Main Stories 29July 2009

______

  • EULEX: We are not like UNMIK (Koha Ditore)
  • Krasniqi: Decentralization, after elections (Express, Zëri)
  • ICO does not see withdrawal of government from decentralization (Koha)
  • Hyseni: Kosovo status issue is concluded (dailies)
  • Belgrade betrayed us (dailies)
  • Trajkovic: Everyone against decentralization (Zëri)
  • Kosovo Albanian, among accused for planning violent Jihad (dailies)
  • CEC, MIA start cleaning election lists, opposition fears manipulation (Zëri)
  • IMF has conditions too (Express)
  • Daci: Kosova e Re more dangerous than Milosevic’s fascism (Zëri)
  • The Cold War between LDK and LDD (Express)
  • An Albanian youth attacked in Mitrovica North (Epoka e Re)

Kosovo Media Highlights

EULEX: We are not like UNMIK (Koha Ditore)

Koha Ditorequotes in the leading front-page story EULEX officials as saying that the mandate of the mission is to support Kosovo institutions in building an efficient rule of law system and that as such EULEX has both a different mandate and a different approach from UNMIK.

EULEX officials said they deeply disagree with the conclusions of the latest analysis of the German foundation Friedrich Ebert Schtiftung, where EULEX is described as a copy of UNMIK.

“The essence of EULEX’s mandate is to monitor, guide and advise the institutions of Kosovo, supporting them in building a proper rule of law system. Kosovo’s institutions have the main responsibility, they are behind the wheel, and EULEX is here to support them in their work. This in fact is a completely different policy,” said EULEX spokeswoman Karin Limdal.

Memli Krasniqi, spokesman for the Kosovo Government, said Kosovo’s institutions respect the right of every foundation and organization to conduct researches, but does not agree in all cases with the conclusions. He said that the FES conclusion that Kosovo is an unfinished state does not stand. “Kosovo has challenges and these challenges are different from those of other countries in the region. But Kosovo’s success is undeniable,” Krasniqi added.

Krasniqi: Decentralization, after elections (Express, Zëri)

Members of Kosovo Assembly consider that there can be no decentralization process without participation in elections, especially with regards to the creation predominantly Serb municipalities. President of Assembly Jakup Krasniqi is quoted as saying that Serbs should take part in the local elections to show they are part of a certain municipality in Kosovo. “Without their participation in elections, we will not know what their numbers are, what are their demands,” said Krasniqi.

Head of LDK parliamentary group Lutfi Haziri said decentralization process should not only be linked to the Serb community. The biggest challenge in the process, according to Haziri, is the north of Kosovo where not only decentralization but all other processes are challenged.

ICO does not see withdrawal of government from decentralization (Koha)

Koha Ditorequotes ICO officials as saying that the ICO has not been officially informed about any condition from the KosovoGovernment for continuing the implementation of decentralization process.

“No condition about the decentralization process has been communicated to the ICO. Clearly, a single decentralization process for all of Kosovo is very important and we see the creation of the new municipality of Mitrovica North as the best way forward in northern part of Kosovo,” said Kai Mueller-Berner.

Two days ago, the Government of Kosovo confirmed that in order to continue with decentralization, respectively with the creation of six Serb municipalities in Kosovo, firstly, the Serb community has to take part in the first local elections of the Republic of Kosovo scheduled for November 15thand secondly this process must continue in north Mitrovica.

Commenting on the issue, Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuçi said on Monday, “We are interested in respecting President Ahtisaari’s document, but we have 2 preliminary conditions: the first condition is that the decentralization process to be connected with the full conformity that we will have the participation of the Serbs in the elections, because we will not create municipalities which will be led by the Serb parallel structures, and the second one that the decentralization process to be balanced also in the north of Kosovo.”

Hyseni: Kosovo status issue is concluded (dailies)

Dailiesreport that Kosovo’s Foreign Minister Skënder Hyseni said in an interview for BBC that Kosovo’s status issue is concluded and intentions to reopen negotiations on this issue are a lost mission.

