Main Stories 12 July 2011

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  • ICO shut down discussed, without completing its job (Koha Ditore)
  • Kosovo Serbs against agreements, against dialogue and against EULEX (Koha Ditore)
  • Rohan: Serbia towards recognition of Kosovo (Zëri)
  • Opposition against dialogue (Express)
  • EULEX special units take over police station in the north (Koha Ditore)
  • LDK: Minister Rexhepi’s contradictory statements are not serious (dailies)
  • Growing divisions within LDK (Express)
  • Added pressure over Kosova e Re project (Koha Ditore)

Kosovo Media Highlights

ICO shut down discussed, without completing its job (Koha Ditore)

Koha Ditore reports that Kosovo’s “friendly countries” have started to express disagreements on how to move forward on the supervision of independence. While the meeting of the International Steering Group, which will be held on Tuesday in Pristina, is expected to result with the finding of a joint formula for the future of the International Civilian Office and its implementation of the mandate assigned by Ahtisaari’s Package as supervisor of independence, essential distinctions among different ISG countries, concern the conclusion of the mandate and financing of ICO.

While some of the countries appear to prefer shutting down the ICO as soon as possible, by the end of the year or latest in March 2012, pretending that “there is no job for ICO,” some other countries consider that this should not happen prior to the conclusion of some remaining works, first of all the decentralization in the north, that is considered as the key of integration of this problematic part of Kosovo.

This daily reports that all countries appear to consider financing of the ICO as a problem, despite the reduction of its staff and shutting down of all regional offices except for the one in Mitrovica.

Zëri on the other hand reports that Mitrovica prolonges the life of ICO.

Kosovo Serbs against agreements, against dialogue and against EULEX (Koha Ditore)

Koha Ditore reports that Serb minority refused at a meeting held on Monday in Zveçan, the agreement reached between Kosovo and Serbia in Brussels. However, Serbia’s state secretary Oliver Ivanovic, called this meeting a gathering of the opposition, concretely of the Serbian Democratic Party lead by Vojislav Kostunica.

According to unofficial sources, the meeting which was named by the organizers as “The major convention of Serb population in Kosovo,” refuted completely the solutions reached through dialogue of the representatives from Pristina and Belgrade. 627 Serb delegates from the entire Kosovo concluded that the agreement with Pristina is the cruelest form of treachery of national and state interests of Kosovo Serbs.

Rohan: Serbia towards recognition of Kosovo (Zëri)

Zëri reports that former deputy of the Finish President Ahtisaari, at the office which mediated negotiations for the status of Kosovo, Albert Rohan, is pleased with the current dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia. He is convinced that Serbia is showing the initial signs of recognition of Kosovo’s statehood, since it accepted a dialogue with the representatives of Kosovo state. “The fact that both parties have started to discuss with each other, means that they are recognizing each other,” said Rohan for Zëri. Rohan also said that it is essential to go from article to article of the proposal of the status, in order to decide if Kosovars have to accept something or not during the current dialogue.

Opposition against dialogue (Express)

Express reports that opposition parties in the Kosovo Assembly are planning to call for the support of ruling parties in order to oblige the Government to cut off talks and further agreements with Serbia. Opposition parties are expected to announce their request in an extraordinary session of the Assembly scheduled for this week.

AAK parliamentary group chief Ardian Gjini told Radio Free Europe that he hopes the ruling parties in the Assembly will show positively reflect on the request of the opposition.

“We expect an honest and open debate and we expect the Government of Kosovo to respond to all questions and concerns that MPs have over the so-called dialogue. We will certainly come to a decision. We also hope that MPs of the ruling coalition will be equally concerned as opposition MPs,” Gjini was quoted as saying.

EULEX special units take over police station in the north (Koha Ditore)

Koha Ditore reports that Serbian parallel structures have cut off all contacts with EULEX, after its special units deployed near the Kosovo Police station in the northern part of Mitrovica. Citing unnamed sources, the paper also reports that EULEX special police units were seen on Monday morning at the police station in the north with the aim of intervening if police commanders appointed by parallel structures would show up for work or in the event of a protest by Serb citizens.

LDK: Minister Rexhepi’s contradictory statements are not serious (dailies)

Several dailies report that the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) has reacted against Interior Minister Bajram Rexhepi’s statement that Kosovo Police would tolerate and not confiscate new documents that the Serbian Interior Ministry issues for Kosovo Serbs until the implementation of agreements reached between Pristina and Belgrade.

“It seems that Minister Rexhepi has forgot about his strong statements a couple of days ago and let us not even mention the statements and his decision to confiscate Serbian license plates issued for regions in Kosovo,” it was said in the LDK reaction. “The issues of the state should not be subject to unserious and irresponsible statements because these are not private matters of Minister Rexhepi or the Government, but issues involving the institutions and the citizens of the Republic of Kosovo”.

