Main Stories 15October 2012

  • New Governmentby December, AAK in coalition (Kosova Sot – front page)
  • Kurti requests to overthrow Thaçi’s “regime” (dailies)
  • LDK and AAK fear elections(Express – front page)
  • Haziri: Ramush decides on coalition (Express – page 5)
  • Northern Kosovo Albanians: EULEX be fair (Zëri – page 2)
  • Jeremic: Kosovo is internal issue of Serbia (Koha Ditore – page 4)
  • Mustafa: I left KNK due to orchestrations (Koha Ditore – front page)
  • Sekiraça accuses KLA of war crimes (Koha Ditore – front page)

Kosovo Media Highlights

New Government by December, AAK in coalition (Kosova Sot – front page)

According to unidentified sources, Ramush Haradinaj’s Alliance for Future of Kosovo (AAK) will enter the Government coalition by December the latest, as The Hague Tribunal’s decision on Haradinaj is expected to be announced between 1 and 20 November.“After his release, AAK will definitely join the PDK,” said the source, adding that Alliance for New Kosovo (AKR) will continue to be part of the ruling coalition.

Kurti requests to overthrow Thaçi’s “regime” (dailies)

The head of the Vetëvendosje movement, Albin Kurti,stressed that the Government should be overthrown for Kosovo to progress forward and that his movement is re-initiating a processto overthrow the “regime.” During the sixth meeting of the General Council of the party on Sunday,Kurtiadded thatMPs from the opposition and ruling parties recognize that this Government is costing Kosovo too much ‘politically, economically and morally’.

Zëri’s “Opposition coordinating to overthrow the Government”article reports that opposition parties are considering organizing to overthrow Thaçi’s Government; LDK and AAK support Kurti’s idea.

LDK and AAK fear elections (Express – front page)

The Democratic League of Kosovo and the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, do not intend to bring down Thaçi’s Government. Despite the fact that the current Government has only 59 deputies, the opposition has signaled that they do not intend to initiate a motion to bring down the Government; Albin Kurti’s Vetëvendosje movement remains the only party engaged on this. According to an analyst from the Kosovo Institute for Political Research and Development, Ardian Arifaj,both opposition parties, LDK and AAK, fear premature elections because of unresolved issues within their parties.

Haziri: Ramush decides on coalition (Express – page 5)

Vice Chairman of theDemocratic League of KosovoLutfi Haziri said that only Ramush Haradinaj decide the future of the PDK-AAK coalition; not Blerim Shala and Ahmet Isufi. “Everything remains on Ramush Haradinaj’s head, who has also recently given an offer to LDK,” said Haziri, adding that Haradinaj is trying to help AAK save face and is trying to show that he is a political figure that knows how to keep political stability and unity.

Northern Kosovo Albanians: EULEX be fair (Zëri – page 2)

Albanian residents in northern Kosovo are dissatisfied with EULEX’s performance in the last two months; several incidents were recorded in the area involving victims of Albanian ethnicity and no subsequent arrests were made.

Representative of Kroi i Vitakut neighbourhood Nazmi Ismaili told Radio Free Europe that the EU rule of law mission has of late been working in a very “unbalanced way” by conducting search operations in Albanian homes only.

Jeremic: Kosovo is internal issue of Serbia (Koha Ditore – page 4)

“The issue of Kosovo is completely an internal issue of Serbia,” President of United Nations General Assembly Vuk Jeremictold Russia Today.“Here at the UN we look after the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the member states. Serbia is a member state while Kosovo is not and I do not expect that it will ever be.”

Mustafa: I left KNK due to orchestrations (Koha Ditore – front page)

Former deputy of the Coalition for New Kosovo Muhamet Mustafa said there was no way for him to remain in the Parliamentary Group of the Coalition for New Kosovo as that meant being part of the “orchestration of the decision of the Assembly.” He said that this is harmful for Kosovo and must be stopped. “It is interesting that while the Parliamentary Group were in discussions, they demonstrated an understanding and agreed with my arguments,”said Mustafa, “but once in the Assembly room, they behaved completely different and became part of the attempt to orchestrate every decision of the Assembly of Kosovo.”

