Yesterday Prime Minister of Kosovo Isa Mustafa attended events organised to mark World Water Day. In a visit to the water factory in Shkabaj, Mustafa stressed the importance of water for the sustainable development of a country. He said the factory, which is still in the construction stage, will supply not only Pristina but more than eight municipalities with fresh water.
The Minister of Trade and Industry, Hikmete Bajrami, has signed the decision for reciprocity measures towards Serbia, in the field of transportation of oil and gas. The decision comes after Serbia’s refusal to recognize certificates of drivers of Kosovo vehicles carrying hazardous materials.
“From today, Kosovo will not recognize the same documents issued by Serbia,” said Kosovo’s Minister for Finance, Avdullah Hoti. He stressed that Kosovo Customs started to implement the decision last night, at 24:00 hours.
On World Down Syndrome day, representatives of the Down Syndrome Kosova association said adequate care for persons with Down syndrome remains a challenge in Kosovo. “We call today on institutions and society to provide opportunities for the Down syndrome community as guaranteed by the Constitution,” said Director of DSK Sebahate Hajdini-Beqiri. The coalition of NGOs for child protection (KOMF), at the same time, noted that the majority of children with disabilities live in difficult conditions and do not full enjoy their rights.
Reporter Vehbi Kajtazi confirmed in a Facebook post today that he has denounced Prime Minister Isa Mustafa to the police. Kajtazi said on Sunday that he received a threatening call from Mustafa after reporting that Mustafa’s brother had sought asylum in Germany and France to get medical treatment for his serious illness. “I denounced Kosovo's Prime Minister, Isa Mustafa, to the police after he threatened me. The case is being handled by the investigators of the serious crimes department of the Kosovo Police.
Pristina-based Insajderi news site reports that Kosovo Police arrested a businessman this morning from Peja/Pec, Fatos Rizvanolli, a key suspect who is believed to have funded the travel expenses of Kosovar recruits for ISIS. Police issued a communiqué saying that it has also conducted raids in Rizvanolli’s businesses and properties in Pristina and Peja. Koha reports that police arrested another suspect, in the region of Prizren on Tuesday, who is suspected of being involved in funding or facilitating terrorism.
Today’s continuation of the plenary session of the Kosovo Assembly aimed at appointing members for the Procurement Review Body, one of the prerequisites for visa liberalization, has failed. The chairman of the session, Xhavit Haliti, initially said that none of the representatives of the Serb community met the criteria to be appointed for the procurement authority whereas when the electronic voting of the members that were deemed to meet the criteria took place, the MPs from the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) did not vote.
The leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) Ramush Haradinaj said the Assembly of Kosovo has lost its credibility and added that Kosovo needs to head to elections. “Such a parliament deserves to be dissolved and for the country to go to elections. AAK is not part of this parliament,” said Haradinaj stressing that the decision is final.
The Vetevendosje Movement claims to have overturned another truck carrying Serbian products along the Pristina-Morine highway. “Serbia’s hegemony is unacceptable, be it political, military or economic,” Vetevendosje said in a statement. The Movement said it will work on a future of peace and equality between countries but added that it is unjust for Serbia to continue not recognizing Kosovo and not acknowledging its crimes. Vetevendosje said that its activists made sure that the driver of the truck went unharmed.
In a statement to the media, the Kosovo-based Council for Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms (CDHRF) expressed concern that the recent violent methods used by the opposition parties could provoke violent reactions that would be detrimental to all sides. The CDHRF therefore calls for restraint and denouncement of violent actions “starting from the use of tear gas and, in particular, the use of Molotov cocktail.” “These attacks should not go unpunished no matter who is behind them,” the human rights organization said.
Leader of the Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA) and MP Fatmir Limaj said the opposition’s use of tear gas had its effect in the Assembly sessions and that despite their differences, opposition parties remain united in their actions against the government. “This regime continues to be the same. Its behavior is causing the deepening of the crisis,” said Limaj. He added that the opposition parties need to take into consideration the option of boycotting the Assembly. “We are looking at alternatives,” said Limaj.