Headlines-22.08.2015

Clashes between Thaci and Dacic at the UNSC (dailies)

The United Nations Security Council discussed on Friday the quarterly report of the United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, on the developments in Kosovo. Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Hashim Thaci, asked the UN Security Council to back its bid for membership in UNESCO.  Serbia's Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic accused Kosovo for failing to protect Serbian Orthodox churches and monasteries from attacks, while insisting that Kosovo cannot join UNESCO.  Dacic told the Security Council that "those who vandalize and destroy the Serbian cultural heritage, are seeking membership in UNESCO.”

Thaci accused Serbia of attempting to keep Kosovo isolated from opportunities in education, science and culture by trying to prevent its membership in UNESCO. "The Serbian Orthodox Church is protected by the Kosovo Police," Thaci said, adding that the war in Kosovo has not been a religious war. He also told Dacic that “it was Serbia who committed genocide in Kosovo, Croatia and Srebrenica.” He accused Dacic for his harsh tone, while adding that the talks to normalize relations between Kosovo and Serbia will continue. In his speech, Thaci also spoke about the adoption of the constitutional amendments that enable the establishment of the special court, saying that “Kosovo will not allow this court to equal the individual actions of Albanians with the genocidal crimes committed by Milosevic’s regime.”

Zeri writes that Ban Ki-moon on his report has expressed concerns for the delay in the establishment of the special court, in which case he said that this "undermines the image of Kosovo to set an example of justice and accountability."

US supports Kosovo’s bid to join UNESCO (Koha Ditore/Zeri)

During the meeting of the UN Security Council on Friday, the United States Ambassador to the UN, David Pressman, said that the US supports Kosovo’s bid for membership in UNESCO. Pressman also praised the Pristina-Belgrade dialogue, and said that the support should continue for the people of Kosovo. The US representative also invited other countries to support Kosovo's membership in INTERPOL, saying that it would increase the success in the fight against organized crime.

Next Pristina – Belgrade meeting, on 25 August (dailies)

The next meeting of the high level dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade with Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic and Prime Minister Isa Mustafa, facilitated by the EU, will take place in Brussels on Tuesday, 25 August. “At the meeting the two sides will aim to finalise the implementation arrangements of the agreements on energy, telecoms, establishment of the Association/Community of Serbian Municipalities as well as the Freedom of Movement/Mitrovica Bridge,” reads a press release issued by the EU. Meanwhile, Kosovo’s Minister for Administration and Local Government, Ljubomir Maric, told Serb media that one of the topics will also be bail release for the leader of the Serbian Civic Initiative, Oliver Ivanovic.

Journalist attacked in northern Mitrovica (KosovaPress)

A journalist of  the Mitrovica-based news portal Kossev, was physically and verbally attacked yesterday by a Kosovo Property Agency (KPA) official, Pravda Bozovic, KosovaPress reports. The attack occurred Friday afternoon in northern Mitrovica, during an operation to release a house by the KPA. The incident was confirmed by the editor of the portal, Tatjana Lazarevic, who said that the KPA official physically and verbally assaulted the journalist who was reporting from the scene.

EULEX to have a reduced role in forensics (Koha Ditore)

The paper reports on its front page that the Government of Kosovo has submitted to the Assembly a draft law, which establishes the Agency for Forensics. According to the paper, with the establishment of this Agency, EULEX’s leading role in this department would be reduced. Once the department is advanced to Agency, EULEX could only nominate the deputy. With this draft law, only at the request of the director, EULEX experts would provide expertise in every kind of forensic examinations, including autopsies.

Netherlands is negotiating with the EU on special court (Zeri)

The paper reports on its front page that it remains to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to negotiate with the Netherlands to establish the technical details of the Specialist Chambers. The Netherlands Ambassador to Kosovo, Robert Bosch, said that his state is currently negotiating  with the European External Action Service (EEAS) on this issue. The paper also writes that it is expected that head of the Specialist Prosecution Office to be David Schwendiman who currently serves head of the Special Investigative Task Force (SITF).

Meucci briefs Stojanovic on Ivanovic case (dailies)

The head of the EU Rule of Law Mission (EULEX), Gabriele Meucci, met yesterday Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister, Branimir Stojanovic to discuss the concerns of non-majority communities in Kosovo and measures being undertaken by EULEX and local institutions to improve non-majority access to rule of law services. Meucci also briefed Stojanovic on steps being taken by EULEX in the case of Oliver Ivanovic to ensure that the cornerstone values of human rights and the independence of the judiciary are respected.