UNMIK Headlines 25 March
April, month of concessions (Zëri)
The document published by Serbian media that outlines the modalities of the association of Serb municipalities was greeted with a cold shower in Pristina. Kosovo and Serbia’s prime ministers are expected to reach an agreement on the association in their next meeting, scheduled for 2 April. Meanwhile, political analysts in Pristina argue that an eventual agreement for the association will be the start of a major disagreement, as it would supersede the Ahtisaari Package and Kosovo Constitution.
Bekim Çollaku, senior advisor to Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi, told the paper that the document published in Serbian media is not official, therefore the Kosovo Government will not comment on it.
Political analyst Behxhet Shala said, “Serbs will form an association that will be more oriented towards Belgrade than Pristina, and will not obey the institutions of the state of Kosovo.”
Mustafa: We will support the solution for the north (Koha Ditore)
Head of LDK Isa Mustafa announced that the party will support institutions to resolve the issue of the north, as the present situation there is keeping Kosovo and its people hostage. Mustafa said for this reason the resolution of Kosovo Assembly for the dialogue with Serbia was accepted to find a way to extend sovereignty to this “problematic” region. “We will help that this process become successful. Finalizing this process we will not end all problems we have with Serbia, but we would end one big problem and return to regular life, because life in Kosovo is taking place in the shadows of the problems in the north,” said Mustafa.
Reserved seats constitute threat to legitimacy of Parliament (Koha Ditore)
Opposition representatives complained that their initiatives were voted over after the joint majority votes by deputies from minority communities, who have reserved seats in the Kosovo Assembly. The Kosovo Assembly could add 10 more reserved seats; five reserved seats for the Serbs in the north would be ensured after an agreement is reached between Pristina and Belgrade, while five others for the Diaspora. The latter is an early initiative by the Ministry of Diaspora dated since 2011, but representatives of the opposition are skeptical and fear that this would negatively influence the political balance in the country.
Northerners taking lessons from Dodik (Tribuna)
Serb leaders in northern Kosovo are consulting to take unilateral action on the Serb community of Kosovo and autonomy for the north. Similar actions were inspired by Serb movements in Bosnia before the creation of Republika Srpska. The heads of the Serb illegal municipalities in northern Kosovo, led by the so-called mayor of Mitrovica, stayed in Banja Luka for two weeks. They met with President of Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik and many other Serb officials in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Diplomatic sources said the aim of the meeting was to learn the tactics to help the Serb entity function like in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which after two decades is not functioning well. According to sources, there is a danger that the north is preparing to unilaterally declare autonomy for the north and the creation of Serb community in Kosovo in case the dialogue fails.
Remembrance for bombs that brought rescue and loses (dailies)
Koha Ditore reports that for Kosovars, 24 March 1999 was the happiest and most frightening day. On this day, the fallen and martyrs of Kosovo are honoured for sacrificing themselves for the freedom and independence of Kosovo. Serbia on Sunday prayed not to die anymore for their state. Kosovo President, in her statement, said, “We are proud today and feel the deepest gratitude for all those men and women, soldiers and officers of NATO member countries, who contributed for peace for people and countries to live in cooperation.”
Serb radicals provoke Albanians in southern Mitrovica (dailies)
Several dailies report that around 400 Serbs wearing chetnik uniforms of Vojislav Seselj’s Serbian Radical Party provoked Albanians in southern Mitrovica. After a rally in northern Mitrovica on the anniversary of NATO raids against Serbian military and police targets, protesters approached the main bridge over the Ibër and started chanting against Albanians and NATO. They were also carrying photos of their leader, Seselj. Protesters said “Kosovo is the heart of Serbia”, “NATO is fascist” and other provocative calls. A spokesperson for Kosovo police said no incident occurred during the protest.