The Legislative Committee decided today to sent to the Assembly the constitutional amendments for the establishment of the special court which will address war crimes allegations. The Presidency of the Assembly has yet to decide on the date when the amendments will be presented to the MPs.
Heads of parliamentary groups condemned today recent events in Kumanovo, FYROM. Head of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) parliamentary group, Adem Grabovci, said a massacre was carried out in Kumanovo stressing that developments there cannot be tied to the establishment of the special court. He said FYROM authorities will have to give explanations about the “massacre they committed against innocent civilians.”
The Basic Court in Skopje has set a 30 day detention of 30 individuals suspected of several criminal offenses related to events that occurred in Kumanovo in the last few days, Koha reports, citing Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) news sites. "Of those detained, 18 are believed to be citizens of Kosovo, two citizens of FYROM with temporary residence in Kosovo, nine citizens of FYROM and one Albanian citizen residing in Germany."
Representatives of Chambers of Commerce of Kosovo and Serbia are expected to meet on Saturday in Gracanica, Koha reports. More than 70 entrepreneurs and companies will be present at the meeting. They will discuss different possibilities to improve the cooperation. The president of the Kosovo Chamber of Commerce, Safet Gerxhaliu, and his Serb counterpart Marko Cadez are expected to address the attendees.
With 65 votes in favor and lots of criticism, the Assembly of Kosovo approved the draft law on Gender Equality. The bill sparked debate among MPs in the Assembly, who had many objections to the current law, and said that this law is not good enough and has many shortcomings. The bill was presented by Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, Arban Abrashi, who said that this is a set of general measures for the protection and security of all equal rights for women and men.The Assembly also approved the draft law on protection from discrimination.
Kosovo’s President Atifete Jahjaga said on Monday that Kosovo is on its final stage of fulfilling the criteria for visa liberalization. “We are in the final stage of fulfilling the criteria of the European Commission and the fulfillment of these criteria is now a matter of our political will to conclude the process,” Jahjaga said. She also said that during this year, Kosovo had different challenges and tensions which should be understood as a call to deepen the reform in Kosovo and to pave the way for economic prosperity for its people.
Augustin Palokaj, Brussels based correspondent of this daily, considers that there is more attentiveness this time in continental Europe about the upcoming elections in the Great Britain than ever before. This, due to the promise of the British Conservative Party for a referendum on UK’s membership at the European Union, which in theory means that this country might leave the EU. Despite the frequent irritation that they cause, writes Palokaj, no one in Europe would want them to leave the EU.
The United States Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs, Hoyt Brian Yee, said on Thursday that the western Balkans are a significant source of foreign terrorist fighters going to Syria and Iraq, particularly when considered as a per capita proportion of the population. “Individuals are being radicalized and motivated to fight in Syria and Iraq by a number of factors. Economic stagnation and lack of employment options are factors. This is compounded by skepticism of citizens about their governments,” said Yee.
European Commission approved today the text of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) between the European Union and Kosovo. The issue will now go to the European Council and once it gets the approval of all 28 member states, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, will sign the agreement on behalf of the EU. Sources said the agreement doesn’t require signing by all member states and this avoids possible problems that could arise from the fact that five EU countries have not recognised independence of Kosovo.
The First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi, is on an official visit at the Vatican today where he will meet with cardinals of the Holy See.
Deputy Prime Minister Thaçi will meet the President of the Holy See's Pontifical Council for the Family and bishop emeritus of the diocese of Terni-Narni-Amelia in Italy, Monsignor Vincenzo Paglia.