There is no military solution for the north, only political

• There is no military solution for the north, only political (Koha Ditore)
• PDK mobilized for the change of the code (Koha Ditore)
• Rexhepi: We will arrest Bogdanovic if he enters Kosovo illegally (dailies)
• Hoxhaj: Integration of the north through dialogue with citizens (Zëri)
• Prime Minister’s refrains (Express)
• Bajrami: Farewell to the Ahtisaari Package (Epoka e Re)
• Haziri: Arrests are required (Express)
• The Constitutional Court refuses Prizren (dailies)
• SOFA agreement enters into force (Zëri)

Kosovo Media Highlights

There is no military solution for the north, only political (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore runs a leading front-page interview with NATO Secretary General, Andres Fogh Rasmussen, who pledges to keep the current number of soldiers in Kosovo and that no decision for further downsizing of troops will not be made to harm the security situation. Admitting that the incidents in the north and an impact on delays to reduce troops further, Rasmussen heralded that NATO will be determined on response to those that impede the freedom of movement. He reiterated his opinion that EULEX does not have sufficient resources to commence its job in Kosovo. According to him, a long-term solution is required for the north and an engagement of the most senior political level. “I think that it is important to understand the clear message for all parties in this conflict. The first message is that Kosovo will remain united and its division is completely excluded as a possibility,” Rasmussen said.

PDK mobilized for the change of the code (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore reports that the PDK parliamentary group on Thursday will insist to include on the agenda the review of the draft law for the amendment and completion of the Penal Code. The PDK’s urgency to remove from the code three articles which sanction the freedom of media started on the day when PDK MPs with their votes in favor of the articles remaining in the code led to the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice, Hajredin Kuçi. Afterwards, Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi acknowledged “he felt ashamed” from the voting of some of his deputies, he assembled the cabinet of ministers and decided to proceed to the Assembly the request to amend the code. The request has been received on Monday, then when the presidency already had prepared the agenda for the next two coming sessions.

Rexhepi: We will arrest Bogdanovic if he enters Kosovo illegally (dailies)
Most dailies report that Kosovo’s Interior Affairs Minister Bajram Rexhepi has warned the so-called Serbian Minister for Kosovo Goran Bogdanovic not to try to enter Kosovo’s territory illegally or he will be arrested. “If he enters illegally, where we have access he will be sanctioned according to law. Police officers are obliged to arrest and deport him,” Rexhepi said.

Rexhepi also said Kosovo Police have stepped up security measures for the Serb holiday Vidovdan on Thursday and that illegal groups and hooligans from Serbia would not be allowed entrance into Kosovo.

Hoxhaj: Integration of the north through dialogue with citizens (Zëri)
In an interview for Bulgarian BTA news agency, Kosovo’s Foreign Minister Enver Hoxhaj said the Republic of Kosovo would never make compromises as far as its independence, sovereignty and state functionality are concerned. Hoxhaj said Kosovo institutions were ready to integrate Serbs through internal dialogue between the government and residents of the northern municipalities. In connection with developments in the north, Hoxhaj said that since 1999, Serbia has exercised its control in that part through illegal police structures, security units, paramilitary groups. Hoxhaj said this was the only example in present-day Europe where a neighboring country is trying to control parts of the territory of another independent state.

Prime Minister’s refrains (Express)
The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi, continues to proclaim the end of the process of supervision of the independence, as a result of the good governing. This time, he has used the meeting of the Government on Wednesday to speak about issue. “Now we are on the verge of the assessment of the International Steering Group on the conclusion of the supervised independence of Kosovo. This will happen on the 2 July in Vienna. We are convinced that that the international assessment will be very positive for Kosovo and this assessment is based on the joint success of all Kosovo institutions,” said Thaçi.

Express reports that the final word on this process is expected to be given by the International Steering Committee at the meeting that will be held in Vienna on 2 July of this year, where the report with the assessment for Kosovo after the declaration of independence will be presented.

Bajrami: Farewell to the Ahtisaari Package (Epoka e Re)
In a leading front-page interview for the paper, Arsim Bajrami, head of the committee for constitutional amendments, said after the conclusion of the supervisory phase of independence there will be no international civilian presence in Kosovo and no Ahtisaari Package.

“The Ahtisaari Package has been exhausted and the Constitution of Kosovo will be the highest legal and political legal act in the country. Kosovo is becoming a state with full sovereignty,” Bajrami said. He also added that “unfortunately, the international supervision is coming to an end without having a solution for the north”.

Haziri: Arrests are required (Express)
Kosovo Assembly head of the Commission for European Integration and LDK deputy Lutfi Haziri, said for Express that the end of 2013 is the shortest deadline for liberalization of visas. “In the worst scenario, the process could last endlessly,” said Haziri. However, he considers that in order to fulfill the conditions of the guidelines, there should be massive arrests of criminals and the corrupted, as it was the case with Albania. “There are no results and plans in Kosovo, and the least results are when the war against corruption is concerned,” said Haziri. “The greatest hope is the Brussels meeting of the 31 May, regarding the structured dialogue for the rule of law, mechanism that helps on it, because this is a joint mechanism of Brussels and Pristina. All this connection of the dialogue for the rule of law and the dialogue for Stabilization Association, are mechanisms that could put Kosovo in the first plan, if it is managed to work together on it,” said Haziri.