Sekiraça accuses KLA of war crimes (Koha Ditore – front page)

In his first interview since 2004, Enver Sekiraça, who was recently arrested in connection to the murder of a Kosovo Police officer, told Jeta në Kosovënewspaper that he was in the real estate and construction business, gathered votes for certain political parties, and a victim of KLA police persecution. “I did not ask for trouble. I went out and asked for votes for LDK and I helped LDK because I believed it was the best,” said Sekiraça, also denying that he was ever officially part of the Democratic League of Kosovo.

Sekiraça also refuted claims that he collaborated with Serb police,despitethat KLA accused and detained him for this reason. “I was kept in a barn in Lllapashtica. Latif Gashi beat me with a baton,” said Sekiraça, adding that he was then released.

The interview, which was not aired by the public broadcaster, Sekiraça further denied having protected UNMIK witnesses in the case against former KLA members, Rrustem Mustafa and others.

Kosovo Press Headlines

Koha Ditore

Front page

  • Kurti asks for overthrow of Thaçi regime
  • Sekiraça accuses KLA of war crimes
  • Mustafa: I abandoned KKR because of orchestrations
  • Contract for sale of KEK distribution to be signed on Thursday

Other headlines

  • In five recent years, life in Kosovo has gotten 25 percent more expensive (4)
  • Jeremic: Kosovo is internal issue of Serbia (4)

Zëri

Front page

  • Millions of euro being laundered
  • Kurti seeks an alliance against Thaçi
  • Coordination for Government’s overthrow
  • Do not take salaries from the Kosovo budget

Other headlines

  • Northern Kosovo Albanians: EULEX be fair (2)
  • Serbia to recognize Kosovo before entering the EU (2)
  • EU doesn’t change “constitutional” phrase (2)
  • Jeremic like an eremite: Kosovo, Serbia’s issue (4)
  • Detention, alternative measure of the judiciary (5)

Kosova Sot

Front page

  • New Government in December, AAK part of coalition
  • Editorial: In hands of opposition
  • Saliuka’s Court allowed killing Diana
  • Hoxhaj: The Government has the plan for discussions ready

Other headlines

  • Albanians request from EULEX to be unbiased in the north (2)
  • Dacic blames Europe for “reduction” of Serbia (2)
  • Swoboda: Serbia should recognize Kosovo prior to EU membership (3)
  • Grubejsic: EU will not change formulation “territorial integrity of Kosovo” (3)
  • Vulin: I am in Peja, arrest me (3)
  • Kurti calls on deputies to bring down the Government (3)
  • Albania’s enthusiasm for the energy line with Kosovo (6)

Epoka e Re

Front page

  • Isa is not right wing
  • PDK calls for compliance of political parties for election reform
  • Kurti requests overthrow of Government

Other headlines

  • Grubjesic: EU does not change formulation for integrity of Kosovo (2)
  • Svoboda: Acceptance of Kosovo from Serbia should happen (2)
  • Jeremic: Kosovo, internal issue of Serbia (2)
  • Ivica Dacic. New negotiator in talks with Kosovo (3)
  • Resignation of Ahmeti, immature action (7)

Express

Front page

  • LDK and AAK fear elections
  • KPA in a blockade

Other headlines

  • Jeremic: Kosovo, internal issue of Serbia (4)
  • Haziri: Ramush decides about the coalition (5)
  • Grubjesic: Brussels does not change its formulation (5)
  • The Group of Kuleta (6)
  • Doctor testifies (7)
  • ATK in action (11)

Bota Sot

Front page

  • Serbs concerned, Belgrade under EU pressure
  • Assembly is not prosecution , but prosecutors “have work” to do also with deputies
  • Kurti: One day more with this Government, one day less for Kosovo

Other headlines

  • Brussels for a new round of talks (2)
  • Albanians in the north want EULEX to be impartial (3)
  • Resignation of Ahmeti, immature political action (7)

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.