Hyseni said that it would have been very good if Serbia recognized the Republic of Kosovo as an independent and sovereign state, because, according to him this would also be a major interest of Serbia.

“We would of course welcome recognition of Kosovo’s independence by Serbia. However, pretension for initiation of a new negotiating process, is impossible. Kosovo would never accept any negotiation regarding its status,” said Hyseni.

Belgrade betrayed us (dailies)

Dailies report that members of the Assembly of Serb Municipalities in Kosovo described politics of Serbian Government as betraying. “Serbia’s current Government is trying to destroy everything that Serb population in Kosovo managed to achieve during the ten years of unequal war,” say conclusions of yesterday’s meeting held in northern Mitrovica. During the debate, members of this Assembly said that Kosovo Serbs ‘were sacrificed due to liberalization of visas and allegedly, for a better life in Serbia.

They accused President Tadic for violation of Constitution, and the Government in Belgrade for organizing a campaign against Serb leaders in Kosovo, and in this context, also against Milan Ivanovic.

Trajkovic: Everyone against decentralization (Zëri)

Zëri reports that vice president of the Serb National Council, Rada Trajkovic said in an interview for Radio Free Europe that she does not see a good will for implementation of decentralization neither in Pristina, nor Belgrade nor among the international community.

“I consider that Pieter Feith’s office withdrew too soon from this process, at the very moment when Serbs from Kosovo were completely interested, and showed that they are ready to consider the project,” she said.

Kosovo Albanian, among accused for planning violent Jihad (dailies)

Koha Ditore reports that one Kosovo Albanian has been arrested together with six other Americans on accusations for terrorist conspiracy, on Monday in North Carolina; this has been reported from the American media. Hysen Sherifi, 24 years old, born in Kosovo and with the permanent permission in the USA, is one of the 7 arrested, from which only he is not an American citizen. Koha Ditore reports that from unofficial sources and still not confirmed found out that Hysen Sherifi is from the Gjilan area.

CEC, MIA start cleaning election lists, opposition fears manipulation (Zëri)

Zëri reports on the front page that the Central Election Committee and the Ministry of Interior Affairs signed on Tuesday a memorandum of cooperation for cleaning election lists. Meanwhile, opposition parties fear that this process could be intended to manipulate the election lists.

Avni Arifi, member of the chairmanship of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), told Zëri that his party fears the manipulation of election lists, “because election lists could have been cleaned for a year now, instead of leaving this for several months before the elections. This is one of the ways to manipulate with election lists.”

IMF has conditions too (Express)

The paper writes that the membership of Kosovo to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) also carries some responsibilities that the country has to meet. The first challenges, according to the paper, will be the population census and eradication of informal economy. Economy experts said Kosovo is not even near meeting the IMF criteria.

Daci: “Kosova e Re” more dangerous than Milosevic’s fascism (Zëri)

The paper quotes LDD leader Nexhat Daci as saying that the project of Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi and the Government of Kosovo to build the “Kosova e Re” power plant is more dangerous than the fascist invasion of Kosovo by former Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic.

Daci said that scientific conclusions show that “Kosova e Re” and the utilization of Kosovo’s natural resources is more dangerous than Milosevic’s fascism. “Capital has its own interests and no one cares about the lives of 2 million residents of Kosovo,” he added.

The Cold War between LDK and LDD (Express)

Express reports on the front page on the latest developments in LDK and LDD after the resignation of LDD deputy leader Berim Ramosaj. The paper notes that the LDK has invited Ramosaj to join them and quotes senior LDK official Eqrem Kryeziu as saying that LDD officials are longing for the LDK.

On the other hand, LDD leader Nexhat Daci ruled out the unification of the two parties and said that Ramosaj was not part of the actions to establish the LDD. Daci however did not rule out cooperation with the LDK in various municipalities in Kosovo.

