UNMIK Headlines 27 December
Return of reserved seats were promised to minority communities (Koha)
The paper recalls that one year ago, when MPs from minority communities voted in favor of constitutional amendments that helped remove international supervision over Kosovo, they counted that article 148 would be only temporarily removed. They received promises from their Albanian colleagues that reserved seats would be returned to them.
Representatives of the ruling Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) are saying now that they gave the promise and called on the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) to respect the promise they made one year ago. LDK officials meanwhile argue that the only promise made was that the matter would be discussed later on.
Tribuna reports that LDK leader Isa Mustafa and LDK MP Vjosa Osmani said statements by Foreign Affairs Minister Enver Hoxhaj for an extended mandate for reserved seats are mere speculation. Mustafa and Osmani said LDK never promised the PDK that it would support the extension of reserved seats.
“Instead of speculating in the name of the LDK, Enver Hoxhaj should deal with his MPs because they cannot convince even their own MPs to vote in favor of this initiative,” Osmani was quoted as saying.
Tahiri: Reserved seats have reached their end (Lajm)
Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Edita Tahiri said on Thursday that she is against an extended mandate for reserved seats for minority communities in Kosovo’s Parliament. “We have been very generous toward minorities especially toward Serbs. Reserved mandates have reached their end and we need to follow the example of other countries. Montenegro for example has ceased extended mandates last year. I believe we have been very careful toward minorities and now it is up to parliament to decide. I don’t think there is a need to extend their mandates,” Tahiri said in an interview for RTV21.
Shala agrees with Haradinaj on suspension of dialogue with Serbia (dailies)
Besnik Tahiri, member of the chairmanship of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), told Koha Ditore on Thursday that AAK deputy leader Blerim Shala shares the position of party leader Ramush Haradinaj for suspending dialogue with Serbia and for focusing on other fields in Kosovo.
“Mr. Shala shares Mr. Haradinaj’s position. Shala gave extraordinary contribution to the process and it is crucial for Kosovo. It is important for Shala to engage in another process that is in the function of development agendas,” Tahiri said.
Earlier in the week, Haradinaj gave interviews to Voice of America and RTK saying that dialogue with Serbia has been exhausted, that dialogue should be stopped and agreements reached during dialogue should be implemented.
Government decides on PTK today (dailies)
The Kosovo Government is reviewing the possibility of signing the contract with the winner bidder for PTK privatization before December 30th, despite the fact that parliament refused to include an amendment for PTK privatization in the 2014 budget. The government committee for privatization discussed the PTK issue on Thursday and a final decision is expected on Friday.
Members of parliament adopted the 2014 budget on Thursday, only after the government agreed to remove the eighth amendment.
Senior government officials told Koha Ditore that the request sent to parliament was more a political obligation than a legal one. “In legal terms, we can proceed with the signing of the contract,” the source said.
Inauguration of Gracanica municipal assembly not recognized (Tribuna)
Kosovo’s Ministry for Local Government has declared null and void the inauguration session of the municipal assembly of Gracanica which was held on December 24th. Gracanica mayor Branimir Stojanovic gave his oath before the flag of Serbia and the flag of the United Nations. In attendance were Serbia’s minister for Kosovo, Aleksandar Vulin and Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister and Local Government Minister Slobodan Petrovic.
The decision issued by the Ministry for Local Government noted, “based on the monitoring report from the inauguration session of the municipal assembly of Gracanica it was concluded that legal procedures were not respected”.
The Ministry called on Gracanica municipal authorities to immediately undertake legal measures and hold the inauguration session in compliance with the legislation for local self-government in the Republic of Kosovo.
Veseli: Limaj and Krasniqi belong in the PDK (Epoka e Re)
Kadri Veseli, deputy leader of the ruling Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), said on Thursday that Fatmir Limaj and Jakup Krasniqi belong in the PDK. “I have faith in their serious maturity, in their decision in line with the interests of the people that have trusted them for 14 years. This is a situation that was created before my arrival in the PDK, and I believe we can easily overcome this. We have more things that unite us than things that divide us,” Veseli told Klan Kosova.