Protest for the north in the Assembly

• Protest for the north in the Assembly (Koha Ditore)
• Thaçi: Hypocritical approach of Serbia not to be allowed (dailies)
• The absent EU statement, with footnote (Zëri)
• Vetëvendosje insists on announcement of state of emergency (Koha)
• Everyone against Kuçi (Zëri)
• President’s chorus against corruption (Zëri)
• Thaçi: It is time Bosnia recognize Kosovo (Koha Ditore)
• Posselt: The remaining five EU states should recognize Kosovo (Express)
• NATO is observing (Express)

Kosovo Media Highlights

Protest for the north in the Assembly (Koha Ditore)
Vetëvendosje MPs protested on Thursday at the Kosovo Assembly requesting it to hold a special session on the situation in the north of Kosovo.

Deputy Head of the Assembly Glauk Konjufca and the Head of Parliamentary Group of Vetëvendosje, Visar Ymeri stood at the front the Assembly hall holding a billboard with the names Selver Haradinaj and Enver Zymeri, both killed in the north, the first one on duty and the second one at his house.

The Head of the Kosovo Assembly requested Vetëvendosje to end the protest in order to allow work to continue, but he was ignored. Vetëvendosje has requested in the past for a special session on the north of the country to be held, but they were not supported by other parliamentary groups. Jakup Krasniqi evaluated their action as political terrorism. Express under the headline Jakupi breaks up with Vetëvendosje, writes that Jakup Krasniqi has been considered many times as supporter of Vetëvendosje, but on Thursday he was very angry with the deputy Albin Kurti. Initially he supported them in the initiative for a special session for the north. However, when the deputies of this movement protested with a billboard before the podium, Assembly Speak accused them of political terrorism.
Thaçi: Hypocritical approach of Serbia not to be allowed (dailies)
Koha Ditore reports that during his return from the US, Kosovo Prime Minister, Hashim Thaçi, met with the Deputy President of the European Union, the EU High Representative for Foreign policy and Security, Catherine Ashton, in Istanbul on Thursday, according to the Prime Minister’s Press Office. Thaçi informed Baroness Ashton about the situation in the north and the complete anti-European approach of Serbia towards Kosovo demonstrated by its partial implementation of agreements reached during the dialogue. “The hypocritical approach of Serbia should not be tolerated. There cannot be a European Serbia towards Brussels and a medieval Serbia towards Kosovo. The killing of a Kosovo citizen at his house, the kidnapping of the policemen, the arrests without any legal base of Kosovo citizens and the continuation of the existence of parallel structures has extremely tensioned the situation”, said the Prime Minister.

The absent EU statement, with footnote (Zëri)
The EU official in charge for facilitating the Pristina-Belgrade dialogue Robert Cooper has found time to monitor elections in Burma but he has not found the time to speak out on issues in Kosovo, writes the paper. “Cooper had found time to strongly condemn the attack against a Serbian delegation in Pristina… but did not find it reasonable to utter a single word about the lives of Albanians,” writes the paper further.

The EU justification was that they have their man on the ground there, meaning EU Special Representative Samuel Zbogar, and that Cooper deals exclusively with issues relating to the dialogue but according to the paper this only once again confirms the level of importance Brussels gives to Kosovo compared to that it attributes to Serbia.

Vetëvendosje insists on announcement of state of emergency (Koha)
The Vetëvendosje Movement has reiterated its request for a state of emergency to be called over the situation in the north of Kosovo. “An announcement of state of emergency in Mitrovica would allow the whole of Mitrovica, as one municipality, to to be treated equally. At today’s session, an extraordinary session for Mitrovica was not allowed and this represents the indifference towards the every day terrorism that Serbia is practicing through its hostile and illegal structures,” said the leader of this Movement Albin Kurti.

Everyone against Kuçi (Zëri)
Zëri reports that Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuçi’s statement that the Government of Kosovo will soon launch another operation in the north similar to that of July 25th last year, has been qualified by opposition representatives and security experts as an attempt to manipulate public opinion.

According to the opposition, Kuçi’s statement is not honest and was aimed at internal consumption, adding that if an operation similar to that from last year were to be launched it would only be another hit against Kosovo’s institutions and police.

Oliver Ivanovic, state secretary in the Serbian Ministry for Kosovo, said Kosovo Police actions in the north would be a dangerous adventure and added that the north is a political problem.

Krstimir Pantic, the illegal mayor of Mitrovica, called on representatives of the international community in Kosovo to warn authorities in Pristina against “any unilateral step” because they may destabilize the situation.

Zubin Potok illegal mayor Slavisa Ristic said Kuçi’s statement is a threat and intimidation against Serbs for them to flee Kosovo.

Ramadan Qehaja, a security expert, told the paper that with its capacities Kosovo Police cannot launch a successful action in the north. “By withdrawing and failing to achieve any results on July 25th, police has lost dignity and eventual international support for another action in the north. Kosovo Police, including the special units, lacks the capacities to launch such an action,” Qehaja said.

President’s chorus against corruption (Zëri)
In the meeting of the newly-established national anti-corruption council, President Atifete Jahjaga is said to have only repeated ‘her usual chorus’ against corruption thus showing that the council is yet another failed attempt to fight the phenomenon, reports Zëri. “We have to prevent the phenomenon of corruption from becoming the culture of the work of state institutions and, even worse, the culture of daily life in our society,” said Jahjaga at the second meeting of the council.

