Main Stories 27 March 2008

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  • UNMIK seeks salvation from the UN Headquarters (Koha Ditore)
  • Galluci returns to Mitrovica, Bajram Rexhepi stops cooperation (Zëri)
  • Promoter of diplomacy (Express)
  • Primakov proposes partition of Kosovo (Koha Ditore)
  • Euro parliamentarians pledge to assist Kosovo (dailies)
  • Courthouse usurpers prepare a lawsuit against UNMIK (Koha Ditore)
  • Jessen-Petersen: A failed attempt (Zëri, Express)
  • The Racist (Nacional)
  • McCain: Kosovo has strong friends in U.S. (dailies)
  • Pristina next week to be ready to negotiate with Skopje (Koha Ditore)
  • Lutfi Haziri – new chief of LDK parliamentary Group (Zëri)
  • Serb police officers still under suspension (Koha Ditore)

Kosovo Media Highlights

UNMIK seeks salvation from the UN Headquarters (Koha Ditore)

Instead of dissolution of the Serbian parallel structures that operate in Kosovo, UNMIK requested allowance from the UN Headquarters to continue to systematically watch this presence in Kosovo. Apart from the security aspect that Koha Ditore reported yesterday, UNMIK requested for help from New York Chiefs also for stopping illegal economic activities that Serbia does in Kosovo.

In UNMIK’s dossier about the Serbian parallel structures in Kosovo, this administration requested instructions whether certain actions should be taken against the economic factors in Kosovo, which have “no permission” to act within the Kosovo territory.

Galluci returns to Mitrovica, Bajram Rexhepi stops cooperation (Zëri)

The regional Mitrovica administrator, Gerard Galluci, returned yesterday to Kosovo, and after all the noise caused by his latebehavior, he will today again sit at his working desk, reports Zëri.

The man that opposed the police operation against the usurpers of the Court House in north Mitrovica left Kosovo right after, justifying his leave as a “some-days” holiday.

But Galluci returned to his duty after the United Nations Secretariat convinced him to annul his resignation offered right after the disagreements with UNMIK Deputy Chief Larry Rossin.

“As far as I know he will be back today [Wednesday] evening and will be back in Mitrovica as the Regional Administrator,” UNMIK Spokesperson Alexander Ivanko is quoted as saying.

Galluci’s case has raised tensions between the local administration and UNMIK in Mitrovica. The most disappointed about Galluci’s return in Mitrovica is Mitrovica municipal Mayor Bajram Rexhepi who stated yesterday that he has decided to cut all relations with him. Rexhepi said Galluci is “obstructing law and order.”

“If he stated everything that was also in his letter, than he is practically an obstructer of law and order and I can not expect further cooperation with him. New York can return him, but he can only deal here with himself or the Serbian community, but not with me,” Zëri quotes Mitrovica Mayor Bajram Rexhepi as saying.

In a different article,Zëri reports about Kosovo President Sejdiu’s comments about Galluci. Sejdiu informed that this is UNMIK’s competence and that UNMIK has to decide about his future steps.

“I think that UNMIK’s mandate has to be completed in the best way possible and that UNMIK is responsible for all its teams and I think that they will proceed in the best way possible with all the regulations they possess. And I don’t have an eventual approach in the investigation but in one form or another he could have clashed with UNMIK’s mandate and surely they [UNMIK] will have the right answer,” President Fatmir Sejdiu is quoted as saying.

Promoter of diplomacy (Express)

The paper reports that UN Regional Administrator for Mitrovica, Gerard Gallucci, has returned to Kosovo to resume his job. “I am happy to be back at work,” he told Express. He said he was aware of the speculations regarding him but did not want to comment on the reports. “I believe in the work we do in UNMIK. I believe in the work we do in the north. I also believe we have to continue,” he noted.

Primakov proposes partition of Kosovo (Koha Ditore)

Former Russian Prime Minister, Yevgenij Primakov, said in an interview for the Belgrade paper Vecernje Novosti that Serbs from the central and southern Kosovo should move into the north and have this part join Serbia. “Partition of Kosovo is the only way to come out of this situation,” Primakov said. He added that if partition does not happen, there will always be clashes and threat of genocide.

SLKM leader Oliver Ivanovic said Primakov’s idea is unsustainable. “I don’t think the majority of Serbs will agree to this. I cannot understand how residents of Strpce could come to live in the north, this is unimaginable,” Ivanovic is quoted.

Kosovo Prime Minister, Hashim Thaçi, rejected Primakov’s proposal. He did not even find it serious enough to consider it, the paper writes.

