UNMIK Headlines 23 May
Ruling coalition partners with differences on demarcation (Koha)
The paper reports on its front page that the ruling coalition parties, the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) and Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), have differences about the border demarcation agreement with Montenegro. The government, led by Prime Minister and LDK leader Isa Mustafa, said it is against delays in the demarcation process and added that requests from some opposition parties to renegotiate the agreement are not serious. The PDK, on the other hand, recently said it favors an open debate and general mobilization on this matter. PDK caucus chief, Adem Grabovci, said Kosovo should follow the examples of other countries that have gone through a similar process and which were not conditioned on their path toward EU integration.
Vetëvendosje announces new protests (Zeri)
The paper reports in a front-page story that the Vetëvendosje Movement has announced new protests in the coming days, to oppose the agreements on Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities and the border-demarcation with Montenegro. Vetëvendosje’s spokesperson Frashër Krasniqi told the paper that the activities that this party is preparing will be more offensive than previous ones. The paper also reports that the Kosovo Assembly is expected to ratify the agreement on border-demarcation with Montenegro during the first half of June. Vetëvendosje MPs are expected to return to the Assembly to oppose the agreement, which according to them, violates Kosovo’s territorial integrity.
Tahiri: Association/Community, when Serbia fulfils some conditions (Zeri)
Kosovo’s Minister without portfolio, Edita Tahiri, said that the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities will not be established without the implementation of the agreement on telephone code and the dissolution of parallel structures in northern Kosovo. She added that the statute of the Association/Community will be drafted in accordance with the decision of the Constitutional Court of Kosovo.
Mustafa: We are in the process to establish armed forces (Epoka)
The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa, announced that Kosovo is on the way of establishing the Armed Forces, as well as quick economic and social development, as well as Euro-Atlantic integration. “Now we have the chance to be in service of the country through joint, long-term and sustainable actions. I am convinced that as civic and democratic majority, we will be together in these processes,” Mustafa said.
Stojanović: Serbian List continues to oppose armed forces (Koha)
Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister and member of Serbian List, Branimir Stojanović, said on Sunday that the Serbian List continues to oppose the formation of the Kosovo Armed Forces. Asked about the call of the Kosovo Assembly Speaker, Kadri Veseli, to reflect and support the formation of Kosovo Armed Forces, Stojanović said “our political views are defined and there is nothing new to say on this matter.” He further added that they are available to discuss the matter, but not through the media. The ruling coalition, according to Stojanović, is not fulfilling the promises made to Serbs during the coalition agreement, such as the issue of protection of assets, Serb representation in the public sector, formation of new municipalities and other topics.
Selmanaj: The Constitutional Court should withdraw its decision (Epoka)
Mayor of Deçan/Dečani municipality, Rasim Selmanaj, reacted to the decision of the Constitutional Court of Kosovo which leaves the two socially owned enterprises, “Apiko” and “Iliria” property to Deçan/Dečani Monastery. In an interview for the paper, Selmanaj said that this decision is shameful, unjust and affected by politics. He said that these properties are important assets for the development of economy and tourism in Deçan/Dečani. According to him, the Constitutional Court legitimized the decision of the Serbian Parliament during Milosevic’s time. He added that the Constitutional Court is affected by internationals, therefore it decided in favor of Deçan/Dečani Monastery. However, he said that the decision is unacceptable and it will be opposed with all possible means and mechanisms.
Historians Association demands resignation of Constitutional Court President (Kosova Sot)
The Deçan/Dečani branch of the Kosovo Historians’ Association has demanded the resignation of the Constitutional Court President Arta Rama-Hajrizi following the court’s ruling to uphold an earlier decision giving the Orthodox Monastery land which the historians claim is socially-owned. The historians consider the decision to be politically motivated, in full violation of the Constitution of Kosovo and, above all, an act of treason.
How Kosovo was turned into fertile ground for ISIS (NYT/Koha)
Koha Ditore re-runs an article originally published in The New York Times on how “extremist clerics and secretive associations funded by Saudis and others transformed a once-tolerant Muslim society into a font of extremism”. Every Friday, just yards from a statue of Bill Clinton with arm aloft in a cheery wave, hundreds of young bearded men make a show of kneeling to pray on the sidewalk outside an improvised mosque in a former furniture store. The mosque is one of scores built here with Saudi government money and blamed for spreading Wahhabism — the conservative ideology dominant in Saudi Arabia — in the 17 years since an American-led intervention wrested tiny Kosovo from Serbian oppression. Since then — much of that time under the watch of American officials — Saudi money and influence have transformed this once-tolerant Muslim society at the hem of Europe into a font of Islamic extremism and a pipeline for jihadists. Kosovo now finds itself, like the rest of Europe, fending off the threat of radical Islam. Over the last two years, the police have identified 314 Kosovars — including two suicide bombers, 44 women and 28 children — who have gone abroad to join the Islamic State, the highest number per capita in Europe. They were radicalized and recruited, Kosovo investigators say, by a corps of extremist clerics and secretive associations funded by Saudi Arabia and other conservative Arab gulf states using an obscure, labyrinthine network of donations from charities, private individuals and government ministries. “They promoted political Islam,” said Fatos Makolli, the director of Kosovo’s counterterrorism police. “They spent a lot of money to promote it through different programs mainly with young, vulnerable people, and they brought in a lot of Wahhabi and Salafi literature. They brought these people closer to radical political Islam, which resulted in their radicalization”. The full text of the original article can be found at: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/22/world/europe/how-the-saudis-turned-kosovo-into-fertile-ground-for-isis.html?_r=0