Pacolli makes responsible Thaçi and Mustafa

• Pacolli shifts responsibility to Thaçi and Mustafa (Koha Ditore)
• Uniforms “invade” the north (Zëri)
• Even by force in the north (Express)
• Bogdanovic’s appeals (Express)
• EU returns the time of UNMIK (Zëri)
• Stop for UNMIK-Kosovo (Zëri)
• It is your turn (Express)
• APJK invites media to protest (Koha Ditore)
• Shala: We are living on gold (Epoka e Re)


Kosovo Media Highlights

Pacolli makes responsible Thaçi and Mustafa (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore reports on the front page that Behgjet Pacolli is not very much concerned about respecting agreements for early presidential and parliamentary elections, which he signed himself one year ago, together with PDK leader Hashim Thaçi and LDK leader Isa Mustafa. Pacolli, who is leader of the AKR and Deputy Prime Minister, told the paper on Sunday that the agreements should be respected, but that ultimately it everything would depend on the agreement between Thaçi and Mustafa, as leaders of the two biggest parties.

“I have started losing faith in the agreements of Kosovo politicians and personally it does not interest me at all, seeing the political force that my party has and the fact that it cannot change things,” Pacolli was quoted as saying.

Pacolli was not precise if he supports Thaçi’s idea for general elections to be held in 2014, or that of Isa Mustafa, that those to be held according to the agreement between the three leaders, no later than autumn 2013.

Thaçi for the first mentioned the idea of holding elections in 2014 during an address at the Kosovo Assembly on Wednesday. Meanwhile, a senior member of the ruling coalition confirmed the information on Thursday. Preferring to remain anonymous, he told the paper that certain international stakeholders are also supporting the idea of postponing elections.

Epoka e Re quotes LDK leader Mustafa as saying that elections will not be postponed and that they should be held according to the timeframe specified by law. Mustafa said “the ruling party was showing unstable tendencies to postpone the elections”. “Elections will be held according to the agreement and not according to claims made by the ruling party which wants to extend its governing mandate and stay there as long as possible,” Mustafa said.

Uniforms “invade” the north (Zëri)
Zëri reports in one of the front-page stories that international and local security mechanisms have stepped up their physical presence in the northern part of Kosovo in order to prevent any possible incident during the eventual organization of Serbian elections there.

EULEX has deployed more troops in northern Kosovo, and KFOR is expected to do the same with around 550 troops that will deploy from Germany and Austria. Meanwhile, an additional 700 American troops, which will initially land in Durrës, Albania, are expected to arrive in Kosovo later. Kosovo Police too has an action plan to prevent the elections from taking place and will send more policemen to the north.

Even by force in the north (Express)
A few days after the Government officials left open the possibility for an intervention similar to the one on 25 July of last year, Kosovo’s Minister of the Security Force, Agim Çeku has reiterated this plan on Sunday. “Of course we have even said this at the Assembly and everywhere else that force is the last mean, however it remains the a mean to resolve the situation in the north,” said Çeku. He considers as crucial engagement of all state mechanisms to resolve the situation in the north. “The north is a problem that requires the everybody’s engagement, not only of Government, within the Government, all Ministers, but also of all other subjects, including the civil society, media, each of us has a role to play on integration of the north,” said Çeku.

Bogdanovic’s appeals (Express)
Based on TV Most, Express reports that the so-called Minister for Kosovo in Serbia, Goran Bogdanovic, has once again requested from Serbs in Zveçan and Zubin Potok not to hold local elections. According to him, turbulences of March 2004 could be repeated. According to Bogdanovic, Pristina is trying “to do something similar or the same thing as in March 2004.”

“We have information that serious preparations are being made in Pristina, and for this reason, it is good that the international presence has increased,” said Bogdanovic. Appealing once again for Serbs in Zvecan and Zubin Potok not to hold Serbian local elections, Bogdanovic said that none of Serbian Governments will recognize their results.

EU returns the time of UNMIK (Zëri)
Zëri reports that Cyprus is a “partial” country with a number of problems which has been recognized as a member state by the European Union. However, the island which is half lead from Cypriot Greeks and other half which is not recognized internationally from Cypriot Turks, is managing to change the policies of the European Union. Zëri learned that the Kosovo Government is concerned with the persistence of Cyprus, until now successful, that the existence of Kosovar passports should not be mentioned during the visa liberalization dialogue with Kosovo. Instead Cyprus proposes that the term “personal documents” should be used, even that the other four countries which have not recognized Kosovo as a state, Slovakia, Spain, Romania and Greece are not mentioned, but also they could have supported this idea. Brussels now started to use the name “personal documents” in the version which is not finished yet of the guide or the list of conditions which Kosovo should fulfill from benefiting from visa liberalization.

Stop for UNMIK-Kosovo (Zëri)
Zëri reports that through a decision, the Kosovo Ministry of Trade and Industry from May 1st will stop the import of products from Serbia with the inscription UNMIK-Kosovo. At the same time, the Inspectorate of the Ministry has announced that from this date it will confiscate goods which are to be found in warehouses or different shopping markets inside territory of Kosovo. The head of the Kosovo Chamber of Commerce, Safet Gërxhaliu, said local businesses should respect the decision that from now on not to import products with the inscription Kosovo-UNMIK, as they damage the reputation of the Republic of Kosovo.

