Headlines - 26 06 2013

EU agrees for SAA with Kosovo – formal decission on Friday (Koha Ditore)

EU ministers achieved the agreement to set up timeframes for the start of membership negotiations with Serbia and SAA with Kosovo. The formal decision for the date for Serbia has been left to be decided by the EU heads of the states who are meeting tomorrow and a day after, while SAA for Kosovo will be formalized through a written procedure at the same day. The news for the SAA with Kosovo has been announced from EU Enlargement Commissioner Stephan Fuele, after meeting ministers. “Ministers have agreed to open negotiations for Stabilization Association Agreement with Kosovo. The mandate for these negotiations has been set and it will be approved at the same time as the conclusions of the European Council,” said Fuele.

Amnesty of 69 criminal acts with which Serbs held the north (dailies)

Based on the approved law from the Government, a copy of which has been ensured by Koha Ditore, the amnesty law will also include the criminal act of armed uprising, punishable with no less than 10 years in prison; endangering of territorial integrity of the Republic of Kosovo, punishable with no less than five years in prison, endangering of constitutional order with destruction or damage of public installations and equipment, punishable with no less than three years in prison; spying, punishable act from five to lifetime imprisonment’ but also of joining in anti-constitutional act, punishable up to five years. There are 69 criminal acts enlisted in the amnesty law. All actors who committed the enlisted crimes, before 20 June 2013, are fully freed from criminal persecution or from execution of the sentence, says the first chapter of the law, the approval of which requires at least 80 votes from 120 deputies. 

Vetëvendosje to prevent ratification of Agreement (dailies)

Vetëvendosje announced that strong opposition of the ratification of the agreement of 19 April between Kosovo and Serbia, will take place inside and outside the Assembly of Kosovo on Thursday, when the agreement is expected to be ratified. During an extraordinary press conference, leaders of this movement stated that they are being mobilized to protest against the ratification of the agreement with Serbia in front of the Assembly and the Government of Kosovo, on Thursday at 09:00 hours. Vetëvendosje leader Albin Kurti stated that contradictions that citizens might have regarding their political affiliations are unimportant compare to the evil that is being tried to be stamped at Kosovo Assembly.

Jahjaga meets with Prince Michael of Kent  (dailies)

Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga met with his Excellency Prince Michael of Kent in London. They discussed the democratic processes that Kosovo is going through, consolidation of the state of Kosovo, and the European integration of the country. British Ambassador in Kosovo Ian Cliff and Kosovo Ambassador in Great Britain, Lirim Grajqevci, also participated at this meeting. President Jahjaga and Prince Michael of Kent also discussed the economic development of Kosovo, and foreign investments that would help open new working opportunities and economic growth of Kosovo.

Collaborator of Zvonko Veselinovic, head of police in the north (Koha Ditore)

Nenad Djuric is among the police officials suspected to have been involved in criminal activity and smuggling in northern Kosovo. International intelligence and EULEX police monitored and discovered him cooperating with Zvonko Veselinovic, who is being tried in Belgrade. Koha Ditore possesses an EULEX intelligence and police file, which documents Djuric’s involvement in organized crime and disobedience towards Pristina authorities.

Provocations on Vidovdan will not be allowed (Tribuna)

Kosovo authorities have warned citizens who will be participating at the celebrations of Vidovdan Day, on 28 June, that carrying symbols that incite hatred or include pictures of convicted individuals for crimes in former Yugoslavia will not be allowed. In a press conference held in Cagllavica, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Sasa Rasic said that the use of national symbols by all communities in Kosovo should be according to the law. “All symbols can be used, if they don’t spread the message of hatred towards the other communities. Forbidden symbols cannot be used, and neither can the faces of individuals convicted by the court in The Hague or forbidden groups in Serbia, such as Obraz, SNP 1389 and other nationalistic groups,” said Rasic.