Government reconfirms situation in the north. Opposition ignores Thaçi

Government reconfirms situation in the north. Opposition ignores Thaçi (dailies)
The special session of the Kosovo Assembly for the north called by the governing coalition partners has ended on Wednesday without any recommendation, statement or resolution which would request the Government to undertake necessary actions to create a safe and secure environment for the citizens who are living in that part of the country.

PDK parliamentary group did not manage to get the consent of opposition parties to come out with a joint stance about the situation in the north. After they requested the resignation of the Government, opposition left the Assembly session not wanting to listen to Thaçi talking about the north.

Elections of Serbia in Kosovo challenge OSCE (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore reports that OSCE mission in Kosovo does not have an idea how it will facilitate in organizing of parliamentary and presidential elections of Serbia in Kosovo. And the organization of elections that has been accepted by Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi should also be coordinated with President of Kosovo Atifete Jahjaga. While Prime Minister said on Tuesday that such elections of the neighboring country will be allowed, the office of the Kosovo President did not give the approval under the reasoning that there is no request made by the OSCE.

President’s Spokesman Arbër Vllahiu said this institution did not receive any request. “There is no official request from OSCE for organizing of the elections of Republic of Serbia in the territory of Republic of Kosovo,” said Vllahiu. He furthermore added that any kind of Serbian elections cannot be organized in Kosovo.

The paper reports that PM Thaçi does not have the support of the President Jahjaga in having the OSCE organize parliamentary and presidential elections of Serbia in Kosovo. It adds that this could be made possible only if Serbia makes an official request to the Republic of Kosovo. Even if consensus is reached, the idea of having OSCE organize elections in less than three weeks is quite challenging for the mission, concludes the paper.

Alongside OSCE, illegal structures can also organize elections (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore reports that Serbia’s illegal structures in the north have announced that they will organize themselves local elections on 6 May. Leaders of opposition parties in Serbia have already addressed the electorate of this part while KFOR and EULEX are disregarding the request of the Kosovo Government to prevent them from entering in Kosovo.

Kosovo Government has given signals that elections could be organized by illegal structures but that they would not be recognized by the international community or the Serbian state for that matter.

Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuçi did say if the threat that Government of Kosovo will use all means to prevent Serbian elections from taking place inside Kosovo is valid for illegal structures. He gave signals that such activities would perhaps not be prevented. He said elections organized by illegal structures “would have no legal or political effect”. “For us, they are illegal”, said Kuçi.

Kuçi: We will use all constitutional means (Epoka e Re)
Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuçi is reported to have responded to the statement of the KFOR Commander Erhard Drews that Kosovo Government should not undertake any action in the north similar to that of 25 July. “We all know the consequences of 25 July of last year and I don’t believe anyone wishes such an outcome,” said Drews in a visit to the north of Kosovo.

Kuçi said that the aim of Kosovo institutions is the functioning of rule of law in the north. “In this regard, KFOR could play lead role in that part,” he said. Asked by the paper whether the Kosovo Government would undertake a police action in the north, Kuçi said, “We will use all constitutional means in coordination with KFOR and EULEX”.

EULEX “amnesties” criminals (Zëri)
The paper reports that prosecutors investigating the killing of the Kosovo Police officer Enver Zymberi in the north last year are in possession of credible information suggesting that the persons suspected for the killing are in the territory of Kosovo, namely Zubin Potok, but the lack of readiness on the part of the EU mission makes the suspects still move freely. Mitrovica prosecutor Shemsi Syla confirmed the information regarding the whereabouts of the suspects but said there is no readiness from EULEX to act.

Jaksic: Serbian local elections cannot be prevented (Zëri)
Zëri reports that one of the leaders of the so-called Assembly of Serb Municipalities and Settlements, Marko Jaksic, said Kosovo Interior Minister Bajram Rexhepi won’t be able to carry out his threats of preventing Serbian local elections in the north. “First, Rexhepi cannot access those locations, so he cannot prevent Serbs from voting on May 6th,” Jaksic told Serbian media, adding that the election material for local elections in the north will not be transported from Serbia.

