Headlines - 04.07.2013 Rasmussen: KSF to maintain current mandate (dailies) All dailies cover yesterday’s visit to Kosovo by NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen. Koha Ditore highlights that Rasmussen was not able to promise on Wednesday that the status of the Kosovo Security Force could advance to an army in the near future. Rasmussen praised the force, but described it a non-military role. “We discussed the Kosovo Security Force, because we have seen obvious progress in its capacities,” Rasmussen told reporters in Pristina. “My expectations are for the KSF to continue implementing its current mandate, which defending the civilian population, reacting to natural disasters and other similar activities.” Rasmussen said NATO has the mandate the provide freedom of movement for all people in Kosovo, but left it to COMKFOR to decide on the removal of barricades. Regime to legally pardon its crimes (Koha Ditore) Kosovo Assembly is expected to vote today on the draft law for amnesty which will grant pardon to a number of offences, including arson to state facilities, smuggling and tax evasion. The motion requires at least 80 votes out of the total of 120 at the Assembly and only Vetëvendosje has announced it will not endorse the draft law. “The draft law pardons Serbia’s criminal structures and organized crime, corruption and other offences to the detriment of our welfare,” reads a statement issued by Vetëvendosje. To this end, around a hundred citizens gathered last night in front of the Assembly building to express revolt against the draft law. Civil society organizations have also appealed to Kosovo MPs not to support the amnesty draft law. The other opposition parties, Democratic League of Kosovo and Alliance for Future of Kosovo, have said they will support the law. Kuçi regrets that war crimes are not being amnestied (Koha Ditore) The paper notes that Kosovo’s Justice Minister Hajredin Kuçi would gladly include war crimes in the list of acts that are expected to be pardoned by the amnesty law. “War crimes will not be amnestied and I regret this. If I, in the capacity of Minister of Justice, had the power I would amnesty all crimes that happened until 12 June 1999. But this is a political consensus now and the matter is up to Parliament. I will respect any decision made by Parliament,” Kuçi said on Wednesday. Reeker to visit Kosovo (Zëri) US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Phillip Reeker is to visit Kosovo from 4 to 6 July, the paper reports. Reeker will meet Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi, President Atifete Jahjaga, Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuçi and Foreign Minister Enver Hoxhaj. The US official will also have meetings with opposition representatives, LDK leader Isa Mustafa and AAK leader Ramush Haradinaj. Northerners challenge the state and the agreement (Tribuna) Northern Kosovo Serbs are planning to meet on Thursday and declare the provisional autonomous assembly of Kosovo within Serbia. This would mark the first action by northern Kosovo Serbs against the Brussels agreement. Northerners, on several occasions, said they would declare their assembly, but the decision of EU member states to start membership talks with Serbia made them hesitate. Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuçi said the government is aware of such preparations, but warned that this would constitute an illegal action. “Any such action is illegal and would not be allowed,” he said. “We expect the European Union to react against this action; we also expect Belgrade to meet its obligations from the agreement and act vis-à-vis such actions which are unacceptable.” Diplomatic sources told the paper that Belgrade is not expected to recognize the declaration as a legal act but will acknowledge it as expression of the political will of northern Kosovo Serbs. Moscow is also expected to follow suit. Kuçi: Pensions will not remain hostage to Kosovo-Serbia relations (Koha Ditore) Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuçi assured Kosovo pensioners that their pension fund currently managed by Serbia will be resolved during talks between the two countries. “A part of discussions we will follow up in the dialogue with Serbia is to regulate this issue before moving on to the peace treaty,” said Kuçi adding that the pensions will not remain hostage to Kosovo-Serbia relations. Jahjaga appeals on Serbs to take part in elections (dailies) President of Kosovo Atifete Jahjaga in a meeting with Shtërpce municipal leadership called on the citizens of Kosovo, including members of the Serb community in the north, to take part in upcoming local elections. She said this will be their opportunity to elect their legitimate representatives “and take their fate on their hands”.  She rejected claims that the date for local elections has been previously set by Serb Prime Minister Ivica Dacic during the dialogue in Brussels. “Announcement of elections on 3 November is in accordance to Kosovo laws and the Constitution,” noted Jahjaga. Pacolli: The day for my idea for “Trepça” has come (dailies) Several dailies cover the presentation by Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister Behxhet Pacolli and two ministers from his party – Mimoza Kusari-Lila and Fadil Ismaili – for the Trepça mining complex. The presentation included steps that would have to be made in order to revive this enterprise. Pacolli asked that he be given the competencies over the mining complex, which he would register abroad as “Trepça Corporation”. He said the state of Kosovo would keep 80 percent of shares of the mining complex, while 20 percent of shares would be held by an international management group. According to Pacolli’s plan, the mining complex would be placed on the stock market and would then be privatized after 10 years.