Euro parliamentarians pledge to assist Kosovo (dailies)

A group of Liberal Democratic Alliance EU parliamentarians headed by Graham Watson visited Kosovo yesterday and met with the Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi, President Fatmir Sejdiu and Head of Kosovo Assembly Jakup Krasniqi. “We will do everything we can to ensure support from the European Union for a successful and safe future for Kosovo,” Watson said. He said his group in the EU Parliament has always stood in support of Kosovo’s independence and added that he hoped the group can help even more in working for integration of Kosovo into international institutions.

Courthouse usurpers prepare a lawsuit against UNMIK (Koha Ditore)

The paper reports that Serb protesters that had taken over the courthouse in north Mitrovica have set up a legal team to work on preparing a lawsuit against international institutions in Kosovo. “We are collecting statements of persons that were arrested and then the legal team will draft the lawsuit,” Liljana Stevanovic, representative of Serb protesters, told Radio Kontakt Plus.

Jessen-Petersen: A failed attempt (Zëri, Express)

Former SRSG for Kosovo, Soren Jessen-Petersen in an interview for BBC said that certain groups in Belgrade and hard-line individuals in the north of Kosovo are behind the problems caused in Mitrovica recently. “What I know – based on some public statements of some political leaders in Belgrade – is that it is very likely their service was involved in Kosovo by causing many problems,” Jessen-Petersen said.

However, he said that Pristina authorities have managed the situation very well.

The Racist (Nacional)

The paper writes that former ICTY Chief-Prosecutor Carla del Ponte has published a book called Hunt – War Criminals and Me where “she has proved her insanity and hatred against Albanians and KLA.” The paper says the book is likely to cause fierce criticism in Kosovo and quotes AAK deputy leader, Ahmet Isufi, saying that the actions of del Ponte are irresponsible. “The case del Ponte, if we can speak in the softest terms, is a case that needs psychiatric treatment,” Isufi is quoted in the paper.

McCain: Kosovo has strong friends in U.S. (dailies)

Dailies report on the visit of the spouse of U.S. republican candidate’s spouse Cindy McCain to Kosovo, who is also member of the board of“The Halo Trust”organization, who together with her husband John McCain, expressed their wish to help Kosovo.

“Kosovo should be economically strong. You have lots of strong friends back in my country, and one of them is also my husband,” dailies quoted McCain as saying. During her visit to Kosovo she also met with the President of Kosovo Fatmir Sejdiu and Prime Minister of Kosovo Hashim Thaçi.

Pristina next week to be ready to negotiate with Skopje (Koha Ditore)

Members of the commission for demarcation of the border with Macedonia will consist of senior adviser of the Prime Minister, Bekim Çollaku (President), Behar Selimi from KPS, Xhafer Tahiri from the Presidency of Kosovo and two others. In this composition, a member of the civil society is not being planned, while government officials think that it is better in this case to involve experts in geodesy and those who know geography of Kosovo, the paper reads.

Lutfi Haziri – new chief of LDK parliamentary Group (Zëri)

Deputy President of LDK, Lutfi Haziri was proposed yesterday by the President of this party, for the position of the chief of LDK Parliamentary group. The decision was unanimously approved while the proposal came from the current LDK parliamentary group chief, Eqrem Kryeziu, dailies read.

Serb police officers still under suspension (Koha Ditore)

Kosovo Police Inspectorate has not yet invited for interviews the KPS Serb Police Officers who were suspended with paymentfor not respecting the KPS chain of command. Kosovo Police Inspectorate Director, Enver Rrustemaj, stated yesterday that he is working on 325 cases of Police officers that refused the KPS chain of command.

However, a former KPS Senior officer, Nuredin Ibishi, an expert on police issues, stated that UNMIK and KPS shouldn’t have immediately suspended the Serb KPS Officers. According to him KPS and UNMIK commanders should have made a practical and not a political decision, responding maybe to KPS Serb police officers request, to report only to UNMIK police.

Kosovo Press Headlines

Koha Ditore

Front page

  • UNMIK seeks salvation from UN HQ
  • KFOR: We do not send flowers to murderers
  • Yevgeni Primakov proposes partition of Kosovo
  • McCain: Kosovo has powerful friends in the USA
  • Turkey lobbies for Kosovo in the Islamic Conference
  • Aziri suspected of misusing 800,000 euros
  • Serb municipalities not touched by the law
  • Petrol Company, millions per year by public enterprises

