UNMIK Headlines 18 July
No agreement on disarmament of the north (Tribuna)
The Kosovo Government informed that Pristina and Belgrade have not reached any progress on disintegration of the so-called “civilian defense” and disarmament of Serbs in north Mitrovica. On Tuesday and Wednesday in Brussels, the two delegations discussed how to find a solution for completely disintegrating Serbia’s security parallel structures acting in the north and integrating Serbs in Kosovo police structures. However, Belgrade has challenged the entire process of integrating these structures in the institutions of Kosovo, therefore the parties did not manage to agree on integration of MUP police officers that are willing to integrate in Kosovo institutions, and neither on the disarmament and integration of the “Civilian Defense,” in KSF.
Members of Civil Protection also to join the Police (Koha Ditore)
Officials at the Kosovo Interior Ministry confirmed that members of the Civil Protection, an illegal Serb structure operating in the north, will be recruited in the Kosovo police as well as the Kosovo Security Force and Agency for Emergency Management. Officials did not specify the exact number of the people that will be hired, saying they are still discussing the issue. “We may have an approximate assessment but we don’t have the exact number of how many police from Civil Protection will integrate into the Kosovo police,” said the Ministry of Interior’s press office.
Presence of Serbian Gendarmerie in Karaçeva discussed in Brussels (dailies)
During talks with Serbia in Brussels, Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Edita Tahiri met Director of the EU External Action Service for the Balkans Fernando Gentilini and raised the Kosovo Government’s concerns with the recent incidents along the border between Kosovo and Serbia, particularly the patrolling of the Serbian Gendarmerie in the village of Karaçeva. Tahiri called on the EU to assist in overcoming such situations and urged Serbia to immediately stop provocations.
Fule: Kosovo a condition for Serbia from the beginning to the end (Tribuna)
The European Union Commissioner for Enlargement, Stefan Fule, stated Wednesday evening in Belgrade that the issue of the relations between Kosovo and Serbia will be treated on the 35th chapter of the membership negotiations of Serbia with EU. At the joint press conference with Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic, Fule explained that there is a proposal for chapter 35 to treat relations between Kosovo and Serbia, which will be raised throughout negotiations between Serbia and the EU. He added that Serbia should nominate the chief negotiator and put the EU agenda at the top of the priorities. According to him, implementing the agreements in the dialogue with Kosovo is most important.
Borg-Olivier: Unequal dialogue (Tribuna)
In an interview for Tribuna, the former head of UNMIK legal office, Alexander Borg-Olivier, said that “the dialogue where the other party is embarrassed with the idea of signing an agreement with you should have not been accepted.” If the dialogue was difficult, then Kosovo should have not accepted a third party, in this case the EU, only because Serbia is ashamed of the idea to sign with the Kosovo party,” said Borg-Olivier.
Members of Municipal Elections Commission appointed for the north (Zëri)
Central Elections Commission (CEC) appointed members of the Municipal Elections Commission for four municipalities in the north last night. 11 members have been appointed for north Mitrovica, nine for Zubin Potok, and nine for Leposaviq and Zveçan.
Hoxhaj seeking recognition from the Vatican (Epoka e Re)
The Kosovo Government is seriously pursuing the recognition from the Holy See and, to this end, Foreign Minister Enver Hoxhaj met the Vatican’s Secretary for Relations, Dominique Mamberti, last month. A source from the Government told the paper that the meeting marked a turning point in relations between Kosovo and the Holy See, and focused mainly on the possibility of Kosovo’s recognition from Vatican.
Belgium, strict measures for asylum seekers (Zëri)
Belgium has expressed concern over the increase of the number of asylum seekers from Kosovo and announced undertaking strict measures to address the situation. In a meeting with the Kosovo Interior Minister Bajram Rexhepi, Belgium’s director for immigration, Freddy Roosemont, said that people arriving illegally to Belgium will be banned from entering Schengen countries for up to five years. Furthermore, if asylum seekers claim to suffer from a medical condition, they will determine if this is life-threatening or not. “If the condition is not that serious, which happens in 95 percent of the cases where asylum seekers are not in danger of losing their lives from the declared illness, their application stops right there,” said Roosemont.
Convicted, serious candidate for judge at Constitutional Court (Koha Ditore)
14 deputies voted for the nomination of Radomir Laban as a judge at the Constitutional Court of Kosovo in February of this year. He had passed all the Kosovo “filters” in advance, and the Commission for verification of the candidates did not find anything illegal about his case, even though he was carrying a heavy criminal burden on his shoulders. In Serbia, a penal procedure for corruption was ongoing against him, which resulted in a jail sentence of six years. He is part of the so called “customs mafia.” Leban currently carries the position of the legal advisor at the Constitutional Court of Kosovo, and he is also head of the Association of Jurists in Gracanica. And despite being aware of his past, the Constitutional Court does not plan to dismiss him.