Headlines - 27.12.2017

• Decision to send demarcation at Assembly session, in January (Epoka)
• Minister Hoxha seeks consensus on border demarcation (Zeri)
• Haxhiu: Bulliqi’s arguments are sufficient to show that Kosovo was affected (RTK)
• Hoti: Abolishment of specialist court threatens Kosovo’s statehood (Koha)
• Selimi: Abolishment of Special Court can be initiated without signatures” (Epoka)
• Matoshi: Montenegro PM to visit Kosovo in January (Telegrafi/Klan)
• Kurti officially candidate for Vetevendosje leader (Epoka)
• Government of Kosovo prepares anti-corruption draft strategy (Koha Ditore)
• Expropriation of land near coal mine begins (Kosova Sot)

 Kosovo Media Highlights

Decision to send demarcation at Assembly session, in January (Epoka)

Kosovo Assembly Committee for Foreign Affairs, Diaspora and Strategic Investments has delayed the decision on preceding the draft law on the agreement for demarcation of the border with Montenegro to the plenary session for 15 January. The Committee made this decision on Tuesday after a several hour presentation of the report drafted by the new commission for demarcation of the border with Montenegro. According to Lajmi.net, this postponement happened due to the suspicion of the prosecution on manipulation with documents.

Minister Hoxha seeks consensus on border demarcation (Zeri)

Kosovo’s Minister of European Integration, Dhurata Hoxha, said she expects political parties to reach consensus and ratify the border demarcation agreement with Montenegro thus ending the isolation of the people of Kosovo. She also said that the fighting corruption as the second visa liberalisation condition is being implemented by Kosovo institutions but that there is more work needs to be done in this respect.

Haxhiu: Bulliqi’s arguments are sufficient to show that Kosovo was affected (RTK)

Vetevendosje Movement MP, Albulena Haxhiu, said some Kosovo Assembly MPs are more interested to endorse the current version of the demarcation of the border with Montenegro than Montenegro itself. “Arguments of the Commission led by Mr. Bulliqi are sufficient to understand that Kosovo is affected and that it lost territory. Instead of reflection and defense of the territory, they ask for more facts,” Haxhiu wrote.

Hoti: Abolishment of specialist court threatens Kosovo’s statehood (Koha)

Head of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) parliamentary group, Avdullah Hoti, said in an interview to KTV that the party continues to oppose initiative for annulment of law on specialist chambers and added that they cannot allow certain people to plunge Kosovo into a “clueless adventure.”  “This is an agenda of two-three people,” Hoti said warning that MPs that support the changing of specialist court’s mandate are threatening the statehood of Kosovo. “The country is being led by three persons who are not aware of the responsibilities they have taken on. They seem to forget that the statehood of Kosovo is not a done deal and that there are five countries that have not recognised us,” Hoti said.

Selimi: Abolishment of Special Court can be initiated without signatures” (Epoka)

Vetevendosje MP Rexhep Selimi, said the last week’s initiative to abolish the Special Court was Hashim Thaci’s. He said his political party did not support the initiative. “We suspect that it was a game and a maneuver. We do not join PDK’s and the called President of Kosovo’s conspiracies. This is entirely initiative of the President. PDK, LDK and Serbian List supported establishment of the Special Court. Why would they need 40 signatures when the President can initiate this?  The Prime Minister can also do this as a sponsored law by the Government at any time, but he lacks courage,” Selimi said.

Matoshi: Montenegro PM to visit Kosovo in January (Telegrafi/Klan)

Halil Matoshi, media advisor to Prime Minister of Kosovo Ramush Haradinaj, said in an interview to Klan Kosova that Montenegro Prime Minister, Dusko Markovic, is definitely going to visit Kosovo and that mid or late January is the likeliest time for this. “There is indication that the [border demarcation] issue will be resolved in the favour of both sides,” Matoshi.

Kurti officially candidate for Vetevendosje leader  (Epoka)

Vetevendosje MP, Fitore Pacolli, informed on Tuesday that Albin Kurti will be candidate for the leader of the Vetevendosje Movement. “Together with MP Albulena Haxhiu, we submitted today for verification signatures of the members of the General Council to the General Election Commission as the most senior body, in support of making Albin Kurti’s candidature for the leader of the Vetevendosje Movement official,” Pacolli said. According to the regulation in power, candidature becomes official with submission of the signatures of the 1/5 of the members of the General Council.

Government of Kosovo prepares anti-corruption draft strategy (Koha Ditore)

The paper reports on the front page that the government of Kosovo has finalized a four-year strategy for battling corruption and admitted that political sector is the most challenging field in these efforts. “A particular concern relates to allegations of political party connections as a precondition for being awarded posts,” the draft strategy says. It notes that a successful policy against corruption needs to enjoy the backing not only of the government but the opposition parties as well and also calls for increase of parliamentary oversight as a powerful tool in fighting corruption. The document covers the period from 2018 to 2022 and is expected to be voted by the government next month.

Expropriation of land near coal mine begins (Kosova Sot)

The government of Kosovo has issued a statement saying that the expropriation of land in the villages of Shipitulle and Hade near the Obiliq coal plant has commenced and as a result there will be no power restrictions or energy prices increase. Prime Minister of Kosovo, Ramush Haradinaj, hailed the move saying all buildings in the above villages will be destroyed before the New Year paving way for extended production of power.