Other headlines

  • Pristina ready for negotiations with Skopje next week (3)
  • Constitution to be approved in conformity with Ahtisaari’s Plan (4)
  • Arrest warrant issued for the deputy Sabit Rrahmani (5)
  • Turkey advances KPS intelligence and surveillances (5)
  • Euro deputies promise engagement in the liberalization of visas (6)
  • Serb police officers still under suspension (7)
  • Court house usurpers prepare a lawsuit against UNMIK (7)
  • Independent experts of the government in KTA Board (8)
  • Partition and New York (10)

Zëri

Front page

  • UNMIK paralyzed, UNMIK police and KFOR increasingly unsatisfied
  • Acda: A member that has conflict of interest cannot vote in KTA Board
  • Editorial: Serious charges and concrete actions
  • Gallucci returns to Mitrovica, Bajram Rexhepi stops cooperation with him
  • KFOR: We will not respond with flowers to protestors’ attacks
  • Primakov: Kosovo’s partition is the only solution
  • Lutfi Haziri – new head of LDK parliamentary group
  • Cindy McCain: USA is the real friend of Kosovo

Other headlines

  • Serbs held two protest meetings against Kosovo’s independence (2)
  • KPS Serb police officers with organizational scheme similar to Serbia’s police (2)
  • Ten days before Serbian action in the north there was information on Belgrade’s intentions (3)
  • Lukas Beglinger appointed Swiss Ambassador to the Republic of Kosovo (4)
  • Mejdi Bekltashi proposed for KEK Board head (5)
  • Erdogan says in Tirana that Kosovo’s independence stabilizes the Balkans (6)
  • General Camporini: Italian troops remain in Kosovo (6)
  • Serbia announces a new initiative in the UN against Kosovo (6)
  • Euro deputies support the liberalization of visas for Kosovars (7)
  • Germany has been and will remain a supportive factor for Kosovo (7)
  • Pristina Airport director, Afrim Aziri, and procurement official, Vlora Ferizi, questioned (9)

Kosova Sot

Front page

  • The names of judges and deputies that hid their wealth shed light upon
  • Editorial: Primakov’s idea
  • Soft partition of Kosovo
  • Kryeziu withdraws, Haziri head of the LDK
  • Paul Acda warns government experts

Other headlines

  • Thaçi: We will join the UN in a few years (2)
  • Kosovo will not be supplied with F16 (4)
  • Cindy McCain: Kosovo has friends in the USA (4)
  • The were MUP members in the usurped court house (4)
  • Primakov proposes the displacement of Serbs in the north (5)
  • Davoren: KFOR provides security for all (10)

Epoka e Re

Front page

  • Partition, danger for Serbs as well
  • I will not cooperate with Gallucci
  • They are to cope with the prosecutor
  • Kosovo is not “Serbia’s Taiwan”, but “Albania’s Taiwan”
  • The United Nations like the Contact Group, objects to Kosovo’s partition
  • EU to discuss Kosovo today
  • Primakov: Kosovo’s partition, the only solution

Other headlines

  • U.S. Embassy has denied Washington is sending F16 airplanes to Kosovo (2)
  • Erdogan: Independence brings stability in the Balkans (2)
  • Bulgaria to send soldiers in Kosovo (2)
  • Partos: There will be no de facto partition of Kosovo (2)
  • Petersen: I am optimistic on the success of independence (3)
  • Kostunica: We will do anything to return Kosovo to Serbia (3)
  • Serbia will demand from the International Court of Justice to declare itself on Kosovo (3)
  • Kosovo has very powerful friends in the USA (5)
  • Lutfi Haziri, the new head of the LDK parliamentary group (5)
  • Haziri suspended (11)

Express

Front page

  • Suspected of 800,000 euros
  • Against force in the north
  • Race in the airport starts

Other headlines

  • Editorial: For the mean state (2)
  • It’s Norway’s turn for recognition (3)
  • Primakov supports Kosovo’s partition (3)
  • A failed effort (4)
  • Head of the LDK parliamentary group (5)
  • Flirt with PDK (5)
  • Arrest warrant for Sabit Rrahmani (9)
Lajm

Front page

  • Fevers in KEK
  • Korean strategy to eliminate Russian veto
  • Opposition with a pale voice
  • KFOR will react
  • Contracts with “Graniti” also suspicious

Other headlines

  • My husband is a great friend of Kosovo (2)
  • Primakov: Serbs should displace in the north and join Serbia (2)
  • Support for European integration (3)
  • EU to discuss Kosovo as well (3)
  • Protests in the north of Mitrovica continues (4)
  • Serb police officers ordered not to receive salaries from Kosovo Budget (4)
  • Swiss Embassy in Kosovo to open on Friday (5)
  • Better declare yourself! (6)
  • Misini and Çitaku in KEK Board? (6)
Bota Sot

