Headlines - 25.01.2018

• Haradinaj: We are accountable only to MPs not ambassadors (media)
• Apostolova: Abrogating specialist court makes Kosovo unreliable partner (Koha)
• Thaci: I do not interfere in the specialist court initiative (dailies)
• PDK MP Haxhiu: Kosovo cannot be more isolated than it already is (Koha)
• Hoti: Haradinaj is leading the country towards complete isolation (media)
• Rama: Special court, irreversible process (Epoka)
• Haley: Kosovo and Serbia should engage for peace (RTK)
• Decision making on border demarcation stalls, solution being sought out (Koha)
• Haradinaj blames LDK and Assembly for demarcation (Kosova Sot)
• Intensive investigation on Ivanovic’s case (RFE, Zeri)
• Report on the state of judiciary presented in Pristina (dailies)
• Kosovo officially takes over CEFTA chairmanship (Bota Sot/Zeri)
• Ivanovic murder discussed in CoE Parliamentary Assembly (Koha)
• Haradinaj on power supply situation: Someone is lying (Koha Ditore)

 Kosovo Media Highlights

Haradinaj: We are accountable only to MPs not ambassadors (media)

The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Ramush Haradinaj, was asked at a press conference on Wednesday about the initiative of 43 MPs to abrogate the Law on specialist chambers. He said that the government has 30 days to go through the procedures. Asked about the warning of the Ambassadors in Kosovo, that this could be a wrong move, Haradinaj said “the government of the country gives account to the Assembly which elected it. We give account to Ambassadors about diplomatic relations with countries. They are not our employees. Our employees are the MPs,” Haradinaj said.

Apostolova: Abrogating specialist court makes Kosovo unreliable partner (Koha)

In an interview to KTV, head of the EU Office in Kosovo and Special Representative, Nataliya Apostolova, said that the EU views the initiative for abrogating law on specialist chambers as an attempt to cancel an international obligation Kosovo Assembly has ratified two years ago and added that this is being done unilaterally. “Therefore, this gives a negative impression of Kosovo as a partner that does not abide by its obligations. It makes it an unreliable partner,” Apostolova said. She added that the specialist chambers have a very important mandate and will deal with the individual responsibility of persons suspected of committing terrible crimes. “The court has been set up for Kosovo because the society and institutions will prove they are sustainable and strong only if they face the past.” Apostolova said she very much hoped the law on specialist chambers would not be abrogated ahead and that they are very concerned that Kosovo is isolating itself by not giving up on the initiative. “We do not want to deny Kosovo our assistance, which could be one of the consequences. But let me be clear, we are not in a position as diplomats representing the international community to interfere in internal matters,” Apostolova noted further.

Apostolova said that the faith in Kosovo judicial institutions can be restored if the practice of nepotism and political appointments ends. “Only this way, when Kosovo judiciary demonstrates decisiveness before the public, with it gain the trust that it is putting the interest of the people of Kosovo above all else,” Apostolova said.

Thaci: I do not interfere in the specialist court initiative (dailies)

Many papers are reporting on an interview the President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, gave to Deutsche Welle last week where he spoke about the initiative of the 43 MPs to abrogate the Law on the specialist chambers. He said that he was passive and not interfering in this process. “Dick Marty’s report was open and all the people were and are in such process for twenty years now, this is the least preoccupying issue that we have, we have much smarter ways to spend time than to waste it thinking about the Special Court. This is the lowest price that everyone who fought could pay. Partnership with the West was created by people who fought and not those who did not believe on independence,” Thaci said. With regards to the killing of Oliver Ivanovic, Thaci said that those who thought and planned Oliver Ivanovic’s murder, wanted to  harm Kosovo. He added that he hopes the case will be resolved as soon as possible and perpetrators will be brought in front of the justice. “It is tragic momentum and event, the worst possible message that we had to face and experience. Kosovo institutions together with the international ones are making maximal efforts to shed light to this criminal murder,” Thaci said. He added that those who planed this intended to present Kosovo as not stabile. “Ivanovic himself had said that he had more problems with Serbs than with Kosovars. He used to say that he felt threatened by Serbs,” Thaci said.

PDK MP Haxhiu: Kosovo cannot be more isolated than it already is (Koha)

Democratic Party of Kosovo MP, Bekim Haxhiu, commented on the warnings of international representatives that Kosovo risks isolating itself if it abrogates law on specialist chambers. “Kosovo cannot be more isolated than it already is,” Haxhiu said adding that the specialist court was originally voted because it was believed that it would open up Kosovo’s perspective. “We voted then hoping it would open perspective for our country. Even though we voted the special court, this perspective did not open up,” he added. Haxhiu is among the MPs who signed the initiative for abrogating the court but he said his vote will be in line with that of his party. “My stance will be the same as that of Kadri Veseli,” he underlined.

Hoti: Haradinaj is leading the country towards complete isolation (media)

Head of the Parliamentary Group of the Democratic League of Kosovo, Avdullah Hoti, made some comments with regards to the statement of the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Ramush Haradinaj, that the MPs are asked about the Special Court, not foreign Ambassadors. “Ambassadors represent their respective government. Coordination with them means coordination for Euro-Atlantic path of Kosovo. There is no other way for Kosovo, except if we turn towards the East. Kosovo citizens are pro-European. This government that is trying to isolate Kosovo, soon will be an unfortunate event of the past,” Hoti wrote on his Facebook profile.

