Main Stories 14April

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  • Kosovo and Albania must investigate the KLA (Koha Ditore)
  • Haradinaj: Agenda against elections (dailies)
  • European “alternative” proposed for Ahtisaari package (Koha Ditore)
  • UNMIK is waiting for guidance from New York(Kosova Sot)
  • No water plant to be built in the north of Kosovo, says Ivanovic (Zëri)

Kosovo Media Highlights

Kosovo and Albania must investigate the KLA (Koha Ditore)

Koha Ditore reports on the front page that the new wave of accusations of crimes committed against civilians by the former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) has been followed by calls for Kosovo authoritiesto launch investigations in order to remove doubt raised by former ICTY chief prosecutor Carla del Ponte and international media, including the BBC.

Koha Ditore quotes Fred Abrahams, Human Rights Watch senior researcher, as saying that Kosovo and Albanian authorities should launch investigations into the allegations.

“Any government that wants to be treated seriously by the international community must investigatate credible accusations of criminal activities,” Abrahams was quoted as saying.

Abrahams also said that the UN and NATO should give explanations about how civilians could have been abducted before their eyes.

Haradinaj: Agenda against elections (dailies)

Dailies report that AAK leader Ramush Haradinaj said on Monday that he has noticed an agenda being developed by various officials aimed at dimming or discrediting Kosovo’s ability and capacity to organize free elections.

Haradinaj also said that delays in appointing the CEC chairperson and setting the date for local elections is a result of an agenda aimed at diming the importance of elections in Kosovo.

European “alternative” proposed for Ahtisaari package (Koha Ditore)

Koha Ditore reports on the front page that substitution of the Ahtisaari package with another plan, which would be acceptable for all the parties, is an option not being rejected by European analysts. The aim would be to stabilize the political situation in Kosovo. The Foundation for International Relations and Foreign Dialogue (FRIDE) in Madrid evaluated that foreign politics of the European Union in relation to Kosovo and Serbia has to be reviewed, while the European engagement until now has beenweak and disoriented and has failed to produce expected resultsof achieving sustainable peace and the reconciliation of Albanians and Serbs, makingthe functioning of Kosovo more difficult.

“Considering the lack of consensus over the Ahtisaari plan, the EU has to take in its hands the issues and find a solution which will be acceptable for all parties”, it says among in its analysis titled “Functionality of Kosovo.”

UNMIK is waiting for guidance from New York(Kosova Sot)

Kosova Sot reports that analysts say the presence of UNMIK in Kosovo will only complicate the work of the European mission, EULEX. According to UNMIK spokesman Russell Geekie this mission is waiting for guidance from the Security Council in connection with future tasks. “Regarding this, we are in transition at the end of the reconfiguration phase and we are taking over a political and monitoring role with some competencies remaining,” said Geekie. UNMIK’s departure was also demanded by the European Parliament. This was said after the visit of a European Parliament delegation headed by Doris Pack. “We don’t need UNMIK in Kosovo anymore. Now EULEX has to be operational in all the regions of Kosovo to help the Kosovo institutions to establish rule of law,” she said.

No water plant to be built in the north of Kosovo, says Ivanovic (Zëri)

Zëri reports that the citizens of Mitrovica and Zvecan will face lack of drinking water this summer. Officials of the old water plant on the other side of the IbarRiver told the paper that the water cuts will be more frequent than in the past. According to Serbian media, officials from the so-called Ministry for Kosovo have said that there are no funds for the construction of a water plant in the northern part of Kosovo. The so-called state secretary in the Ministry for Kosovo, Oliver Ivanovic,told Serbian media that a new water plant won’t be built in northern of Kosovo due to insufficient funds. “The water plant or a bigger infrastructure project, in the northern part of Kosovo, is mainly mentioned in election campaigns”, said Ivanovic, adding that those are unrealistic promises and express typical political manipulations of the Kosovo Serbcitizens.

Kosovo Press Headlines

Koha Ditore

Front page

  • A European “alternative” is proposed for Ahtisaari’s package
  • Kosovo and Albania must investigate the KLA
  • Prime Minister promises to solve complains of veterans
  • EULEX wants strengthening of protection of witnesses

Other headlines

  • Thaçi and Krasniqi “avoid” the king (2)
  • Haradinaj: I regret that Surroi isn’t Foreign Minister, he would have schooled Jeremic (2)
  • Sudetic: There is no evidence of transplant, but investigations are necessary (3)
  • Jeremic: Some very influential countries are on Serbia’s side (4)
  • ORA proposes investigation committee into Del Ponte’s claims (5)

Zëri

Front page

  • Dangerous delays in preparations for local elections
  • Sejdiu announces consultations for elections, Haradinaj warns about delays
  • Jeremic: Some very influential countries are on Serbia’s side
  • Protest in front of Government, Thaçi doesn’t convince former KLA members

Other headlines

  • Kosovo and Albania are going on the same path of integration (3)
  • Ivanovic: Construction of water supply in the northern part of Kosovo won’t be allowed (6)

Kosova Sot

Front page

  • Pristina is ready to face 300 pages from Serbia
  • Editorial: War hero and protagonist of poverty
  • Elections, date through consensus
  • Former combatants in hunger strike
  • Leka’s visit, meeting with Thaçi fails