Front page

  • Kosovo has powerful friends in the USA, like my husband John McCain
  • Calmy Rey to open the Swiss Embassy in Kosovo
  • Kosovo’s membership in NATO, EU and UN - a matter of time
  • Cotard: Don’t expect KFOR to send flowers to those that attack it
  • NATO is playing a successful role in Kosovo

Other headlines

  • Kosovo should be powerful economically (2)
  • Lucas Beglinger appointed Swiss Ambassador in the Republic of Kosovo (3)
  • Erdogan: Independence brings stability in the Balkans (3)
  • Can there be new arrests?
  • Lutfi Haziri, the new head of the LDK parliamentary group (5)
  • Kosovo’s stability reflects in Eastern Kosovo as well (5)
  • KTA is looking for a new Airport director (8)
  • Kosovo’s integration in Europe – irreversible (9)
InfoPress

Front page

  • PTK’s scholarship students
  • No partition
  • Friendship with the USA
  • Kosovo towards EU
  • Acda dismisses Aziri

Other headlines

  • Swiss opens its Embassy in Pristina (2)
  • Mitrovica, between the east and the west (3)
  • Primkov’s proposal ‘oil in the fire (3)
  • There is a soft partition of Kosovo (4)
  • Lutfi Haziri, the new head of the LDK parliamentary group (4)

Belgrade Media Highlights

  • Kostunica: Responsible government to keep Kosovo within Serbia (Beta)
  • UNMIK: Hard evidence of Serbian police presence on 17 March (FoNet/Beta)
  • Investigation into statements on sale of organs of kidnapped Serbs (RTS)
  • Djelic, Vondra on Kosovo (Tanjug)
  • Sutanovac: Algiers supports Serbia’s stands on Kosovo (RTS)
  • Jeremic in Jakarta in Kosovo status (FoNet)
  • US Embassy denies the US is to send F-16 aircraft to Kosovo soon (Tanjug)
  • Kosovo – a distributive centre of narcotics (Tanjug)
  • Medicine for Serbs in central Kosovo confiscated again (Tanjug)
  • Cyprus will not recognize independence of Kosovo (Tanjug)
  • Schausberger: Independence of Kosovo big mistake of West (RTS)
  • Protests in Kosovska Mitrovica, Gracanica (RTS)
  • Lawsuit over illegal arrests on 17 March in preparation (Tanjug)

Kostunica: Responsible government to keep Kosovo within Serbia (Beta)

DSS leader Vojislav Kostunica said that the country needed a responsible, state-building and nationally aware government to keep Kosovo within Serbia. Addressing citizens in Bajina Basta, Kostunica promised that a responsible Serbian Government would continue to defend Kosovo and negotiate with the EU as an integral state after the May elections.

UNMIK: Hard evidence of Serbian police presence on 17 March (FoNet/Beta)

According to KiM Radio, UNMIK spokesman Aleksander Ivanko said that UMIK had hard evidence that officers from the Serbian Interior Ministry had been present in the Kosovska Mitrovica courthouse when the protesting justice workers had been arrested. “We have the names of these people and that is hard evidence,” Ivanko said. The UNMIK spokesman added that he did not know where the Serbian police had come from, but that a more detailed investigation of the matter would determine how they got to Kosovska Mitrovica. He said that UNMIK Regional Administrator in Kosovska Mitrovica Gerald Galluci would be returning to his post.
Meanwhile, KFOR spokesman Jean-Luc Cotard said that on 17 March, KFOR had not been dealing with protesters, but with murderers. “We are not a police force, we do not have the same rules of procedure. Don’t expect KFOR troops to start throwing flowers if they are being fired at,” Cotard said.

Investigation into statements on sale of organs of kidnapped Serbs (RTS)

The War Crime Council with the Belgrade District Court has launched an investigation into the statement of former ICTY chief prosecutor Carla del Ponte that members of the terrorist KLA sold organs of kidnapped Kosovo Serbs in 1999. The War Crime Prosecution announced it has been checking into the information that in 1999, Kosovo Albanians kidnapped more than 300 Serbs and transferred them to camps in Albania, where they killed them and used their organs for sale on the black market. In her recently published memoirs, Del Ponte said that the ICTY Prosecution was informed during the investigation into KLA crimes that the kidnapped Kosovo Serbs were victims in the operation of trafficking in human organs.

UNMIK spokesman Aleksander Ivanko rejected claims by the former ICTY spokesperson Florence Hartmann that UNMIK did not want to cooperate with former chief prosecutor Carla del Ponte in the case of the trade of organs of people who were kidnapped in Kosovo.