UNMIK Media Observer, Morning Edition, July 30, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

Haxhiu: Opposition obstructing reform through Constitutional Court (Koha)
Krasniqi in Hungarian Parliament: Kosovo urgently needs removal of EU measures (Klan)
Ministry of Defense announces tender for construction of infrastructure at Gjakova Airport (Reporteri)
Kurti informs compatriots about Diaspora Investment Window (Reporteri)
Dreshaj accuses Vetëvendosje of a "coup" in the investigative committee (kosovapress)
Tahiri: LVV MPs illegally replaced leaders of investigative committe for school textbooks (Ekonomia)
Kosovo Serbs have 10 days to change their driver's licences (RFE)

Serbian Language Media:

EULEX: We continue to monitor the security situation in Kosovo (Kosovo Online, Radio Mitrovica sever, RTS, RTV, Tanjug)
What will the upcoming elections bring to Kosovo? (Kosovo Online)
The recently installed Exfis logo has been removed from the former NIS gas station in Mitrovica (KoSSev)
Shadow Report: REM not enforcing law, media ownership non-transparent, impunity for attacks (N1, NUNS, NMagazin)

Albanian Language Media

Haxhiu: Opposition obstructing reform through Constitutional Court (Koha)

Kosovo’s Minister of Justice, Albulena Haxhiu, has stated that the opposition parties are obstructing the reform in the justice system by sending the laws to the Constitutional Court for comment. She said on Monday that the her Ministry "has successfully completed its tasks", but added that the delays of the Constitutional Court are delaying the processes.

She said in an interview with the KTV show "60 Minutes" that it is meaningless how the opposition did not participate in the working groups for the Law on the Prosecutorial Council of Kosovo, but sent it to the Constitutional Court as illegal. "They are hindering the reform through the Constitutional Court. This is not a criticism of the justice system, even from UNDP's Public Pulse it can be seen that there is a decline in public confidence in the justice system", Minister Haxhiu said.

The Minister of Justice, Albulena Haxhiu, has stated that about the escape of the prisoner Faton Hajrizi, she alerted the Acting Chief State Prosecutor, Besim Kelmendi, asking him to investigate the case and take measures. She also commented on her statement on Hajrizi, for which she was interviewed by the Prosecutor's Office.

"I did not say that Serbia has an influence on the prisons of Kosovo, but the relevant bodies suggest so. I cannot help those that would understand it like that. I think it is important that institutions such as the prosecutor be in full communication with the KIA. Where there has been cooperation, we have had success, the case with espionage is the last... I have said that the information of our bodies in some cases is that these escapes from prisons were carried out by criminal groups. In the latter case, there is still debate as to whether he was killed or not. The case happened on the eve of the signing of the lithium contracts in Serbia, and the place where the policeman was killed is 9 kilometres from the place where the mines are planned to be built. There were warnings about protests, and when this case happened, the location was isolated and there was no opportunity to react", said Haxhiu.

She emphasised that three people were suspended from their duties because they were not attentive to monitoring the cameras in the Smrekonica prison, in relation to Hajrizi's escape.

Krasniqi in Hungarian Parliament: Kosovo urgently needs removal of EU measures (Klan)

Kosovo Assembly MP Rrezarta Krasniqi has announced that during these days she participated in the COSAC conference, which included the parliamentary dimension of the 27 EU member states, namely the participation of their national parliaments, under the leadership of the Hungarian EU Presidency.

She wrote on Facebook, that she spoke in Budapest about the EU measures towards Kosovo,

while the Serbian terrorists responsible for killing a Kosovo policeman are still at large in Serbia.

"Therefore, pressure should be increased on Serbia to extradite the terrorists and resume the dialogue with Kosovo for the normalisation of neighbouring relations. The EU recently took a detrimental decision for Kosovo and its citizens by allowing movement within the Schengen area with documents issued by Serbian parallel structures in Kosovo. This decision contradicts the progress that Kosovo has achieved over many years and affects the disintegration of the Serbs in Kosovo", said Krasniqi.

Furthermore, she said that, as never before, "Kosovo urgently needs the removal of the measures imposed by the European Union and the beginning of the dialogue that should have mutual recognition as part of the final agreement".

Ministry of Defense announces tender for construction of infrastructure at Gjakova Airport (Reporteri)

The Ministry of Defense has announced a tender worth almost €2 million for the construction of infrastructure at Gjakova Airport. The project is 2 years old and it foresees interventions on the runways, approaches to the runway, platforms, access roads and the like.

In the tender file published on the website of the Public Procurement Regulatory Commission, it is stated that these interventions are being made in order to increase the operationality and efficiency in the performance of tasks according to the mission of the Kosovo Security Force and the Ministry of Defense. The project also envisages the construction of a fence inside the airport area.

Kurti informs compatriots about Diaspora Investment Window (Reporteri)

Prime Minister Albin Kurti has informed expatriates about the Diaspora Investment Window. He said that through this platform, they will guarantee the loans of businesses with expatriate owners who want to invest in Kosovo.

"It is the solution to the difficulties that our entrepreneurial emigrants have had so far in accessing financing in the banks of the countries where they live, but also in our banks in the absence of credit history", wrote Kurti.

He informed that the Diaspora Investment Window enables them to apply for loans of up to three million euros through Kosovo banks and their capital participation must be at least 20%. After the application and if all criteria are met, the Kosovar Credit Guarantee Fund will offer guarantees for loans up to two million euros."The country is waiting for you. Kosovo welcomes you", Kurti wrote further.