On the same issue, Bota Sot on the front page reports that agreements between Kosovo and Serbia are legalizing documents issued by UNMIK.

Growing divisions within LDK (Express)

Express reports on the front page on continued clashes between LDK leader Isa Mustafa and former party leader Fatmir Sejdiu over developments within the party. Namely, at the meeting of the General Council of the LDK on Monday, Sejdiu opposed the decision for repeated elections in the party branch in Gjakova, saying that the decision of the party chairmanship is unjust. The paper also reports that several delegates at the General Council accused Mustafa of strangling reforms and for making decisions that resemble the communist era.

Added pressure over Kosova e Re project (Koha Ditore)

Koha Ditore reports in one of the front-page stories that the U.S. Department of the Treasury has called on the World Bank in Washington to move forward the project for the construction of a new power plant in Kosovo, called “Kosova e Re”.

In a letter dated March this year sent to the World Bank President, Marisa Lago, Assistant Secretary for International Markets and Development in the U.S. Department of the Treasury, said the project should be sent for reviewing to the U.S. Department.

The letter notes that the 600 MW project includes a part on alternative energy. Another reason why the project needs to be executed, according to the Department of the Treasury, is poverty in Kosovo and the emergent need for economic development.

The letter also notes that the World Bank must be efficient in the implementation of the project and in reforming the energy sector in Kosovo.

Kosovo Press Headlines

Koha Ditore

Front page

  • Discussions on shutting down ICO without finishing the job
  • Added pressure on “Kosova e Re” project
  • Ivanov, Jahjaga, Topi and Vujanovic to convey a European message
  • Surroi: How to define Kosovo’s state interest?
  • MP voted 15 times for absent colleague

Other headlines

  • Funds determine ICO’s future (3)
  • Kosovo Serbs against agreements, dialogue and EULEX (4)
  • EULEX special units take over northern police station (4)
  • LDK: Minister Rexhepi’s contradictory statements are unserious (5)
  • Albania supports Kosovo’s membership in WHO (6)

Zëri

Front page

  • Mitrovica prolongs ICO’s life
  • Rohan: Serbia toward recognizing Kosovo
  • EULEX ruins Serb plans
  • Opposition: Down with agreements
  • Fol defends Thaçi
  • Xharra: Thaçi avoided justice
  • Spahiu: The success of Milosevic’s politics

Other headlines

  • Edita visits England (2)
  • Reorganization within LDK (2)
  • Jahjaga “excludes” Tadic from Ohrid (4)
  • Topi supports Pacolli’s idea (4)

Kosova Sot

Front page

  • KDI: One MP voted 15 times in a session
  • Editorial: Serbia is stealing our money
  • Government wants half a billion Euros from the privatization fund
  • Heated sixth round of talks

Other headlines

  • Tahiri and Stefanovic in London (2)
  • Opposition calls on Assembly to say “stop” to talks (3)
  • LDK criticizes Kosovo-Serbia agreements (3)
  • Soros interested in mines in Kosovo (4)
  • Steinbach: Kosovo has achieved stability as a state (4)

Epoka e Re

Front page

  • Calls for unification of opposition
  • Latifi does not listen to AAK
  • Mustafa: Agreement to be ratified at the Assembly
  • Branch in Gjakova, divided LDK

Other headlines

  • Tahiri and Stefanovic visit Great Britain (2)
  • Hoxhaj at the commemorative gathering for von Hasburg (2)
  • Assembly Chairperson Krasniqi visits Brussels (2)
  • Sejdiu: LDK leadership in Gjakova is acting unduly (4)
  • Germany values implementation of Ahtisaari’s Package (5)
  • EULEX ‘guards” police station in the north (6)
  • KAP announces that tender on Trpça is invalid (9)

Express

Front page

  • Divisions continue
  • 11 millions more
  • Lawyers for the Ombudsperson

Other headlines

  • Jahjaga at Ohrid Summit (4)
  • Expresses condolences to Von Habsburg family (5)
  • Fraud at the Assembly (5)
  • Opposition against dialogue (6)
  • Edita and Stefanovic in London (6)
  • Serbs request interruption of discussions (6)
  • Troubles of the north (7)
  • Ready for protests (7)

Bota Sot

Front page

  • Minister Rexhepi’s “tough” announcements and “soft words”
  • AKR does not give up its part at the Government, requests another ministry
  • Changes of the law on elections, at initial phase

Other headlines

  • Idea of strengthening Albanian factor should strengthen (2)
  • ISG decides whether Ahtisaari’s package is completed or not (3)
  • Krasniqi does not accept Thaçi’s criticism: We are doing our job (4)
  • EULEX blocks entrance at police station in the north (6)
  • Kardin: The U.S. supports EULEX efforts for investigations (7)
  • Jahjaga participates at Ohrid summit (7)

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.