UNMIK Headlines 7 January
No coalition before February (Zeri)
The frequently mentioned coalition between the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) could be "crowned" only after internal elections in the PDK, Zeri reports. Despite earlier statements by AAK leader Ramush Haradinaj that the coalition with PDK would be made official after the New Year holidays, this does not seem likely at least not before the end of January or early February. This is what AAK officials - who are willing to enter a coalition with the ruling PDK - are hoping. They also maintain their position that a new coalition would produce a government led by Haradinaj. Meanwhile, Prime Minister and PDK leader Hashim Thaci sent a message to AAK and Haradinaj that the PDK would announce its offer after party elections. Political analysts on the other hand believe there will be no coalition between the two parties and that Thaci used the idea for the coalition to get a time-out from Haradinaj and shift the public's attention away from government affairs.
Sparkes: War leaders cannot have absolute right to power (Koha Ditore)
"It is up to the people of Kosovo to elect their leaders through polling stations, based on a fair system. The leaders of the war for liberation do not enjoy the absolute right to power, nor do their friends and associates," former British ambassador Andy Sparkes said in an interview for the paper.
Sparkes, who was also deputy chief of the EU rule-of-law mission in Kosovo (EULEX) said he has the utmost respect for the war and those involved in it. "I have the utmost respect for the war and those involved in it, and the risks they took upon themselves. But Kosovo is a state now, this state should be governed according to the best practices of the European Union and there should be no separate laws: laws for the powerful and laws for the weak," Sparkes said.
The unwanted post (Express)
The Kosovo Ministry of Foreign Affairs has yet to make its proposals for Kosovo's representative to Serbia, despite earlier promises that this list would be finalized in December, Express reports. Sources told the paper that the real reasons behind the delay is the hesitation among current Kosovo ambassadors to go to Belgrade.
The office of Foreign Minister Enver Hoxhaj contacted the paper on Sunday to inform that the Ministry has yet to submit the final list to Prime Minister Hashim Thaci. "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kosovo has yet to send the list of potential candidates who could be appointed as representatives of the Republic of Kosovo to Serbia," the letter said.
The paper recalls that Prime Minister Thaci had pledged he would appoint Pristina's representative to Belgrade in December last year.
Demaci to visit Orthodox churches (Express)
Human rights activist Adem Demaci is travelling to Prizren where he plans to visit the Serb Orthodox Church and its clergy on the occasion of Orthodox Christmas. After Prizren, Demaci plans to visit Decan Monastery and then conclude his visit at Gracanica Monastery.
"This is an initiative to show the world that we support coexistence with Serbs and all other communities. In the capacity of chairman of the League of Authors of Kosovo, I have decided to visit the Orthodox churches in Prizren, Decan and Gracanica today to wish them a happy holiday," Demaci said.
Idriz Rreci, his group killed by Jovica Utvic (Zeri)
After 14 years, a statement given to UNMIK Police and the Kosovo Police Service in 2003 by Ranko Tepavac, a Serb from Bellopoje currently hiding in Serbia for fear that he might be killed by Serbs, reveals what happened on the evening of 19 April 1999, when Serbs from Zubin Potok executed 23 Albanian civilians from Skenderaj and Mitrovica. Among the victims included intellectuals such as Idriz Rreci - former leader of the LDK branch in Skenderaj - Dr. Adem Ademi, Dr. Fatmir Fazliu, professor Demir Ahmeti, and others.
Although Tepavac's statement was in the UNMIK Police and Kosovo Police's files since 2003, it was not taken very seriously, and families were anxious to find out about the fate of their loved ones.
Halit Barani, chairman of the Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms (CDHRF) in Mitrovica, said a search was conducted, but not on the exact location mentioned by Tepavac. "The CDHRF had information that the terrain was searched, but not the exact location mentioned by the Serb witness, further away. So the search was cancelled with the excuse that nothing was found there," he said. Barani added that another Serb from Zubin Potok gave a similar statement in 2003 but he was killed by fellow Serbs two days later.