Jahjaga: No Division of Kosovo Or Serbia (Koha)

Main Stories 7 June 2012

Jahjaga: No division of Kosovo or Serbia (Koha)
Zbogar: Key is with the agreements (Kosova Sot)
An office in Belgrade? (Express)
Deda: Dialogue on the north in September (Express)
Administrative Office placed in Bosniak Mahalla (Koha)
KFOR: Serbs attacked the soldiers with 38 bullets (Epoka e Re)
Kosovo Intelligence Agency to do more in the north (Zëri)
Cyprus won’t change position on Kosovo even during EU Presidency (Koha)
Krasniqi: Democracy in Kosovo is fragile (Koha)
101 criteria (Epoka e Re)
Election reforms commission breaches its own decisions (Zëri)
Police uncovers criminal network that sold driving licenses (Koha)

Kosovo Media Highlights

Jahjaga: No division of Kosovo or Serbia (Koha)

Koha Ditore reports that during her visit to Zagreb, Croatia, Kosovo’s President Atifete Jahjaga said there would be no division of Kosovo or Serbia, and also no exchange of territories or populations. Jahjaga met her Croatian counterpart Ivo Josipovic, Assembly Speaker Josip Shprem and Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic. Jahjaga said it was very important for Kosovo to receive the visa liberalization roadmap and praised Kosovo’s institutions for working to meet the criteria required by the process.

Asked if Jahjaga’s visit would represent an obstacle in relations between Croatia and Serbia, Josipovic said Croatia was one of the first countries to recognize Kosovo’s independence.

“In today’s meetings we talked about relations between our two countries, the improvement of these relations, and not about Serbia. Jahjaga has visited many European countries and there is no reason for her not to be here today for a visit to Croatia,” Josipovic said. “We talked about members of the Albanian minority in Croatia and about the Croatian minority in Kosovo. I welcomed Kosovo President’s engagement to improve the conditions of the Croatian minority in Kosovo”. He also said Croatia was developing a policy of good relations with Kosovo and which supports Kosovo’s European integration path.

Zbogar: Key is with the agreements (Kosova Sot)

EU Special Representative for Kosovo Samuel Zbogar said in an interview for the paper that the Government of Kosovo should do something to address the situation in the north. “The Government has started off with the administrative office in Mitrovica and this is only one of the ways to bring services closer to citizens,” said Zbogar. He said the EU was very clear in the view that parallel security structures should be dissolved in the north. “I think that the international community, but also the EU has been clear in their positions that the parallel security structures should cease to exist. Also when we discussed the candidate status with Serbia, one of the key issues was freedom of movement. I am sure that issues that have to do with the freedom of movement and parallel structures will be important topics in discussions” added the EU representative.

He said that it is paramount for agreements reached in the Pristina-Belgrade dialogue to be implemented. “However, there are certain things Kosovo also needs to do when it comes to implementation of agreements, although I completely agree that that there are more things that need to be done by the Serbian side,” Zbogar said.

An office in Belgrade? (Express)

Express reports on the front page that the European Union has asked Serbia to allow the opening of the Kosovo Office in Belgrade and to open its own office in Pristina. According to Serbian media, this is the new condition of Brussels for Belgrade.

Meanwhile, EU officials have not confirmed these reports. Maja Kocijancic, spokeswoman for EU High Representative Catherine Ashton, told the paper that Serbian authorities are currently only asked to normalize relations with the Kosovar side.

“I cannot comment on unconfirmed reports. What I can say is that in our eyes, a priority for Serbia is to make steps toward the visible and sustainable improvement of relations with Kosovo. We expect all efforts to go toward normalizing relations between the two parties,” Kocijancic said.

Deda: Dialogue on the north in September (Express)

Express quotes Ilir Deda, chairman of the Pristina-based KIPRED research institute, as saying that both Pristina and Belgrade are preparing for a political dialogue which is expected to start in autumn and focused on the issue of northern Kosovo. Deda, a former advisor to Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga, said neither Cooper, nor Tahiri or Stefanovic, are expected to be part of this dialogue.

“All developments in Belgrade and Pristina are aimed at starting a dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia on northern Kosovo and for a more advanced status and additional rights for northern Kosovo as part of Kosovo,” Deda said. “The international community doesn’t want to take on a role in the north and wants to close this issue through a political dialogue on the north which will begin in autumn between Pristina and Belgrade”. He also argued that the start of political dialogue would be a huge mistake by the Kosovar side “because a special status is being foreseen for the north”.

Administrative Office placed in Bosniak Mahalla (Koha)

Koha Ditore reports that over 700 hundred residents in the north do not have a problem with the state of Kosovo. 500 residents of the north have applied for different positions in the administrative office which will perform functions of a new municipality in northern Mitrovica.

