UNMIK Headlines 19 March
Tahiri: Barricade will be removed within three months (Zeri)
Kosovo’s Minister without portfolio, Edita Tahiri, said on Monday that the Pristina – Belgrade dialogue is the main issue for Kosovo. According to her, the dialogue has had some results in certain areas. “We had results on the Integrated Border Management (IBM) Agreement, and now we are working on normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia,” she said. Tahiri said that the barricade on the Ibar river bridge will be removed very soon. “We received messages from Brussels that the barricade in north will be removed within three months," she said. She also said that Serbia would not be able to join the EU without recognition of the state of Kosovo.
Pressure for Association/Community of Serb municipalities (Zeri)
Serbian Government officials met on Wednesday with leaders of the Serbian List and representatives of Serb-majority municipalities in Kosovo, where they pledged they would conduct joint political actions and establish the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities in Kosovo. Meanwhile, representatives of the Kosovo government said this kind of pressure wouldn’t affect the process of forming the Association. The Minister without portfolio, Edita Tahiri, said that the Association/Community would not have executive powers and that it would be established only after the implementation of agreements reached in Brussels so far. Opposition parties in Pristina warn that Serbs are trying to impose Serbia’s agenda on Kosovo’s institutions.
Olters: Lack of economic development, main reason for migration (Zeri)
The World Bank Country Manager for Kosovo, Jan- Peter Olters, said on Wednesday that the lack of economic development was the main reason that many people from Kosovo have migrated to European Union member states. Olters presented his views on an “economic model” which would increase productivity in key sectors of Kosovo’s economy and accordingly would assist in the creation of new jobs in the private sector and would increase average wages.
Dacic: NATO guaranteed KAF will not go to Kosovo north (Gazeta Blic)
Serbia’s Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said after meeting NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday that he has received guarantees that the Kosovo Armed Forces (KAF) would not deploy to the northern part of Kosovo. Dacic said that Serbia’s relations with NATO would advance despite the 1999 air-raids.