Main Stories 1June2010

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  • Thaçi declares himself leader of fighting crime and corruption (dailies)
  • Government not implementing obligations from the strategy (Koha)
  • Opposition: Government fails once again in Mitrovica (Koha)
  • Police investigate two persons for actions during Mitrovica protest (dailies)
  • Sejdiu: Redrawing of maps, domino effect (dailies)
  • Nesrin Lushta resigns as Central Election Committee chairperson (dailies)
  • Kosovo Assembly turns down World Bank loan (Express)
  • Tirana and Belgrade clash over Kosovo (Zëri)
  • EULEX more anti-Albanian than UNMIK, continues to hide evidence of Serb crimes (Bota Sot)

Kosovo Media Highlights

Thaçi declares himself leader of fighting crime and corruption (dailies)

Dailies report that the head of the Kosovo government Hashim Thaçi has gathered on Monday the heads of rule of law institutions of rule and law and declared himself leader of the fight against crime and corruption, even though his cabinet has at least one suspected minister for involvement in the misuse of about 80 million euros.

Thaçi met State Chief Prosecutor Ismet Kabashi, Interior Minister Bajram Rexhepi and Acting Director of Kosovo Police Behar Selimi in the first such meeting since he came into power.

“We have the possibility, ability and the courage to face this evil and the facilitating, supporting and monitoring role to be played also by international authorities – EULEX” , said Thaçi. Koha Ditore reports that Thaçi’s declared war on corruption seems to imply that the battle will focus more on the actions of former governments than the present one.

Government not implementing obligations from the strategy (Koha)

Koha Ditore reports in the leading front-page story that "engagements in other areas" have made the Kosovo Government set aside obligations deriving from the strategy for the integration of the north. The paper further notes that the Government has not allocated the €4 million fund that will be used for the implementation of the strategy and has not established the working groups for the strategy. Despite all delays, the Government does not admit that it has given up on the strategy and is certain that together with the International Civilian Office it will manage to carry out the plan.

Opposition: Government fails once again in Mitrovica (Koha)

Opposition parties say holding of Serb illegal elections in Kosovo shows once again the weakness of the Kosovo Government to prevent illegal actions. AAK’s Ardian Gjini said the Thaçi-led Government was shown incapable of exercising its authority in the north because the leadership is busy trying to save itself. “Only a new Government could find solution to implement the Constitution throughout the territory of Kosovo,” Gjini said. At the same time, AKR’s Ibrahim Makolli called on local and international institutions to undertake measures so as to eliminate factors that force the people to protest. “The situation there is inherited and therefore requires caution because Serbia is interested in creating incidents in that part and justify its actions,” said Makolli.

Police investigate two persons for actions during Mitrovica protest (dailies)

Koha Ditorereports that Kosovo Police have launched investigation against two persons suspected of disturbing public order during the Sunday’s incident in the main bridge over the Ibër river in Mitrovica. The incident occurred when the Police with the help of KFOR and EULEX avoided an interethnic conflict between the protesting groups of Albanians and Serbs.

Sejdiu: Redrawing of maps, domino effect (dailies)

President Fatmir Sejdiu in a meeting with Swedish Ambassador to Macedonia Lars Freden ruled out any possibility for redrawing of Kosovo border. “Republic of Kosovo is an independent and sovereign country already recognized by 69 countries in the world so ideas for undermining Kosovo’s territorial integrity through drawing of maps are very dangerous, would have a domino effect and would not end with Kosovo but would have unforeseen consequences for the whole region,” Sejdiu said. He added that ideas for partition of Kosovo are aimed at inciting new conflicts in the region.

Nesrin Lushta resigns as Central Election Committee chairperson (dailies)

Dailies report that Nesrin Lushta, chairperson of the Central Election Committee, has submitted her resignation on Monday. The CEC issued a press release announcing that Lushta has resigned due to health reasons. "In a meeting with CEC members, Lushta informed them that she was resigning due to health reasons," read the press release. Lushta confirmed her resignation to Koha Ditore, adding that despite her health condition she would continue working as a judge in the Kosovo Supreme Court.

Kosovo Assembly turns down World Bank loan (Express)

The paper reports on the front page that the Kosovo Assembly failed to ratify a €20 million loan and grant from the World Bank for modernizing public administration and regulating the cadastre sector. Some assembly members said the loan was not favourable for Kosovo and that this was the reason why rejected it. The paper also notes that votes against from AKR, LDD and AAK did not allow the Assembly to ratify the loan.

Tirana and Belgrade clash over Kosovo (Zëri)

Zëri reports that the Defense Ministers of Serbia and Albania have clashed over the issue of Kosovo during a conference in Macedonia yesterday. The Serbian Defense Minister Drasko Jovanovic said his country would continue to strongly object Kosovo's independence, whereas his Albanian counterpart, Arben Imami, told his Serbian colleague that the independence of Kosovo is a closed chapter. "The Republic of Kosovo is reality and this should be taken into consideration," Imami added.