Rama: Special court, irreversible process (Epoka)

The Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama, said on Wednesday in Davos that he hopes that despite the fact that Serbia is ahead of Albania in the process of the EU membership, the two countries join the EU together. “However this could happen supposing that Serbia recognizes Kosovo,” Rama told the journalists in Davos. Asked about the danger of abrogation of Kosovo’s Law on specialist chambers, Rama said “I think that (Special Court) is an irreversible process, even though it is important to have open minds for the best solutions. The idea of the court is not in danger. There is a debate to improve it and it is a good debate,” Rama said.

Haley: Kosovo and Serbia should engage for peace (RTK)

The U.S. Ambassador at the United Nations, Nikki Haley, met her Serbian counterpart, Milan Milanovic. According to the U.S. Ambassador, the main issue of the discussions was relations between Kosovo and Serbia. “We had a productive meeting with Serbian Ambassador Milanovic about Serbia and Kosovo relations, finding a solution agreeable to both countries, and bringing greater peace to the region,” Haley wrote on her Twitter account.

Decision making on border demarcation stalls, solution being sought out (Koha)

The paper reports on the front page that the decision making regarding the agreement on border demarcation with Montenegro has stalled because of efforts to find an acceptable solution for all sides at the Assembly of Kosovo. According to the paper, the goal is to reach this solution before 6 February which is when the Prime Minister of Montenegro, Dusko Markovic, is scheduled to visit Kosovo. The solution being considered involves adoption of a joint Kosovo-Montenegro statement where the parties pledge readiness to review the border agreement if new facts surface.

Haradinaj blames LDK and Assembly for demarcation (Kosova Sot)

Prime Minister of Kosovo, Ramush Haradinaj, said that the Democratic League of Kosovo has been preventing the border demarcation agreement from being put up for vote at the Assembly, seemingly referring to the fact that LDK chairs the Assembly committee on foreign affairs which is where the agreement was last with. “I am surprised why parliamentary groups are complaining of being isolated by the government, Ramush or who knows who. Go ahead, vote it, the LDK has it,” Haradinaj said.

Ivanovic murder discussed in CoE Parliamentary Assembly (Koha)

The recent murder of Serb leader, Oliver Ivanovic, has been discussed in the meeting of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly committee on political affairs and democracy where the rapporteur for Kosovo, Jordi Roca Mas, said violence cannot solve anything. He said transparency is in the interest of the people of Kosovo and that he is planning a visit to Kosovo to prepare his first report for the Parliamentary Assembly. The Serbian delegation accused EULEX and Kosovo institutions for not making efforts to enable return of displaced Serbs and solving Ivanovic’s murder. The Serb delegation also said that it considers the initiative to abrogate special court unacceptable. Kosovo delegation meanwhile said relevant institutions are working on solving Ivanovic’s murder and that Ivanovic never felt threatened by members of the Albanian community.

Intensive investigation on Ivanovic’s case (RFE, Zeri)

Besim Hoti, Kosovo Police deputy director for the Mitrovica North region, told Radio Free Europe that up to date they do not have a suspected person for Oliver Ivanovic’s murder. He however added that investigation is taking place in an intensified manner. “I am speaking about an uninterrupted dynamics of work, analyzing of gathered facts and evidence, witnesses ‘statements and processing of all these,” Hoti said.

Report on the state of judiciary presented in Pristina (dailies)

The head of the EU Office in Kosovo, Nataliya Apostolova, said at the presentation of a report on the judicial system in Kosovo that no one is above the law and that Kosovo while Kosovo has made progress a great deal still remains to be done. "CEPEJ offers a number of useful tools that can address problems, and increase efficiency and quality in Kosovo's justice sector. The presentation today will provide an opportunity for a debate on the way forward," Apostolova said. One of the recommendations of the report notes the need for reviewing reasons why there is lack of effectiveness in tackling civil and economic cases.

Link to report: http://bit.ly/2n3IWM4

Kosovo officially takes over CEFTA chairmanship (Bota Sot/Zeri)

Kosovo has officially taken over chairmanship over the Central Europe Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA). Kosovo’s Minister of Trade and Industry, Bajram Hasani, said on the occasion that Kosovo will play a constructive role during its chairmanship. “As minister of the Kosovo government and chairperson of CEFTA we will make utmost effort to fulfill our obligations, achieve our objectives and, most importantly, focus on implementation of agreements reaches so far and those to be reached in the future,” Hasani said. He noted that the strategic objective during the Kosovo’s CEFTA chairmanship will be the creation of a Regional Economic Zone. “Kosovo’s approach will be proactive and we will work to bring all parties to the table and take decisions in favour of regional cooperation and EU integration as the primary role of the Western Balkans countries,” Hasani added.

Haradinaj on power supply situation: Someone is lying (Koha Ditore)

Prime Minister of Kosovo, Ramush Haradinaj, has reacted to the recent power shortages in Kosovo by accusing the Kosovo Energy Corporation (KEK) or the Kosovo Energy Distribution Services (KEDS) of lying. “KEK guarantees that it covers 83 percent of energy demand from production. The rest of 17 percent is from import. This 83 percent is not used completely during the night. At the peak time, in the evening, they are having difficulties in combining but to tell you the truth we don’t know what is going on. Someone is playing a game or is lying,” Haradinaj said after a meeting with officials from the Ministry of Economic Development.