UNMIK Headlines 18 June
Haradinaj released but not allowed to return to Pristina (dailies)
Leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), Ramush Haradinaj, was detained on Wednesday by Slovenian authorities on an arrest warrant issued by Serbia in 2006. Haradinaj was brought to court in Kranje on Wednesday evening, and released, but his passport has been taken and he will not be able to leave Slovenia until it is clarified whether the warrant is valid. Haradinaj in a phone conversation with media, said “this attitude and act by Slovenia is unacceptable and very offensive for me and for Kosovo.” The AAK officials said they were concerned that such warrants are still valid in certain countries, even though, according to them, Haradinaj's innocence was proven by the international justice. Kosovo Justice Minister Hajredin Kuci confirmed to the media that he requested the return of the AAK leader also by his Slovenian counterpart Goran Klemencic, and stressed that the Haradinaj case will affect the relations between Kosovo and Slovenia.
Vucic: Internationals might put pressure on us regarding Haradinaj (Koha)
Serbia’s Prime Minister, Aleksandar Vucic, said on Wednesday that he was surprised by the arrest of the leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), Ramush Haradinaj, because according to him, Haradinaj has been travelling with the same passport for a long time, and only now a few days prior to Pristina – Belgrade talks he was detained. “Surely there will be pressure on Serbia, but we are able to handle even more serious situations. We will go to Brussels to agree on certain issues, but it remains to be seen if we can reach any agreement. It takes two to tango,” Vucic said.
No agreement on Ibar River barricade (dailies)
The working groups of Kosovo and Serbia who met yesterday in Brussels, couldn’t reach any agreement regarding the barricade on the bridge over the Ibar River, dailies report. “The EEAS hosted both parties in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue in Brussels to discuss the freedom of movement and a way forward for the bridge in Mitrovica. The chair of the working group discussing the issue of the bridge (EUSR Samuel Zbogar) presented to both sides the technical assessment that was recently undertaken and suggestions on the way forward. Participants agreed to meet again on Monday to further discuss elements of an agreement that would envisage the revitalisation of the bridge in the coming period,” said a press release issued by EEAS.
Grabovci: We have the necessary votes for special court (Zeri)
The head of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) parliamentary group, Adem Grabovci, said on Wednesday that the government is not late in regards to voting on the establishment of special court, and that the ruling coalition has the necessary votes to establish this court. Grabovci said that special court would only deal with alleged war crimes of the former Kosovo Liberation Army, “while a national priority remains resolving crimes that happened after the war.”
Thaci to report to the Assembly on border demarcation with Montenegro (Koha)
The Assembly of Kosovo will meet today in a plenary session, in which the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Hashim Thaci, will report on the process of border demarcation between Kosovo and Montenegro.