UNMIK Headlines 28 May
Grabovci: We are working with MPs who voted against special court (Zeri/Kosovapress)
The head of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) parliamentary group, Adem Grabovci, told Radio Free Europe on Monday that he is working with PDK MPs to clarify reasons why they should vote in favor of the constitutional amendments that enable the formation of the special court. According to Grabovci, the Kosovo Assembly will not discuss the special session on Thursday Kosovapress reports that PDK MPs will have another meeting today with the party’s leadership in order to discuss the special court.
US Embassy invited Mustafa and Thaci to an urgent meeting (Top Channel)
The Albania-based news site Top Channel reports that the United States Deputy Chief of Mission to Kosovo, Jennifer Bachus, invited Prime Minister Isa Mustafa and Foreign Minister Hashim Thaci to an urgent meeting on Monday to discuss the special court. According to the news site, Bachus told Mustafa and Thaci not to waste any time and to vote in favor of the special court before going on summer leave.
Rexhepi: Kadri Veseli – the evil of the PDK (Zeri)
In an interview for the paper, one of the founders of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and former Prime Minister of Kosovo, Bajram Rexhepi, accused Kosovo’s Assembly Speaker Kadri Veseli, saying he is the worst thing that happened to the PDK. Rexhepi argues that the former Kosovo Information Service (SHIK) captured not only the party but also the most important Kosovo institutions. Expressing dissatisfaction over developments in the PDK, Rexhepi said he has fully withdrawn from politics and that he remains only a member of the PDK. On the issue of the special court, Rexhepi said that there is no dilemma that Kosovo should establish the court.
UN “recognizes” Republic of Kosovo (Koha Ditore)
The paper reports that Kosovo’s application to join the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has made the UN to "recognize" the Republic of Kosovo. According to the paper, the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) has played the role of “mailman” by submitting Kosovo's application to UNESCO. The emblem and the inscription “Republic of Kosovo” appears on the letter that Deputy Prime Minister Hashim Thaci sent to UNMIK applying for membership in UNESCO. Pristina-based political analysts see this as "UNMIK’s positive step towards recognizing Kosovo's independence", but at the same time they also criticize the Kosovo government’s approach, saying that this would strengthen UNMIK’s role in Kosovo. Government and UNMIK officials did not want to comment on the issue.
Defense of Drenica group to address the Court of Appeals (Epoka e Re)
The defense attorneys of Sylejman Selimi and Sami Lushtaku said on Monday that they were going to address the Court of Appeals within the next 15 days, to object the decision of the Basic Court in Mitrovica, which found guilty majority of the accused from the so-called Drenica Group. Both attorneys argue that the verdict contains a lot of injustice and they expressed optimism that the Court of Appeals “would not decide based on the political positions of EULEX and a part of the international community, who hate the KLA liberators.”
US State Department: Kosovo doesn’t meet criteria to fight trafficking (dailies)
A report by the United States Department has ranked Kosovo in the second category of the so-called “Tier 2”, among the states and governments which despite the efforts, do not fulfill the minimal criteria to fight the trafficking. According to the report, Kosovo is a destination for women, children and men who undergo sexual trafficking and forceful labor, including the restaurants industry. The report notes that criminal groups in Kosovo, force into prostitution women from Albania, Serbia, Romania and other European countries.