Headlines - 18.11.2015

Opposition determined to block the work of the Assembly (dailies)

The leader of the Vetevendosje Movement, Visar Ymeri, told a press conference on Tuesday said that there will be no normality in Kosovo as long as the government doesn’t withdraw from the agreements on the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities and the border demarcation with Montenegro. The Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) leader Ramush Haradinaj told reporters that the opposition is determined to continue blocking the work of the Assembly until the government withdraws from the agreements. Haradinaj called on the ruling coalition not to push Kosovo into a further crisis by supporting the Association-Community of Serb-majority municipalities. Fatmir Limaj, leader of the Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA), invited the prosecution to immediately launch investigations “on those who violated the Constitution of Kosovo”.

Arrest warrants issued for Kurti and three other opposition MPs (Zeri)

The paper reports that Basic Court in Pristina has issued arrest warrants for four members of the Kosovo Assembly, Vetevendosje’s Albin Kurti, Albulena Haxhiu and Faton Topalli, and Donika Kadaj-Bujupi, a member of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo. Unnamed sources in the Basic Court told the paper that the court issued the arrest warrant following a request made by the prosecutor working on the case. The request was reportedly made immediately after the events in the Kosovo Assembly on Tuesday. Neither the prosecution nor the court confirmed the arrest warrants saying that publishing such an order could destabilize the situation.

Government requests additional security in the Assembly (dailies)

The Kosovo Government issued a press release on Tuesday condemning the opposition’s violent acts in the Kosovo Assembly. “The Government of Kosovo condemns the extreme violence exercised by the opposition in the session of the Assembly, who through the massive use of poisonous gases, risked serious health and personal integrity of the participants in the session, trying especially to attack Prime Minister Isa Mustafa and other members of the Government Cabinet. We consider such extreme actions are directed against the Republic of Kosovo and the progress that is being achieved with the support of international friends, acts which aim diving Kosovo into anarchy and crime. The Government invites the competent authorities to take the necessary measures and to not tolerate acts that threaten the health and lives of officials and other citizens, and to enable the performance of official duties and obligations of legal carriers of the Kosovo institutions,” reads the press release.

Abrashi: The same coalition even if we go to new elections (RTK)

Minister of Labour and Social Welfare and spokesperson for the Kosovo government, Arban Abrashi, told RTK that now is the final chance for the opposition to reflect on the damage that is causing to Kosovo. According to him, even if Kosovo goes to early elections, again the ruling-coalition parties would win and would create the government. “We have to step back from this culture of blocking the institutions by small instrumental groups,” Abrashi said.

British Embassy disappointed over opposition’s violence (Kosova Sot)

The British Embassy in Pristina welcomed the approval of the budget by the Kosovo Assembly but at the same time expressed disappointment with opposition’s violence. The Embassy said it is in the interest of all the people of Kosovo to have a functioning parliament and called on the opposition to renounce violence and respect the institution of the Assembly.

CDHRF: The government and opposition should dialogue (Epoka e Re)

The Pristina-based Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms assessed after Tuesday’s events at the Assembly of Kosovo that violence is unacceptable and anti-democratic. “The CDHRF requests space for unconditioned dialogue between the government and opposition until the decision of the Constitutional Court on the constitutionality of the establishment of the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities, while the Agreement for the Demarcation of the border with Montenegro should necessarily go through the ratification process at the Assembly of Kosovo,” the CDHRF press release said. It further called on all MPs to demonstrate responsibility and maturity by avoiding violence as means of resolving political problems.

Mustafa: Jordan, a strong supporter of Kosovo (Bota Sot)

In a meeting with Jordanian King Abdullah II, Prime Minister of Kosovo Isa Mustafa praised Jordan’s support for Kosovo from the declaration of independence to today. Speaking about the progress in Kosovo, Mustafa reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to economic development and reforms towards EU integration.

Hand grenade found near Constitutional Court in Pristina (Koha)

The news site reports that Kosovo Police has blocked the road leading to the Constitutional Court’s building in Pristina after a hand grenade is reported to have been detected nearby. According to Koha’s sources, the device is said to have been placed near one of the Court’s power generators. The staff has been evacuated and the police are at the scene.