Headlines - 11.10.2016

• Thaci calls for resolution of crimes during and after the war (media)
• Corruption and demarcation keeping visa liberalisation pending (dailies)
• Simic: Trepca issue to be solved through negotiations (Zeri/RFE)
• Task force established for Nehat Thaci’s release (Zeri)
• Kosovo never sent list of missing persons to the EU (media)
• Indictment on wiretapped conversations, imminent (Kosova Sot)
• Kosovo to have three-member delegation at PACE (Koha)
• Former ISIS fighter seeks funds to fight extremism (Zeri)

Thaci calls for resolution of crimes during and after the war (media)

The President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, appealed on Monday to the justice institutions to enlighten murders, rapes, destruction of cultural and religious heritage in Kosovo during and after the war. He also requested enlightening of the attempted attack of the late President Ibrahim Rugova. During his first press conference, Thaci said that he has sent four letters to the Office of the Kosovo State Prosecutor and to the Prosecution Council of Kosovo, to encourage them to pay special attention to a number of cases that concern all citizens of Kosovo. In his first letter, Thaci requested the need to deal with crimes committed during the war in Kosovo, dozens of major massacres. “Cases known as serious war crimes, such as the massacre against the Jashari family in Prekaz, the massacre in Reçak, Izbicë, Abri e Epërme, Krushëe a Madhe, Likoshan, Mejë, Dubravë, Qyshk, Lubeniq, Grashticë or anywhere else in Kosovo, should receive the right justice treatment. In his second letter, Thaci requested special attention for serious crimes committed right after the war or during the later years, such as the murder of Bytyçi brothers in June 1999, the attempted attack on late President Ibrahim Rugova, as well as murder of some public personalities. “But also  cases such as the one in Grackë e Vjetër, Lipjan and the Gorazhdec case where two children were murdered, and the case of the attack on the ‘Niš-ekspres bus near Podujevë/Podujevo,’ Thaci said. In his third letter, the President requested to pay special attention to the monstrous crimes such as sexual abuse of individuals, especially women during the war in Kosovo (1998-1999). Thaci said that in his fourth letter he has encouraged the Office of the Prosecutor and the Prosecution Council of Kosovo to focus on enlightening the truth about the destruction of the joint cultural, historic and religious heritage. Thaci explained that he has decided to make these requests now, being that the international community has handed over almost all competencies in the field of justice.  Koha Ditore, in its leading story, quotes legal experts as saying that Thaci’s letters are seen as interference in policies for combating crime. They also said that Thaci could have addressed the same issues earlier when he was Prime Minister. The paper also runs a reaction issued by the Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AJK) criticising the fact that President Thaci was not open to media questions after his conference. AJK called on Thaci to apologise to all reporters. “The President should keep in mind that in his future appearances before the media he should take questions and answer them, because the Office of the President should be a point of reference for transparency. We use this opportunity to call on all leaders of institutions to be more open to the media. Statutes on Facebook are not good means of communication. All high-ranking officials in Kosovo should seriously think about improving their communication with reporters,” AJK said.

Corruption and demarcation keeping visa liberalisation pending (dailies)

The government of Kosovo has pledged to do its outmost to fulfil the remaining visa liberalisation criteria, namely ratify the border demarcation agreement with Montenegro and step up the fight against corruption. Kosova Sot reports that Prime Minister Isa Mustafa said yesterday after meeting the European Commission Director General for Enlargement Christian Danielsson that his government will work on ratifying the border demarcation agreement in cooperation with the opposition and all relevant stakeholders. With regards to the decision of the Serbian List to boycott Kosovo institutions, Mustafa is quoted as saying in Bota Sot that it does not contribute to developments in Kosovo, particularly the economic one.

Simic: Trepca issue to be solved through negotiations (Zeri/RFE)

The leader of the Serbian List, Slavko Simic, told Radio Free Europe that boycotting the Kosovo institutions was a decision of the party and it will be in force until further notice. “We decided to boycott the Kosovo Assembly as a sign of protest against the Trepca Law. So, we expect that a consensus will be found to the issue of Trepca and that this issue will be solved through negotiations. Basically, as political representatives of Serbs, we were not consulted and did not participate in preparing the draft law. So, for us, the law in its present form is unacceptable,” Simic said.  He said he is waiting for a response from coalition partners, and the European Union, which according to him, has been one of the main factors that has insisted on the integration of Serbs into Kosovo institutions.

Task force established for Nehat Thaci’s release (Zeri)

Kosovo’s Foreign Ministry officials said on Monday that the ministry has sent a letter to all diplomatic representations in Kosovo and capitals of European countries to put added pressure on Serbia over the arrest of Kosovo Police regional director, Nehat Thaci. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has sent a letter to all diplomatic representations to bring to a higher level the issue of Thaci’s arrest and to put pressure on Serbia for its anti-European behaviour and violation of human rights,” said Bashmir Xhemaj, chief of cabinet of Foreign Minister Enver Hoxhaj.  Xhemaj also said that Thaci’s arrest in addition to being unacceptable, also affects efforts for normalising relations between Kosovo and Serbia. He also announced that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs together with other state institutions have created a task force for Thaci’s release.

Kosovo never sent list of missing persons to the EU (media)

The European Union had asked Kosovo to provide a list of missing persons in Brussels in 2011, but the authorities in Pristina never did this. In her report to a parliamentary committee on Monday, Kosovo’s Minister for Dialogue Edita Tahiri said: “In 2011 we talked about missing persons. There was only one round. The European Union told us that next time we should provide a list of missing persons and then we would discuss the matter. But the lists were never prepared. We are now preparing these lists so that we can discuss the issue of missing persons. We have also asked the EU to appoint a special envoy that will work on the issue … Serbia knows where the missing are and it should open its military archives”. Telegrafi quotes Vetëvendosje’s deputy leader Driton Caushi as saying that Tahiri’s statement on missing persons is “scandalous”. “She has shamelessly insulted families of missing persons by openly lying that Kosovo does not possess the lists of missing persons in the war and that this is the reason the issue was not tackled in negotiations with Serbia”, wrote Caushi on Facebook.

Indictment on wiretapped conversations, imminent (Kosova Sot)

Kosovo Special Prosecution has announced it has secured sufficient evidence to bring forward an indictment against suspects in the so-called Pronto case that involves wiretapped conversations between senior officials of the ruling Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK). Prosecutor Drita Hajdari however said that it is not certain when the indictment will be raised due to the volume of the case.

Kosovo to have three-member delegation at PACE (Koha)

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on Monday ratified with a majority of votes a decision according to which starting in January next year Kosovo is entitled to appoint a three-member delegation to this institution. The paper also reports that representatives of Serbia and other countries that have not recognised Kosovo, campaigned against the participation of Kosovo’s delegation in PACE sessions.

Former ISIS fighter seeks funds to fight extremism (Zeri)

The paper reports in a front page story that former ISIS fighter from Pristina, Albert Berisha, who was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison for participating in foreign wars in Syria and Iraq, received permission from the government of Kosovo to fight radicalism. Berisha has opened an Institute for Security and Integration, which aims to combat extremism. The paper claims to possess some documents of this Institute, which says that the goal of the organization is education, conducting trainings for damages that brings extremism, training for prevention of extremism and peace building. However, Berisha said that so far he has not received any funds for his organisation.