Drews: If necessary KFOR will close alternate roads

• Drews: If necessary KFOR will close alternate roads (Koha Ditore)
• Jahjaga: Serbian elections undermine Kosovo’s sovereignty (Epoka e Re)
• Open smuggling of Veselinovic family (Koha Ditore)
• EULEX accepts that there are difficulties in the north (Koha Ditore)
• Jahjaga considering sending back disputed legislation (Koha Ditore)
• Stop terrorism in the north (dailies)
• End of independence’s supervision in September (dailies)
• Kurti and Zbogar talk about the north (dailies)
• Pacolli yields to Thaçi (Zëri)

Kosovo Media Highlights

Drews: If necessary KFOR will close alternate roads (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore reports that KFOR Commander Erhard Drews said if the alternate roads are deemed to be endangering security in Kosovo then KFOR will close all of them. After a meeting he had with the mayor of Podujevo municipality, Agim Veliu, Drews said: “KFOR may see closing all alternate roads reasonable if they endanger security. If a KFOR evaluation deems that those roads are endangering security, then, of course, KFOR will close them. Of course the situation will become tenser is if those roads are used by Serbian politicians, who can cause tension between the citizens in the north.” Zëri under the headline This week KFOR will be increased with 700 troops, writes that KFOR Commander Erhard Drews, stated on Tuesday that a reserve NATO battalion will arrive by the end of this week. This battalion will be placed mainly in north of Kosovo.

Jahjaga: Serbian elections undermine Kosovo’s sovereignty (Epoka e Re)
President of Kosovo Atifete Jahjaga said in a meeting with ICO chief Pieter Feith that Serbian local elections or any other elections in Kosovo cannot and will not be organized on the territory of Kosovo because this breaches the country’s sovereignty and strongly challenges territorial integrity. The move would also, according to Jahjaga, provoke interethnic tensions.
Open smuggling of Veselinovic family (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore reports that a large part of the oil, medicines, grain, drugs and weapons market in Kosovo is covered by Zvonko Veselinovic. The majority of his consumers are Albanians. Zvonko and his group earn millions of Euros on the black market while the Kosovo budget looses millions as a result. Between 2009 and 2010 alone he brought in more than 3 million Euros worth of oil. Throughout this time he has managed to avoid justice thanks to good relations with Kosovar policemen and judges.

Through an investigation into crime in the north Koha Ditore obtained official files of the Kosovo police, EULEX police and customs and prosecution which describe the criminal activities in the north of Kosovo. Zvonko Veselinovic arrested in December last year in Serbia, together with his brother Zharko controls everything in that part. According to the files, he works under the knowing eye of EULEX and Kosovo police. In a few cases where an attempt was made for his arrest, he received support from rule of law officials. For example, the Kosovo police station commander in the north, Milija Milosevic, Albanian prosecutors and other friends. The smuggling has been done in front of EULEX customs officers. They have recorded entries of trucks in the border points 1 and 31, but they have never collected taxes. Failure to act has also been concluded from EULEX police and prosecution.

EULEX accepts that there are difficulties in the north (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore reports that EULEX mission officials don’t want to comment on the statements of NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, but they accept difficulties to implement the mission’s mandate in the north. “EULEX is facing difficult circumstances in the north. It is using every possibility to implement its mandate”, said Spokeswoman of this mission, Francoise Lambert. The statements by the NATO Secretary General are the culmination in months of complaints by KFOR and other international representatives for this mission.

The EU has approved a strategic review of EULEX based on a analysis made by a group of experts, which is being discussed from member states. It is expected to start the implementation of the new mandate in June. It goes until 2014. While commenting on the reactions of his chief, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, KFOR Commander Erhard Drews said that he would like EULEX to have more opportunities. “You have to understand Rasmussen did not complain of lack of coordination. He complained about the capacities of EULEX and I have to admit that the more powerful my partner the happier I am. I want to say that we have good cooperation with EULEX and we don’t have any complain about them”, said Drews.

Jahjaga considering sending back disputed legislation (Koha Ditore)
The paper reports that Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga is reviewing three laws passed recently by the Assembly which are being criticized by civil society as anti-constitutional and discriminatory. The laws in question include that on banks and micro-financial institutions, on Prizren’s historic centre and on Hoça e Madhe as well as the penal code referring to the media. Jahjaga’s spokesperson Arbër Vllahiu said all the above laws, except the penal code which hasn’t reached Jahjaga’s office yet, are being reviewed by the legal office. “The Constitution of Kosovo clearly specifies when and how a law can be sent back to the Assembly of Kosovo,” said Vllahiu.

Koha Ditore notes that if the president doesn’t take any decision on the laws within eight days, they will automatically enter into force. If Jahjaga doesn’t send the laws back to the Assembly, civil society could address the issues at the Constitutional Court through the Ombudsperson, explains the paper.

Stop terrorism in the north (dailies)
A few hundred citizens are reported to have joined the protest against terrorism in the north of Kosovo staged in downtown Pristina yesterday. Protesters condemned the recent incidents in north Mitrovica and criticized Kosovo institutions for failing to act in the north. Co-organiser of the protest, Nexhmedin Spahiu, said it is time for a joint action of all mechanisms to improve the situation in the north.

