UNMIK Headlines 21 October
Security for Dacic, unnecessary spectacle (Koha Ditore)
Security experts claim that the range of security measures provided to Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic during his visit to Kosovo were unnecessary and were more a “spectacle”. Apart from members of his close protection, Dacic was also protected by a group of 26 vehicles, mostly from the Kosovo Police including an ambulance.
“In this case, we were dealing with a visit of a prime minister from a neighbouring country that was reported to be of religious character. It shows that the visit was not official and as a result, mobilization of special units to such a degree was unnecessary. Not to mention financial and human implications,” said security expert Florian Qehaja.
Tahiri: Dacic violated the agreement (Epoka e Re)
Deputy Prime Minister, Edita Tahiri, stated that Serbia’s Prime Minister, Ivica Dacic, violated Brussels agreement during his visit to Gracanica, by not respecting the allowed procedures based on which he was allowed to visit Kosovo. “As chief negotiator, I can say that in this case he has violated the Brussels agreement reached on 18 April, and he did not behave as a democratic leader. As far as official positions are concerned, you will have to wait a little until the Government does the assessments,” said Tahiri.
Vucic to also visit Kosovo (Tribuna)
Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic is expected to visit Kosovo this week and is reported to have presented the request to international authorities in Belgrade. The request will then go to the Kosovo Ministry of Internal Affairs for review. Interior Minister Bajram Rexhepi said in principle he has nothing against the visit. “We will see on Monday. There is no specific reason for it not to go ahead,” said Rexhepi for the paper.
CEC violates law by appointing Zdravkovic as deputy CEO (Koha Ditore)
Central Elections Commission appointed Goran Zdravkovic, member of CEC from the Serb Liberal Party, to the post of the Secretariat’s deputy chief executive officer without his resignation being approved first by the president.
“Appointment of Secretariat’s deputy chief was made in violation to the law and administrative instruction. [Zdravkovic] resigned from a post where he represented a political party and on the same day got appointed to the second most senior position as a civil servant, in the CEC’s Secretariat,” said member of CEC from Democratic League of Kosovo, Florian Dushi.
ECAP approves around 4,000 complaints of Serbs (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore reports that the issue of refused applications of Serbs outside Kosovo reviewed by the Election Complaints and Appeals Panel was among the discussion topics in the framework of technical talks on elections, last week in Brussels. ECAP officials denied having been under pressure from Brussels to approve all applications of Serb voters outside Kosovo even though they admit that the issue has been discussed. Out of 10,000 reviewed complains, ECAP has declared valid about 4,000 applications and refused over 6,000. Members of CEC said that it was political interference that brought these applications through OSCE and the same is happening with review of complaints.
Kosovo threatened by social unrest (Tribuna)
Kosovo could be engulfed in social unrest after elections of 3 November, announced in a report the organization HIS Jane’s which the paper claims to possess. This organization is based in United States and involves professionals engaged in making investigations and analyses of different processes, based on the market needs. This time, experts of this organization have made an analysis of the situation in Kosovo in the eve of 3 November elections, while they have included all elements which would describe this process. The dismissal of parallel structures in the north will play crucial role in the stability of Kosovo after elections of 3 November, concludes the report of HIS Jane’s. It is said that in contrary, Kosovo endangers to be involved in social unrest. The report also presents three scenarios based on which the local elections will be conducted in entire Kosovo since the declaration of independence.
Salustro requested extension of the “Drenica Group” detention (Koha Ditore)
EULEX prosecutor, Maurizio Salustro, has requested from the Basic Court in Mitrovica to extend for two additional months the detention of Sylejman Selimi, former commander of KLA general staff and six of his comrades in arms, reported electronic media on Sunday. Lawyer Tomë Gashi , has stated that the request of the prosecutor with the pretension that they would escape from Kosovo in order not to face the trial, as illegal and insulting, and added that they fought for liberation of Kosovo.