Headlines - 15.02.2013 Thaçi: Kosovo-Serbia dialogue to Europeanise the region (Koha Ditore) Prime Minister of Kosovo Hashim Thaçi said the key to Europeanise the region lies in the process of dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia. In the routine meeting of the Government, Thaçi said that five years on, Kosovo functions as a sovereign country with legitimate institutions. “I can say that now, on this fifth anniversary of independence, we are in a positive process, that of ending a century-long conflict between Kosovo and Serbia,” Thaçi is quoted. Zbogar: EU expects results from the dialogue (Zëri) EU Special Representative to Kosovo Samuel Zbogar said there are three issues of importance to European Union and they include the removal of borders, single currency and the possibility for students to receive education anywhere within the EU. “We hope we will soon begin first agreement with Kosovo. Future negotiations are those of enlargement. And these are like a spiral where you have to climb it, begin changing yourselves and before you know it, you become EU member,” he said. Zbogar made the comments before students of a high school in Pristina. Opposition: Brussels is not to blame, Thaçi’s Government is (Koha Ditore) In his speech before the deputies of the Kosovo Assembly, Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi once more blamed Brussels for the inability of Kosovars to travel without visas in Europe. However, representatives of opposition evaluate that EU countries are not to blame but Kosovo institutions are. They called on the Government to stop with political statements and urgently address presented issues in the European Commission report and fulfill the requested conditions. KFOR soldiers attacked from members of Serb Civil Protection (Koha Ditore) Koha Ditore reports that several KFOR soldiers sustained injuries after they were attacked from members of the Serb Civil Protection late Tuesday. The attack against KFOR soldiers, according to the sources of the newspaper, happened in the entrance of the village of Rudare, municipality of Zvecan, respectively at the road which leads to the monastery of Sokolica. Sources of the newspaper say that two KFOR vehicles were also demolished in the attack. Kosovo police in Mitrovica denied reports that there were clashes between KFOR and members of Civil Protection in the recent days. However, sources inside police say that in northern part of the country there was one incident recorded and that KFOR soldiers were attacked from a group of members from the Serb Civil Protection. Not even Jeremic in New York can help them (Zëri) 116 staff members from the UNMIK’s administration in Mitrovica north, almost all of Serb ethnicity, have complained of not having received salaries following the decision to close the UN office on 31 December 2012. They said they even appealed to the UN General Assembly President Vuk Jeremic but have received no feedback. “Since last July, several meetings have taken place in order to find a solution on the issue of salaries but everything remained in the explanations of UNMIK officials that Pristina doesn’t want to fund us and that UNMIK can do nothing about it though it was our employer for ten years. The tip of the iceberg was on 12 December, when we were informed that there is no money from the Kosovo budget,” said one of the former UAM staff. KSF on 17 February to parade with armored vehicles (Koha Ditore) Kosovo Security Force members will march along the Mother Teresa square on Sunday, 17 February, on the occasion of Kosovo’s Independence Day. KSF members will also parade with their vehicles along with police and emergency vehicles. Otherwise, Kosovo Government as of Friday will begin festivities for marking of the fifth anniversary of the statehood of Kosovo and this will cost 100,000 euro to the budget. From March, IBM in another border point (Epoka e Re) Epoka e Re reports that Deputy Prime Minister Edita Tahiri said that after the solution of the issue in border crossings of Dheu i Bardhë and Merdare, in the presence of EULEX officials, in March will start implementation of Integrated Border Management also on another border point between Kosovo and Serbia in Depce/Muçibabë.