Opposition blocks PDK attempt to revote on motion for talks

• Opposition blocks PDK attempt to revote on motion for talks (dailies)
• Britain wants Serbian MUP to be removed from the north (Koha)
• Fitou and Reichel understand Thaçi’s concerns (Koha)
• The visa liberalization roadmap at risk! (Zëri)
• Government brings People’s Attorney under its control (Kosova Sot)
• Court sentences Serbian war criminal to 14 years in prison (dailies)

Kosovo Media Highlights

Opposition blocks PDK attempt to revote on motion for talks (dailies)
Most dailies report on the front pages that Kosovo Democratic Party (PDK) MPs attempted yesterday to have a revote at the Assembly on the motion for talks with Serbia, but their attempt failed as opposition MPs boycotted the assembly session. Opposition representatives walked out of the session when PDK parliamentary group chief Adem Grabovci insisted on revoking the motion which was adopted by MPs only 18 hours earlier. Koha Ditore reports on the front page that during the weekend with the help of one part of the international community, the PDK will try to “persuade” opposition MPs that dialogue with Serbia should not be conditioned with the resolution of the fate of missing persons. The opposition meanwhile is united that the motion should not be revoked. They will face the next test on Tuesday’s assembly session. Bota Sot reports that PDK MPs have regret their own votes when they adopted the motion. Under the leading headline The confused coalition, Express reports that deputies of PDK, AKR and minority communities agreed to condition dialogue with Serbia on Thursday. But now they want to “correct” their votes by attempting a revote on previously adopted recommendations.

Britain wants Serbian MUP to be removed from the north (Koha)
Koha Ditore quotes British Ambassador to Kosovo, Ian Cliff, as saying that Belgrade should remove MUP structures from the north because they violate UNSC Resolution 1244. Cliff has also joined calls by other international diplomats for a dialogue between the Kosovo Government and the representatives of northern Serbs, which would also include a role for Belgrade. Cliff said the international community in cooperation with the Kosovo Government would determine Belgrade’s presentation in this dialogue. “We shall define this matter in cooperation with the Kosovo Government. But what must happen now is talk with Serbia for removing illegal security structures from the north. Serbia must remove MUP from the north. Their presence there constitutes a violation of the UN Security Council Resolution 1244, which Serbia is so fond of and mentions so often,” Cliff was quoted as saying.

Fitou and Reichel understand Thaçi’s concerns (Koha)
The paper notes that the French and German ambassadors in Kosovo, Jean Francois-Fitou and Ernst Reichel, have approved Prime Minister Thaçi’s request to the European Union to treat Kosovo equally with other countries in the region. Both ambassadors said they don’t view Thaçi’s statement as criticism, but more as an ambition for Kosovo’s faster road to European integration. The paper recalls that several days ago, Thaçi said Kosovo should be treated equally by Brussels. “I have full confidence that Brussels won’t be late with Kosovo and the region. Kosovo should be treated equally to other countries in the region. We will continue to insist on reforms and on building a new and European Kosovo,” Thaçi said.

The visa liberalization roadmap at risk! (Zëri)
Zëri reports on the front page that the Government of Kosovo and European integration experts are alarmed over a meeting held in Brussels on Thursday between interior ministers of EU member states. The meeting focused on the Schengen visa regime and it also discussed the visa liberalization roadmap or the list of conditions that Kosovo has to meet before getting visa liberalization.

“During a meeting of the working group on Thursday, France, Sweden, Netherlands and Belgium, but mainly France, insisted that the roadmap should consist of two phases. Germany on the other hand leads the block that wants to send the roadmap to Pristina immediately, but the committee failed to reach an agreement,” a Kosovo Government official told the paper.

On the other hand, French Ambassador to Pristina, Jean Francois-Fitou, told the paper that discussions in Brussels were not about the roadmap for Kosovo but over much bigger issues. “We are not insisting on more strict rules for Kosovo. For two years we have been insisting on better rules for all beneficiary countries, but also for some countries that are already part of the Schengen regime,” he said. Fitou also denied the information that France wants to divide the roadmap for Kosovo into two parts.

Government brings People’s Attorney under its control (Kosova Sot)
Kosova Sot reports on the front page that opposition representatives have accused the government of bringing the institution of the People’s Attorney under its control. The paper notes that citizens who complain to the People’s Attorney can no longer be safe about their confidentiality as the government has brought under its control the data server of this institution.

Court sentences Serbian war criminal to 14 years in prison (dailies)
All dailies report that the district court in Pristina has sentenced Zoran Kolic to 14 years in prison for war crimes committed against civilians in 1999. Kolic was found guilty for crimes committed against civilians in Lipjan Prison on 24th May 1999. Kolic, a senior member of the Serb Liberal Party led by Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Slobodan Petrovic, beat to death Albanian inmate Gani Morina and many other inmates during the Kosovo conflict.