UNMIK Headlines 27 April
Mustafa to meet EU officials regarding visa liberalization (dailies)
Kosovo Prime Minister Isa Mustafa will meet today in Brussels the President of the European Commission, Jean-Cleude Juncker. Mustafa and Juncker are expected to discuss the Pristina-Belgrade dialogue, reforms and fight against corruption in Kosovo as well as visa liberalization for Kosovo citizens.
Gecaj: Associacion/Community, in establishing phase (Zeri/RFE)
Kosovo Deputy Minister of Administration and Local Government, Bajram Gecaj, told Radio Free Europe that Prime Minister Isa Mustafa will nominate a group of experts that will analyze the decision of the Constitutional Court regarding the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities. Then, according to Gecaj, a managing team consisting of two Serbs from the north and two from the south, together with the Ministry of Administration and Local Government and the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, will work in drafting the statute of the Association/Community. “The statute of the Association will be submitted to the Constitutional Court for review,” Gecaj added.
Anti-constitutional mandate renewal for international judges at Constitutional Court expected (Koha)
The paper reports on its front-page that the renewal of the mandate for the international judges at the Constitutional Court, which ends in two months, is aimed to commence in contradiction with the Kosovo Constitution. According to the paper, the solution to extend their mandate is seen on including them in the same package with the mandate of the EU Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX). An unidentified source told the paper that EU wants to extend the mandate of international judges for two additional years. According to him, the procedure for renewal of their mandate is foreseen to be the same as the last time, by avoiding the Kosovo Assembly. Legal experts have warned that this procedure violates Kosovo Constitution. Kosovo government and the EU Office in Kosovo didn’t want to give any details on the issue. Justice Minister Hajredin Kuci told the paper they are still in the phase of dialogue with the EU and there is no agreement yet on how EULEX will look like in the future, including here the presence of the international judges at the Constitutional Court.
Kosovo Police and EULEX in major police operation (media)
Kosovo Police and EULEX launched this morning a major search operation in Kosovo, several online media report. Media also report about a warrant issued for an interview with the Democratic Party of Kosovo MP Azem Syla, who, according to media is also target of this operation.
Kosovapress and Zeri report that Syla’s former driver was arrested this morning. Syla is suspected to be leader of a criminal group who made business with some properties that damaged Kosovo budget for approximatly €30 million. Zeri also writes that the police action relates to the case of land in Veternik and Caglavica involving Albanians and Serbs. Meanwhile, Insajderi news site reports that the list of suspects in this operation, goes up to 51 persons, including judges, municipal officials, officials of the Kosovo Privatization Agency (PAK). No one from the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), wanted to comment on the search operation. EULEX officials are currently searching the office of the former President of the Pristina Municipal Court, Nuhi Uka.
Kelmendi: My participation at government, beneficial for Kosovo (Epoka)
Assembly MP from the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Ramiz Kelmendi, assessed that his participation at the government would be beneficial for Kosovo. Kelmendi told the paper that he was promised the post of the Deputy Prime Minister, however, according to him, this is not an obligation. He added that Kosovo needs an expert that could lead and coordinate ministries related to economic development, from the position of the Deputy Prime Minister. Speaking about the clashes among opposition, Kelmendi said that any political unification which intends ruining other political organizations, is destined to fail.
Kurti: Haradinaj, destructive (Zeri)
Former leader of Vetevendosje movement, Albin Kurti, told the paper the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) and its leader Ramush Haradinaj, were not ready to establish The Alternative. According to Kurti, Haradinaj had no principles, but rather particular interests. Kurti also said he had received the request of the AAK for equal representation in the joint election list, even though Vetevendosje is the largest opposition party. “AAK played a destructive role by imposing conditions to us. Haradinaj insisted to nominate the candidate for prime minister and the leader of the list. We couldn’t accept such thing,” Kurti said. He also denied that his party is having any meeting with the government officials regarding the current political crisis.
Tanin interested about the environment in Kastriot/Obilic (Epoka e Re)
Mayor of the Kastriot/Obilic municipality, Xhafer Gashi, hosted on Tuesday a meeting with the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary General, Zahir Tanin. They discussed the security level in general and cooperation among the communities in this municipality. “Tanin expressed special interest on the environment situation and possibilities of the municipality to deal with it. Gashi said that possibilities of the municipality are limited. He also added that the environment issue is a responsibility of the Kosovo Electricity Supply Company (KEK) and the Ministry for Environment. He also mentioned KEK’s lack of determination to deal with these problems,” informed a press release issued by the Kastriot/Obilic municipality.
Bislimi resigns from Initiative for Kosovo (Kosova Sot)
Xhevat Bislimi, one of the founders of the Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA) and press secretary for this party, announced yesterday his resignation from the Initiative for Kosovo. Bisilimi wrote in social media that one of the reasons for his resignation was “the sneaky agreement of the leaders of NISMA and AAK to break the united opposition.”
Sejdi Thaci, missing since 1999, returns home alive (Epoka e Re)
Sejdi Thaci from Klina municipality, reported missing since 6 January 1999 returned last week to his home alive. His nephew told Klan Kosova that he was taken at that time by Serbian forces after the “Panda” case. “His physical and physiological situation is not that good. He does not know where he stayed while arrested. He cannot tell us but we know that he entered Kosovo from the north. He mentions another arrested individual, who according to him died five or six months ago. We did not want to hurt the members of other missing persons, raise their hopes that the others could return like Sejdi,” Hysen Thaci said.