UNMIK Headlines 30 March
Election reform assures reserved seat at the Assembly (Koha Ditore)
According to the Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo, Slobodan Petrovic, the reserved seats for minorities at the Assembly will continue to exist, despite that Ahtisaari’s Package foresees their end. At Friday’s meeting on election reform, political party leaders, except Vetëvendosje, agreed in principal on this issue.
“One of the points of the agenda was on the reserved seats in Parliament, and we reached a compromise on this issue. PDK, AKR, and representatives of Serb political parties responded positively,” said Petrovic, who hosted the meeting. He said that leaders of LDK and AAK did not object, however, they requested more time to bring a decision on this issue. “Vetëvendosje’s leader was against it,” said Petrovic.
Mustafa: Unfortunate to have someone like Thaçi for PM (dailies)
The leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa, said during a press conference on Friday, that it is unfortunate for the country to have someone like Thaçi for a Prime Minister. Mustafa made this remark when asked about the Prime Minister’s statement that the Government invested more in the capital than the Municipality of Pristina.
“I can say that Mr. Thaçi is not behaving in a serious manner as a Prime Minister of Kosovo, and it is unfortunate to have such a Prime Minister, because, the Problem of Pristina was not created by the Pristina Municipality, but by the Kosovo Government,” said Mustafa. He added that the Government has intentionally prolonged the law on Pristina at the Assembly.
“The Prime Minister cannot rescue himself from the failures on governing the economy of the country by criticizing Pristina, because those failures are major and cannot be justified,” he said.
Thaçi: Association of Serb municipalities, without executive mandate (Koha)
Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi visited the Multifunctional Center in Mitrovica and some of the building projects that are being accomplished there on Friday.
“There is no agreement yet. We are working to reach the agreement between the states of Kosovo and Serbia. This agreement will contribute to peace, stability, and regional cooperation, and mutual recognition. The work alongside other relevant factions will continue for Kosovo institutions, EULEX, KFOR, and NATO to implement the mechanisms,” he said.
“The Association can be created after the conclusion of local elections, where municipal mayors who will be part of that association will be elected, but it will not have a legislative, executive, third-authority mandate,” said Thaçi.
Reeker hopes to reach agreement (Koha Ditore)
The U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Euroasian Affairs, Philip Reeker, told Serbian daily Danas that he hopes Serbia and Kosovo will reach an agreement enabling the normalization of relations between both countries for them to continue towards European integration. “We believe that such an agreement can be reached, because both parties worked together constructively,” he said. According to him, if there is no agreement, it remains on the EU to determine how Serbia and Kosovo would continue to realize their aspirations for European integration.
Hoxhaj: We will not cross red lines (Epoka e Re)
Kosovo’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Enver Hoxhaj said that the Kosovar party will go to Brussels on 2 April with the hope to reach an agreement with Serbia. “Our position is clear and firm: there will be no Republika Srpska in northern Kosovo, there will be no territorial autonomy in Kosovo, and no special status,” said Hoxhaj. He added that normalization of relations with Serbia will not happen only by disbanding illegal structures in the north, but when Kosovo is allowed to become a member of the United Nations and when Serbia establishes diplomatic relations with Kosovo.
Vetëvendosje to protest against Bosnianization of Kosovo (dailies)
Vetëvendosje appealed to citizens of Kosovo, and Albanians in general, to protest on Saturday in Mitrovica against the eventual agreement on 2 April in Brussels between Kosovo Prime Minister and Serbian Prime Minister. “With this gathering, we want to tell Ashton, the Serbian party and the Kosovo Government that the agreement that will be reached on 2 April, will be Hashim Thaçi’s and it will not be acceptable for Kosovo, citizens of Kosovo, and especially not for Vetëvendosje,” said deputy leader Shpend Ahmeti.