Starting on Thursday, the Kosovo Government and the International Civilian Office will start selecting officials from the applications received and it is expected that in one month the new municipality, which will work in the framework of Kosovo Government, will become operational. By that time, the Kosovo Government, in coordination with the ICO, will appoint the head of the office. Sources told the paper there are several candidates for the post which will have equal competencies to all mayors in Kosovo municipalities and additional competencies which the Ahtisaari Plan foresees for the northern municipality. The same sources said Adriana Hodzic, former head of the team who for many years worked in preparing the new municipality, is one of the top candidates for the job.

Sources also told the paper that the premises of the office will be located in Bosnjacka Mahalla, a neighborhood in northern Mitrovica that is inhabited also by Albanians. Computers, offices and all other logistic equipments are ready.

The plan is for the selected officials to lead the new municipality for several months and the Kosovo Government and its international partners expect that local elections will be held in the meantime.

KFOR: Serbs attacked the soldiers with 38 bullets (Epoka e Re)

The KFOR Spokesperson, Uwe Nowitzki, said on Wednesday that KFOR forces have used on Friday in village Rudare. Close to Zvecan, combative ammunition on self-defense, since they were attacked by Serbs with firearms. KFOR representatives showed during their press conference in Maxhunaj, Vushtrri municipality, the damaged vehicles and army equipment, last Friday. That day, two KFOR soldiers were hit by bullets, one of them seriously, while 19 soldiers have received slighter injuries, mainly from stones, “We are dealing with a massive attack on German and American soldiers. These attacks happened during one hour. The attacks were accompanied by massive throwing of stones on the direction of KFOR soldiers,” said Nowitzki.

Kosovo Intelligence Agency to do more in the north (Zëri)

Though the Kosovo Intelligence Agency (KIA) is said to have a presence in the north of Kosovo, Assembly’s commission on KIA’s supervision said there is room for this mechanism to do more in the north and gather security-related information. Chairman of the commission Florin Krasniqi said the Agency has extended its network in the north but that there is always room to do even more.

With regards to the law on telephone tapping where the Government insists KIA has full control, Krasniqi categorically opposed the possibility although he said that the draft law has not yet reached the commission and when it does, “we will give our opinions”.

Cyprus won’t change position on Kosovo even during EU Presidency (Koha)

Koha Ditore reports that the Republic of Cyprus, which will take over the chairmanship of the European Union, said on Wednesday in Brussels that it will not change its position as far as refusing Kosovo’s independence is concerned. Cyprus said it would continue to promote contacts in economic and social areas between Brussels and Pristina. Ambassador Kornelios Korneliou, permanent representative of Cyprus at the European Union, told this to reporters in Brussels. “W uphold the same position as the other four member states of the EU, but we will promote social-economic cooperation between Pristina and Brussels and this will not impact our agenda for the EU chairmanship and also relations between Belgrade and Pristina,” he was quoted as saying.

Krasniqi: Democracy in Kosovo is fragile (Koha)

Koha Ditore reports that Kosovo Assembly Speaker Jakup Krasniqi has found a “qualitative surname” for democracy in Kosovo. “Fragile” is the term that Krasniqi used to describe democracy during an open lecture at AAB University in Pristina on the topic “Democracy in Kosovo”. Where he classified the Kosovar democracy as fragile, Krasniqi elaborated the way how elections are held in Kosovo, which according to him in every country expresses the ABC of the democracy. “Free elections must be secret, rightful and transparent. Elections are the ABC of democracy. There where are no rightful, free and secret elections, democracy is fragile,” he added.

101 criteria (Epoka e Re)

Epoka e Re quotes Kosovo’s Interior Affairs Minister Bajram Rexhepi as saying that the visa liberalization roadmap will be very challenging for Kosovo’s institutions and that it contains 101 technical criteria. “Most criteria have been met. It is time for the fight against corruption and organized crime to produce results, and all technical criteria are expected to be met by the end of this year. The northern part of Kosovo will not present an obstacle for the removal of the visa regime. The opposition and civil society should help in this process,” Rexhepi was quoted as saying.

Election reforms commission breaches its own decisions (Zëri)

Assembly’s commission on election reform will once again reconsider the decision to have the Election Complaints and Appeals Panel (ECAP) report to Kosovo Assembly as the ECAP has opposed the idea and has complained to the international community in Kosovo. The paper says that following the subsequent pressure from the international officials, the decision is now set to be reviewed while the chairman of the commission Haki Demolli said they did not face any international pressure.

“Judges in the ECAP have nothing to do with the Kosovo Assembly. We get appointed by the president of the Supreme Court and we are accountable to him,” said head of ECAP Shukri Sylejmani.

