UNMIK Headlines 9 May
Jahjaga, obstacle for special court (Koha Ditore)
On the front page the paper reports that the Kosovo President, Atifete Jahjaga, has become an obstacle to the process of creating the legal basis for the special court as she has failed to address contentious issues identified by the Technical Team made of Kosovo institutional leaders. This is said to have caused discontent to an EU delegation that recently visited Kosovo and met Jahjaga. An unnamed source said Jahjaga failed to demonstrate courage in addressing identified problems. “The President should have invited key institutional leaders, as well as the opposition, and decide how to move forward. She should either take into consideration the remarks and insist they are included in the draft law, or accept the present version which is very problematic,” the source added.
Zbogar: We expect positive steps on visas this year (Zeri)
Head of EU Office in Kosovo Samuel Zbogar said that the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) in an important development that is expected to be finalized with Kosovo authorities during the summer. “We also expect to come out with a positive step regarding visa liberalization later this year,” said Zbogar during a ceremony organized to mark Europe Day.
Tahiri rebuts Djuric: Kosovo has not halted dialogue (Koha Ditore)
Kosovo’s minister without portfolio and chief negotiator, Edita Tahiri, refuted the statement of the head of the Serbian Government’s Office for Kosovo, Marko Djuric, that Pristina has unilaterally halted the dialogue with Belgrade. “Kosovo has demonstrated outmost commitment and seriousness in the Brussels dialogue. We have confirmed participation in meeting during May a while ago,” she said.
Around 40 people from Kosovo killed so far in Syria and Iraq (Koha Ditore)
According to unconfirmed information, the number of people from Kosovo killed while fighting alongside the terrorist group ISIS is around 40. Kosovo’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs possesses information about the killing of 30 persons but that more are believed to have been killed in the fighting in Syria and Iraq. Kosovo’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Petrit Selimi, said that they believe there are between 50 and 60 persons from Kosovo who are currently fighting alongside ISIS.