One Albanian youth attacked in the north Mitrovica (Epoka e Re)

The paper reports that three unidentified persons physically assaulted an Albanian youth in the northern Mitrovica early Tuesday. The victim told the police that the assaulters had first insulted him on ethnic basis and then started hitting him. Kosovo Police Spokesperson for Mitrovica Besim Hoti said the police in cooperation with prosecution have started investigations into the incident.

Kosovo Press Headlines

Koha Ditore

Front page

  • EULEX: We are not like UNMIK
  • ICO doesn’t see the Government backing down from decentralization
  • Jakup Krasniqi has no information about staff without contracts
  • Private drug stores sell Tamiflu without prescription
  • Foreign Policy Club brings an Arab delegation to Kosovo
  • Macedonia extradites Mehmet Ukshini to Kosovo
  • Kosovar Albanian among those accused of planning “violent jihad”

Other headlines

  • Highway as soon as possible, but exact date is not known (7)
  • Matoshi: The trauma of division and the concern of unification (10)

Zëri

Front page

  • CEC and MIA start cleaning election lists, opposition fears manipulation
  • Growing gap between LDK and LDD
  • Serb boycott endangers creation of new municipalities
  • Hyseni: Issue of Kosovo’s status is closed
  • No new cases of Swine flu
  • Kosovar Albanian, Hyseni Sherifi, among 7 arrested for terrorism in the U.S.

Other headlines

  • Healthcare unionists abandon idea of protesting (3)
  • Daci: “Kosova e Re” power plant more dangerous than Milosevic’s fascism (5)
  • Ombudsperson seeks meeting with Serb counterpart on issue of missing (5)

Kosova Sot

Front page

  • Lists, difficult to be cleaned up
  • Ministry of Agriculture, sea of financial misuses
  • Ramosaj to replace Shatri
  • USA, 1 Kosovar among 7 accused of terrorism
  • Editorial: Decentralisation, ‘conditioning’ and government’s legitimacy

Other headlines

  • Study: Kosovo a ‘social bomb’ (2)
  • Kurteshi: I will meet with Serbia’s Ombudsperson (2)
  • Serb minority ‘conditioned’ (3)
  • Kosovo Serbs accuse Belgrade (4)
  • Hyseni: Kosovo accepts dialogue with Belgrade (5)
  • 200 files in EULEX (5)
  • The nine year-old being treated at home (8)

Epoka e Re

Front page

  • Salihaj: Spoiled Berim
  • Kosovar arrested for terrorism stayed in Kosovo too
  • Kosovo Serbs accuse Belgrade
  • No more cases of swine flu

Other headlines

  • Hyseni: Kosovo status, closed issue (2)
  • Ivanovic: For decentralisation in Kosovo, as of September (2)
  • TRA members to be elected in the first autumn session (3)
  • Gen Jones promises to relax tensions in the borderline (4)
  • One Albanian youth attacked in north Mitrovica (5)
  • Patient with H1N1 virus being treated at home (7)

Lajm

Front page

  • Numerous stagnations
  • Hyseni: Serbia’s vain blackmails
  • 17 million euros investments
  • No Tami flu without prescription

Other headlines

  • Krasniqi: Serbs should participate in elections in order to achieve the rights that belong to them (2)
  • Parliamentarians from Egypt, Jordan and Iraq, in Kosovo (3)
  • The missing, a concern and priority of Ombudsperson (5)
  • A Kosovar arrested for terrorism (8)

Express

Front page

  • The cold war
  • Thaçi: The unsaid of my life
  • Fighting of the flu with 23 thousand doses
  • Limani: Don Ramosaj
  • The rebel from Kosovo

Other headlines

  • Selimi: Ms. Lushta, do not go on holiday (2)
  • Kryeziu: Return home (4)
  • Belgrade deceived us (5)
  • Jovanovic: Belgrade’s inhuman appeal (5)
  • Decentralization after elections (5)
  • IMF has conditions as well (10)
Bota Sot

Front page

  • Police ask at the border: Do you have swine flu?