Do not threat (Express)
Express brings an interview with French Ambassador in Kosovo, Jean Francois Fitou where he says that everything that Serbs in the north are requesting is inside the Ahtisaari Plan. France supports integrity of Kosovo and the north as its part, Fitou reiterated and added that in the talks about the north, Serbia should also be included. “When we talk about 25 July, we should be careful – no one should threat. International community holds responsibility for the situation there,” said the French Ambassador Jean Francois Fitou in an interview for Express.

LDK continues to criticize the government (dailies)
Several dailies report that the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), the biggest opposition party, issued a press statement yesterday arguing that the Thaçi government began its second mandate without a government plan and that promises made during the election campaign were never translated into a government action plan.

“The lack of a comprehensive development strategy for the country has led to the government basing the development on sectorial strategies which are mainly ad-hoc documents prepared by certain people and which often fall into conflict with development objectives. In most cases, these sectorial strategies are not harmonized with each other thus causing conflicts in the implementation of different projects,” said the LDK press release.

Kosovo Press Headlines

Koha Ditore

Front page
• Alongside OSCE, illegals too can organize elections
• Serbian elections in Kosovo challenge the OSCE
• Residents of northern Mitrovica, “refugees” in Vushtrri
• Government reconfirms situation in the north, opposition ignores Thaçi
• Schmitt: Kosovo and Albania in one country – a unification of problems

Other headlines
• Serbs place barbwire at night, Albanians remove them (3)
• Çitaku wants a regime of visas and holidays (4)
• Kelmendi: Who is killing in the north and who is killing in Macedonia? (10)

Zëri

Front page
• In Dubai, with state money
• A useless debate on the north
• Ejupi, chairman of the German-Kosovar Chamber of Commerce
• EULEX “amnesties” criminals
• Haliti: Mitrovica, 1999!
• Zëri’s webpage attacked

Other headlines
• Akan Ismaili, Kosovo ambassador to the U.S. (2)
• “Serbian local elections cannot be prevented” (2)
• Vukcevic: Investigations against Thaçi and Çeku are closed (4)
• Seremb Gjergji with a strategy for the north (4)
• Thaçi: No to Serbian elections in Kosovo (5)

Kosova Sot

Front page
• The entire chain of command in the judiciary must be held responsible
• Editorial: Orphans of the state
• Thaçi to Vetëvendosje: Tell us about the meetings of your deputy leader with Tadic’s ministers
• Over 100 arrest warrants for former KLA members
• Breivik: Serbian nationalism inspired my crimes

Other headlines
• Drews against another 25th July (2)
• Kostunica entered Kosovo without permission (2)
• Jaksic challenges Rexhepi on Serbian local elections (4)

Epoka e Re

Front page
• The north is becoming hot
• Public diplomacy is reaching effects
• Decision on visa regime, very soon

Other headlines
• Tahiri: Kosovo determined to conclude the supervised independence (2)
• Kocijancic: Albanians and Serbs should show responsibility (2)
• Berisha: Developments in the north, practices of Milosevic’s time (2)
• Albanian Socialist Party condemns violence in Macedonia and Kosovo (4)
• Psychical game with Limaj and the others, ends (3)
• Croatia supports Kosovo on EU and NATO (5)
• Only accusations, nothing concrete for the north (6)
• Kuçi: We will use every constitutional mean. KFOR should play its role (7)
• Akan Ismajli, the new U.S. Ambassador (7)

Express

Front page
• Do not threat
• Palavers about the north
• Akan decreed

Other headlines
• You cannot stop elections (6)
• Passion for strategy (6)
• Serbs block the road with barbwire (8)
• KFOR doesn’t speak of its plans (8)
• EULEX supports prosecution (8)
• Devic monastery protected by police (9)
• Kabashi shows work (9)
• LDK: Government without plan (11)

Bota Sot

Front page
• “Political fire” in the Assembly for the “flame and smoke” in the north of country
• Drews: Don’t go for the north as on 25 July last year
• Government criticizes KFOR and EULEX, “they are not up to their tasks”

Other headlines
• EU will further support energy sector (3)
• New Kosovo Ambassador in USA, Akan Ismajli, has taken credential letters (3)
• Ajvaz Berisha: I was not part of SHIK (6)
• LDK: We need a Government with vision, not a government that prepares strategies (7)
• They block the road for Albanians with barbwire (8)
• Amnesty for smuggling and political actions for Serbs in the north (11)