Headlines - 10.02.2017

• French court postpones decision on Haradinaj (dailies)
• Thaci calls on MPs to vote border demarcation (Koha Ditore)
• Hoxhaj: We will apply for EU candidacy status this year (Zëri)
• Nikolic: The EU is completely on Pristina’s side (RTK)
• Kurti: 10 February laid groundwork for freedom and self-determination (Epoka)
• CDHRF seeks justice for victims of 10 February 2007 (Epoka e Re) 

Kosovo Media Highlights 

French court postpones decision on Haradinaj (dailies)

The leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) Ramush Haradinaj will remain in France, for at least three more weeks. The Court of Appeals in Colmar has not decided on Thursday on whether to extradite Haradinaj in Serbia or not, with the justification that it needs more time to analyze the entire file sent by Belgrade, in which the former prime minister of Kosovo is accused of war crimes. Around 11,000 Albanian civilians and 2,000 Serbs were killed during the conflict, 17 years ago. The courts in Serbia and Kosovo have sentenced only 52 individuals for these committed crimes, most of the convicted are Albanians, media report.

Prime Minister Isa Mustafa reacted to the French court’s decision saying it was “regrettable.” “I am convinced that justice will soon prevail and Mr. Haradinaj will triumph over the injustice caused to him by this delay,” Mustafa wrote on Facebook.

The President of the Assembly of Kosovo, Kadri Veseli, also took to Facebook to write that he sympathizes with the leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) and assured him that all people of Kosovo are with him, including the institutions of Kosovo and that they will engage to release him.

Zeri reports that the Director of the government of Serbia’s office for Kosovo, Marko Djuric, reacted to the decision of the French court, saying that Serbia has submitted all the required documentation. “We believe that crime has a first and last name, criminals have to give account. The Prosecution and judicial bodies have gathered documentation for years. The Hague Tribunal released some criminals in a scandalous manner, but based on the work of the Serbian judiciary, they now have all the facts,” he said. 

Thaci calls on MPs to vote border demarcation (Koha Ditore)

In his visit to Brussels, President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci, is reported to have stressed the need for finalization of the visa liberalisation process for Kosovo. However, he was told by the European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker that visa liberalisation cannot be granted until the Kosovo Assembly ratifies agreement on border demarcation with Montenegro. “This situation is completely absurd and unacceptable and all members of the Kosovo parliament are responsible to this unjust isolation. Therefore, I again call on all of you to, on behalf of Kosovo citizens, place the interest of Kosovo and its citizens before your personal and party ones,” Thaci said in a statement.

Hoxhaj: We will apply for EU candidacy status this year (Zëri)

Kosovo’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Enver Hoxhaj, participated at the annual meeting of the Western Balkans countries, which is being held in Skopje, to discuss the challenges and processes that these countries are facing on their path towards the European Union membership. “Kosovo is working on the reforms of the European agenda and when this is implemented, we will apply for the status of the candidate for EU membership,” Hoxhaj said. 

Nikolic: The EU is completely on Pristina’s side (RTK)

Serbia’s President, Tomislav Nikolic, stated during a meeting with the UNMIK chief, Zahir Tannin, that it is important for the United Nations to keep Kosovo as a priority for the sake of stability. Nikolic spoke about the importance of UNMIK and expressed hope that the scope of work and number of UNMIK members would not change.  “We are negotiating with Pristina even though the EU is completely on their side. However, it should be clear to everyone that we will never recognize the independence of Kosovo. On the other hand, we expect from Pristina to show readiness and respect the law and implement the agreements, first of all the one on the establishment of the Association for Serb-majority Municipalities,” Nikolic said.

Kurti: 10 February laid groundwork for freedom and self-determination (Epoka)

On the tenth anniversary since the Vetevendosje protest against the Ahtisarri status proposal where two of its activists were killed by police rubber bullets, former leader and MP Albin Kurti said that 10 February of 2007 laid the groundwork of the plight for freedom and self-determination, which still continues today. He said the two activists that died protesting, Mon Balaj and Arben Xheladini, are martyrs and that although UNMIK has admitted responsibility for their deaths, justice has not yet been delivered due to immunity of the Romanian police units that fired the rubber bullets. “It should be noted that after these events, the United Nations has banned the use of rubber bullets in all its missions across the world,” Kurti said.

CDHRF seeks justice for victims of 10 February 2007 (Epoka e Re)

The Kosovo-based Council for Defence of Human Rights and Freedoms (CDHRF) has called on Kosovo institutions to recognise Mon Balaj and Arben Xheladini, Vetevendosje activists that were killed in a protest in 2007, as political victims and their families enjoy all entitlements that families of civilian war victims do. CDHRF further said the persons injured in the protest should be compensated both materially and morally, in accordance to applicable legislation. CDHRF also called on the international human rights organizations to raise their voice in seeking justice for Balaj and Xheladini. “Authors of this crime are alive and can easily be brought before justice,” CDHRF said in a statement.