UNMIK Headlines 16 August
Tahiri: Voting ballots same as in previous elections (Koha)
Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Edita Tahiri said on Thursday that voting ballots in Kosovo will remain the same as in previous elections and that this will apply throughout the country.
In an interview for the paper, Tahiri was quoted as saying, “the whole elections process, including documentation and voting ballots, will be made in accordance with Kosovo’s laws. The design of ballots will be the same as it was since the declaration of independence”.
Tahiri repeated the position of the Kosovo Government that the OSCE mission would have a facilitating role in the November elections.
Hoxhaj: November elections, according to Kosovo laws (Tribuna)
Kosovo’s Foreign Minister Enver Hoxhaj met on Thursday with British Ambassador to Pristina, Ian Cliff, and said local elections, scheduled for November 3rd, will be held throughout the territory of Kosovo and in accordance with the applicable laws of the Republic of Kosovo. Hoxhaj also expressed the appreciation of the people and the government of Kosovo for Britain’s continuous support.
UNMIK: Security Council decides about the mission (Lajm)
The United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) has replied to a recent statement by Kosovo Foreign Minister Enver Hoxhaj who said that UNMIK should leave Kosovo because it is obstructing the country’s membership in the United Nations.
UNMIK spokesman Olivier Salgado said the mandate of UNMIK is a competency of the Security Council. “As you know, UNMIK gets its mandate from the UN Security Council. Therefore, it is the competency of the Security Council to decide on the fate of our mission,” Salgado said.
Several days ago, Hoxhaj said a visit by UNMIK chief Farid Zarif to Romania was against Kosovo’s state interests. Salgado however said the Special Representative of the Secretary General visited other European countries in addition to Romania.
Serwer: End of UNMIK, difficult (Tribuna/Epoka e Re)
Daniel Serwer, from the Center of Transatlantic Relations, said on Thursday the departure of UNMIK from Kosovo is a difficult task because it requires a decision of the United Nations Security Council. Serwer said the Security Council is not likely to make such a decision, because Belgrade and Moscow would interpret it as an effort to confirm the independence of Kosovo.
“A decision by the Security Council is needed to formally conclude the mission of UNMIK. It is not going to be easy to achieve this. Any effort to conclude the mandate of UNMIK will be seen by Belgrade and Moscow as confirmation of Kosovo’s sovereignty and independence,” he said.
“The question is: what are the reasons for UNMIK to remain in Kosovo. The answer would be, very few if any. UNMIK’s mission was to implement Resolution 1244, and it has done this. In my opinion, the remaining activities of UNMIK are the same as those of the OSCE, which is still needed in Kosovo to support democratic institutions … I prefer the end of its mandate, but the fate of UNMIK is more an atrophy than abolition. I understand that some people want UNMIK to take over the functions of EULEX. The Government in Pristina will not accept this. There is no reason for Kosovo to invite UNMIK to replace EULEX in the area of justice.”
Serwer also said UNMIK will most likely remain in Kosovo for a long time as a result of disagreements in the United Nations.
Çitaku and Haziri clash over SAA (Epoka e Re)
Head of Parliamentary Commission for European Integrat6ion, Lutfi Haziri, stated that the Assembly is being overpassed in the process of the Stabilization Association Agreement. He has requested from the Prime Minister Thaçi to clarify the role of the main institutions of the country in this process. In this occasion he also said that Croatian model of integration, which involved both Government and opposition, should be pursued. However, Minister for European Integration, Vlora Çitaku, objected Haziri’s criticism, saying that the political level of the Parliamentary Commission for European Integration will always be part of the delegation.
Haradinaj with police close protection, reason unknown (Koha)
The paper reports that the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) has requested a police detail for its leader Ramush Haradinaj eight years after he has left the post of prime minister. Officials at the Ministry for Interior Affairs and Kosovo Police refused to reveal the reasons for the police escort. The paper notes that according to the AAK, Haradinaj as former prime minister meets the criteria for a police escort, but the law says the opposite.
Woman killed with three bullets in Leposavic (dailies)
Several dailies report that an 80 year-old woman has been found dead on Wednesday in a village in Leposavic municipality. Police suspect the woman was killed several days ago as the body was found in a decomposed state. Police also said three bullets were found in the victim’s body. Police issued a statement that signs of violence were noticed at the entrance of the victim’s house, therefore, the case is suspected to be robbery.
Kosovo to be connected to TAP pipeline (Epoka e Re)
Kosovo Foreign Minister Enver Hoxhaj said the government was making efforts to connect Kosovo to the gas pipeline Trans-Adriatic Project (TAP). Hoxhaj said since the announcement of the project, Prime Minister Thaçi and he were personally involved in different meetings with Albania and with European governments who are shareholders in this project and to find possibilities for connecting Kosovo to the pipeline. Hoxhaj said Kosovo should be a transit country of this important natural source.