UNMIK Headlines 4 February
Jahjaga readiness to meet Nikolic reaffirmed to Biden (Koha Ditore)
Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga in a meeting with US Vice President Joseph Biden during the international security conference in Munich expressed once again her readiness to meet Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic. A statement issued by her office said Jahjaga spoke of Kosovo’s commitment to normalizing relations with Serbia. “We are committed in the process by being deeply convinced that we should not leave animosities of the past to future generations,” Jahjaga said. Vice President Biden reaffirmed US support and stressed that Kosovo’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity are guaranteed.
Jahjaga-Nikolic meeting not beneficial for Kosovo (Zëri)
Political analysts and representatives of the opposition claim that the first meeting between Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga and Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic expected to take place this week will not benefit Kosovo, but is rather part of an agenda pushed forward by Brussels.
So much for AAK (Express)
Ramush Haradinaj will not receive a positive reply from Hashim Thaçi on his coalition offer. The only proposal that Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) will make to the Alliance for Future of Kosovo (AAK) will be the post of deputy prime minister and three ministries; this is unacceptable to AAK.
Kosovo heading for early elections (Zëri)
Sources inside the Government of Kosovo said Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi has agreed that once the election reform is finalized, Kosovo should head for early elections this summer, or latest by autumn. The reasons that led PM Thaçi to adopt this stance include the loss of majority at the Assembly and the inability to involve Ramush Haradinaj’s Alliance for Future of Kosovo in the ruling coalition. Thaçi stated in the past that elections will be held according to the legal framework, at the end of 2014.
Government to condition agreements with Serbia (Koha Ditore)
A day after EU High Representative for Security and Foreign Policy Catherine Ashton announced that the coming weeks will be decisive in the Pristina-Belgrade dialogue, the two largest opposition parties in Kosovo - Democratic League of Kosovo and Vetëvendosje - warned the Government on its approach towards the north.
LDK’s Arben Gashi said the Government of Kosovo should abide by the Assembly’s Resolution and, if it agrees to anything outside it, it violates the will of the Kosovo Assembly and Constitution. “There can be no agreement for autonomy to the north of Kosovo because that would constitute a serious violation,” warned Gashi.
Erzen Vraniqi from Vetëvendosje however called on the Government to leave the dialogue with Serbia. He said the first step towards the north’s autonomy has already been taken with the decision to establish a development fund for the area. “Therefore, institutions of Kosovo should immediately walk out of the dialogue and work on exercising sovereignty throughout the territory of the country or else the consequences of concessions that they are forced to make risk turning Kosovo into a dysfunctional state,” said Vraniqi.
Kurti: Mitrovica’s unification, Kosovo’s internal issue (dailies)
Vetëvendosje leader Albin Kurti said the unification of Mitrovica is an internal issue of Kosovo and cannot be achieved through talks with Serbia. With regards to the north, he added that, “equality integrates people, not privileges, because privileges become discriminations to some. This is the reason that makes us believe we need an overall development of Kosovo,” Kurti said in a debate organized in Prizren.
Signs of reconciliation (Express)
Prime Minister and leader of Democratic Party of Kosovo Hashim Thaçi is trying to find common ground with the party’s estranged general secretary and Assembly Speaker, Jakup Krasniqi. To this end, sources said Thaçi plans to include Kransiqi and PDK deputy leader Fatmir Limaj in the list for the central presidency, which he will present to the newly-elected steering council.
According to the source, even though Krasniqi and Limaj will be proposed for the presidency, it is not certain what posts in the party’s hierarchy they will take. Krasniqi’s general secretary post is reported to be ‘endangered’ by Hajredin Kuçi while Limaj as deputy leader may be replaced with Kadri Veseli.
Three Orthodox churches robbed (Express)
Three Orthodox churches in the region of Gjilan were robbed in the last 24 hours. According to police, the robbery was first carried out in the two churches in Kllokot and Binqë, while the third was the church in the village of Budriga. Police said thieves broke into the churches and stole money; there is no report of other damages.
Albanian cemeteries in Bujanovc desecrated (Zëri)
Unidentified persons are reported to have desecrated an Albanian cemetery in the village of Osllare of Bujanovc. “I do not wish to speculate who did this but this is not the first time cemeteries in Presevo Valley are desecrated,” Head of the Presevo Valley Human Rights Council Belgzim Kamberi said. Jonuz Musliu, an Albanian political representative in the Valley, linked the incident with the removal of the UCPMB monument by Serbian gendarmerie.