Germany committed to block Serbia over Kosovo (Koha)

Koha Ditore reports on the front page that Germany – the most influential member state of the European Union – still maintains the seven conditions without which Serbia will not get the date for the start of membership talks.

German Ambassador in Kosovo, Peter Blomeyer, told the paper on Thursday that Serbia would not get the date if it doesn’t manage to dissolve its security structures in the northern part of Kosovo. This was one of the requirements that the German Bundestag placed on Serbia in September last year. Four out of seven conditions include obligations that Serbia has vis-à-vis Kosovo.

Blomeyer talked about dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia and especially about the umbrella mechanism for Serb municipalities, which he argued needs to function according to Kosovo’s laws.

Blomeyer said according to the draft agreement the mechanism will executive competencies and municipalities with Serb majority will be able to delegate their competencies to the mechanism.

The paper notes that Blomeyer’s statements are completely different from what Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi said about the mechanism. The latter said the association of Serb municipalities would not be allowed to have executive or legislative competencies which would create a third tier of government in the country and thus be in contravention with the Constitution of Kosovo.

Kuçi sends document with remarks only to pro-government media (Koha)

The paper notes that Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuçi kept his promise that he would make public the remarks of the Kosovar delegation to the agreement that is expected to be reached in Brussels on April 2^nd. Kuçi however send the remarks only to media that are considered close to his Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK).

After talking about the importance of a bilateral agreement, Kuçi selected several journalists from pro-government media and gave them a copy with the remarks of the Kosovo delegation.

Kuçi: We expect our remarks will be respected (Epoka e Re)

Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuçi said he expects remarks made towards several formulations in the EU draft document will be respected. Kuçi said Pristina’s remarks are based on arguments. He also said that points 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 were unacceptable for the delegation of the Republic of Kosovo.

A source in the Kosovo Government, who preferred to remain anonymous, told the paper that an agreement can be reached on April 2^nd only if Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic and Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic are present at the meeting.

Three Serbs from the north, sentenced for 2008 riots (Koha Ditore)

A panel of three EULEX judges at theMitrovica Basic Courtconvicted three out of the six persons on trial for the unlawful attack on the premises of the court in the northern part of Mitrovica on 17 March 2008.

The accused Marijan Ilincic was found guilty of some of the charges and sentenced to an aggregate punishment of one year and ten months of imprisonment. The accused Zoran Cavic was found guilty of some of the charges and sentenced to nine months of imprisonment. The sentence was suspended for one year. The accused Dragan Milojevic was found guilty of some of the charges and sentenced to an aggregate punishment of one year and six months of imprisonment.

The defendants Miodrag Ralic, Avni Krasniqi and Nebojsa Jovic were acquitted of all charges. According to an EULEX press release, the case is related to the March 2008 riots when the courthouse in the northern part of Mitrovica came under an unlawful attack by a large number of people causing the death of a Ukrainian International Officer. The case was prosecuted by an EULEX prosecutor.

Attack on Bala assessed as cowardly and unacceptable act (Koha)

Heads of institutions, diplomatic missions and non-governmental organizations, condemned on Thursday the physical attack on activist Nazlie Bala. The U.S. Embassy condemned interferences, threatening and violence towards the citizens and journalists who practice their right for freedom of speech and towards those who recently debated proposed amendments at the Assembly of Kosovo.

The UN mission in Kosovo, UNMIK, has also considered this a flagrant attack on the freedom of expression and basic human rights. A press release of this mission says that UNMIK appeals to Kosovo authorities to commence a thorough investigation on this case as well as other incidents, including all acts of violence against the activists of human rights.

Jahjaga meets Svilanovic (Zëri)

The President of Kosovo, Atifete Jahjaga, met with the general secretary of the Council for Regional Cooperation, Goran Svilanovic. The Office of the President informed that the meeting is part of Svilanovic’s visit to Kosovo, on the occasion of Kosovo’s membership to this regional organization for inter-state cooperation. President Jahjaga said at this meeting that membership of theRepublicofKosovoat this organization is a significant and necessary step which strengthens regional cooperation.