Headlines - 28.05.2018

• EULEX to retain limited executive powers after June 14 (Koha Ditore)
• Arifi: Association by the end of the year, at the latest (Epoka e Re)
• Reactions following the halt of roadworks in Decan (Koha)
• Selmanaj: Decan Monastery is leading wrong politics (Epoka)
• Rakic is not opening the bridge, wants to renegotiate Mitrovica border (Zeri)
• Vucic: Serbia is ready for compromise (Zeri)
• Dacic: Without internationals. Kosovo would have accepted division (Zeri)
• Kosovo authorities were not aware Laban was tried in Serbia (Koha)
• Lluka: Serbia blocking Kosovo-Albania energy line (Koha/RFE)

 Kosovo Media Highlights

EULEX to retain limited executive powers after June 14 (Koha Ditore)

The paper reports on the front page that the EU rule of law mission in Kosovo, EULEX, whose mandate is set to expire on June 14 will continue to remain present in a largely monitoring role but will retain certain limited competencies. European Union officials told the paper that there will be no EU judges and prosecutors working on cases beyond June but the mission will not transfer all competencies to local institutions. EULEX spokesperson Donika Berisha-Rizaj said the mission is already working out a comprehensive plan with a strong focus on the sustainability of the transition process to make sure local institutions are able to prevent serious performance decline while EULEX gradually leaves. “Some of our activities will be carried out to the EU Office, some to the Kosovo judiciary while EULEX will continue to support Kosovo through monitoring activities and limited executive functions,” Berisha-Rizaj said.

Arifi: Association by the end of the year, at the latest (Epoka e Re)

Head of Kosovo’s delegation for the technical dialogue with Serbia, Avni Arifi, told the paper that the Association of Serb-majority Municipalities will be established the latest by the end of this year, with the condition that it is in accordance with the Constitution of Kosovo. He said they are currently waiting for the draft statute of the Association and added that Kosovo party is engaging maximally to implement international obligations as soon as possible.

Reactions following the halt of roadworks in Decan (Koha)

The halting of the work for construction of the road that links Decan to the Montenegro border has triggered reactions both from the local politicians as well as the international community. The decision to suspend the construction came as a result of the request presented by the Orthodox Monastery in Decan which claims that the construction works affect the Special Protective Zones. The international community has sided with the Orthodox Monastery with the OSCE saying it was concerned with what seemed to be an illegal construction activity taking place inside the SPZ and hailed the decision to halt the works. “We call on all stakeholders to seek a mutually acceptable solution in accordance with the Kosovo law and international commitments,” the OSCE said in a statement. The head of the EU Office in Kosovo Nataliya Apostolova stressed in a Twitter post the importance of the Law on Special Protective Zone being “strictly adhered to”. Also on Twitter, the US Ambassador Greg Delawie reposted OSCE’s statement and added that the US fully agrees with it. Meanwhile, Vetevendosje said the road in question was of national and state importance and that the decision to halt to roadworks cannot come from the Decan Monastery. In a statement, the party’s branch in Decan condemned what it says were continuous efforts from the Monastery to hinder development of the municipality. It called on the government of Kosovo to resolve the matter “in a way as to not put the citizens in face of politicised clergy.” The Social Democratic Initiative (NISMA) branch in Decan also expressed concern with the halting of the roadworks and called to resumption of works. Minister of Infrastructure, Pal Lekaj, said the project does not infringe the Special Protective Zones and is five kilometres away from the Monastery.

Selmanaj: Decan Monastery is leading wrong politics (Epoka)

Kosovo Assembly MP from the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), Rasim Selmanaj has objected the Decan Monastery’s interruption of the works on the Deacan-Plava road. He reminded Father Sava Janjic about the reached memorandum some time ago, to pave the existing road of 2.4. kilometers at the protected zone. According to Selmanaj, Decan Monastery is leading wrong policy by confronting its own and municipality’s interests. Selmanaj, who is former mayor of Decan, said that Decani Monastery is intentionally impeding the works in order for the municipality to change its position on “Apiko” and “Iliria” properties, requested by the Monastery.

Rakic is not opening the bridge, wants to renegotiate Mitrovica border (Zeri)

Despite the completion of the works on revitalistion of Mitrovica bridge, Mitrovica North mayor, Goran Rakic, has found additional work to the construction company, in order to leave the impression that works are not completed. Citizens in Mitrovica North consider that this is money laundry, while mayor of Mitrovica South, Agim Bahtiri, said his counterpart is intentionally prolonging opening of the bridge because he wants to reopen dialogue for definition of Mitrovica border. “As far as administrative borders are concerned, it is clear that there will be no dialogue on this matter. I do not believe that there are political problems to open the bridge, neither problems of other natures, while as far as the border of Mitrovica is concerned, the north cannot get a single centimeter more,” Bahtiri said.

Vucic: Serbia is ready for compromise (Zeri)

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, said that Belgrade is ready to discuss with Pristina and that it wants concrete results from these discussions. “We want results and our citizens should trust on our team which will fight for the interests of the country and all citizens. We do not know if there are going to be discussions in June, July or August, but we do not withdraw from discussions,” Vucic said. “It is not easy to discuss with us. We are ready for compromises, but the will of the other party should exist as well,” he added.

Dacic: Without internationals. Kosovo would have accepted division (Zeri)

Serbia’s Foreign Minister, Ivica Dacic, said that some Albanian representatives said that division is the best solution for Kosovo. “I continue to say that Albanians, if we sat to discuss with them without their mentors, would accept division of Kosovo, because this would have been a good solution for them as well,” Dacic said. He said that Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic, had to carry a heavy burden when it comes to finding a solution for Kosovo. “You know that it is not easy at all to discuss with internationals and convince a great deal of them to reconsider their mistakes. Many in the West do not want to accept anything else but fulfillment of Albanians’ demands. This is not possible. Nothing to Serbs and everything to Albanians. And what are these discussions then? These are ultimatums,” Dacic said.

Kosovo authorities were not aware Laban was tried in Serbia (Koha)

Kosovo Customs officials were not aware that Radomir Laban was being tried in Serbia for his role in aiding businessmen to avoid paying excise taxes. Former director of Kosovo Customs, Naim Huruglica, said despite their cooperation with UNMIK around 2012, they had no information of the existence of the so-called “Customs mafia” group.

Lluka: Serbia blocking Kosovo-Albania energy line (Koha/RFE)

Kosovo’s Minister for Economic Development, Valdrin Lluka, accused Serbian authorities of blocking energy interconnectivity between Kosovo and Albania. He said the pressure of the Kosovo government for resolving this issue has increased and that the German envoy, Klaus Toepfe, is working with the sides to find a solution. The interconnectivity line was declared completed in 2016 and cost over 75 million euros but it still not operational.