Headlines - 06.11.2017

• Government has no new solution for demarcation (media)
• Bulliqi: There is evidence that Kosovo lost land with demarcation (RTK)
• Pacolli replies to Russian Ambassador in Belgrade (Bota Sot)
• Protesters seek justice for Astrit Dehari (media)
• Limaj: We will stop privatization of lands (Gazeta Express/Zeri)
• Basic court in Mitrovica north to start work today (Zeri)
• Protesters demand international investigation into Kumanovo case (media)

Government has no new solution for demarcation (media)

Koha Ditore reports on its front page that the Kosovo government is determined to send the border demarcation agreement with Montenegro to the International Court of Arbitrage if it does not reach an agreement with Montenegro to readdress the issue from scratch, the paper reports on its front page. But in order for this to happen, the government must first address the matter in the Assembly and then convince Podgorica to seek a solution through international arbitration. During the weekend, Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj mentioned the possibility of sending the agreement to the international court. Muharrem Nitaj, an advisor to Haradinaj, told the paper on Sunday: “Kosovo has a problem with the border demarcation with Montenegro. This agreement is not in full force because one party has not ratified yet. So what can be the solution to this situation? If the Montenegrin side is not willing to resolve this matter between the parties, we have no other choice but international arbitration. Kosovo is a country just like other normal countries and we would be neither the first nor the last to send an unratified agreement to arbitration”. The paper also reports that the new state commission on border demarcation has recently visited Croatia and Slovenia, countries that have yet to resolve their border dispute. Meanwhile, Shpejtim Bulliqi, head of the state commission, has complained that they are facing pressure from President Hashim Thaci and government officials on the matter. Zeri covers the same issue under the front-page headline Demarcation facing a dead-end. Members of the state commission told the paper they are in the final phase of analyzing the findings about the current version of the agreement. The paper also quotes local experts for international relations as saying that the court of arbitration should be seen as the last resort for solving the problem. Meanwhile, representatives of opposition parties said “the truth about demarcation should be found even if this means delays in the visa liberalization process for Kosovo”.

Bulliqi: There is evidence that Kosovo lost land with demarcation (RTK)

Head of the Commission for demarcation of the borderline with Montenegro, Shpejtim Bulliqi, said that they have collected sufficient evidence to prove that Kosovo has lost territory with the current version of demarcation. He considers his official visit to Croatia and Slovenia, together with the other members of the Commission, as vital for evidence that Kosovo has lost territory. He did not want to talk about details, however, he said that the work of the new Commission is focused in three segments: the international right on delimitations and demarcations, work in the field and research of facto-graphic materials.

Pacolli replies to Russian Ambassador in Belgrade (Bota Sot)

Kosovo’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Behxhet Pacolli has reacted to the statement of the Russian Ambassador to Serbia, Aleksandar Chepurin, who according to the Serbian media, said that based on all international laws and regulations, Kosovo remains part of Serbia. “Russia has continuously been part of the process of negotiations to resolve the final status of Kosovo. Perhaps, some time has passed, about six years, and the Russian Ambassador has forgotten, but I will use this occasion to remind him that the main body of the United Nations, the International Court of Justice in Hague, had proved with its decision that “declaration of independence of Kosovo does not violate the International Law, the Resolution of the Security Council of 1999 or the Constitutional Framework…” is written in Pacolli’s reaction. “I simply do not know for what other international laws and regulations is the Russian diplomatic representative speaking. Based on what I wrote above, I cannot make any other assessment but that of Russia’s continuous pretentions to create fake news and create confusion among local and international opinion,” Pacolli said.

Protesters seek justice for Astrit Dehari (media)

Vetevendosje activists protested on Sunday in front of the government building in Pristina seeking justice for Astrit Dehari’s death, media report. Vetevendosje MP Albin Kurti gave the government an ultimatum to allow independent international investigation on the case by February 5 next year, and to dmisss officials who are held responsible for Dehari’s death. Protesters threw bottles with red color at the government building. The Vetevendosje Movement later issued a press release distancing itself from the incident. “These actions were not part of our organizational agenda and we find them unacceptable,” the statement said. The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Ramush Haradinaj, pledged the government would do its utmost to enlighten the Dehari case. “Justice for Astrit Dehari will happen,” Haradinaj wrote on his Facebook page.

Limaj: We will stop privatization of lands (Gazeta Express/Zeri)

The Kosovo government is expected to take a decision soon to stop the privatization of agricultural lands following an initiative by Deputy Prime Minister Fatmir Limaj, Pristina-based Gazeta Express reports. Limaj told the news website that the idea is aimed at attracting foreign investors and implementing the Law on Strategic Investments. “The idea is to initially make a recording of the legal infrastructure in our country. The Law on Strategic Investment was well received. The key point of the law is to offer foreign investors a climate for doing business easily,” he said. Limaj further argued that the continuation of privatization of agricultural land by Kosovo’s Privatization Agency is in contradiction with the government’s vision for economic development and engagement of investments.

Basic court in Mitrovica north to start work today (Zeri)

The paper reports that Serb judges who took the oath before Kosovo President Hashim Thaci that they will serve Kosovo’s judiciary system will start work at the Basic Court in Mitrovica north on Monday. The court will be headed by Nikola Kabasic. The paper also quotes a member of the Kosovo Judicial Council as saying that files from the old premises of the court in Vushtrri have already been transferred to the new court in Mitrovica north.

Protesters demand international investigation into Kumanovo case (media)

Most media report on a protest held in Skopje on Sunday against the sentencing of 30 members of the so-called Kumanovo group to a total of 746 years in prison. Protesters demanded an international investigation into the case claiming that “senior Macedonian structures were involved in manipulating and inciting the May 9 fighting”.