EULEX more anti-Albanian than UNMIK, continues to hide evidence of Serb crimes (Bota Sot)

Bota Sot carries as the leading story the second part of the interview with Josef Martinsen, Norwegian relief worker and author of two books on Kosovo. In the subheader of the interview, Martinsen is quoted as saying, “UNMIK’s position was discouraging for me, especially for the families, who lost their loved ones.”

“UNMIK had 1,300 criminal files on a list. EULEX took over these files from UNMIK. Can you believe that they relied on such information for 10 years and failed to do anything about it? EULEX then reviewed the files, reduced them and archived only 300 of them,” Martinsen said.

Kosovo Press Headlines

Koha Ditore

Front page

  • Government is not implementing obligations from the strategy
  • Opposition: Government failed again in Mitrovica
  • Police launches investigations against two people for Mitrovica incident
  • Assembly turns down World Bank loan
  • 3 Macedonian nationals attacked by Israelis in Gaza ship
  • No one supervises Bechtel-Enka

Other headlines

  • Thaçi declares himself leader of fight against crime and corruption (3)
  • CEC chairperson Nesrin Lushta resigns (4)
  • Robelli: Ship without a captain (10)

Zëri

Front page

  • Thaçi wants to fight corruption on his own
  • Sejdiu: Redrawing of maps, domino effect
  • Nesrin Lushta leaves
  • Cufaj: Letter to (former?) chief of SHIK Kadri Veseli
  • It isn’t known where Government invests €280 million from PTK

Other headlines

  • Tirana and Belgrade clash over Kosovo (2)
  • Kosovo issue to be discussed at Russia-EU Summit (2)
  • Lack of EU unity poses challenge for Kosovo (4)
  • War Veterans: Successful protest (4)

Kosova Sot

Front page

  • Kosovar consumption, 30 percent Serbian products
  • Editorial: The latest pledge
  • Assembly blocks US$ 8 million
  • We will fight corruption on our own
  • Government takes €10 million from the Airport

Other headlines

  • Illegal elections do not stop the strategy (2)
  • Ready for Sarajevo (2)
  • Sejdiu: Redrawing of maps causes new conflicts in the Balkans (4)
  • Nesrin Lushta resigns from CEC (4)
  • Tirana and Belgrade clash over Kosovo (4)

Epoka e Re

Front page

  • Thaçi: I started it
  • KLA war associations feel betrayed
  • Lushta goes

Other headlines

  • Hope for the Western Balkans (2)
  • Polemics between Tirana and Belgrade on Kosovo (2)
  • Kosovo to be discussed in Russia-EU summit (2)
  • Ivanov: We helped peace in the region by recognising Kosovo (2)
  • Sejdiu: Drawing of new maps, dangerous for the whole region (3)
  • Thaçi and Feith meet (5)
  • Opposition votes threaten a € 13 million loan (6)
  • Kosovo has serious problems in attracting foreign investment (9)

Express

Front page

  • World Bank loan refused
  • EULEX measures
  • We will fight crime ourselves

Other headlines

  • Buzhala: Intimate report 2 (2)
  • Zeka: Request for apology (3)
  • Ivanov: We helped peace in the region (4)
  • Not all in Sarajevo summit (5)
  • Partition of Kosovo, dangerous idea (5)
  • Tirana and Belgrade clash over Kosovo (6)
  • Nationalists win (6)
  • Lushta resigns (6)
  • Walker in Reçak (7)
  • Protest investigated (8)
  • EU supports population census (8)

Lajm

Front page

  • Endless road
  • Sovereignty, slogan
  • Leader of the battle
  • Kosovo “sheriffs”

Other headlines

  • Sejdiu: Drawing of new maps, domino effect for the region (2)
  • Imami and Jovanovic clash over Kosovo (2)
  • Two persons that caused incident in the bridge investigated (2)
  • Thaçi and Feith agree on fight against corruption (3)
  • Nesrin Lushta leaves CEC (3)
  • Ivanov: We helped peace in the region by recognising Kosovo (3)
  • EU supports population census (4)

Bota Sot

Front page

  • EULEX more anti-Albanian than UNMIK, continues to hide evidence of Serb crimes

Other headlines

  • Vetëvendosja did not take part in the organizing of the protest (2)
  • Prime Minister to head “task force” against organized crime (3)
  • Qehaja: Internationals to return the north! (4)
  • What after parallel elections? (5)
  • Commission for legal help with UNMIK regulations (6)

Infopress

Front page

  • Public enemy of Kosovo

Other headlines

  • Leader in the fight against crime and corruption (3)
  • Deepen of partnership with international community (3)
  • Albania – Serbia clash about Kosovo (4)
  • What after parallel elections? (4)

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.