UNMIK Headlines 19 August
Pristina powerless towards deployment of Serb structures (dailies)
The paper reports on the front page that although it has concluded that Serbia has violated the Brussels agreement by establishing provisional bodies in Pristina and other municipalities, the Kosovo Government is powerless to take measures against obstructions by the Serbian state.
As the European Union is guarantor of the Brussels agreement, the government in Pristina expects the EU will launch measures against Serbia’s illegal actions.
Civil society representatives in Kosovo argue that Serbia is proving that it has not given up on parallel structures in Kosovo and that it will only change their form and names.
Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister Edita Tahiri said, “we expect Brussels will launch measures against Serbia’s latest decision to establish provisional bodies in Kosovo”.
The EU is meanwhile silent over Serbia’s recent decisions.
Experts say that if such bodies will be allowed to function in three municipalities there is a risk they will be established in other municipalities as well.
Oliver Ivanovic, Serb politician from northern Kosovo, told the paper on Saturday that the provisional bodies will be valid only until the November local elections.
Party of Serbia’s deputy prime minister opens office in Gracanica (Koha)
The Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), whose deputy leader Aleksandar Vucic is deputy prime minister of Serbia, has opened its office in Gracanica. Kosovo’s deputy prime minister Hajredin Kuçi refused to comment on the opening of the SNS office, but said that any political party that is not registered with the Kosovo Central Election Committee (CEC) cannot run in elections.
Refusal of elections “conditions about 8 million people” in Serbia (dailies)
Kosovo’s Minister for Labor and Social Welfare Nenad Rasic said on Sunday that Kosovo Serbs should participate in the November local elections, because possible consequences from an eventual boycott would be too big.
Rasic said Serbs in Kosovo should take on a softer approach, “because their refusal to take part in Kosovo elections would also condition eight million people in Serbia”. He also said that Serbs through civic initiatives will certainly be present in Kosovo’s elections, but refused to reveal any further details about the initiatives.
Kosovo aims to move forward without EULEX (Tribuna)
Several days before the first anniversary of the conclusion of supervised independence, Kosovo is preparing documents for the end of international missions in the country. A senior official from the Office of Prime Minister of Kosovo told the paper on condition of anonymity that in the next couple of days the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Interior Affairs and the Ministry for Economic Development will submit to the government documents for the conclusion of the EU rule-of-law mission (EULEX). One of the biggest challenges for Kosovo in the process is the establishment of the court for war crimes.
With a small delegation at the United Nations (Tribuna)
Kosovo’s Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi, his principal deputy Behgjet Pacolli and the foreign minister Enver Hoxhaj will be staying in New York during the proceedings of the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly. Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga has yet to confirm her participation.
Lama: Brussels agreement includes 6 points of Ban Ki-moon (Lajm)
Commenting on the latest political development, Kosovo Parliament member Alma Lama argues that the Brussels agreement has one unacceptable point – Point 8 – which foresees the inclusion of criminal structures in Kosovo Police. Lama says Serbia has applied major pressure to include this point. “In my opinion, these are the famous six points of Ban Ki-moon, which are 15 points and have a different form,” she added.
Kosovo on the eve of social explosion (Kosova Sot)
According to foreign media reports, the grave social situation in Kosovo is sending alarms about the so-called explosion of the social bomb. Analysts argue that now is high time for institutions to seriously address the phenomenon of social unrest otherwise the consequences could be unpredictable. They have mentioned the occurrence of illegal emigration, which has alarmed the country, saying that such social “bomb” is present.