UNMIK Headlines 22 November
Budget for 2014 approved in principle (dailies)
Draft law for the budget of 2014 has been approved in principle by the majority of present deputies in the session of Kosovo Assembly, held on Thursday. Out of 91 MPs present in the session, 59 voted in favor, 31 against and 1 abstained. The next year’s budget reaches 1.5 billion euro. The draft budget presented from Finance Minister Besim Beqaj and supported by Prime Minister, Hashim Thaçi.
After many criticisms from opposition, PM Thaçi has evaluated that the draft budget for 2014 is a development budget aimed at raising social welfare of Kosovo citizens and added that it is a budget that opens a perspective for Kosovo state and society. “We will continue with economic growth, good governance, European integrations, with improvement of health and social welfare,” stated Thaçi. “It is the best possible budget under the conditions and circumstances we are in”, he also said. Thaçi stressed that he will keep promises for the increase of salaries in the public sector.
US requests democratization of Kosovo (dailies)
US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Hoyt B. Yee, during his first visit to Kosovo requested the country to be democratized. He also called for more reforms. US official met Kosovo President, Atifete Jahjaga, and Prime Minister, Hashim Thaçi, but made not statements to the media after the meetings.
The stances that Yee expressed in Pristina were announced only through a press release issued by the Kosovo Presidency. “Hoyt Lee commended achievements of Kosovo and said that USA will continue to help Kosovo in the processes which it is going through, and stressed that Kosovo should continue to work in the democratization and deepening of internal reforms,” says the press statement released after the meeting between Jahjaga and Yee. He is also reported to have said that the US want to see Kosovo and the entire Balkans region in the EU.
Pristina not afraid of exchange of territories (Tribuna)
Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic yet again proposed exchange of territories with Kosovo as the best solution. To this, Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuçi said Kosovo does not seek solutions that would create conflicts but warned that if someone actually undertakes steps in the direction of partition, Kosovo will not stay idle. “We have stressed several times that any reshuffling of borders will lead to tectonic movement in the whole region. We have been focused on stretching authority throughout the country and good neighbrouhood,” said Kuçi.
Tahiri: Dialogue to end in recognition (Epoka e Re)
Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister and chief negotiator in the dialogue with Serbia, Edita Tahiri, said in an interview for the paper that talks are bound to end with Serbia recognizing independence of Kosovo. She also said that the dialogue will continue until all agreements are fully implemented. “Until implementation of 19 April agreement is concluded in detail and until full implementation of all other agreements is complete, we cannot speak about the end of the dialogue process”, said Tahiri.
She stressed that local elections has helped the implementation of agreements between Kosovo and Serbia. “Kosovo has passed the democracy test and has shown it is a democratic country and is able to organise free and fair elections. Therefore, holding of elections in these municipalities shows that the parties have implemented the part of the agreement relating to local elections”, Tahiri said in the interview.
Dacic: We won’t give our consent Kosovo’s UN membership (dailies)
Prime Minister of Serbia, Ivica Dacic, said that his country will never accept independence of Kosovo and it will not give its consent for the membership of Kosovo in the UN. “We will never agree with the membership of Kosovo in the UN and everything else can be bypassing of procedures where UN Security Council has the last word,” said Dacic. As Radio Free Europe reports, his comments follow after the statement of Kosovo Foreign Minister, Enver Hoxhaj, who said that Kosovo plans to present requests in two to three UN agencies for membership in the first half of 2014.
Lobbying for recognition from FIFA requested (Zëri)
Zëri reports that Kosovo Foreign Minister, Enver Hoxhaj has requested from Germany support for the inclusion of Kosovo in the International Football Association, FIFA. Hoxhaj said that Kosovo has made continuous efforts to become part of all regional organizations, European and International organizations of sports, including FIFA and UEFA. He made this comments during a meeting with a delegation of German Football Association.