Headlines - 26.09.2013

Thaçi met with President Obama (dailies)

During his official visit in the Unites States of America, where he is participating at the annual session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, participated at a reception organized by the U.S. President Barack Obama, and the First Lady. On behalf of the Government and citizens of Kosovo, Thaçi expressed appreciation for the continuous support of the United States for Kosovo starting from the process of liberation of Kosovo, the process of independence and now, during the process of EU and NATO integrations.

President Obama valued PM Thaçi’s leadership in the state building processes, stressing his constructive role in normalization of the inter-state relations between Kosovo and Serbia, says a press release of the Prime Minister’s office. 

Libya and Grenada recognize independence of Kosovo (dailies)

Libya and Grenada are two newest countries to recognize independence of Kosovo. The two recognitions have been confirmed on Wednesday from Kosovo Government. In an announcement from Kosovo Government, it says that Kosovo Prime Minister, Hashim Thaçi during his stay in New York met with Prime Minister of Lybia, Ali Zeidan, who confirmed to him recognition from Lybia. Kosovo Prime Minister, Thaçi has also met on Wednesday with Foreign minister of Grenade, Nickolas Steele, and in this occasion has officially accepted recognition form Grenade. Thaçi and Steele signed also formally establishing of bilateral diplomatic relations between two countries. 

Fund for the north to be established next week (Koha Ditore)

Koha Ditore reports that the fund for the north will be established next week and it will start to fill up right away from the income me taxes from the customs points in the north. Sometimes later this year, with the gathered money it could be financed first projects. The news about this has been confirmed from two different sources, who have talked in anonymity condition. On 2 October the changes of the law on budget will enter into force. Immediately after this, EU special representative in Kosovo, Samuel Zbogar, will establish the fund for the north. One source of the newspaper said that parties have agreed that is use should start right after local elections, which will produce legitimate governing structures in the north. 

“Gentlemen’s” agreement until general elections (Tribuna)

A “gentlemen’s” agreement between the leaders of the main political parties in the country could save Thaçi’s government for a few more months. Reliable sources told this daily that it is already impossible to organize general elections at the same time with the local ones, therefore, as a compromise, the leaders of the biggest political parties are expected to at least try to find a transitory agreement on the functioning of the Government and the Assembly until spring 2014. However, according to the same source, it is difficult to reach this agreement prior to the local elections, due to the implications that such an agreement could have on the voters. Also, there is silent agreement among the political parties to see local elections as a test of their real power in the field before the general elections. 

Thaçi to form another ministry (Zëri)

Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi is expected to expand its cabinet by creating another ministry, that of the state, which will be entrusted to a member of the Serb community. Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuçi admitted that the issue has been discussed but said he personally is against increasing the number of ministries. “However, for the country’s circumstances, perhaps such a department is necessary,” he added.

Progress report to be published on Eid day (Koha Ditore)

European Commission is making final preparations for concluding progress reports for individual countries in the Balkans and plans to publish them on 16 October which is the second day of the Eid al-Adha celebrated in five countries for which the report is being drafted. Sources in the EU privately said that it is not a pleasant situation the fact that the report will be out on a day of a holiday but European Commission plans its activities based on whether a certain date is a working day or not. 

Luksic: I was misinterpreted about “Western Balkan Six” (Zëri)

Montenegrin Foreign Minister Igor Luksic said his initiative for the countries of the Western Balkans has been misunderstood by reports that it allegedly aims to create a new Yugoslavia. He said the plan aims to achieve greater cooperation between the countries and joint efforts for speedier accession to the EU. “We need a link through the EU and we can achieve this,” said Luksic stressing that the Western Balkan Six would have joint efforts in the field of infrastructure, reduction of economic transaction expenses and fight against organized crime. 

OSCE requests legalization of the fulfilled operations  (Koha Ditore)

Head of the OSCE mission in Kosovo, Jean-Claude Schlumberger, has offered to the head of Central Election Commission, Valdete Daka, a draft agreement which would represent the technical agreement between the two institutions. According to the procedures, Schlumberger addressed head of CEC Valdete Daka, and not CEC as a state institution. Also, in the draft agreement, OSCE does not address Kosovo as a Republic, while many operations in the draft, are already completed by this mission. CEC members did not want predict if the draft agreement was going to be accepted by CEC, stating that they have not seen nor analyzed it yet.

Government wants dismissal of prosecutors investigating its officials (Koha Ditore)

At a time when Kosovo Government is requesting the removal of EULEX, tens of government officials are under investigations from the prosecutors of this mission. 267 cases of investigation, including corruption and war crimes are being investigated from European and American prosecutors, whose removal is mostly wanted from Justice Minister, Hajredin Kuçi.

Besides investigating cases, tens of other cases are being tried. Most of them that are evaluated cases of the high profile are members of PDK, the party in the government, part of which is also Kuçi. Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister, Hajredin Kuçi stated that Kosovo Government requests the end of EULEX mandate in June next year. Kuçi said that the Government has made a strategy, which has presented in Brussels and the other one in 2012, which has been finished and it has been send to the Assembly for the approval.

“The strategy has for the aim for a smooth transition in coordination with EULEX and other international factors. So, not trying to remove EULEX without fulfilling it with our capacities, but with an agreement,” said Kuçi while insisting that Kosovo has capacities to deal with all cases, including the investigation for war crimes. 

EULEX files indictment for war crimes (Epoka e Re)

EULEX announced on Wednesday that a prosecutor from the Kosovo Special Prosecution Office in Kosovo filed an indictment at the Pristina Basic Court against an individual, as it is said, accused with the criminal offence of committing a war crime against the civilian population. ”The defendant is accused of belonging to a group which allegedly participated in violating the bodily integrity and health of approximately 40 Albanian male civilians in Fushë Kosova in 1999,” it has been said in a press communiqué from EULEX, while not revealing the identity of the defendant.