Headlines - 26.05.2015

Jahjaga believes MPs will vote in favour of special court (Epoka e Re)

The President of Kosovo, Atifete Jahjaga believes that the Assembly of Kosovo will vote on Friday in favour of the establishment of the special court. “President Jahjaga believes that the Assembly of Kosovo will overcome this challenge of political maturity and will vote for the establishment of the court, which will not be treating the clean war for freedom and independence, but rather allegations of individual criminal acts,” Arber Vllahiu, a political adviser to President Jahjaga told this daily.

MPs to vote on constitutional amendments and special court bill (Koha)

Members of the Kosovo Assembly on Friday will vote on constitutional amendments and on the bill for the specialized chambers and the specialized prosecution. Kosovo’s four leaders, President Jahjaga, Assembly Speaker Veseli, Prime Minister Mustafa and Foreign Minister Thaci, are expected to decide on the final content of the bill soon. “The plan is to proceed on the same day with the constitutional amendments and the draft law,” an unnamed source from the Kosovo government told the paper. “The President will discuss some remaining issues with the heads of the parliamentary groups, before the adoption procedure is initiated. We don’t expect that the required consensus will be achieved”.

DiCarlo: All war conflicts should be closed (Zeri/Epoka e Re)

The United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Rosemary DiCarlo told KosovaPress on Monday that the decision to establish the special court shows the maturity of Kosovo leaders and that the 1999 conflict chapter should be closed once and for all. DiCarlo said it is important that Kosovo’s leaders are discussing the matter and should put an end to the allegations made. “Now we have to focus on Kosovo’s decisions to work together with the European Union and the US government on this issue. The future of Kosovo is in Europe and I hope that this cooperation will continue,” DiCarlo said. She also said that statements made by Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, in regards to a Greater Albania, were unfounded. According to her, the Greater Albania is only a myth that does not exist. She also said that soon it will be clarified what happened in Kumanovo, and the region would be more calm.

Foreign Minister Thaci to attend UN Security Council session (Epoka e Re)

Kosovo’s Principal Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hashim Thaci travelled to New York, to participate at the meeting of the United Nations Security Council today. The session will deal with the presentation and discussion of the regular quarterly report of the United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon. Thaci will present to the Council the achievements on the consolidation of Kosovo’s statehood and reveal the reforms initiated by Kosovo during the last three months. He will also be speaking about Kosovo’s role in the stability of the region.

Kumanovo evidence and plan to attack Kosovo high-security prison (Koha)

The paper reports on its front page that the Kosovo Intelligence Agency (AKI) and Kosovo Police (KP) have secured evidence revealing that three Kosovars, who were killed during the Kumanovo fighting, and a Macedonian national, had cooperated with the Department for Security and Counter-Intelligence (DBK) of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, to cause incidents there in exchange for money. An Albanian, who is a senior-ranking DBK member, along with two associates had reportedly prepared a plan in cooperation with the three Kosovars and the Macedonian national to cause the incidents. According to AKI and KP, the Macedonian intelligence officer met on several occasions with the Kosovo Albanians in Pristina and Ferizaj/Urosevac, and is believed to have offered them over €2 million. Citing sources in AKI and KP, the paper also reports that Beg Rizaj and Mirsad Ndrecaj, who were killed in Kumanovo, were the leaders of an armed group of 44 persons who were planning to attack the high-security prison in Podujevo and set free two people [the paper provides the initials] who are considered among the most dangerous in Kosovo. The paper notes that in tomorrow’s edition it will publish further information about the plan to attack the high-security prison and the 44 suspects.

Eight killed in Kumanovo will be buried today (Epoka e Re)

Organizations of war veterans informed through a press release that a commemorative academy for those killed in Kumanovo will be held today. “Homage will be paid at the sports hall “1 Tetori” in Pristina, starting from 14:00 hours, while the commemorative academy will be held at 15:30. They will be buried today at 17:00 hours at the martyrs’ cemetery, informs the press release.

Lawsuit required for Kumanovo incident (Zeri)

The paper on its front page reports that next week the State Prosecution might start the investigations into the killing of nine people from Kosovo in the armed incident in Kumanovo two weeks ago. If the forensics report, which is expected to be compiled this week, confirms the allegations published by media that some of the nine killed were executed after their surrender to the FYROM police, then the prosecution will begin investigations into this case. Meanwhile, the families of those killed ask for indictments to be filed on this case.

Jahjaga: Kosovo is not a place of extremism (dailies)

Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga said on Monday that the justice system in Kosovo should be free from political interference, build on the basis of professionalism and personal integrity. Jahjaga said that it is time to show that Kosovo has the power to create the rule of law, to prove that nobody can be above the law and to show that Kosovo is not a place of extremisms and organized crime and corruption. Jahjaga made these comments during the graduation ceremony of candidates for judges and prosecutors. The chief prosecutor, Aleksander Lumezi, said that this event shows that there is hope for positive changes in capacity building in the prosecutorial system in Kosovo.