UNMIK Headlines 9 January
Opposition and police make final preparations ahead of today’s protest
Kosovapress reports that activists of the three opposition parties are making final preparations by erecting a stage at the Pristina’s Skenderbeu square in front of the Kosovo Government building for today’s protest against the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities and the border demarcation agreement with Montenegro. The Kosovo Police are also having the final consultative meeting ahead of the protest scheduled to begin at 14.00hrs. Meanwhile, Koha reports that people from different Kosovo cities are already boarding buses bound for the opposition protest.
Thaci: General elections in 2018 (Telegrafi)
Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hashim Thaci ruled out the possibility of early general elections and that they will be organized as planned in 2018. “The citizens will then be able to reward those who worked and punish those who damaged the country,” said Thaci in the meeting of the government cabinet. At the same time, Prime Minister Isa Mustafa said that opposition’s protests are endangering all achievements Kosovo has made so far. “Kosovo has experienced enough violence and it is not good to try and take power through violence,” he said.
Kurti: Elections, inevitable this year (Zeri)
Former Vetevendosje leader and MP Albin Kurti said in an interview for RTV 21 that parliamentary elections this year will be inevitable. “It is very realistic to hold elections this year because there are no realistic chances for them no to take place this year. I am therefore convinced that we are heading towards parliamentary elections in 2016,” he said.
Delawie to opposition: Do not use violence (RTK)
The US Ambassador to Kosovo, Greg Delawie, urged the opposition parties not to employ violence in today’s protest. “The right to peaceful protest is a cornerstone of democracy. Violence is not,” Delawie tweeted.
Tahiri: We can dissolve Association any time we want (Koha)
In an interview for KTV, Kosovo’s minister without portfolio Edita Tahiri said that if the government of Kosovo confirms that the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities is not respecting the Constitution of Kosovo, “we can decide to dissolve it any time we want. Just as we create it, we can also undo it,” said Tahiri. She added that there is no rush in establishing the Association/Community and that it will not be formed without all Serbia’s parallel structures in Kosovo are not dissolved.