UNMIK Headlines 15 June
The “special” week (Zeri)
The paper on its front page reports that the constitutional amendments and the draft law on special court are expected to be on the agenda of the Kosovo Assembly on Thursday. According to the paper, the pressure of the international community is making the Kosovo Assembly finalize the special court case. The coalition partners, Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), together with the minority communities have laid the ground to secure two- thirds of votes in favour of the special court. The head of the Vetevendosje parliamentary group, Glauk Konjufca, said that the issue of special court is expected to be on the agenda this Thursday.
Internationals don’t allow changes to draft law on special court (Telegrafi)
According to a report by Tirana-based television network Top Channel, Kosovo authorities are trying to insist on several changes to the text of the draft law on establishment of the special court but according to sources, the international community has expressed a firm stance against any changes to the document. The Kosovo government, among other things, wants to make sure that the special court trials are conducted in accordance with Kosovo legislation.
Limaj: Let the UN establish special court (dailies)
The leader of the Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA), Fatmir Limaj, said on Sunday that Kosovo must find a solution for the establishment of a special court that does not undermine the sovereignty of Kosovo. "If there is no understanding, then this issue shall go the United Nations with the clear message that we will not vote for the limitation of Kosovo’s sovereignty," Limaj said. The limitation of sovereignty, according to him, sets Kosovo back 16 years.
Three days of intensive talks in Brussels (Epoka e Re)
Valon Murtezaj, adviser to the Prime Minister Isa Mustafa, said on Sunday that over the next three days there will be intensive talks between Pristina and Belgrade at the technical level. According to him, these meetings will serve as preparation for the meeting of Mustafa and Serbia’s Prime Minister, Aleksandar Vucic to be held on 23 June. Murtezaj said that the technical-level talks will be held at the beginning of this week and will discuss the implementation of agreements reached so far. "All meetings are designed to review the implementation of agreements reached earlier, thus this is the main objective of the Kosovo side for these meetings," Murtezaj said. The topics to be discussed are: telephone code, freedom of movement, the dissolution of parallel structures in northern Kosovo, energy and the implementation of agreements in general.
Steinmeier: Serbia not implementing agreement with Kosovo (Kosova Sot)
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said relations between Kosovo and Serbia have improved but also underlined that the April 2013 agreement between then prime ministers of Kosovo and Serbia, Hashim Thaci and Ivica Dacic, is not being implemented by the Serbian side. He said that Germany has made it clear to Belgrade that without implementation of agreements there can be no talks for EU accession. Steinmeier made the comments in an address to the German Bundestag which was debating extending the mandate of its peacekeeping troops in Kosovo.
Interceptions reveal Kosovo youths’ participation in Syria fighting (Zeri)
The paper reports that many youngsters from Kosovo, mainly in 2013, fled to Syria to fight for ISIS and Al Nusra. The Prosecution’s suspicions against 32 terrorism suspects are mainly based on text messages that they sent to their relatives during their stay. The accused have denied that they were part of terrorist groups, and justified their trips to Turkey for business reasons. However, several members of the group admitted to travelling to Syria, but claimed that they were deceived.