Serbia operates approx 1,000 troops in Kosovo (Koha Ditore – front page)

Serbiaoperates illegally in northern Kosovo with about 1000 troops engaged in four different security structures; Kosovo authorities know about them and their entire commanding network. State security authorities have information that about 500 members of MUP, led by Djordje Dragovic, are operating in the north and are armed and accepted officially in Kraleva, Serbia.

Furthermore, the Civilian Protection, which is led by Radisav Janicijevic and part of the Ministry of Defense of Serbia, recruited 245 persons. According to a source, two Serb secret services, BIA led by Savo Milenkovic and VBA led by Jovica Llazarevic, are functioning in the north. 

Draft law for 2013 budget approved in principle (dailies)

Dailies reported that the Kosovo Assembly passed yesterday, in principle, the draft budget for 2013 with 62 votes in favour and 31 against. Members of the ruling coalition said that next year’s budget of €1.5 billion focuses on development while the opposition claimed it is ‘of asphalt’ and has no concept of development.

LDK argued that the budget also fails to secure any sustainability. “This budget bankrupts local businesses and sends Kosovo’s economy into further collapse,” said LDK’s Naser Osmani.

According to Vetëvendosje, the budget lacks investment in producing sectors. Meanwhile, opposition party AAK conditionally voted in favour of the draft law of the budget, the conditions being mainly on the Kosovo Government to continue construction of several roads in Peja.

Thaçi: Kosovo gain EBRD membership (Koha Ditore – page 2)

Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi said during his visit to Gjilan yesterday that Kosovo become a member of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Rexhepi knows where €1.4 million went (Koha Ditore – front page)

Interior Minister Bajram Rexhepi claims to know where Natali Velijaj sent €1.4 million but has not divulged the information because he does not want to interfere in the investigation. Prosecutors Pascal Persoons and Drita Hajdari stated that they have not uncovered where the €1.4 million was transferred.

Rexhepi, however, said that he identified the bank transfers. “We have data from NLB where she sent the money. It is under investigation and we cannot interfere with the court,” said Rexhepi. 

Interior ministry official in passport scandal (Zëri – front page)

One of the senior officials at the Kosovo Ministry of Internal Affairs is implicated in the misuse of €1.4 million originally intended to produce Kosovo passports. Until recently, the official was a very close associate of Minister Bajram Rexhepi. “He gave the order to de-route the transfer from a bank account at OeSD to Natali Velijaj,” said a source from the Interior Ministry.  

Haradinaj: Not bystanders of dialogue (Epoka e Re – front page)

The deputy of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo at Kosovo Assembly, Daut Haradinaj, said that this party does not want to be a bystander of the dialogue for normalization of the relations with Serbia.

“Internal political unity is necessary when there are relations with strong actors like Serbia. I think that in these cases, we should be united as we always were,” said Haradinaj, adding that AAK is against the ethnic solution for the north. “Despite our position against, we said we will be part of the dialogue because discussions concern Kosovo. We consider ourselves responsible on this issue and we do not want to be spectators, but to be involved in this process,” said Haradinaj. 

They are partially accepted (Express – front page)

The Kosovo Government does not consider all parallel structures in northern Kosovo problematic, needing to extend the constitution and law in that area. The Executive considers that integration of educational and health care institutions is possible.

Some parallel structures in the north, except security and justice, could become part of the legal system of the country. Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuçi said that Pristina has no problems in terms of healthcare, educational, and cultural institutions to adopt Ahtisaari’s Package. “Only those structures foreseen in Ahtisaari’s Package could integrate in the system of Kosovo and their competencies should only be according to the package,” said Kuçi.

 Thaçi briefs businesses on motorway project (Koha Ditore – page 6)

Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi, on the Kosovo Chamber of Commerce’s 50^th anniversary of its establishment, noted some of the projects the Kosovo Government is implementing with regards to economic development. Thaçi said that the Pristina-Skopje motorway will begin construction in spring next year. In addition, there are also plans, with the financial support from the EU, to begin construction of a new motorway “that will connect the state of Kosovo with the European corridor through Pristina-Leskovac”.

KFOR returned Serb convoy in north (Epoka e Re – page 2)

Members of the U.S. contingent of KFOR blocked and sent back dozens of vehicles with Serbs, which were heading from Mitrovica towards to Jarinjë to protest against the implementation of the agreement for Integrated Border Management. The media reported that Serbs were heading from Mitrovica and Zveçan to protest against the implementation of the agreement. Sources from the north claim that the efforts of the protesters to convince KFOR to allow them to go to Jarinje border point and then return to Mitrovica, failed. 

Peja demands 1974 borderline with Montenegro (Zëri – page 13)

Residents of Peja municipality are concerned that the process of border demarcation between Kosovo andMontenegrowill result in their lands being left outside the Kosovo territory and will have to use it in accordance toMontenegrolegislation. However, representatives from Peja will be part of the demarcation process through a commission made of directorate representatives, political parties, and members of the community. The Peja municipality insists ‘the borderline of 1974’ should be respected in the current border demarcation process.