Headlines - 11.11.2016

• EU Commissioner Hahn to visit Kosovo today (media)
• Lunacek: Demarcation does not guarantee visa liberalisation (Kosova Sot)
• Opposition rejects Thaçi’s invitation again (Gazeta Express)
• President Thaci meets representatives of missing persons (Telegrafi)
• Ahmeti: Astrit was blackmailed (Klan Kosova)
• Molliqaj: We do not trust investigations by “Pronto” clan (Bota Sot)
• Haradinaj accuses government for lack of progress (Bota Sot)
• Schwendiman wants a special court office in Belgrade too (Koha)
• Vetevendosje will not run in Drenas/Glogovac elections (Kosova Sot)

EU Commissioner Hahn to visit Kosovo today (media)

European Commissioner of European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn, will visit Kosovo today. This is his first visit of the region after the endorsement of the Enlargement Package and he will be focused on launching the Agenda of the European Reform. During his visit, Hahn will meet with the political authorities including President Hashim Thaçi, President of the Assembly Kadri Veseli, Prime Minister Isa Mustafa, Deputy Prime Minister Branimir Stojanovic and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Enver Hoxhaj. The Commissioner will conclude his day with a joint meeting with European Parliament Member Urlike Lunacek and leaders of all political parties to discuss the need to overcome the political crisis.

Lunacek: Demarcation does not guarantee visa liberalisation (Kosova Sot)

The European Parliament Vice President and Rapporteur for Kosovo, Ulrike Lunacek, said yesterday in Pristina that the ratification of the border demarcation agreement with Montenegro does not guarantee visa liberalisation, but the failure to approve the deal does guarantee that visas will not be lifted. “My message is that conditions have to be met. Please do what you need to do to end this process, fulfill the obligations you have taken on and agreements you have signed,” Lunacek said in a press conference.

Opposition rejects Thaçi’s invitation again (Gazeta Express)

The political opposition parties of Kosovo have decided again to say NO to the invitation of President of Kosovo Hashim Thaçi for a meeting on election reform. Representatives of opposition parties claim that it was Hashim Thaçi who impeded election reform during the time that he was Prime Minister of Kosovo and leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK). They say that the only possibility for them to sit around the table with Thaçi is to discuss the date of new elections.

President Thaci meets representatives of missing persons (Telegrafi)

President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, held a joint meeting with representatives of missing persons from the Albanian and Serb communities and spoke of the need to determine the fate of their family members as soon as possible. “The issue of missing persons is the most pressing one and calls for concrete and immediate steps,” Thaci is quoted to have said. He thanked the representatives of missing persons for their readiness to meet and work together towards finding a solution for this sensitive and humanitarian issue. Thaci also said that the missing persons issue should be addressed as the highest levels, including the Brussels dialogue.

Ahmeti: Astrit was blackmailed (Klan Kosova)

Mayor of Pristina from Vetëvendosje movement, Shpend Ahmeti, said for Klan Kosova that Astrit Denhari, who died under mysterious circumstances at Prizren prison, was requested to cooperate with Police against Vetëvendosje, otherwise he would be sentenced with ten years of prison. “To me, this is negligence, political murder.  Astrit is not today with us due to a political murder. Astrit’s death is the responsibility of the state. I do not believe that we can sleep comfortably in a society where you can be arrested without being guilty and die in a terrible way,” Ahmeti said.

Molliqaj: We do not trust investigations by “Pronto” clan (Bota Sot)

Vetevendosje Movement secretary Dardan Molliqaj, during a press conference on Thursday, said there is lots of doubt about a fair and transparent investigation of the death of Vetevendosje activist Astrit Dehari who was found dead a few days ago in his cell in Prizren detention center. According to Molliqaj, these doubts begun from the day of Dehari’s death when the police director said that Dehari had died as a result of using drugs. “This is the essential reason why the Dehari family and Vetevendosje do not believe that an investigation should take place without the participation of internationals. We are concerned about the administration of the evidence without the presence of independent forensics. Forensic experts appointed by the Dehari family were not allowed to examine the evidence at the crime scene,” Molliqaj said, adding that Dehari would still be alive if he would not have been arrested.

Haradinaj accuses government for lack of progress (Bota Sot)

Following the publication of the Progress Report by the European Commission, the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) leader, Ramush Haradinaj, said that the government of Kosovo has serious shortcomings with organised crime, corruption and almost all integrating processes. “The government lacks focus, takes ad-hoc decisions with a high cost and it completely unaccountable,” Haradinaj said. “Kosovo has no time to lose and therefore the country should head to early elections as soon as possible,” he added.

Schwendiman wants a special court office in Belgrade too (Koha)

David Schwendiman, chief prosecutor of the specialist chambers of the Special Court that will address war crimes allegedly committed by the former Kosovo Liberation Army, met on Thursday with Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic. Schwendiman among other things asked for an office of the special court to be opened in Belgrade. He said the office would provide easier access to witnesses and documents. “The victims and the survivors must receive proper compensation and treatment,” Schwendiman was quoted as saying.

Vetevendosje will not run in Drenas/Glogovac elections (Kosova Sot)

Vetevendosje Movement has announced it plans not to run in upcoming mayoral elections in Drenas/Glogovac. In a statement, Vetevendosje said it refuses to score political points by taking part in a process which, it said, was a result of an unjust court conviction of Drenas/Glogovac mayor Nexhat Demaku for war crimes.