UNMIK Headlines 8 December
Kosovo Government open for a solution to political crisis (Kosova Sot)
After meeting opposition leaders yesterday, President of Kosovo Atifete Jahjaga met Prime Minister Isa Mustafa in an effort to find a solution to the current political situation. Mustafa said he would support any initiative for overcoming the situation but did not say whether there is any approximation of positions with the opposition parties. “We did not discuss concrete issues,” said Mustafa after the meeting. He stressed that any solution would have to be within the Constitution of Kosovo and applicable laws.
Opposition is not blackmailing (Epoka e Re)
The deputy leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, Pal Lekaj, said on Monday that the government must reflect towards the opposition. He said that government does not have the right to decide on major issues. According to him, as far as the Association/Community of the Serb-majority municipalities and the border demarcation with Montenegro are concerned, the people should have their say through a referendum or early elections. Lekaj does not consider the requests of the opposition to be blackmail. Speaking about his appearance at the Kosovo Police on Monday, Lekaj said that he was called by the police for his actions at the Assembly, but then he was released through a regular procedure.
Jahjaga plans to deliver annual address to Assembly (Koha)
In separate meetings with opposition leaders and Prime Minister Isa Mustafa yesterday, President of Kosovo Atifete Jahjaga is reported to have expressed interest to deliver her annual speech to the Assembly. Jahjaga did not receive a reply from opposition representatives on whether they would not try to block her speech but in a meeting with Assembly President Kadri Veseli, Jahjaga is said to have requested scheduling of a session for the purpose.
Jahjaga: We will not allow impairment of inter-ethnic relations (RTK)
Kosovo’s President, Atifete Jahjaga, condemned the incidents in the village of Gorazdevac/Gorazhdec. She said Kosovo will not allow such incidents to impair the improved inter-ethnic relations in Kosovo. “Without prejudice to the motivation of such an act, I stress that we will not allow such incidents to impair the inter-ethnic relations in Kosovo. Kosovo police and law enforcement agencies have already been mobilized to bring the perpetrators to justice and I invite the citizens of Kosovo to assist in solving this case,” Jahjaga said.
OSCE condemns incidents in Gorazhdec/Gorazdevac (dailies)
The head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo Jean-Claude Schlumberger strongly condemned the latest incidents affecting the Kosovo Serb community in the village of Gorazhdec/Goraždevac in Peje/Pec municipality. “I strongly condemn these incidents. The intensity of the latest one and the fact that it is a reoccurring concern contributes to a sense of insecurity among the local Kosovo Serb community,” Schlumberger said. He also urged law enforcement agencies to investigate the cases efficiently and bring those responsible to justice with the utmost urgency. Yesterday morning, the properties of two Serb families were damaged by gunshots.
AAK condemns incident in Gorazhdevc (RTK)
The Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) condemned on Monday the incident in the village of Gorazhdevc/Gorazdevac of Peja/Pec municipalities, saying it is serious and suspicious. “Without wanting to prejudge who is behind this incident, it is aimed at preventing the process of integration of minorities in the Kosovo system,” said AAK in a statement calling further on the law enforcement institutions to do everything to bring authors of this incident to justice.
Collaku: No reason to delay visa liberalization for Kosovo (Bota Sot)
Kosovo’s Minister of European Integration Bekim Collaku said on Monday that the possible delay of the decision for visa liberalization for the people of Kosovo is unacceptable. Collaku said the decision would be based on the work that Kosovo authorities have done for years to implement the necessary criteria and would in no way be a gift from the European Commission. He even said Kosovo has fulfilled twice the amount of visa liberalization criteria compared to the countries in the region.
“It’s in compliance with law to have more than one Association” (RTK)
Kosovo’s Minister without portfolio, Edita Tahiri, told RTK on Monday that it is in compliance with the law to have more than one Association in Kosovo. She said the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities doesn’t violate Kosovo’s Constitution. “We have made sure that the Association is in accordance with the Constitution and laws. We also made sure that the constitutionality of this agreement is addressed by the Constitutional Court. We wanted to show that what we have reached is in accordance with the Constitution,” Tahiri said.
Montenegro intends to join KFOR (Kallxo.com)
Montenegro has requested approval to contribute to the NATO peacekeeping forces and KFOR mission in Kosovo, despite the objections of the Serb ethnic groups. Sources from the Montenegrin Defense Ministry said the request has already been sent and that they are awaiting NATO’s approval. “A decision by the Western military alliance is expected very soon,” a senior official from the Ministry was quoted as saying.
Another attack against Serbs in Kosovo? (Lajmi)
The news site reports that several shots were fired at a store in the village of Srbobran in the municipality of Istog on Monday. Two Kosovo Serbs were inside the store at the time of the attack but neither of them was hurt. Kosovo’s Minister for Communities and Returns, Dalibor Jevtic, told Belgrade-based B92 news agency that Kosovo Police were investigating the case. The village of Srbobran is located close to Gjurakovc/Djurakovac on the Pristina-Peja main road.