It is your turn (Express)
Express reports that former President Fatmir Sejdiu and former Acting President Jakup Krasniqi, might have to face the justice in three month, suspected for Presidential pardon of the sentenced for violation and murder. Sources of this daily said that gathering of information by the correction service officials and the Ministry of Justice has already started and if evidence are found investigations would reach up to the Presidency. “After gathering of information, if there is ground to raise charges, then this will happen,” said this source.

APJK invites media to protest (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore reports that the Association of Professional Journalists of Kosovo (APJK) informs the representatives of media that on Monday, starting from 11:15 hrs until 12:00 hrs it is organized a peaceful protest before the doors of the Kosovo Assembly and Presidency. “The protest has for the aim to reject the new Penal Code of Republic of Kosovo, in which Kosovo Journalists are made responsible for penal acts and are obliged to reveal their sources”, says in the statement of APJK. “With this protest it is requested from the President not to sign Penal Code, until the same code contains article 37 and 38. Therefore, journalists, cameramen, Photographers, Editors and all other media representatives are invited to join this protest “, says at the press release of the board of APJK.

Shala: We are living on gold (Epoka e Re)
Epoka e Re carries as the front-page article an interview with Ferat Shala, managing director of the Trepça mining complex, citing him as saying that Kosovo has the biggest gold reserves in Europe. “The region of Kosovo is one the richest zones with lead-zinc, gold and silver. The Republic of Kosovo is rich with other reserves too. In this area, we are a regional and European power. Based on our information, Kosovo has around 55 million tons of lead and zinc,” Shala is quoted as saying.

Kosovo Press Headlines

Koha Ditore

Front page
• Pacolli shifts responsibility to Thaçi and Mustafa
• Nearly 700 international organizations don’t pay taxes
• Pristina mayor with an official vehicle at the LDK party
• No more hopes for a joint customs Albania-Kosovo
• PDK sponsors benefited €100 million from tenders

Other headlines
• AGPK invites media to protest (2)
• Azem Syla, verifier of list of war veterans (2)
• Palokaj: Journalists will be triumphant in Kosovo too (10)

Zëri

Front page
• EU returns the time of UNMIK
• Timeframe for investigations ends
• Penal code, own goal for Kosovo
• Uniforms “invade” the north

Other headlines
• Serbs and Bulgarians requested Topi’s visit (2)
• Tadic against Serbian local elections in Kosovo (2)
• Minister Shahin visits Kosovo (2)
• No more “Vjesnik”! (2)
• SPD supports troops in the north (4)
• Serbia reacts over Arsic’s arrest (4)
• €100 million for PDK sponsors (6)
• Stop for UNMIK-Kosovo (7)

Kosova Sot

Front page
• Peci enjoys advantages, but does not accept responsibilities for failures
• Kosova Sot supports protest against Penal Code that disciplines media
• Haxha: Certain individuals are instrumentalizing Anti-Corruption Task Force
• Smuggling pyramid, medicines from Serbia

Other headlines
• Danger for postponement of supervised independence (2)
• Çeku: Force, an option for the north (4)
• Çohu: 100 million tenders for PDK financials (4)
• LDK Group: A serious situation in health care (4)
• Company of MP Deshishku has usurped University of Pristina property (7)

Epoka e Re

Front page
• We live on gold, Kosovo the first on gold reserves in Europe
• Investigations expected to seize
• Final results in September
• Çeku: Force the last mean
•

Other headlines
• Austrian army preparing for additional troops for KFOR (2)
• Belgrade upset with Topi’s statements in Skopje (2)
• Tadic: No local elections in Kosovo (2)
• Bogdanovic: Do not hold elections in the north (2)
• Kuçi: Force, the last mean (3)
• Hoxhaj: We will dissolve criminal structures this year (3)
• Spahiu, Ambassador in Holland (3)
• “Battle” for Ferizaj starts (4)
• Surdulli: LDK is terrorizing opinion with slander and lies (6)
• Journalists protest (7)
• Final census results in September (7)
• Mustafa: There will be no delay of elections (10)

Express

Front page
• Your Turn
• Everyone in Ferizaj
• They fell into the trap

Other headlines
• Maliqi: Penal Code which kills the media (2)
• Çeku: The use of force is not rejected (2)
• Companies that financed PDK benefited over €100 million (2)
• Blerim Shala: TV Show (3)
• For the protection of Kosovo (4
• Topi makes Belgrade nervous (5)
• Against Serb elections with all means (6)
• Also with force in the north (6)
• Millions in power plants (11)

Bota Sot

Front page
• Be patient until June then the things will change
• PDK rewarded 43 companies with 100 million Euro

Other headlines
• One missing file for Serb crimes in Kosovo for The Hague Tribunal (2)
• LDK: Situation in Health continues to remain difficult (2)
• The constitutional means are not specified for the intervention in the north (3)
• Avni Spahiu, Ambassador in Netherlands (3)
• Çeku: For the north, force is the last mean, but remains an option (4)
• APJK invites journalists for protest (7)
• Goran Arsic arrested (9)
• International day of earth is marked also in Kosovo (9)