to have stability in the region. “I believe this is a very important decision because it raises awareness about the importance of Kosovo having an army,” Veseli told RTK on Thursday. “Everyone must understand that this state will not remain hostage to anyone outside Kosovo and that we will act. We are running late with the process, therefore, I call on colleagues from the Serbian List who are doing a very positive work within the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo to reflect on this matter because this [formation of the army] will happen”.
Opposition wants renegotiation of border demarcation agreement (dailies)
The Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) and Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA), during a press conference on Thursday proposed that the agreement on border-demarcation with Montenegro should be renegotiated in Brussels. “The government of Kosovo has to reconsider this subject in order to solve the problem. It is in the interest of Kosovo and in the interest of good neighbourly relations with Montenegro that this agreement is renegotiated,” Haradinaj said. He also expressed readiness to be part of this process. The leader of NISMA, Fatmir Limaj, said that the only option for a rapid EU integration and visa liberalisation is the creation of a committee that will investigate and bring the border where it belongs. In regards to Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities, Limaj and Haradinaj said this issue also must be discussed again because the Constitutional Court found violations in this agreement.
Ymeri: Border demarcation agreement should not be sent to Parliament (RTK)
The leader of the Vetëvendosje Movement, Visar Ymeri, said on Thursday that the current agreement on border-demarcation with Montenegro should not be sent to Parliament for ratification. “We cannot give away 8,000 hectares of our territory… Such criteria was not set for any of the countries in the region and is not in line with European values. This agreement should not be sent to Parliament. Otherwise, the responsibility for further tensions and deepening of political crisis falls on the government,” Ymeri wrote on his Facebook account.
Mustafa: EULEX to leave space for action to local authorities (Koha)
Kosovo’s Prime Minister, Isa Mustafa, said on Thursday that the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) must continue to operate in some areas, but “it must also leave space for action to local authorities.” According to him, this matter is still being discussed in Brussels. “We have achieved a lot of progress. There are still some open issues that are being discussed in Brussels. EULEX should continue to work in some areas, always leaving space for action also to local authorities,” Mustafa said.
US and UK plan on ‘closing down’ UNMIK (Lajmi)
The news website quotes reports from the Belgrade-based paper Večernje Novosti that the United States and the United Kingdom are planning to decrease the budget for the UN mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) which will translate into downsizing of the mission’s staff. The paper wrote that the UN will decide on UNMIK’s budget next month but the proposal is for it to be reduced by USD 3.5 million. This would lead to 20 job cuts. Last year, UNMIK’s budget provided for 388 employees, of which 372 civilian staff and 16 uniformed officers. Kosovo authorities continue to insist that UNMIK should close down as it is no longer necessary but Serbia wants UNMIK to continue its mission and considers it an important partner.
Hoxhaj elected PDK deputy leader (RTK)
The presidency of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) in a meeting yesterday decided to appoint Enver Hoxhaj to the post of the party’s deputy leader. Hoxhaj was appointed to the post vacated by Kadri Veseli when he took on the party’s top post.
Ukë Rugova indicted over visa fraud (Koha Ditore)
The Kosovo Special Prosecution filed an indictment yesterday against the son of the late Kosovo President Ibrahim Rugova, Ukë Rugova, and a group of 19 persons on charges of organised crime and migrant smuggling. Rugova’s group is suspected of illegally supplying EU Schengen visas through the Italian Embassy in Pristina.