UNMIK Headlines 5 October
Opposition determined to block Assembly sessions (Koha)
The paper reports on its front page that the opposition bloc, consisting of the Vetevendosje Movement, Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) and Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA), have decided to focus all their activities outside the institutions. Opposition representatives said on Sunday that they will boycott the work of parliamentary committees. Whenever the Assembly Presidency calls the next assembly session, opposition representatives say they will return to the Assembly to block it. Valdete Bajrami, head of the NISMA parliamentary group, said the opposition will now focus on raising civic awareness about the negative effects of the Brussels agreements and the border demarcation agreement with Montenegro. A spokesman for the Vetevendosje Movement told the paper on Sunday that “it is meaningless to resort to normality in the institutions, if the government is making the state defunct”.
Kurti: Vetevendosje is ready for elections, with or without united bloc (Koha)
Vetevendosje MP Albin Kurti told Kosovapress on Sunday that the three opposition parties, the Vetevendosje Movement, AAK and NISMA, are involved in joint activities and share the same position against the formation of the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities. Kurti said it was too early to say if these three parties would run together in the event of early parliamentary elections. “We don’t want to weaken our cooperation at this point by dealing with issues that are too early to discuss right now. I know from Vetevendosje leader Visar Ymeri, organizational secretary Dardan Molliqaj and Vetevendosje parliamentary group chief Glauk Konjufca, that such an issue has not been discussed with the AAK and NISMA … We are always ready for new elections, because one day less with the ruling coalition of the PDK, LDK and the Serbian List, is a day more for the Republic of Kosovo. We want to focus all our energies in stopping the Association/Community,” Kurti added.
Pristina to host debate on current political developments (Kosovapress)
Kosovo Assembly Speaker Kadri Veseli has called today a joint roundtable of representatives from the media, the civil society, and academia to discuss the relations between the ruling and opposition parties in the Assembly.
“Time for parliamentary debate and positive agendas for the country” (Koha)
Kosovo’s Assembly President Kadri Veseli writes in an opinion piece, “the rights of the opposition will be respected, same as the rights of the majority to express its opinions and adopt the necessary legislation. There will be neither a tyranny by the majority nor anarchy by the opposition in the Kosovo Assembly”. Veseli also argues that the opposition’s decision to prevent the Assembly sessions is not a blockade or parliamentary crisis. “The opposition cannot block the Assembly. Throwing eggs or snatching away microphones are acts that have no political effect. The Assembly operates on political arguments, and not theatrical plays. There is no parliamentary crisis, because it is evident that the political majority, which has created the coalition government, has the legal capacities to carry out its mandate. A parliamentary crisis begins when the parliamentarian majority is no longer a majority and when the minority fails to become a majority,” Veseli writes.
Haziri: Assembly Presidency will resolve blockade, no elections (Zeri)
The deputy leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Lutfi Haziri, said yesterday that the Kosovo Assembly Presidency is responsible for unblocking the work of the Assembly. “The Assembly is the only political solution for the new situation. This situation does not send Kosovo to new elections,” Haziri said.
Viets: Opposition’s actions unacceptable (Epoka)
The German Ambassador in Kosovo, Angelika Viets, said in an interview for this daily that Kosovo has made significant progress since 2008, but that the main challenge for the current institutions remain fighting corruption and organized crime. She added that with the creation of the new government, good possibilities for economic development have been created. Speaking about the migration of people from Kosovo, Viets said that the chances of obtaining asylum in Germany are almost zero. Speaking about the recent political situation in Kosovo, she said that opposition can express its opinion in the Assembly; however, it is unacceptable to attack the Prime Minister with eggs.
Shala: The Association is not against Kosovo (Zeri)
The coordinator of the dialogue with Serbia in Brussels, Blerim Shala, in an interview for Serbian daily Politika, said that Kosovo and Serbia cannot improve their relations and these two cannot be candidates for membership in the European Union if they do not accept each other as equal partners in the economy, trade and in everything that is important for the long-term stability of the Western Balkans. Shala said that the new round of talks scheduled for 13 October will discuss the implementation of the recent four agreements, while assessing that the dialogue is an irreversible process. “The debate in the Assembly about these agreements is welcomed, but Kosovo will do everything it can that this process be moved forward. The Association is not against Kosovo,” Shala said.
Haradinaj aims to join ruling coalition (Zeri)
The paper reports on its front page that following the recent developments in the Kosovo Assembly, discussions are underway to extend the ruling coalition by including the Haradinaj-led Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK). Citing unidentified sources, the paper writes that Haradinaj would take Foreign Minister Hashim Thaci’s post after the latter is elected as Kosovo President. “If an agreement would be reached for Haradinaj to enter the government, which is very likely to occur, then it would be easier to pass the Association/Community of Serb majority municipalities and other contested topics at the Assembly,” the source said.
Gecaj: Dacic is making criminal statements (Zeri)
Kosovo’s Deputy Minister for Local Government Administration, Bajram Gecaj, said on Sunday that Serbia’s Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic made a criminal statement when he said that Kosovo's acceptance in UNESCO is the same as accepting ISIS in this organization. “This once again shows that neither Dacic nor Serbian politics can fully distance themselves from Serbia’s criminal past,” Gecaj said.
Nikolic: We’re fighting to impede Kosovo’s UNESCO membership (Epoka)
The President of Serbia, Tomislav Nikolic said that together with the efforts to recover the economy, Serbia will continue to lead the battle to impede the self-proclaimed state of Kosovo at UNESCO. This statement came immediately after the National Party of Serbia requested from the government to appeal to Russia for diplomatic help against this initiative. “We are fighting to impede Kosovo’s membership at UNESCO. We will not allow Serbia to be humiliated,” Nikolic said. He added that Serbia is making every effort to convince the world that Kosovo cannot become an UNESCO member and that Kosovo’s culture, heritage and history belong to Serbia.
CoE rapporteur to visit Kosovo today (RTK)
Council of Europe (CoE) rapporteur for Kosovo, Augustin Conde, will visit Kosovo today and meet Assembly Speaker Kadri Veseli and Justice Minister Hajredin Kuci. This is Conde’s first visit to Kosovo since taking on the new post. Deputy speaker of the Kosovo Assembly Xhavit Haliti has recently criticized Conde for not visiting Kosovo sooner. The same criticism was also made by Albanian parliament deputy head Valentina Leskaj who is also vice president of CoE’s assembly.
KFOR: Foreign fighters are being recruited in the Balkans (Zeri)
KFOR officials told KosovaPress on Sunday that terrorism and religious fundamentalism are complex and global issues, and the so-called "foreign fighters" affect every European country at different levels. According to KFOR, terrorist organizations often recruit their followers in countries where there is poverty, marginalization and lack of a bright future. “The Balkan region is said to be one of the areas where foreign fighters are being actively recruited,” KFOR officials said. “Kosovo institutions are committed to combat this phenomenon, and last year they have taken concrete measures to prevent and fight terrorism by adopting the Law that prohibits participation in foreign wars.”