Police uncovers criminal network that sold driving licenses (Koha)

Koha Ditore reports on the front page that a wide network of officials with connections to the Ministry of Infrastructure has sold driving licenses to thousands of people for €500 each. Kosovo Police launched investigations that helped reveal the network and evidence has now been submitted to the Special Prosecution.

Sources from the police told the paper that among the suspects are Infrastructure Minister Fehmi Mujota, former secretary Skender Gashi, coordinator of the unit for driving licenses Burim Deliu, Mujota’s brother-in-law Armend Ademi who owns a printing company and several other coordinators.

“This criminal has been operating since the end of the war when they started issuing driving licenses. It still operates although it is now known what has happened,” a source from the Special Prosecution of Kosovo told the paper.

Kosovo Press Headlines

Koha Ditore

Front page

Criminal network that sold driving licenses revealed
Jahjaga: There is no partition of Kosovo or Serbia
Cyprus will not change view on Kosovo during EU presidency
Assembly keeps expenses of spies secret

Other headlines

Administrative office for north Mitrovica to be based in Bosniak Mahalla (2)
Thaçi met president of Japan’s organization for foreign trade (3)
Krasniqi: Democracy in Kosovo is fragile (4)
EU asks for opening of Kosovo’s office in Belgrade (4)
Parties want election system that suits them not the citizens (5)
Students voted for better conditions at the University (6)
Insults and swearing in the court session between Geci and the accused (7)
Pensioners like the solution proposed by Vetëvendosje (9)

Zëri

Front page

“Weak” strategy of recognitions
Commission breaches own decision
KIA to do more in the north
Krasniqi: Kosovo has a problem with rule of law
UP paralyzed
Initiative for strike in Dubrava prison fails

Other headlines

Serbs of the north to meet Nikolic today (2)
Diaspora reacts against burning of Albanian flag (2)
Croatian leadership gives support to Jahjaga (4)
Thaçi begins visit to Japan (4)
EU: Kosovo to open diplomatic office in Belgrade (4)
The court fines Mimoza Kusari-Lila’s associates (7)

Kosova Sot

Front page

Key is with the agreements
Geci: Bllaca told me he took part in 17 acts of crime
FH: Kosovo with deep regress in elections
Kelmendi misuses the Assembly for business
Editorial: Stagnation

Other headlines

ECAP complains (2)
Jahjaga calls on Serbs to leave aside parallel structures (2)
Thaçi invites Japanese to invest in Kosovo (4)
KIA functions in the north too (4)
EU asks Serbia and Kosovo to open office (4)
Corruption threatens economic stability (6)

Epoka e Re

Front page

101 criteria
Thaçi invites Japanese investors to Kosovo
Serbs in the north welcome the Administrative Office
The borders cannot be touched

Other headlines

Opening of Kosovo office in Belgrade should be allowed (2)
Nikolic to meet today Serbs from the north (2)
KFOR: Serbs have attacked the soldiers with 38 bullets (2)
Strengthen state relations (3)
Ukë Rugova and Ali Ahmeti support NANO for a president (3)
Minorities can block the reserved seats (5)
Demolli: There is no international pressure on election reform (6)
AI is doing its job in the north (7)

Express

Front page

Office in Belgrade?
Swear at the court
Trade union against workers
The students spoke

Other headlines

Shkullaku: Waiting for a president (2)
Sulstarova: National unification and European integration (3)
Nikolic today in the north of Kosovo (4)
Assembly can decide on election zones (5)
For the north, in September (5)
Messages from Zagreb (6)
430 Serbs apply for 55 positions at the Administrative Office in the north (6)
KFOR finds major amount of armament (7)

Bota Sot

Front page

Everything depends how it is agreed between Hashim Thaçi and Isa Mustafa
Serbs have attacked KFOR soldiers with 38 bullets
Albanian community in Croatia connecting bridge for Kosovo and Croatia

Other headlines

Nikolic meets with the heads of illegal municipalities in the north of Mitrovica (2)
Freedom House: Kosovo is improved in judiciary and local governance (3)
According to the map of Republic of Kosovo, Kucishte belongs to Montenegro (4)

Corruption in Kosovo worse than “gangrene” (6)
Thaçi to Japanese: Come and invest in Kosovo (7)
The prisoners of Dubrava jail enter hunger strike (10)

Disclaimer

This media summary consists of selected local media articles for the information of UN personnel. The public distribution of this media summary is a courtesy service extended by UNMIK on the understanding that the choice of articles translated is exclusive, and the contents do not represent anything other than a selection of articles likely to be of interest to a United Nations readership. The inclusion of articles in this summary does not imply endorsement by UNMIK.