Supervision of Kosovo’s independence to end today

• Supervision of Kosovo’s independence to end today (dailies)
• Jahjaga: Historic moment for Kosovo (dailies)
• Feith: Thaçi would sometimes take my advice reservedly (Kosova Sot – page 4)
• Kurti to Ahtisaari: Plan is obstacle for Kosovo (dailies)
• Partly successful (Express – page 5)
• Haliti: Solution for north will not please either party (Epoka e Re – page 2)
• Warlick: Dialogue to continue (Express, Zëri)
• Hoxhaj: Russia is making a mistake (Zëri – page 2)
• Thaçi ‘embraces’ Limaj’s idea (Zëri – front page)
• Serbia claims has organ trafficking case eyewitnesses (Koha Ditore – page 6)

Kosovo Media Highlights

Supervision of Kosovo’s independence to end today (dailies)
Papers anticipate the International Steering Group’s decision today to end supervision of Kosovo’s independence. The ISG is set to meet in Pristina and declare the end of supervision, which will be announced afterwards at a press conference expected to take place at around 3 p.m. by Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi and International Civilian Representative Pieter Feith.

Following the press conference, Kosovo Assembly will hold a special session where the MPs will be addressed by President Atifete Jahjaga, PM Thaçi, Austrian Vice Chancellor Michael Spindelegger, and three former Kosovo status envoys: Martti Ahtisaari, Frank Wisner, and Wolfgang Ischinger. In the evening, Thaçi and Jahjaga will host a dinner reception with several international dignitaries, including EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele.

Zëri comments on the expected decision to lift supervision of independence saying that, in the last four years, expectations of Kosovo citizens have not been fulfilled as 30 percent of the territory is not being controlled by authorities in Pristina; therefore there is no room for celebrations. At the same time, Epoka e Re hails the event and writes that a new era is starting for Kosovo.

Jahjaga: Historic moment for Kosovo (dailies)
In an interview for RTK, President of Kosovo Atifete Jahjaga said the conclusion of Kosovo’s supervised independence is an important and historic moment for Kosovo. “This is an achievement of the citizens, institutions of Kosovo and international factor that always stood by Kosovo in the path of state building,” said Jahjaga, adding that Kosovo is ready to take on all responsibilities to continue strengthening of the state and democracy.

Feith: Thaçi would sometimes take my advice reservedly (Kosova Sot – page 4)
On the verge of the conclusion of supervised independence of the Republic of Kosovo, the outgoing chief of the International Civilian Office (ICO) Pieter Feith said that the Government of Kosovo will begin contacting and communicating with the Serb community in the north. He added that it would have been beneficial if Belgrade helped in this process. Asked whether future discussions with Serbia could lead to the solution beyond Ahtisaari’s package, Feith said that Ahtisaari’s package contains all elements for a satisfying solution.

Feith considers that more work should be done in Kosovo in fighting the corruption and stressed that the judicial system in Kosovo is weak. Feith said that he has been very active in Kosovo and added that in most cases he worked well with PM Thaçi while in some cases there were reservations.

Kurti to Ahtisaari: Plan is obstacle for Kosovo (dailies)
Vetëvendosje Movement leader, Albin Kurti, sent a letter to the former United Nations special envoy for status of Kosovo, Martti Ahtisaari, criticizing him for the proposal for the solution of the status of Kosovo. The day before Kosovo finalizes the official end of international supervision of its independence, Kurti calls the logic over which Finish diplomat drafted the proposal unfair.

“Your idea was to level the interests, but these stem from the misperception of the essence of Kosovo issue – from conception of Kosovo as a Albanian – Serbian problem. Therefore, your solution has been the same – Albanian-Serbian solution: New Serb municipalities, extraterritoriality of 45 churches, which you have defined as Serb, then the double majority, which means the impossibility of constitutional changes without the agreement of Serbs, etc.,” writes Kurti in the letter sent to Ahtisaari.

Partly successful (Express – page 5)
Municipalities inhabited by a majority of Serbs, who came as a result of the Ahtisaari document, is a successful story for Kosovo and they are gradually developing, according to some high officials of these municipalities. The leaders of new Serb municipalities stated that there has been success in the implementation of the Ahtisaari Package. They also state that there were economic problems as they do have other municipalities.

The Ahtisaari Plan, however, has failed in northern Kosovo. Mayor of Gracanica municipality Bojan Stojanovic assesses that positive results, which were achieved in the development of this municipality, make their leaders proud.

Mayor of Partesh municipality Nenad Cvetkovic concurs: “I think it was a success. Decentralization itself has brought benefits for Serbs because we have become our municipality. We can decide for ourselves and solve our own problems. Of course, we had help from the Government in Pristina and from the international community. Otherwise, we would not have been successful in this,” stressed Cvetkovic.

