Headlines - 24.11.2015

Opposition submits petition to President Jahjaga (dailies)

The chiefs of the opposition parties’ parliamentary groups yesterday met with Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga and presented her with the petition with over 200,000 signatures against the agreements on Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities and border demarcation with Montenegro. Jahjaga called on the opposition parties to respond to her call for political dialogue. Glauk Konjufca from Vetevendosje Movement said that the President now has a second chance to show her responsibilities. “We asked the President to represent the will of the citizens. The President so far only condemned the violence by the opposition but she should look at the cause of this political crisis,” Konjufca said. The representative of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, Pal Lekaj, urged the President to treat this petition very seriously. Lekaj also commented the statements of government officials to avoid various public gatherings due to risk from terrorist attacks, which according to him, is to discourage people from participating in opposition’s rally scheduled for 28 November.

Next Assembly session could be tensest so far (Zeri)

The paper reports in a front-page story that the upcoming session of the Kosovo Assembly, scheduled for next Monday, is expected to be the tensest so far. According to the paper, this might happen because the government is insisting that the Assembly should continue its work normally, despite the fact that the past sessions were blocked by the opposition who even used teargas to do so. Kosovo Assembly Vice-President from Vetevendosje Movement, Aida Derguti, said the opposition’s demands remain the same and they will continue to block the work of the Assembly as long as the government doesn’t annul the agreements on the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities and border demarcation with Montenegro.

Selimi: 28 November manifestation, festive and peaceful (Epoka e Re)

Vetevendosje MP Rexhep Selimi said on Monday that there is no danger of an outbreak of violence during the manifestation of the opposition on Saturday. On the contrary, he said the manifestation of 28 November at Zahir Pajaziti Square in downtown Pristina, organized by the united opposition, will be festive, massive and peaceful. In an interview for this daily, Selimi rejected the possibility of clashes among the opposition parties, saying that currently Kosovo is in danger of division on an ethnic basis and the loss of thousands of hectares. According to him, calls for dialogue between the government and opposition are a mistake, since that there are no signs of withdrawal from the agreements on the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities and border demarcation with Montenegro.

Mustafa: In 2016 we will move without visas (Epoka e Re)

The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa, has assured Kosovo people that next year, they will be able to move in the Schengen zone freely and without visas. Reporting to the governing cabinet about his visit to Brussels, Mustafa said that Kosovo has fulfilled all the required criteria for visa liberalization, therefore it expects a positive recommendation of the European Commission by the end of the year. He added that fulfillment of the criteria is a great achievement, while the date for free movement depends on the European Union.

Jahjaga: Transformation of KSF, a necessity (Epoka e Re)

Kosovo’s President Atifete Jahjaga hosted on Monday General Frank Grass, Chief of the US National Guard Bureau. During the meeting she informed the General about the process of the transformation of the Kosovo Security Force into the Kosovo Armed Forces. She assessed this process as a necessity stemming from the all-encompassing study of the security sector of Kosovo, in compliance with the interests, orientation and the vision of Kosovo’s people and of institutions, in order to conclude the consolidation of the sovereignty of Kosovo and to become a contributor to the offering of security and become part of the trans-Atlantic security infrastructure.

Kosovo authorities shut down 16 NGOs amid terror attack fears (media)

Kosovo’s Interior Minister Skender Hyseni signed an executive decision revoking the working permission of 16 non-governmental organizations suspected of having links to terrorist networks. The decision was taken following assessment by the Kosovo Intelligence Agency which stated that these NGOs are believed to be involved in recruitment of Kosovo youths to fight alongside terrorist groups such as ISIS and in spreading extremist propaganda. In an interview for RTV Dukagjini, Hyseni said Kosovo is taking all necessary precautions against possible terrorist attacks but stressed that there is no need for panic as there is no concrete threat.

There is potential threat for terrorist attacks in Kosovo (Klan Kosova)

Kosovo Prime Minister’s security advisor, Edon Myftari, said on Monday that Kosovo is endangered by potential terrorist attacks. “Our country is part of the anti-ISIS coalition. The Prime Minister gathered the security council today. It concluded that Kosovo is not immune to terrorist attacks and should therefore undertake security measures like the other countries of the region. All security institutions in Kosovo should increase security measures to prevent any eventual attack,” Myftari said, adding that the number of Kosovo people who are joining ISIS has decreased significantly.

Calls to avoid frequented locations are unnecessary, experts say (Koha)

In a front-page article, the paper quotes security experts in Pristina as saying that Kosovo Police’s calls on citizens to avoid frequented places due to possible terror threats are unnecessary. Arben Qirezi, a security expert, told the paper, told the paper on Monday that state institutions did not say there is any concrete indication that Kosovo is a possible target of terror attacks. “In a press conference held last week, Interior Minister Skender Hyseni said he doesn’t have information that Kosovo is threatened by terror attacks. I believe the statement issued by the police is unnecessary, because as long as the threat level is not raised the people should go out about their normal activities,” Qirezi said.

Vehicles of reporter and police lieutenant set ablaze in north (Kosovapress)

Unnamed sources told the news site this morning that unknown persons set on fire two vehicles, belonging to a reporter and to a police lieutenant, in two different villages in the northern part of Kosovo on early Monday morning. Kosovo Police Deputy Director for the north, Besim Hoti, confirmed the incidents.