President of the Serbian list Slavko Simic says that he agreed with the representatives of the Kosovo Government that there would be no unilateral decisions taken, as was the sending of the agreement on the Community/Association of Serbian municipalities to the Constitutional Court for review, and that there will not be reciprocal measures related to personal documents and vehicle registration plates.
With 86 votes in favor, the Assembly of Kosovo today ratified the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with the European Union. The opposition MPs left the session before the voting process began as a sign of protest to the recent EU-brokered agreement with Serbia. The Assembly also approved the amendment to add the word Republic before the name of Kosovo in this document. Kosovo’s European Integration Minister, Bekim Collaku, said that as a result of this agreement, the fate of Kosovo will be more closely linked to the EU.
Columnist Naser Sertolli argues in his opinion piece that by attending the Kosovo Assembly session in honor of the visit of Austrian President Heinz Fischer and by saying that they will also attend the session that will ratify the Stabilization/Association Agreement with the European Union, the opposition parties confirmed the statements of their leaders who said that they would be constructive when the interests of the people and the country are at stake.
Kosovo Assembly President Kadri Veseli has confirmed the holding of the session on Monday for ratification of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) but did not explain why the timing was moved to 13.00 hrs. Veseli also said that they expect the EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn to address Kosovo Assembly on 6 November.
The Presidency of the Kosovo Assembly scheduled the next plenary session for Monday 2 November, in order to ratify the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA). The news was confirmed by Aida Derguti, member of the Presidency from Vetevendosje Movement, who said that the Presidency has agreed to hold a plenary session on Monday for the ratification of the SAA. The session will start at 10:00. However, Derguti emphasized that the opposition will block the other session with other points on the agenda, scheduled for the same day starting from 13:00.
The leader of the Vetevendosje Movement, Visar Ymeri, said today that after the solemn session held in honor of the Austrian President Heinz Fischer, the opposition will continue to block the work of the Assembly on Monday. He said that the Assembly sessions will not return to normality as long as the government doesn’t withdraw the agreement on Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities and agreement on border demarcation with Montenegro.
President of Austria, Heinz Fischer, has addressed today members of the Kosovo Assembly in a special session called in his honour. Fischer called on the Kosovo leaders to respect political pluralism and that agreements with Serbia reached in Brussels need to be respected. He said the national interest of Kosovo should be a priority and the foreign policy should be unified. “Democracy is not perfect but we must make efforts to develop it,” said Fischer.
The presidency of the Kosovo Assembly is set to meet this afternoon to discuss the possibility of calling a plenary session where the Austrian President Heinz Fischer would address the MPs. Sources told Koha that there are signals from the opposition that they will not try to block Fischer from speaking at the Assembly. Austrian President has started a two-day visit to Kosovo today on the invitation of Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga.
European Parliament vice president and rapporteur for Kosovo, Ulrike Lunacek, told RTV Dukagjini that the two agreements disputed by the opposition, that on the Association/Community of Serb majority municipalities and border demarcation with Montenegro, should be put for ratification at the Assembly of Kosovo. She said opposition actions such as releasing teargas are unacceptable. “ Lunacek said she was surprised by the statement of Kosovo Prime Minister Isa Mustafa that the agreements would not be ratified by the Assembly only discussed.
The head of the parliamentary group of the Serbian List in the Kosovo Assembly Slavko Simic asked at yesterday's session of the Presidium of the Kosovo parliament not to hold the next parliamentary session, scheduled for Monday, 2 November, if all the security prerequisites were not met.
As he said, his request was supported by all the presidents of the parliamentary groups, who have agreed to continue the meeting of the Assembly of Kosovo on Monday, November 2nd.