Headlines - 30.04.2014

Ashton requests further implementation of Brussels agreement (Lajm)

The EU High Representative for Foreign Policy and Security, Catherine Ashton, said on Tuesday that Belgrade and Pristina need to continue the dialogue process by implementing the Brussels agreement. “Serbia could also help in resolving problems in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Therefore, Belgrade is an important partner of the European Union in the region,” Ashton said in the Serbian Parliament. She also said she was impressed by Serbia’s engagement to become an EU member in 2018. “I hope that by that time, Serbia will finalize membership negotiations; however, it is important for all political parties to engage in this respect, because Serbia could be a good example for the whole region”.

Hoxhaj: SAA is the most important event for Kosovo (Lajm)

Kosovo Foreign Minister Enver Hoxhaj said on Tuesday that negotiations for signing the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with the European Union will be finalized this week. Hoxhaj said the finalization of the SAA is the most important event for Kosovo. Hoxhaj also said that Kosovo cannot become a Member of the United Nations in the next five years.

Pacolli: Not fair to go to elections without reform (Bota Sot)

Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister, Behxhet Pacolli, insists that it is not right to go to parliamentary elections without election reforms. In an interview for Ora News, he said it would be unfair for LDK leader Isa Mustafa and PDK leader Hashim Thaci to go into elections without completing necessary reforms. “I fear that people’s votes will not go where they are supposed to and that there will be room for manipulation,” Pacolli said. He also said that he will run for Prime Minister in the upcoming elections.

Russia aims to destabilize the north (Tribuna)

The paper reports on the front page that “international security institutions in Kosovo are concerned with the fact that the Russian Federation donated ten vehicles to Serbia’s paramilitary formation in northern Kosovo, ‘The Civil Protection’”. The way that Moscow has decided to assist this formation at a time when Belgrade and Pristina are discussing its integration into Kosovo’s institutions, is seen as an attempt to obstruct normalization in the north. Citing unnamed sources, the paper further notes that “after the latest attack against EULEX and the decision of northerners to declare EULEX an unwanted mission there, there could be other destabilizing acts north of the River Iber and that there are signs that Moscow is behind these actions”. Reliable international sources told the paper that they are aware of Russia’s intention to destabilize northern Kosovo and achieve two or three objectives. According to the same sources, Moscow’s first objective is to create another crisis spot similar to Ukraine thus strengthening Russia’s argument that the Kosovo case was used a precedent to invade Crimea. Another objective is to challenge the EU by creating a crisis in Kosovo where the EU has its biggest mission. The third objective is related to the new government in Belgrade. The same sources added that Moscow is not completely sure that new Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic will not abandon the pro-Russian approach in exchange for Serbia’s integration in the EU. The destabilization of northern Kosovo would obstruct Serbia’s path toward the EU. Sources said security institutions are familiar with these actions because Russia used similar scenarios in the Serbian Republic in Bosnia and Herzegovina when Boris Tadic was in power in Belgrade.

EULEX unwanted in the north (Lajm)

The EU Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) is unwanted in northern Kosovo. Impatience towards EULEX in the north has been evident after arrests and detentions of certain Serbs suspected of criminal acts. Ksenija Bozhovic, Assembly Speaker of Mitrovica North, told Radio Free Europe that lately EULEX has not shown a readiness to cooperate.

Baraliu: Do not extend reserved seats for minority communities! (Tribuna)

In an interview for the paper, Mazllum Baraliu, constitutional expert and former chairman of the Central Election Committee, argues against an extended mandate for reserved seats for minority communities in the Assembly. Baraliu said this would favor the minority and damage the majority. “If the interests of the minority dominate the majority, this will lead to tyranny by the minority over the majority, and tyranny in democracy,” Baraliu added.

Brammertz: Special court complements work of ICTY (Botapress)

The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), Serge Brammertz, has commented on the establishment of the special court for Kosovo. Brammertz told BIRN that the establishment of a new tribunal for war crimes that involves members of the Kosovo Liberation Army does not entail criticism of the ICTY’s work on Kosovo. “I see the creation of a new court as complementary to the work of the Tribunal, more than anything else,” said Brammertz.

Gashi: Serb church will either be ruined within two years or we will debate for 20 years (Bota Sot)

According to the Minister of Environment and Spatial Planning, Dardan Gashi, it is understandable that the uncompleted church in the University area damages the beauty of Pristina, and it could be ruined. However, he added, the decision belongs to the mayor of Pristina. He considers that it is time to start this debate. “It is not a question of the will of a single individual, and I never asked to destroy that building. I asked for this issue to be considered from Kosovo’s legal perspective and to be resolved. It is up to the administration to make the final decision. The issue was needlessly politicized, especially by Serb and Russian politicians, because they found a reason to complain for alleged prejudices against Serbs or something like that. There cannot be prejudices against anyone if the law is implemented,” said Gashi.

Serb gendarmerie is again being provocative at the border (Lajm)

Serb gendarmerie forces are continuing to provoke. On Tuesday, they entered the territory of Kosovo, in the village of Karaceve, reports Rajonipress. A representative of this village, Selver Lenjani, says that inhabitants are feeling insecure, while yesterday at midday they saw members of the Serb gendarmerie, when they entered a place called “Uji I Ceshmes”. According to Lenjani, KFOR has been informed.

KIA authorized to tap in the name of “national security” (Koha)

In a front-page report, the paper notes that the Kosovo Intelligence Agency (KIA) has been granted competencies to carry out tapping whenever it believes this is done for national security. The government of Kosovo on Tuesday adopted the law on tapping of electronic communications, as drafted by the Ministry for European Integration. The paper further notes that the KIA assesses national security and it does not have sufficient oversight from the Assembly because MPs are not verified and are not equipped with security permits. As a result, the Agency does not report to the Assembly committee for oversight.