UNMIK Headlines 22 December
Pristina and Belgrade to discuss creation of a fund for the north (Koha Ditore)
Prime Minister of Kosovo Hashim Thaçi and Serbia’s Ivica Dacic are expected to discuss the possibility of setting up a fund for the north of Kosovo in their upcoming meeting on 17 January. The fund would consist of economic investments that the Government of Kosovo plans for the north, percentage of customs fees from the border crossings in the north, funds that international community will invest in the north as well as those that will be pledged by Serbia. Furthermore, the fund would be controlled by the Government of Kosovo and the EU.
Apart from the creation of a fund for the north, sources told the paper that the EU High Representative Catherine Ashton and her team are expecting to soon see progress on other issues such as telecom and energy transmission. According to sources, Kosovo will gain right to control high energy transmission in its territory.
Pakistan recognizes independence of Kosovo (dailies)
Papers reports that Republic of Pakistan has decided to recognize independence of Kosovo bringing the total number to 95 countries. Koha Ditore hails it as one of the most important recognitions of the year due to its influence on the Organisation of Islamic Conference and many other countries.
Officials from the Kosovo Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the news. “The recognition has been confirmed. The Ministry is waiting for the note verbale,” said Artan Behrami.
Blomeyer: The north is inseparable part of Kosovo (Zëri)
German Ambassador to Kosovo Peter Blomeyer is quoted as saying that the demands made by Serbia in its recent platform for Kosovo will not help the process of dialogue between the prime ministers of Kosovo and Serbia. He said the parties should respect the framework of the dialogue defined by EU High Representative Catherine Ashton.
Blomeyer reiterated the stance of the German Government for disbanding of Serb parallel structures in the north. “We have an already known position that parallel structures should be disbanded and precondition for this is to clarify to all and everyone to understand that the north is an inseparable part of Kosovo,” said Blomeyer in an interview to Radio Kosova.
Haradinaj says he will become prime minister in 2013 (Kosova Sot)
AAK leader Ramush Haradinaj is reported to have said in an interview for a Turkish news agency that there is already an agreement with Hashim Thaçi’s PDK for giving him the post of prime minister which he would assume in 2013. Haradinaj also spoke about Serbia’s platform for Kosovo calling it “unrealistic” while he said that the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia prime ministers is an important strategic process.
Summer elections (Express)
According to the paper, the PDK leader Hashim Thaçi has seemed to imply that he wishes for local and general elections to take place in the summer of 2014. Thaçi told Klan Kosova that the proposal has been discussed privately and “in principle, everyone agrees for elections to take place during good weather when the daytime is longer”.
Limaj to spend two more months in detention (dailies)
Pristina District Court has decided to extend detention for two more months to former transport minister Fatmir Limaj and his former fellow-fighters indicted in the so-called Kleçka case on war crimes charges. Limaj’s defence attorney Tahir Rrecaj said the decision was unnecessary and announced he will appeal against it.
Vetëvendosje demands an end to dialogue with Serbia (dailies)
Leaders of the Vetëvendosje Movement in a press conference called on the Government of Kosovo to respond to the Serbia’s Government platform by halting talks with Belgrade. “The Government can very easily show us and convince us that this platform is against Kosovo. It can do that by not going to talks of 17 January,” said Glauk Konjufca.