UNMIK Headlines 21 December
Visa liberalization “speeds up” prosecution of “big fish” (Koha)
The paper reports in its leading front-page story that the Kosovo Ministry for European Integration has summarized into an 8-page report the engagement of institutions to meet the visa liberalization roadmap criteria, especially the prosecution of high-profile cases in organized crime and corruption, but it has failed to convince the European Commission to grant visa liberalization for Kosovo. The report also talks about a database of the 50 top cases of serious crimes, including senior officials, former ministers, former mayors and heads of publicly-owned companies. “So far we have evidenced nine cases of corruption involving senior officials and the value of assets that can be subject to confiscation is estimated at €13 million,” the report notes. The EU meanwhile wants more concrete results from Kosovo’s institutions, the paper adds.
Lunacek criticizes Thaci: Visa blame-shifting, wrong approach (Kosova Sot)
Vice President of the European Parliament and rapporteur for Kosovo Ulrike Lunacek called on the Government of Kosovo to undertake all efforts to implement the outstanding requirements of the visa liberalization roadmap. Lunacek further criticized the Kosovo Foreign Minister Hashim Thaci for blaming the EU for not granting visa liberalization to the people of Kosovo. “Blaming the EU is the wrong approach and counterproductive,” she told Kallxo.com.
Albanian PM: Kosovo’s isolation is absurd (dailies)
Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama, during a reception organized with foreign ambassadors in Albania, among other things spoke about Kosovo, saying that it is not fair that Kosovo remained the only isolated country in the region. “The isolation of Kosovo is absurd and it must end as soon as possible,” Rama said, adding that Europe cannot continue to keep Kosovo isolated, the consequences of which will be felt not only by the people of Kosovo but also by the whole region.
Zbogar’s “visa” rejected (Lajmi)
The news site reports that stickers presenting the “passport” of the head of the European Union in Kosovo, Samuel Zbogar, can be seen everywhere in Pristina. These stickers show Zbogar’s allegedly rejected visa to enter Kosovo. The action appears to have followed his statement that it is not certain if visas would be lifted for the people of Kosovo in 2016. It is not known who has posted these stickers.
Ymeri doesn’t trust dialogue called by Mustafa, Thaci and Jahjaga (Epoka)
The leader of Vetevendosje Movement, Visar Ymeri, said at the 22nd meeting of the General Council of this party that the last four months of the protest are months of engagement, continuous political action and confrontation of the government. According to him, the next months will be the same, since Kosovo is being endangered by Serbia’s Association/Community for Serb-majority municipalities. He accused Prime Minister Isa Mustafa and Deputy Prime Minister Hashim Thaci of giving Kosovo’s resources to Serbia. “Isa Mustafa and Hashim Thaci are considering the possibility to put Kosovo’s resources under Serbia’s control by dividing Trepca, and Serbia has already started to request control over the Kosovo’s air space,” Ymeri said. He added that Isa Mustafa, Hashim Thaci and Atifete Jahjaga are politically and intellectually yielded towards anyone and anything outside Kosovo, in order to compensate for their inferiority and servility.
Opposition held a protest in Berlin (Zeri/Bota)
Activists of the Vetevendosje Movement and Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) held a protest yesterday in front of Kosovo’s diplomatic offices in Berlin. According to the announcement of these two parties, the protesters expressed their deep concern over the recent developments in Kosovo, in particular over the recent agreements signed with Serbia and Montenegro.
Government, judges condemn official car fire in Podujeva (dailies)
The Government of Kosovo strongly condemned the recent setting on fire of the official car used by the president of the Pristina Basic Court Hamdi Ibrahimi. It said in a statement that such an act represents an attack on Kosovo’s independent institutions and called on law enforcement mechanisms to undertake all necessary measures to prevent such attacks in the future. The Association of Kosovo Judges also condemned the incident.
Explosion in Mitrovica North (Kosovapress)
An explosive device, thought to be a hand grenade, was detonated in the early hours of today in Mitrovica North damaging eight cars parked near the building where the device went off. The Kosovo Police went to the scene and launched investigations into the incident but no further information was available.
EU foresees extension of EULEX mandate (RTK)
The news site reports that the European Union could extend the mandate of its rule-of-law mission in Kosovo (EULEX) after June 2016. The Council of the European Union in its conclusions for Kosovo regarding visa liberalization, contained a recommendation for the institutions of Kosovo related to the mandate of the EU’s mission for the rule of law, EULEX. Point seven of these conclusions stressed that Kosovo should work closely and efficiently with EULEX and actively contribute to full and unimpeded implementation of the mandate of this mission, including reconsideration of an additional mandate after June 2016. Minister of Justice, Hajredin Kuci, said that this issue has not been discussed yet, while opposition and political analysts are against the extension of EULEX’s mandate after 2016. They claim that scandals about corruption at this mission and the failure to catch “the big fish” render the extension impossible.