Dreshaj accuses Vetëvendosje of a "coup" in the investigative committee (kosovapress)

The MP from the ranks of AAK, Shemsedin Dreshaj, has reacted after the developments on Monday in the Investigative Committee for subsidising school textbooks, where Vetevendosje MPs, contrary to the law and regulations, have elected the chairman of this committee.

Dreshaj, who is the chairman of the committee, said that the MPs of the party in power also removed from the meeting the technical staff of the Assembly who drew attention to the violations during the meeting. He reminded that the chairperson and deputy chairperson of the committee is chosen only by the Assembly.

"In an attempt to hide the manipulations with the subsidy of school textbooks, today the MPs of Vetevendosje have decided to stage a coup in the Investigative Committee that I chair. Contrary to the Law and regulations, they have decided to elect the chairperson and the deputy chairperson of the Committee in the InvestigativeCommittee". But only the Plenary Session of the Assembly has this right," Dreshaj wrote.

Tahiri: VV MPs illegally replaced leaders of investigative committee for school textbooks (Ekonomia)

The chairman of the PDK Parliamentary Group, Abelard Tahiri, said that the decision of the majority MPs to replace the chairman and vice-chairman from the ranks of the opposition of the Parliamentary Investigative Committee for the investigation of the subsidy for the purchase of school textbooks, is illegal and a direct attack on the mandate of the MP. Tahiri has emphasised that in the panic of the committee's findings so far, this meeting was held without notifying the opposition MPs of its holding. He said that the PDK will turn to the Special Prosecutor's Office to investigate the corruption affair of manipulating school textbooks.

Kosovo Serbs have 10 days to change their driver's licences (RFE)

The deputy director of the Kosovo Police for the northern region, Veton Elshani, in an answer to "Radio Free Europe" on Monday, said that the authorities will not "tolerate" drivers' licences issued to Kosovo Serbs by Serbia, after the expiration of the term for their equipment with a Kosovo driver's licence.

Elshani has warned that in accordance with the decisions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kosovo, fines will be imposed on these individuals, not excluding the possibility of confiscating their vehicles. The amount of fines, according to the law, ranges from 500 to 1,500 euros.

“After the imposition of such a fine, the car must be driven by someone who has a [Kosovar] driver's licence. If [the owner of the car] does not have someone else to remove the car, it must be parked somewhere immediately, or we will confiscate it", the deputy director of the Kosovo Police said, among other things.

Serbian Language Media

EULEX: We continue to monitor the security situation in Kosovo (Kosovo Online, Radio Mitrovica sever, RTS, RTV, Tanjug)

The European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) announced yesterday that, in accordance with its mandate, it continues to carefully monitor the security situation in Kosovo. To "gain awareness of the situation," a Mission police unit has been formed, conducting mobile reconnaissance patrols 24 hours a day, seven days a week, reports RTV.

In response to Tanjug's question about whether they intend to strengthen forces in Serbian areas in northern Kosovo following the increasing intimidation and threats faced by Serbs, which has been requested by Serbian representatives, EULEX stated that the Mission engages upon the explicit request of the first security responder, i.e., the Kosovo Police, to contribute to the maintenance and improvement of public order and safety.

"EULEX does all this in coordination with the Kosovo Police and KFOR, in accordance with the three-tier security response mechanism, where the Kosovo Police is the first security responder, EULEX the second, and KFOR the third. The security of all communities in Kosovo remains our top priority. As a Mission, on the one hand, we are vigilant and ready to support the security of Kosovo and the local population, and on the other hand, we are committed to supporting the Kosovo authorities, including the Kosovo Police," EULEX said in response to Tanjug.

Recently, Serbs in Kosovo have increasingly been subjected to attacks by Albanians, with the latest incident involving graffiti with "UCK" and the name of Faton Hajrizi, who killed Serbian police officer Nikola Krsmanovic, being written on the house of the Djurkovic family in the village of Gojbulja near Vucitrn.

Since the beginning of this year, up until July 28, there have been 72 ethnically motivated incidents in Kosovo against Serbs, and since 2021, there have been a total of 128 incidents, recalled the media.

What will the upcoming elections bring to Kosovo? (Kosovo Online)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani has dashed all opposition hopes for early elections. The date for the regular elections is set for next year, with details to be announced after she consults with all political parties starting on Wednesday, July 31. Kosovo Online’s interlocutors believe that this decision hides the intention of Self-Determination Movement leader Albin Kurti to win a new prime ministerial mandate without major problems, as well as to delay the obligations from the dialogue, including the formation of the Community of Serb Municipalities, for as long as possible.

In a letter sent to party leaders a few days ago, Osmani stated that based on the Constitution and the Law on General Elections, regular elections should be held between January 26 and February 16 of next year.

"In this regard, based on my constitutional powers to call elections for the Kosovo Assembly, I invite you to a consultative meeting on July 31," Osmani wrote in her letter.

The Central Election Commission (CEC) soon announced that it would intensify preparations for the elections, but only after the exact date is determined.

"Aware that this is an election year, the CEC has focused its work from the beginning of the year on preparing many issues related to the Commission's legal obligations. Part of this is the introduction of the CEC software, which is currently being developed and enabled with the support of the OSCE. With this software, many election operations will be digitized," CEC spokesperson Valmir Elezi said.

A new feature, according to the new Law on General Elections, is that unlike previous elections, voters in the upcoming elections will have the right to choose up to ten candidates for MPs from one political option.

The opposition was confident that these new features would be tested this year.