Headlines - 29.01.2016

Delawie: Special court to try the people that Kosovars cannot (media)

In an interview for KTV, US Ambassador Greg Delawie said Kosovo should make use of its institutions to resolve the current deadlock. He called on political leaders to leave aside their personal interests and try to find a solution for the sake of the people of Kosovo. Delawie warned against the idea of Kosovo holding early elections as, he added, there is a small group of people trying to use political violence to achieve something they failed two years ago in the last elections. With regards to the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities, Delawie noted that the Constitutional Court has provided instructions to ensure that this mechanism folds out in line with the Constitution of Kosovo because no one wants a Republika Srpska in Kosovo. As for the special court, the US diplomat stressed that it will try people that Kosovars cannot.

Government: Association/Community, in compliance with Constitution (Zeri)

The Deputy Minister of Local Government and advisor to PM Isa Mustafa, Bajram Gecaj, told the paper the statute of the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities will be prepared in line with the recommendations of the Constitutional Court. According to Gecaj, for the implementation of the Court’s decision, Kosovo has the support of the European Union and the United States. On the other hand, the opposition parties have said that Prime Minister Mustafa and his government have violated Kosovo’s Constitution and therefore have to resign immediately. "A Prime Minister who violates the constitution should immediately resign. The opposition will not step back from its demands,” said Adonis Tahiri, spokesperson for the Vetevendosje Movement.

European Parliament hails signing of SAA with Kosovo (Epoka e Re)

The Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament endorsed the draft-resolution for Kosovo on Thursday. The resolution passed on a 37 to 12 vote, with 9 abstentions. The EP hailed the signing of the Stabilization Association Agreement between EU and Kosovo and agreements and dialogue for normalization of the relations between Pristina and Belgrade, especially the Agreement for Association/Community with Serb-majority Municipalities. Members of the European Parliament stressed that the EU-Kosovo Association Agreement, ratified by the European Parliament on 21 January, provides a powerful incentive for reform and paves the way for Kosovo's integration into the EU. The draft-resolution raises a range of concerns regarding the government of Kosovo. Namely, the lack of progress in fighting corruption at senior levels and organized crime, as well as a lack of sentencing and investigation results. The draft-resolution also “appeals to all players to act for the good of Kosovo in a responsible way, supporting a non-violent solution to, and exit from, this crisis” said the European Parliament rapporteur, Ulrike Lunacek. “Today's vote again sends a strong signal that the future of an independent Kosovo lies in the European Union … MEPs have once more called for the EU to complete its official recognition of Kosovo and urged the five member states refusing to recognize Kosovo to drop their blockade.”

Council of Europe passes resolution on Kosovo (dailies)

On Thursday, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) passed the resolution on Kosovo, prepared by Spanish MEP Augustin Conde. The Resolution, inter alia, calls for tackling corruption, increasing the role of UNMIK, implementation of the agreement on the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities and the return of normality in the Kosovo Assembly. “The Assembly encourages the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) to increase its capacities for co-operation with INTERPOL and EUROPOL and encourages the authorities in Pristina to use available mechanisms,” reads the Resolution. Kosovo’s proposals were not included in the Resolution, while four amendments proposed by Serbia were approved. Serbia’s amendments call on Kosovo to respect all agreements reached in Brussels, especially regarding the establishment of the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities. The Kosovo delegation said that Serbia proposed a number of amendments which are harmful for Kosovo. Under the headline Serbia brings back UNMIK to Kosovo, Bota Sot writes that the resolution represents another defeat for Kosovo. Gazeta Express reports in its coverage that “Serbia wants to restore UNMIK’s functions in Kosovo”. The Tirana-based TV station Top Channel reported on Thursday that “Kosovo fails with votes and Serbia ‘returns’ UNMIK”. “Belgrade presented their amendments at the Commission, especially regarding the Kosovo-Serbia relations for the Association of Serbian Communities, for the defense of cultural heritage, although Kosovo was not a member of UNESCO, and for passing some competences to UNMIK regarding institutions such as Interpol and Europol,” the TV station said.

Scenarios that empower UNMIK (RTV Dukagjini/Telegrafi)

RTV Dukagjini reports that certain international representatives that support Kosovo’s independence are concerned about the link between the Department for the Rule of Law and Correctional Services, which will be created within UNMIK and the courts in Serb-majority settlements. According to certain international officials, this could enable a new parallelism in Kosovo’s judicial system and would undermine achievements in the Brussels dialogue. Courts led by local Serbs would refuse Kosovo’s judicial system and instead establish direct links with the UNMIK-run department. RTV Dukagjini contacted representatives of the UN Mission in Kosovo but the latter could neither confirm nor deny that such a department is being created.

Konjufca: No coordination between Pristina and Tirana (Kosovapress)

Vetevendosje’s Glauk Konjufca said on Thursday that the adoption of a resolution on Kosovo by the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) is a setback for Kosovo in the international arena. He said the vote represents a failure for Kosovo’s diplomacy and a lack of coordination between Pristina and Tirana. “I was a member of the Kosovo delegation in CoE and I speak from experience that there is no coordination between the Kosovo delegation and Albanian deputies, including Albanian politicians in Skopje,” said Konjufca.

Opposition parties silent on quorum for election of president (Koha)

Opposition parties have yet to decide on their course of action when the Kosovo Assembly will meet to elect the President of Kosovo. The united opposition bloc said it will do everything to prevent Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) leader Hashim Thaci from being elected as President. Vetevendosje’s Zgjim Hyseni told the paper on Thursday: “Following the verdict of the Constitutional Court, this government has no legitimacy or credibility to govern the country. Kosovo must go to elections and then we will see if the people will decide in favor of the Association [Community of Serb-majority municipalities] and the PDK and LDK, or in favor of a sovereign Kosovo. Elections are the only way out of this situation … Hashim Thaci’s political career has been characterized by political deals that have damaged the interests of the country. He cannot be a unifying figure. No one sees Thaci as a figure that can go beyond personal and clan interests and perform the duties of the President”. Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) MP Donika Kadaj-Bujupi said the President should be elected by the people, “especially now that the institutions have lost their legitimacy and the political crisis has reached a boiling point”.

Tahiri: Elections in Serbia could slow down dialogue (Epoka e Re)

Kosovo’s Minister for Dialogue, Edita Tahiri, said on Thursday that no major breakthroughs are expected to happen with regards to dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade and that the two parties will focus on implementation of agreements reached so far. Tahiri told the paper that general elections in Serbia could slow down the pace of dialogue for the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia.

AAK agrees to return to Assembly to vote on election reform (Lajmi)

The Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, has expressed readiness to return at the Assembly to endorse constitutional changes which would enable election of the President by the people. AAK deputy leader, Ahmet Isufi, said on Thursday that his party is in favor of such changes and that it will contribute in this respect. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) parliamentary group Chief Adem Grabovci blamed opposition parties for blocking the Assembly and rendering these changes impossible. Grabovci also said he believes there is no longer time to endorse the changes.