Headlines - 19.05.2018

• Thaci: Preparations underway for landmark Kosovo-Serbia deal (media)
• Kosovo Assembly fails to elect all members to Constitutional Court (Koha)
• Kosovo condemns Serbian authorities detaining Serb KSF members (media)
• Specialist Chambers appoint ombudsperson for Kosovo (dailies)
• COMKFOR: No plans for downsizing KFOR troops (Koha/RTK)
• Regional police agree to jointly fight corruption and organised crime (Koha)

Kosovo Media Highlights

Thaci: Preparations underway for landmark Kosovo-Serbia deal (media)

Upon return from the EU-Western Balkans summit in Sofia, President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci spoke to reporters and said Kosovo and Serbia cannot remain hostage to the past and need to move forward in implementing the European agenda. “We need to think about today and the future. We have made a pledge to the EU High Representative Federica Mogherini and the German Chancellor Angela Merkel that both countries will work responsibly to close the dialogue process with a landmark agreement, legally binding, which would imply Kosovo’s UN membership and mutual recognition,” Thaci said. He noted that one of the most important conclusions to come out of the Sofia summit was that without good neighbourly relations, the Western Balkans countries cannot hope to join the EU. On the issue of visa liberalisation, Thaci said a recommendation is expected in June.

Kosovo Assembly fails to elect all members to Constitutional Court (Koha)

Koha Ditore reports that the Assembly of Kosovo has failed yesterday to elect members to the Constitutional Court despite the calls by US Ambassador Greg Delawie to leave politics aside and fill vacancies. Following the failure in two rounds of voting to elect three judges from the Albanian community, the paper reports that this is expected to lead to the vacancy announcement being republished which can take an additional two months time. The Assembly did however endorse the candidacies for two new members from the Serb and non-majority communities.

Kosovo condemns Serbian authorities detaining Serb KSF members (media)

Kosovo’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has condemned the detaining of two Serb members of the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) by Serbian authorities at the border crossing point of Bernjake. The foreign ministry expressed “deep concern and indignation” at the continuation of such actions by authorities in Belgrade saying they are aimed at intimidating members of the Serb community from integrating into Kosovo institutions. 

Specialist Chambers appoint ombudsperson for Kosovo (dailies)

Pietro Spera, of Italy, has been appointed Ombudsperson for the Specialist Chambers and the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office, the papers report quoting a statement issued by the Specialist Chambers. Spera, a judge with almost thirty years of professional experience, said he was honoured to have been appointed to the post. Ombudsperson’s role will include monitoring, defending, and protecting rights and freedoms enshrined in the Constitution of Kosovo for those persons interacting with the Specialist Chambers and the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office.

Read the statement: https://www.scp-ks.org/en/pietro-spera-appointed-ombudsperson-kosovo-specialist-chambers

COMKFOR: No plans for downsizing KFOR troops (Koha/RTK)

KFOR Commander, Major General Salvatore Cuoci, said NATO has no plans to downsize the number of troops deployed as part of the peacekeeping force in Kosovo. “KFOR is one of NATO’s success stories, one of its longest missions,” Cuoci said underlining that there are no current plans to reduce 4,000 troops currently on the ground in Kosovo. He said KFOR is continuing to perform its duties in line with UN Security Council resolution 1244 and the Kumanovo military-technical agreement signed in 1999.

Regional police agree to jointly fight corruption and organised crime (Koha)

Heads of regional police forces who came together in Pristina to attend a two-day conference organized by Kosovo Police and supported by EULEX, agreed on the need to step up communication and cooperation in efforts to fight organised crime and corruption.  At the closing of the conference, which gathered heads of police from Albania, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), and Slovenia, acting Kosovo Police director Naim Rexha thanked participants and panelists for their contribution to the conference. He said the delegations concluded that challenges the region faces can only be tackled through concerted actions.