End of independence’s supervision in September (dailies)
The Assembly commission on the amendment of the Constitution assumed on Tuesday its third mandate during which it will exclusively tackle the review of constitutional acts necessary for the end of independence’s supervision. Chair of the commission Arsim Bajrami said he was optimistic that the process will be concluded by 10 September and that from that date on, Kosovo will enjoy full independence. Bajrami said there is close coordination with ICO, International Steering Group, the Kosovo Government and political parties to make sure Kosovo implements all provisions that derive from the Ahtisaari status proposal.

Kurti and Zbogar talk about the north (dailies)
At the request of the Vetëvendosje Movement, on Tuesday, a meeting between the representatives of this movement and the Head of EU office in Kosovo, Samuel Zbogar was held. On this occasion the Head of Vetëvendosje, Albin Kurti, expressed unhappiness with the soft and inadequate reaction of Zbogar for the killing of Selver Haradinaj in north of Mitrovica. In the announcement of Vetëvendosje Kurti raised his concern in connection with situation in Mitrovica, especially after the killing of Selver Haradinaj through a terrorist act and continuous attacks of Serbia there. It says that Zbogar expressed his concerns about the issue of Mitrovica, while asking about the possibilities, which according to the Vetëvendosje Movement, would help in the changing of the present situation in Mitrovica.

Pacolli yields to Thaçi (Zëri)
According to the paper, the AKR leader and Deputy Prime Minister Behgjet Pacolli seems to have given up his demand for leading another ministry in the government of Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi. AKR had several times threatened to leave the ruling coalition if it doesn’t get another ministry but it seems the issue has been closed. AKR officials confirmed Pacolli’s giving up the request but said this came as a result of an agreement between AKR and PDK leaders. According to an unnamed AKR official, the ministerial post has been exchanged for various diplomatic and executive positions.

Kosovo Press Headlines

Koha Ditore

Front page
• Open smuggling of Veselinovic family
• President considering sending back disputed laws
• “Full independence”, in September of this year
• EULEX admits it has difficulties in the north

Other headlines
• Drews: If necessary, KFOR will close alternative routes in the north (2)
• Kurti and Zbogar discuss the north (2)
• Arsic and Zivic released from detention (2)
• Parties ask for votes of businesses and villagers (5)
• Commission with expired mandate, seeks another one (6)
• Highways on both sides of the border to ‘join’ by the end of May (6)
• Government’s gift to AUK, €3.4 million (7)
• US army ship arrives in Durrës port (7)
• Minimum salary in Kosovo remains the same (8)
• Wienen: Elite not to employ only relatives (9)

Zëri

Front page
• Pacolli yields to Thaçi
• Stop terrorism in the north
• Prosecution in Haradinaj’s case ends with witnesses
• Prizren citizens unhappy, rest hopes with Jahjaga

Other headlines
• Another 700 troops to join KFOR this week (2)
• Jahjaga against Serbian elections (2)
• Government announces investments in north Mitrovica (2)
• Representation of Kosovo Police, unacceptable (2)
• Journalists complain to the President (4)
• Kurti, unhappy with Zbogar’s soft reaction on the north (4)
• September, end of supervision (5)
• Rexhepi with a failed plan (5)

Kosova Sot

Front page
• “Lesna” builds without permit and did not pay rent!
• Interior Ministry helped illegal privatisation of “Amortizatorët”
• Head of Pristina District Court towards resignation
• SEEMO asks Jahjaga not to sign the code
• Huruglica and Rafuna: CEFTA doesn’t permit boundaries for goods
• Editorial: A destroying adventure

Other headlines
• Commission requests additional mandate (2)
• Kurti criticizes Zbogar for soft reaction against Haradinaj’s murder (2)
• Full independence in September (3)
• USA supports empowerment of KSF (4)
• Jahjaga: Serbia’s local elections will not be allowed in Kosovo (4)
• Protest against terrorism and institutional negligence (4)
• Deployment of US fleet not linked to tensions in the region (4)
• Anti-corruption agency sends 261 officials to court (4)
• Second day of election campaign in Ferizaj (10)

Epoka e Re

Front page
• Convinced of victory
• 700 more soldiers are coming
• Fully independent in September
• USA support KSF towards NATO

Other headlines
• Finland continues support for Kosovo (2)
• Jahjaga: Serb elections violate sovergenity of Kosovo (3)
• They protest while performing music (6)
• They want additional mandate for the election reform (7)
• Croatians want to invest (9)

Express

Front page
• University of Pristina is being investigated about salaries
• EULEX silent about critics
• Croatians are coming to Kosovo


Other headlines
• Leonard Kerquki: Test of Ferizaj (2)
• Kirsch: Serbia is the problem (2)
• Finland supports you (5)
• Sovereign in September (5)
• Some promises, some accusations (4)
• You talked softly about the north (5)

Bota Sot

Front page
• In the north is not rejected the possibility of limited intervention of police and military
• The state without army cannot become a member of NATO

Other headlines
• Also 700 more NATO troops in Kosovo, they arrive on Friday (2)
• Seremb Gjergji against the articles 37 and 38 of the Penal Code (2)
• Also 350 mortal remains and 101 body parts are waiting for identification (3)
• In the Republic of Kosovo there will not be any elections of Serbia (4)
• Germany in support of integrating processes (7)
• Disappointed with Zbogar (7)
• Kosovo has an economic growth from 5 percent, but that it is not enough (9)
• Beqaj: Government supports foreign investments (11)