Haliti: Solution for north will not please either party (Epoka e Re – page 2)
Deputy Speaker of the Assembly of Kosovo, Xhavit Haliti, said that the solution of the issue of northern Kosovo will not be quick or please either Kosovar or Serbian party. “I would not call the issue of Mitrovica a monopoly of anyone. The solution of this problem will not be fast and it will not be satisfactory for the party; let me call it Kosovo but it will not be completely workable as Serbia is attempting. The problem exists and as such it has to be resolved. I know that we are all for the solution of this issue and it very important for everyone that no one in the world is for the changes of the existing borders of Kosovo,” said Haliti.

Warlick: Dialogue to continue (Express, Zëri)
A joint conclusion of the meeting between US Ambassador to Serbia Mary Warlick and Serbia’s Defence Minister Aleksandar Vucic is that dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina should continue. Warlick said that the purpose of the dialogue is finding solutions for the good of the people. Vucic on his part said Belgrade will respect the agreements signed with Pristina by the previous government.

Hoxhaj: Russia is making a mistake (Zëri – page 2)
Kosovo Foreign Minister Enver Hoxhaj in an interview for German paper Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger said that Russia is making a mistake by continuing to refuse recognition of the new geopolitical reality in the Balkans, namely independence of Kosovo. He said Russia has no reason not to recognize Kosovo and added that it was part of political processes that ultimately led to the independence of Kosovo.

Thaçi ‘embraces’ Limaj’s idea (Zëri – front page)
Sources close to PDK leader Hashim Thaçi told the paper that he is seriously considering the statement of the PDK deputy leader Fatmir Limaj who argued that the party can continue to stand on its own feet only if it undergoes deep reforms. According to the source, Thaçi discussed Limaj’s idea with several party members and he is almost convinced that party elections should be held appropriately and not only formally.

In another article in the same paper, PDK spokesperson Blerand Stavileci said the date for internal party elections will be decided after important political processes in Kosovo end. However, he added that elections will take place this year.

Serbia claims has organ trafficking case eyewitnesses (Koha Ditore – page 6)
Serbia’s war crimes prosecutor Vladimir Vukcevic said that they have identified a witness who is believed to have taken part in the trafficking of Serb prisoners’ organs by the Kosovo Liberation Army. Vukcevic told AFP that the witness has given an account of a surgical intervention where the heart of one of the Serb prisoners was extracted at Rinas airport in Tirana and was intended to be sold in the black market.

Kosovo Press Headlines

Koha Ditore

Front page
• Supervision to be lifted today to Kosovo
• Abdixhiku: Economic Kosovo-Serbia dialogue under IMF mediation needed

Other headlines
• Chamber of Commerce: Law on tobacco stimulates smuggling (page 2)
• Kosovo’s ambassador to Turkey decreed to serve in the Netherlands (page 3)
• Kurti to Ahtisaari: The Plan, obstacle for Kosovo (page 3)
• Constitutional Court not dealing much with Constitution (page 4)
• Farmers join in against privatisation, leave protests for later stage (page 6)
• Government lied about economic growth, Mustafa about road B (page 6)
• Serbia claims has organ trafficking case eyewitnesses (page 6)

Zëri

Front page
• No room for celebrations
• Thaçi ‘embraces’ Limaj’s idea
• FOL’s meter reveals lies
• Amnesty under procedure, call for end of strike

Other headlines
• Kurti to Ahtisaari: Your plan has failed (page 2)
• Conclusion, joint achievement (page 2)
• Hoxhaj: Russia making a mistake (page 2)
• Agriculture in collapse, Ministry corrupted (page 2)
• Belgrade wants continuation of dialogue (page 4)
• ISG decides about ending supervision (page 4)
• Soon date for elections in PDK (page 4)
• Oil mafia (page 7)

Express

Front page
• Albin’s paradoxes
• The end of supervision

Other headlines
• Hoxhaj: Without recognition no normalization (page 4)
• Jahjaga: We are ready (page 5)
• Partly successful (page 5)
• Warlick: Dialogue to continue (page 6)
• Mines endanger lives of citizens (page 8)
• Dubrava under control (page 8)

Bota Sot

Front page
• The problem between Kosovo and Serbia is not like when a thief steels from someone the wallet!
• Also after the supervised independence, controlled independence
• Jahjaga: Kosovo is ready to take over all responsibilities
• ISG decides today for the end of supervised monitoring of independence

Other headlines
• Different thoughts for the north (page 3)
• Hoxhaj: Russia is mistaken, it should recognize reality (page 3)
• Soon the decission for elections in PDK (page 4)
• For Intelligence Agency of Kosovo are working also few Serbs (page 5)
• FOL: Government lied for economic growth (page 11)