Thaçi: It is time Bosnia recognize Kosovo (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore reports that Kosovo Prime Minister, Hashim Thaçi, said that it is time that Bosnia and Herzegovina recognize Kosovo, adding that its independence is not directed against anyone. “It is time that Bosnia recognize Kosovo and leave behind the past by taking this brave step”, said Thaçi for Bosnian media during his stay in New York, where he met with UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon. “Kosovo’s independence brings more stability in the region, positive relations between neighbors and better regional cooperation. It improves the chances of all who have aspirations for a Euro-Atlantic path, not only Kosovo, but all in the entire region”, said Thaçi.

Posselt: The remaining five EU states should recognize Kosovo (Express)
During the works of the Conference “Balkans, Towards European Integration,” the German Euro-deputy, Bernd Posselt, said that it is very important that the five remaining states of the European Union which do not recognize the independence of Kosovo do so. “This is important not only for Kosovo, but also for the future of the EU. The liberalization of visas for Kosovo should also be worked on,” said Posselt.

NATO is observing (Express)
The Commander of the Alliance Command in Naples, Admiral Bruce W. Cligan, stated on Thursday during his visit in Pristina that NATO continues to be determined to help Kosovo build stability, peace and a safe environment for all its citizens. After the meeting with the President of the Republic of Kosovo, Atifete Jahjaga, General Cligan stated that NATO is closely following developments in Kosovo and expects that the Kosovo population and institutions to be vigilant and not allow individual incidents to be used for political aims and the creation of a climate of insecurity and intolerance.

Kosovo Press Headlines

Koha Ditore

Front page
• Protest for the north at the Assembly
• Institutions fear March 2004 riots could be repeated
• Serbia still keeps vehicle and weapons of arrested policemen
• State officials, inspirers of corruption
• The governor could end up in prison
• The unconstitutional amendment, an American product

Other headlines
• Thaçi: Don’t allow Serbia’s hypocritical approach (2)
• Vetëvendosje insists on a state of emergency in the north (4)
• Thaçi: Time has come for Bosnia to recognize Kosovo (4)

Zëri

Front page
• Vlora’s excursion
• A little about the north, more about marketing
• NATO closely following developments in Kosovo
• Everyone against Kuçi
• The absent EU statement with a footnote
• Vetëvendosje blocks the Assembly
• Cenaj: Please don’t help us anymore!

Other headlines
• Thaçi to Ashton: Don’t allow Serbia’s hypocritical approach (2)
• American Guard helps KSF (2)
• Formula for the north, within the Package (2)
• The government is lying to its citizens (2)
• The President’s chorus against corruption (6)

Kosova Sot

Front page
• Constitutional Court to annul Chamber of Lawyer’s decision
• Ruling party MPs sign Vetëvendosje’s request
• Jahjaga carries the flag of fight against corruption
• Rasic’s advisor dismissed, suspected of €3,000
• Editorial: On behalf of the millions

Other headlines
• Thaçi complains to Ashton about Serbia (2)
• Law that makes millionaires ‘anonymous’ approved (3)
• Jahjaga asks for NATO’s help in the north (4)
• EULEX did nothing for the fate of the missing people (4)
• Serbs fear repetition of 25 July (4)
• Thaçi meets former President Clinton (4)
• Experts: EULEX in no rush (4)
• EULEX investigating 90 cases of organized crime (9)
• Clash between Serbs, one person wounded (11)

Epoka e Re

Front page
• Jakup upset
• Clinton: You will have my help
• Limaj’s vote weights
• American army helps KSF

Other headlines
• Hypocritical approach of Serbia should not be allowed (2)
• Serbs from the north react against Kuçi’s statements (2)
• Basha to visit Pristina (3)
• After Dell, Sparkes explodes: All parties are corrupted (3)
• Families of the missing blame the Government and EULEX (3)
• Daka: We are prepared. Ferizaj also a test for CEC (4)
• Thaçi requests recognition from Bosnia (5)
• U.S. Army helps KSF (5)
• Kurti: This Government is not serious (6)

Express

Front page
• Disagrees with Vetëvendosje
• “Kleçka” repetition?
• Phantom millions
• Fight corruption with T-shirts

Other headlines
• Mushkolaj: Abuse with Mitrovica (2)
• Posselt: The EU five should recognize Kosovo (2)
• Ivanovic: Do not repeat the July (5)
• Complains at Ashtons (5)
• Egypt might recognize Kosovo (6)
• NATO is observing (6)
• One injured in the north (8)

Bota Sot

Front page
• Sparkes asked Kosovo officials: Are you corrupted
• Criminal structures in the north are violating sovergenity of Republic of Kosovo
• The protest of Vetëvendosje is called from Krasniqi “political terrorism”
• Egypt waiting for the decission to recognize Kosovo

Other headlines
• Modern history will remember President Clinton (3)
• Prime Minister Thaçi met in Istanbul with Baroness Ashton (3)
• You have not done anything to reveal the truth about the missing (3)
• Police arrests the head of farmers (6)
• Tahiri against the talks for the north (6)
• AI a letter to Serbia for the release of Hasan Abazi (6)
• IOWA National Guard will help KSF (7)
• Without collective contract there is no European integration (9)
• Turkey offers support for Kosovo (9)
• VV: Law on Banks has been voted without quorum (10)
• LDK critizes the Government for budget fraud (11)