UNMIK Headlines 1 July
Tahiri: No to Serbia’s requests for telecom and distribution (Koha)
A solution on telecommunications and energy between the Kosovo and Serbian delegations in Brussels seems far away. The Government of Kosovo insists that even in the fifth round of negotiations it will not back down to Serbia’s requests for a third exclusive Serbian GSM operator and the autonomy of the KEK distribution network in northern Kosovo.
Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister Edita Tahiri told the paper that Pristina will continue to categorically reject a third GSM operator without international tendering. She acknowledges major differences in this respect and said a solution in the next meetings would be hard to reach. Tahiri said an agreement would be possible only if the Serbian side changes its position and makes a request in compliance with Kosovo’s laws.
“Only if the Serbian side gives up on its requests for a third exclusive Serbian GSM operator and the autonomy of energy distribution network in the north, an agreement will be possible on these two strategic issues,” Tahiri said.
Ivanovic calls on northern Serbs to respect the agreement (Koha)
Kosovo Serb politician Oliver Ivanovic said Serbs in northern Kosovo should know that the Government of Serbia was right when it reached an agreement with the Kosovo Government about the north. “The Government of Serbia was reach to reach that agreement and it will have to be implemented. Serbs in the north have to understand and take part in the implementation process,” he added.
Ivanovic however was skeptical about the participation of northern Serbs in Kosovo elections. “I don’t believe they will take part in elections, because elections in the north they are always problematic. This primarily involves political reasons, but we will have to wait and see what will happen in the future,” Ivanovic said.
SAA brings Herman Van Rompuy to Kosovo (Zëri)
President of European Council Herman Van Rompuy is expected to visit Kosovo today and meet Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi, Assembly Speaker Jakup Krasniqi and President Atifete Jahjaga. The visit comes after the last meeting of the European Council on 28 June which formally authorized opening of negotiations for Stabilisation and Association Agreement with Kosovo.
Swedish Foreign Minister to visit Kosovo on Tuesday (dailies)
Several dailies report that Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt will visit Kosovo on Tuesday. His visit is aimed at expressing Sweden’s support for the implementation of the agreement for normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia. Bildt is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi. “The April agreement between Kosovo and Serbia was a historic step. We believe the agreement must be implemented,” Bildt said in a recent statement.
Grenade thrown at Nazim Bllaca’s house (dailies)
The house of Nazim Bllaca, collaborating witness of the prosecution in a number of criminal cases, has been attacked with a hand grenade Saturday night. No one was injured in the attack and only material damage was reported. Bllaca said the attack came from a rocket-propelled grenade and went through the roof of his house and landed “somewhere in the woods”. He said this is the third assassination attempt against him and claimed it is related to an upcoming trial where he is to testify.