Other headlines

  • They were planning terrorist attacks also in Kosovo (2)
  • Elections protected by the police (3)
  • Hyseni: Status – closed issue (4)
  • Teki Dervishi: Nothing new in the west (5)
  • Krasniqi: Constitution and the laws in force to be respected (7)
InfoPress

Front page

  • Bad image of Albania
  • No cuts in Administration

Other headlines

  • EU answers in September (2)
  • Belgrade betrayed as (2)
  • Independence not to be renegotiated (3)
  • Priority participation in elections (5)
  • Demands for water growing (6)
  • Police, sick (7)
  • FBI arrests one Albanian for terrorism (7)

Belgrade Media Highlights28 July

  • Strpce To Sign Collective Agreement with KEK
  • EULEX asked to solve electricity problem
  • Lloveras: EC To make feasibility study for Kosovo
  • Bildt: Postponing of Admission of Balkan CountriesTakes on Risk
  • SNV Meets Opposition
  • EULEX Court Commences Trial to Predrag Djordjevic

Strpce To Sign Collective Agreement with KEK

A six-member delegation was appointed at an extraordinary session of the StrpceMunicipality that will sign, on behalf of the inhabitants of the Sirinicka Zupa, a collective contract with the representatives of the Kosovo Energy Corporation (KEK). Strpce Municipality President Zvonko Mihajlovic told Tanjug that the collective contract represents a pre-contract for individual contracts with KEK on electricity repayment. Mihajlovic pointed that the deputies didn’t bring a decision on handing over the jurisdiction of the substation in Strpce to KEK employees because at issue are premises that are owned by the Serbian Power Industry (EPS). “One of the conclusions at the session was that KEK could send mobile teams to this municipality and they would be able to collect payments for the used electricity,” said Mihajlovic.

EULEX asked to solve electricity problem

Serbian State Secretary with the Ministry for Kosovo Zvonko Stevic told Tanjug that EULEX representatives are the most responsible that Strpce inhabitants are living without electricity. “We are asking the international community and EULEX to do everything so the households in the Strpce municipality receive electricity, and then for talks to continue so the problem would be resolved,” said Stevic.

Lloveras: EC To make feasibility study for Kosovo

The European Commission (EC) will make a feasibility study for Kosovo that should be completed in the fall, outgoing Head of the EC Delegation to Serbia Josep Lloveras has announced. “Kosovo has a future in Europe, as has the entire region. The study has nothing to do with the status, only with the fact that we don’t want “black holes” in the region,” Lloveras told TVB92.

Bildt: Postponing of Admission of Balkan CountriesTakes on Risk

“Iceland’s candidacy has nothing to do with the Western Balkans. We need to keep up the progress in all aspects of the European integrations of Serbia, Montenegro and FYROM,” the Chairman of the EU Council of Ministers Carl Bildt said. He assessed that postponing the admission of these countries would lead to an increase of nationalism in this region that started to develop democratically, Vecernje Novosti writes.

SNV Meets Opposition

The representatives of the Serb National Council (SNV) for northern Kosovo had separate meetings in Belgrade with the representatives of the opposition parties and informed them that the state-of-affairs in Kosovo has never been worse, Blic writes. They talked with the leaders of the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) Vojislav Kostunica and the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) Tomislav Nikolic, and the vice president of the Serbian Radical Party (SRS) Gordana Pop-Lazic.

EULEX Court Commences Trial to Predrag Djordjevic

The trial to Predrag Djordjevic, charged with terrorism, murder attempt and causing of racial, religious and national intolerance, commenced today at the District Court in Kosovska Mitrovica before the EULEX Prosecution Chamber, Radio Free Europe reports. The Special Prosecutor of Kosovo Isabel Arnal of France represents the indictment. Djordjevic was arrested on 14 June 2008 after he shot and wounded one policeman in front of a police station in southern Kosovska Mitrovica.

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.