Headlines - 23.01.2014 EC: Visas for Kosovo will be removed when illegal migration stops (Koha Ditore) The European Commission is currently considering to send another mission of experts in Kosovo, to asses fulfillment of the criteria in the war against organized crime, corruption and the Agreement on Integrated Border Management. “Kosovo has to fulfill all the set criteria on the guidelines for visa liberalization, as well as demonstrate that there is no considerable danger of migration or security related to the removal of visas, before the Commission can recommend to the European Council and Parliament the removal of visas for Kosovo citizens,” was stated by the European Commission for this daily.   Zbogar: Many parties decide on visa liberalization (Koha Ditore) EU Special Representative to Kosovo Samuel Zbogar said he didn’t wish to talk about dates regarding visa liberalization for Kosovo but noted that there are many parties that will decide on the issue. EUSR Zbogar further stated that European Commission is assessing Kosovo’s readiness to move forward and that there has been a lot of progress. “I think Kosovo is moving ahead towards implementing requirements and criteria to get a positive recommendation from the EC. Then, everything depends on the member states”, he said. Zbogar’s comments came after the European Parliament rapporteur for Kosovo, Ulrike Lunacek, was quoted as saying that there will be no visa liberalization for Kosovo in the next two or three years. Kuçi: Competencies of the new mission, negotiable (dailies) Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Hajredin Kuçi said that the competencies for the new EU mission that will replace EULEX is a negotiable issue and will have to get the approval of the EU member states and the Kosovo Assembly. He said there is joint work underway to reach a national and EU consensus on the new mission. “We are very close to reach such an agreement and the agreement will serve justice”, said Kuçi at the meeting of the joint coordinating board for rule of law. North’s Serbs oppose insurance policies (Koha Ditore) Refusal of Serbian authorities to implement agreement on border insurance policies is causing millions of euro damage to Kosovo insurance companies. Despite reports that the agreement will begin implementation on 8 January, Serbs from the north still refuse to pay for the policies and Belgrade is now insisting on negotiating a new agreement that will not go in favour of Kosovo companies. Indictment on investigations of Dick Marty’s report (Tribuna) Senior KLA leaders, who currently lead politics of Kosovo, might soon end up being wanted by the international justice. They and some others are being investigated for organ trafficking, other crimes against humanity, drug, fuel and arms trafficking suspicions, made public on the report of European Council senator, Dick Marty, in 2011. This daily has learned that there will be an indictment for the disappearance of some civilians before and after NATO bombardments in Kosovo. The disappeared civilians are from Prizren (including Rahovec) region. The indictment will not claim that these victims had the fate of organ trafficking, as pretended by Senator Dick Marty, since this could not be proved during the investigations. The other indictments might concern crimes such as smuggling of fuel, narcotics and arms.   Ministers to be replaced (Zëri) According to the paper, Prime Minister and leader of Democratic Party of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi, has begun the government reshuffle and had decided to give ministerial posts to his two former ministers and present MPs, Zenun Pajaziti and Arsim Bajrami. Sources inside the PDK said this decision has already been taken but that other changes are expected as well. One of these changes, sources said, will be replacement of Interior Minister, Bajram Rexhepi, because of the recent scandals in his department. In exchange, Rexhepi, will be “awarded” an ambassadorial post. In addition, ministers Blerand Stavileci and Memli Krasniqi have been proposed to go back to active engagement in the party while Education Minister, Ramë Buja, could be replaced due to poor performance. Reform to postpone elections in autumn (Tribuna) Calls for conclusion of election reform before heading to new parliamentary elections has lessened the likelihood for voting to take place in June as previously reported. There are however proposals for the country to go to elections based on a political agreement thus bypassing Kosovo Constitution and legislation. “If we want to be correct and create space for holding free, fair, and democratic elections considering deadlines and procedures that require changes, then the time for organizing elections could be September”, said head of PDK parliamentary group, Adem Grabovci. OSCE to have its role in elections again (Tribuna) Based on the 19 April Agreement for normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia, OSCE is expected to have the facilitating role in organizing and holding of the new elections in northern Mitrovica. In fact, this issue requires a formal decision of the Central Election Commission, which has not been taken yet, but the Government has already done half of the work. Deputy Prime Minister Edita Tahiri, during a meeting with OSCE chief Jean-Claude Schlumberger, on Tuesday, speak about the possibility of another engagement of OSCE in the expected elections for the mayor of northern Mitrovica. According to a press release issued after this meeting, Schlumberger expressed readiness for close cooperation with the institutions of the state, in all fields where it is considered to be needed.