Headlines - 12.12.2013

Blomeyer: Association is not an NGO (Kosova Sot)

The paper runs a front-page interview with German Ambassador to Kosovo, Peter Blomeyer, highlighting his remarks that the Association of Serb majority municipalities will not be a non-governmental organization.

“I don’t believe that the term NGO fits this association. But it will not be a third level of government or a Republika Srpska. The association is an instrument for cooperation between municipalities in fields within their competencies. In my opinion, the statute should be based on this,” Blomeyer was quoted as saying. 

“We are on the eve of the creation of the association of Serb municipalities. This mechanism needs to focus on municipal tasks. This is an association with certain objectives but will not be a third level of government.” 

Association of Serb municipalities threatens state functionality (dailies)

An analysis published by the Group for Judicial and Political Studies, authored by Koha Ditore editor-in-chief Agron Bajrami, warns about the possibility that the association of Serb majority municipalities could become a third level of government in Kosovo. The document warns that the future does not look very bright in the north, because the empowering of local Serbs through Community of Serb Municipalities without limiting powers of such an entity, it very easy could cost to Kosovo with its functionality as a state. 

338 MUP members want to be recruited in Kosovo Police (Koha)

The paper reports on the front page that members of the Serbian Ministry of Interior Affairs (MUP) who have operated illegally in Kosovo for many years have expressed their readiness to “retire”. They however will not remain without jobs as they will only replace uniforms. These members have expressed readiness to join Kosovo Police, based on the April agreement between prime minister, Hashim Thaçi and Ivica Dacic. These members will be accepted into the police force in a package without undergoing a competition. The Kosovo Intelligence Agency (KIA) is conducting the verification process.

“There are 338 MUP members that Serbia has included in the list. All of them want to be recruited in Kosovo Police,” a government official involved in the process told the paper. “We should create working places for all of them.”

The information was not confirmed by Kosovo Interior Affairs Minister Bajram Rexhepi or by Deputy Prime Minister Edita Tahiri, who coordinates working groups for implementation of the Brussels agreement.

Kosovo Government officials said earlier that they were ready to accept no more than 200 members of MUP in Kosovo Police. Sources meanwhile told the paper that the Kosovo Government is now ready to accept all of them.

Pantic in Brussels: You will never see Kosovo flag in the north (Koha)

Citing sources in the European Parliament, the paper reports that the future leader of the association of Serb majority municipalities in Kosovo, Krstimir Pantic, said in a recent discussion in Brussels, “you will never see Kosovo flag in the north and we will never accept the state of Kosovo”.

At the same time, Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic said that Serbia and Serbs have achieved all aims by participating in elections and in dialogue. Dacic also said that integration in Kosovo Police will in no way imply that these members recognize the so-called state of Kosovo.

Footnote is blocking Kosovo (Epoka e Re)

Kosovo Parliament members Hydajet Hyseni and Skender Hyseni are attending the meetings of the European Parliament committees in Paris. Hydajet Hyseni said during the proceedings that the footnote is blocking Kosovo in many areas. “The footnote is blocking Kosovo in many aspects towards the progress,” Hyseni said. He also added that despite its historic importance, UNSC Resolution 1244 is an outdated document that needs to be replaced. 

Dacic: Vatican supports Kosovo partition (Koha)

Serbian Prime Minister and Interior Minister, Ivica Dacic, continues to insist on the idea for Kosovo’s partition. In a short interview for Belgrade-based Vesti Online, Dacic said he was advised by policymaking circles in Vatican for Kosovo’s partition and to cancel the decision from 40 years ago when the current border between Kosovo and Serbia was established.

“The administrative line between Kosovo and Serbia needs to be corrected. Serbia needs to annul the decision made 40 years ago, when some Serb municipalities were left to Kosovo,” Dacic said. Asked who suggested the border redefinition, he replied, “certain diplomatic-political circles in the Vatican”.

OIC calls on Islamic countries to recognize Kosovo (dailies)

The Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) adopted on Wednesday a resolution sponsored by Albania, calling on Islamic countries to recognize the independence of Kosovo. “The resolution also supports dialogue between the Republic of Kosovo and the Republic of Serbia, and welcomes cooperation of economic and financial institutions of the OIC,” the document notes.

Kosovo Foreign Minister Enver Hoxhaj addressed the foreign ministers and 51 delegations of OIC member states, saying that the process of recognizing Kosovo is global and irreversible. He also said that recognizing Kosovo’s statehood contributes to peace and stability in the region.

Minorities want reserved seats for another two mandates (dailies)

Several dailies report that minority communities have presented to the international community in Kosovo a platform that envisages reserved seats for minorities in Kosovo’s Parliament. Minority representatives presented their platform to the French, British, Dutch and US ambassadors. “It was concluded by the majority of non-majority community MPs that strong lobbying is required to present the idea for reserved seats, so we decided to form a lobbying group,” the platform reads. The group will include Minister Nenad Rasic, Minister Mahir Yagcilar, MPs Emilija Rexhepi, Danush Ademi, Jasmina Zivkovic, Duda Balje and Xhevdet Neziraj.

Kosova Sot warns that reserved seats may destabilize the state. The paper quotes political and legal analysts as saying that the request for extended mandate of reserved seats represents a serious violation of the Constitution of Kosovo because the emergency phase of positive discrimination for minority communities has passed.