The Constitutional Court refuses Prizren (dailies)
Dailies report the 12 Kosovo lawmakers lost their “battle” to “get rid” of the two laws, which according to them violate the rights of the citizens of Kosovo. Kosovo Constitutional Court has decided against the appeal of the 12 Kosovo Assembly deputies, proving that the Law for Hoça e Madhe and the one for the Historic Center of Prizren, are in accordance with the Constitution. “The Constitutional Court, based on the constitutional dispositions, has decided that the two laws are in accordance with the Constitution,” says a press release issued by this Court. The decision which made public in the official website of the Constitutional Court, informs that the decision on the Law for Hoça e Madhe was made unanimously, while the one for the Historic Center in Prizren, with majority of votes.

SOFA agreement enters into force (Zëri)
Zëri reports that the United States of America and the Republic of Kosovo have announced that the Bilateral Agreement on the Status of Forces (SOFA) will enter into force today. “The agreement on the Status of Forces between the Government of Kosovo and the Government of the United States of America enables us to further cooperation and partnership, to promote security for the people of Kosovo and to contribute to peace and stability in the Balkans,” said a press release issued by the US Embassy in Pristina. “The agreement on the status of forces, signed on February 18th, 2012, determines the legal status of military personnel of the United States of America and US nationals working in Kosovo in programs that support our joint security.”


Kosovo Press Headlines

Koha Ditore

Front page
• No military solution for the north, only political
• PDK mobilizes for changes of the Code
• Customs punish “SharrCem” for fraud

Other headlines
• The Constitutional Court did not rule out the law on Prizren and Hoça (2)
• EU holds up to President Nikolic (4)
• Bogdanovic not allowed to enter Kosovo (4)
• Hague: Defense suspects accusations of the Prosecution (3)
• The supervised independence leaves the Ministers without holidays (5)
• The Foreign Commission lobbies through counterpart commissions (5)
• The first 73 Kosovo diplomas certified
• Tendering process for the Pristina – Han i Elezit motorway starts (6)
• Holidays delay the agreement for Distribution (7)

Zëri

Front page
• The Constitutional Court refuses Prizren
• Positive assessment for Kosovo
• Trade Union: Do not pay electricity

Other headlines
• Çollaku: The Constitutional Court in service of politics (2)
• Jahjaga hands over diplomas for the decorated (2)
• Bogdanovic: Pristina did not allow me to enter Kosovo (2)
• Ministry of Internal affairs waists 1.8 million euros (3)
• Jahjaga requests support for the integration process (4)
• Hoxhaj: Integration of the north through dialogue with citizens (4)
• Defense ends its objections (5)
• Buja spends almost half of the budget in two months (7)

Kosova Sot

Front page
• ODP blocks investigations for the judges and prosecutors
• In trouble with the judicial council
• Code with the changes might be presented to the Assembly today
• A letter to the five countries that have not recognized Kosovo

Other headlines
• SOFA, the power of the alliance between the US and Kosovo (2)
• Jeremic blames Albanians, regarding turbulences (2)
• Austria supports Kosovo’s Euro-Atlantic integration (4)
• Thaçi: Supervision of independence ends this year (4)
• Bogdanovic was not allowed to enter Kosovo (4)
• Defense denies prosecution evidence (4)
• Cooper: The first Kosovo university diplomas certified (8)

Epoka e Re

Front page
• Bajrami: Farewell to the Ahtisaari Package
• The decission for Haradinaj in September
• Bogdanovic returned backwards
• Strengthening of sovergenity, first hand priority

Other headlines
• Franca supports European integration of Kosovo (2)
• Commission writes a letter to five EU countries (5)
• Certified 73 university diplomas from Kosovo (6)
• Vetëvendosje loses in Constitutional Court (6)
• Rexhepi: We will arrest Bogdanovic if he enters in Kosovo illegally (7)
• KSF is growing and strengthening (7)
• ISG will give positive evaluation for Kosovo (12)

Express

Front page
• Kusari-Lila protected scammers
• Haziri: Arrests are required

Other headlines
• Integration of the north through dialogue (4)
• Austrian support (5)
• The laws for Prizren and Hoca, in accordance with constitution (6)
• Work for cadastre (6)
• Pacolli lobbies with mistakes (6)
• Illegal evidence (8)
• KSF with new professional forces (9)
• The agreement enforced (9)


Bota Sot

Front page
• Bogdanovic and Djordjevic banned from entering in Kosovo
• Thaçi: Monitored independence ends this year
• Request for recognition for five EU countries

Other headlines
• Azerbaijan reviews the request for recognition of Kosovo (2)
• Prime Minister without answer towards resignation of Kuçi (3)
• The law about Prizren and Hoca in accordance with constitution (3)
• SEEMO, regrets for the approval of the articles 37 and 38 (6)
• SOFA, the power of the alliance between USA and Kosovo (7)
• Republic of El Salvador promises recognition of Kosovo (7)

·