Headlines - 06.03.2017

• Thaci promises creation of army through changes to KSF law (Koha Ditore)
• Mustafa: No sense to continue opposing border demarcation (Telegrafi)
• Opposition does not change position after Mogherini’s mesage (Zeri)
• Mogherini to report today about her visit to Balkans (RTK)
• Vetevendosje does not exclude teargas and protests against demarcation (Lajmi)
• State Department report highlights corruption and Assembly violence (Koha) 

Kosovo Media Highlights

Thaci promises creation of army through changes to KSF law (Koha Ditore)

President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, reiterated that Kosovo will have an army but that this is most likely to happen through “Plan B” after the chances of the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) transforming through constitutional changes are increasingly improbable. Thaci said he plans to initiate changes to the current KSF law. “Kosovo’s modern constitution gives me as a supreme commander of the Kosovo Security Force sufficient competencies to change the KSF law,” said Thaci during an event at the KSF barracks organised to mark the days of “KLA Epopee.”

Mustafa: No sense to continue opposing border demarcation (Telegrafi)

Prime Minister of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa, in a recent Facebook post said it makes no sense for the opposition parties to continue opposing the border demarcation agreement with Montenegro after the commission for measuring of Kosovo territory concluded Kosovo loses no land to Montenegro. Mustafa said there is no alternative to the current border demarcation agreement.

Opposition does not change position after Mogherini’s mesage (Zeri)

The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, stated on Saturday during her visit to Pristina that “If the Assembly votes the demarcation, the EU would very soon move on the process of visa liberalization.” However, this message has not moved the positions of the opposition parties. They consider that it is unfair and wrong to apply criteria towards Kosovo, that condition inequality among populations. “Imposition brings crisis, concern and indignation,” Visa Ymeri from the Vetevendosje movement said.

Mogherini to report today about her visit to Balkans (RTK)

The European Union Council of Foreign Ministers will discuss today the situation in Western Balkans, where the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, will inform the ministers about the results of her visit to the region. The Council is expected to endorse conclusions, which will be basses of the report on Western Balkans that will be endorsed by the leaders of 28 countries at the Summit of 9 and 10 March, in Brussels. 

Vetevendosje does not exclude teargas and protests against demarcation (Lajmi)

The biggest opposition party in Kosovo, Vetevendosje movement, does not exclude return of teargas at the Assembly nor protests in the street to oppose return of the demarcation agreement with Montenegro at the Assembly. Shkodran Hoti, from the Vetevendosje information office, said that they would use all acceptable means that would be efficient on stopping demarcation. “We have continuously said that re-proceeding of the current version of demarcation at the Assembly is harmful and that we would react. We usually do not speak earlier about the ways of reactions, but we have said it earlier that we will apply all the democratically acceptable means, that would enable stopping of this version of demarcation. There will be resistance for this version not to pass,” Hoti said. 

State Department report highlights corruption and Assembly violence (Koha)

The U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor has issued the Report on Human Rights Practices for 2016 underlining that one of the biggest problems last year in Kosovo was the violent obstruction of the work of the Assembly by opposition MPs who “openly blocked the free debate and passing of laws.” The report states corruption at the public and private sector and the lack of sanctions for corruptive activity remain a significant problem in the area of human rights. Furthermore, the report claimed that violence in society and institutional discrimination towards members of certain religious communities, ethnic minorities, women, persons with special needs and members of the LGBTI community is another serious concern.  In the section about prison system in Kosovo, the US State Department report says there is mistreatment of prisoners and also mentions the death of Vetevendosje activist, Astrit Dehari, in the Prizren detention facility.