Headlines - 13.12.2013 Kosovo expects agreement for the courts in the north (Koha Ditore) Deputy Prime Minister, Hajredin Kuçi, is quoted as saying that the issue of justice will be the main topic in the meeting between Kosovo and Serbia prime ministers, Hashim Thaçi and Ivica Dacic. Kuçi said he was hopeful an agreement will be reached in the meeting which will “preserve the unified character of justice system and hierarchy of Judicial Council of Kosovo and Prosecutorial Council”, but his Serbian counterpart, Aleksandar Vucic, said that the solution would be a product of compromise which needs to be done by both parties. Three days later Baroness, Catherine Ashton will be reporting to the Council of Europe about the results of the dialogue. The agreement of 19 April between Kosovo and Serbia foresees that judicial authorities will be integrated and will operate within legal framework of Kosovo. It stipulates that the Appeals Court in Pristina will create a panel majority of whose judges will be Kosovo Serbs to deal with all municipalities with Serb majority in Kosovo. Meanwhile, a department of this court consisting from administrative and judicial staff is foreseen to remain permanently based in north Mitrovica. The agreement did not anticipate establishing of the courts in the municipalities north of Kosovo which are populated mainly by Serbs but the initial implementation plan recognized the right of establishment of basic courts. One source of the newspaper said that differences that Kosovo and Serbia have lie in the fact that Kosovar side did not accept establishing of courts and it will correct the mistake made in the implementation plan. Deputy Prime Minister Kuçi said that Pristina will not change its mind on this point. “There will be only one basic court as has been regulated with the law on courts,” insisted Kuçi and added that other issues like the number of courts and the headquarter of courts will be decided by the Kosovo Judicial Council. Agreement will secure EU talks for Serbia (Koha Ditore) Koha Ditore quotes EU diplomatic sources as saying that even the most skeptical states will agree to open negotiations for the membership with Serbia if success is achieved today in the Thaçi-Dacic dialogue regarding judiciary. Same sources say that in the negotiation framework will also remain the wording requested from Germany and Great Britain that normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia should take the form of an “obligatory legal document”. Tahiri: There will be no special court for the north (Tribuna) Kosovo authorities are expecting that finally after 13 December the justice system in Kosovo will also be established in four municipalities in the north. Deputy Prime Minister, Edita Tahiri, in an interview for RTK, rejected any possibility that a Basic Court for north Mitrovica will be created. She said that unified and single justice system of Kosovo will be preserved.  Tahiri: There will be verification of Serbs in the north (Epoka e Re) Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo, and head of Kosovo’s team in the technical discussions with Serbia, Edita Tahiri, stated that integration of Serb citizens, including former MUP officials, who are expect3ed to join Kosovo Police, will be carried out according to Kosovo laws. Replying to the concerns of the LDK deputy, Haki Demolli, on this issue, Tahiri said that verification will apply for all those that want to be members of Kosovo Police. She stated that they have taken over obligations based on the Amnesty Law, to integrate Serb citizens in Kosovo institutions, and that those people who have committed criminal acts will not be accepted in Kosovo security institutions of the Republic of Kosovo.  The Government is “smuggling” the sale of PTK (dailies) Kosovo Government aims to give an end to the Kosovo Post and Telecom “saga” and plans to include a special amendment for the sale of 75 percent of shares in PTK in the second readout of the draft budget for the 2014. This issue has fully blocked the work of the Assembly for more than two months. Axos Company could very soon take over 75 percent of shares in PTK and this could happen as early as next week if the MPs pass the draft budget in the second readout. The opposition says Government is trying to “smuggle” PTK’s sale by introducing it as an amendment to the law on budget. Ismajli: PTK to be sold before Christmas (Zëri) Minister of Economic Development Fadil Ismajli expressed belief that privatisation of Kosovo Post and Telecom (PTK) will be finalized before end of the year. “It cannot bypass the Assembly but the process will end before 26^th”, said Ismajli. Rexhepi: Serb mayors should respect laws (Epoka e Re) Kosovo’s Minister of Internal Affairs, Bajram Rexhepi, said for this daily that the nine recently elected mayors, should act according the regulations applied for all the municipalities of the Republic of Kosovo. He stated that representatives of Srpska list are representatives of the citizens of Kosovo municipalities. According to him, the Government of the Republic of Kosovo, together with the international community, expect constructive and cooperative approach from these representatives with the central level. He assessed that sabotage is not in interest of anyone, including the representatives of Srpska list. Thaçi and Veseli becoming hostile (Zëri) The defeat of the Democratic Party of Kosovo in latest local elections has caused rift between the two main leaders of the party, Hashim Thaçi and Kadri Veseli. It is reported that PDK leader Thaçi has pointed the finger at his deputy Veseli as responsible for the decline of the electorate. There are now increasing voices within the PDK calling for return of “estranged” officials, Jakup Krasniqi and Fatmir Limaj, believing their presence would strengthen the party to which idea Veseli is categorically opposed. Sources said that for two weeks now, Thaçi is trying to get a meeting with Krasniqi and Limaj in an effort to ensure their return to PDK.