Other headlines

  • UNMIK awaits guidance from New York (3)
  • ICO gives Serbs the chance of the year (4)
  • Over 7.000 Albanians apply for Serbian passports (4)
  • Velic calls for changing of Ahtisaari’s Package (4)

Epoka e Re

Front page

  • Luta makes a comeback in Gjilan
  • Sejdiu promises law will be respected, Haradinaj is sceptical
  • Pristina and Belgrade ready for confrontation at The Hague

Other headlines

  • Ivanovic: Council of Europe to lead decentralization (2)
  • Serbia will not issue passports for Kosovo citizens in the future (2)
  • Ivanovic: ICJ decision, crucial for returns (3)
  • Turkey will not downsize number of troops in Kosovo (6)
Express

Front page

  • The tale with a king
  • The week of files
  • Veterans on strike

Other headlines

  • Turkey will not reduce number of soldiers in Kosovo (4)
  • Two rational realities (5)
  • Decentralization - the opportunity of the year for Serbs (5)
  • Agenda against elections (4)
  • In UCCK, lack of medicines again(6)
  • Zones of information darkness (7)
  • No Serb passports for Kosovars (8)
Lajm

Front page

  • The U.S.has still work to do in Balkans
  • United in the EU
  • Protecting dignity

Other headlines

  • Self-satisfaction of Belgrade (4)
  • Manipulation with the Serb minority will come to an end (4)
  • Demanded overseeing from anti-corruption (5)
  • Turkey will not downsize number of soldiers in Kosovo (5)
  • Still nothing for agriculture (6)
Bota Sot

Front page

  • Kosovo and Albania an undivided trunk
  • Kosovo and KLA have done a rightful war

Other headlines

  • President Sejdiu denies that process of elections is politicized (2)
  • Former KLA soldiers on strike (4)
  • Dervishi: Repeat every moment “status quo”! (5)
  • Candidates for Ombudsperson to be interviewed (9)
Infopress

Front page

  • “Failed project” of Blerim Shala

Other headlines

  • The date of elections, after consultations (2)
  • In the same way (2)
  • One refresh for laws of the package (3)
  • Ready to protect the independence (4)
  • The chance of the year for Serbs (5)

Belgrade Media Update

  • Jeremic: Arguments ready for ICJ (Tanjug)
  • Gracanica: Dismissed leadership opposes Serbian government’s decision (Tanjug)
  • Unknown perpetrators broke into refugee facilities near Prizren (Beta)
  • Norwegians warn of investment risk in Kosovo (Tanjug)

Jeremic: Arguments ready for ICJ (Tanjug)

The Serbian authorities completed the preparation of arguments to be presented to the ICJ on 17 April so this highest UN court might decide on the legality of the self-proclaimed Kosovo independence, Tanjug reports. The agency reports on the assessment of Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic that the legal arguments of the Serbian side are very well presented and that the document has over 300 pages. Pointing that the document was prepared by some of the world most prominent legal experts, the Minister expressed conviction that some influential states will be on Serbia’s side. Tanjug reminds that while visiting Russia, some EU member states that have not recognized Kosovo, and some influential Muslim countries, Jeremic received assurances that the authorities of these countries will present their opinions to the ICJ.

Gracanica: Dismissed leadership opposes Serbian government’s decision (Tanjug)

The dismissed leadership of the Pristina Assembly, deployed in Gracanica, commenced a protest in front of the Kosovo district headquarters, demanding from the Serbian government to re-examine and annul the decision on introducing provisional administration in the city assembly. The leadership and deputies of the Pristina Assembly intend to influence, through the Kosovo district, the government to re-examine the decision passed at the beginning of April on disbanding the assembly and introducing provisional measures. The Ministry of Kosovo states that the municipalities where provisional measures had been introduced had a series of violations of the procedure during the adoption of the statute and budget. The deputy chairman of the municipal assembly Dragoslav Marinkovic announced that the local assembly would not be disbanded until they receive an official explanation from the government on the introduction of provisional administration.

Unknown perpetrators broke into refugee facilities near Prizren (Beta)

Unknown persons have broken windows on the containers and the doors on the facility, set up by the Kosovo Ministry of Return for the Serb returnees in the village of Zivinjane near Prizren last year. At the time of the burglary, nobody was in the facilities, as in December 2008 the returnees left to the refugee camps in central Serbia to spend the winter. One of the returnees, Vjekoslav Petrovic, has stated that the manner of the burglary indicates a message that they should not come back. He emphasized that the expelled inhabitants of Zivinjane have taken the event with sorrow, as the memories of 1999 are still fresh, when their village was completely burned down and destroyed.

Norwegians warn of investment risk in Kosovo (Tanjug)

A Norwegian company has decided to launch a website which would warn potential investors of the investment hazards in Kosovo. The points to corruption, lack and abuse of law, human rights abuse, betrayal of international personnel and other problems in Kosovo that investors may face in Kosovo.

Disclaimer

This media summary consists of selected local media articles for the information of UN personnel. The public distribution of this media summary is a courtesy service extended by UNMIK on the understanding that the choice of articles translated is exclusive, and the contents do not represent anything other than a selection of articles likely to be of interest to a United Nations readership. The inclusion of articles in this summary does not imply endorsement by UNMIK.