Kosovo with a draft statute for the Association (Koha Ditore)

Official Pristina has drafted one statute for the Association of Municipalities with Serb majority which state officials said is the only one on the table of the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia. The draft statute gives competencies to the Association to “create funds, open representing offices and open public institutions.” One source of the newspaper said that the final version is expected to be approved in the next meeting between Prime Ministers Thaçi and Dacic. The source, who took part in the in the dialogue in Brussels last week, said that the statute drafted by Kosovo is more than 90 percent the same as the one guiding the work of the Association of Kosovo Municipalities.

Friday’s pressure (Tribuna)

EU High Representative for Foreign Policy and Security Catherine Ashton is reported to have changed the plan for the upcoming meeting of Kosovo and Serbia prime ministers, Hashim Thaçi and Ivica Dacic. The meeting is now set to take place over two days, Friday and Saturday, instead of one as originally expected.

Thaçi and Dacic have been informed that they have to conclude the meetings with an agreement on courts in the north and they will also discuss dissolving of Serb parallel municipalities as well as the statute of the association of municipalities with Serb majority. This will then pave way for the second agreement on normalization of relations which is anticipated to be reached by the end of February.

Serb list challenges state symbols (Koha Ditore)

The announcement of the mayors of the Serb list that they will not accept symbols of the state of Kosovo in municipal buildings, where they will be governing, officials of Local Governance in Kosovo said that they will answer this after their oath. Representatives of opposition say that they are not surprised if the heads of Serb municipalities would make their oath only before the flag of Serbia. Deputy Minister, Basri Musmurati has refused to comment if they are going to force Serb mayors to place the state symbols in municipal buildings.

Kuçi: Challenge for Kosovo is rule of law (Lajm)

Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister, Hajredin Kuçi, who is also at the same time Justice Minister, evaluated the work of the Government during this year as stable. In an interview for the newspaper, Kuçi said that April agreement will be fully implemented and that Kosovo will have a unique justice system, while as challenge for the Government he considers the rule of law in entire territory of Kosovo.

Jahjaga: We will request EU membership (Kosova Sot)

The president of the Republic of Kosovo, Atifete Jahjaga, held Tuesday a speech on “Inclusive Police,” at the “Governing Challenges,” at the Blavatnik school of Oxford University, United Kingdom. “In the past, Kosovo citizens lived under an unimaginable pressure, exercised by Serbia’s state apparatus, which involved a very politicized and brutal police force, which persecuted based on ethnic belonging and their political point of view. In the future, as an independent state, Kosovo will request membership of the European Union,” said Jahjaga.

Recognitions from Bangladesh, Togo and Tajikistan on the agenda (dailies)

Kosovo Foreign Minister Enver Hoxhaj continued lobbying campaign on the second day of the summit of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference and representatives from a number of countries in a bid to secure more recognitions for the state of Kosovo. Hoxhaj said independence of Kosovo is irreversible and that the world is aware of this fact. Representatives from Bangladesh, Togo, and Tajikistan assured Hoxhaj that they will carefully consider request for recognition of Kosovo as an independent state.

Serbia blocking excavations on the suspected mass grave site (Koha Ditore)

Serb authorities did not express readiness on Tuesday to help excavations in one location in Raska, Serbia, suspected of containing bodies of persons killed in the latest war in Kosovo. Officials of the Department for Forensics from the Ministry of Justice, together with EULEX, waited entire day yesterday for excavations to start, but this did not happen.

“We have been waiting the entire day at the suspected site, but the Serb side, even though they invited us, did not bring excavators. They simply tested our stance and patience,” stated Arsim Gërxhaliu, head of Department for Forensics. However, he announced that they will not leave the site even if the Serb side will not cooperate. “We will not move from this place also in the coming days”, he added.

Gërxhaliu said that there are three suspected locations in this place, which are close to each other. Towards the actions of the Serb, Kosovo ministry of Justice also reacted. “The delay for exhumations is as consequence of non-cooperation from the Serb side, who did not express readiness to offer working tools, which are necessary for the start of exhumation,” said the communiqué of the Ministry of Justice.