UNMIK Headlines 2 May
Petersen: Disappointed with Kosovo’s leadership (Zeri)
The former chief of the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), Soren Jessen-Petersen, in an interview with the paper, said that the migration of thousands of people from Kosovo towards the EU countries was a clear sign that Kosovo’s politicians have failed to create a safe and encouraging environment for its people. Petersen said that the establishment of the special court which will address war crimes allegations, is necessary and a political maturity for Kosovo. Regarding the Pristina – Belgrade dialogue, he said that Serbia’s failure to fulfill the agreements reached in Brussels and continuously ignoring the new realities in Kosovo, will hinder and delay the aspirations of Serbia to join the European Union. Petersen also mentioned some of the key sectors where Kosovo has stagnated, including the failure of the economy, education, the fight against corruption and organized crime, and above all, “has not managed to establish hope for the people of Kosovo".
Dioguardi: Thaci government, a racketeering enterprise (Kosova Sot)
The former American congressman and President of the Albanian – American Civic League, Joseph Dioguardi, while speaking at the US Committee on Foreign Affairs, said that the political elite in Kosovo have been getting richer and richer, while most of the Kosovo people have been getting poorer and poorer. “The State Department needs to take responsibility for propping up the Thaci government, which has become a racketeering enterprise,” Dioguardi said. According to him, the loss of hope among Albanians, the most historically pro-Western population in Europe, also is connected with the complicity of the EU and the United States in some of the most flagrant examples of the corruption that plagues Kosovo. He also called on the US Government to investigate its former Ambassador to Kosovo, Christopher Dell, for allegedly being involved in a deal for the Bechtel Corporation to build a $1 billion highway in Kosovo.
Kosovo wants special court to be mixed, with limited time jurisdiction (Koha)
A European Union delegation, which will visit Kosovo next week to discuss the latest version of the draft law on special court, will face 11 remarks related to the jurisdiction and other aspects of the special court. The Kosovo technical team, headed by Kosovo Justice Minister Hajredin Kuci, will submit a proposal to the Brussels’ delegation, requesting that special court not to be fully international and to have a limited time jurisdiction, Koha Ditore writes today. Kosovo authorities want the involvement of local judges as well in the special court. According to the paper, among the reasons why this court should be mixed and with a limited time jurisdiction, would be to gain legitimacy among the people and to secure votes in the Assembly.
Vetevendosje organizational secretary arrested (dailies)
The organizational secretary of the Vetevendosje Movement, Dardan Molliqaj, was arrested on Friday by the Kosovo Police at the Pristina International Airport. Molliqaj’s arrest was related to a protest in April 2013. Molliqaj, who was freed after several hours, said that there are many Vetevendosje activists who were unjustly prosecuted, while on the other hand, as he said, there are many people involved in crime who remain free or ironically have fled Kosovo exactly through Pristina International Airport.