Main Stories









4 April 2017
EU does not back down on border demarcation criteria (Koha Ditore)
Hoxhaj: Demarcation has to be ratified, it is a condition (Epoka e Re)
Vujanovic: Kosovo to ratify border demarcation agreement (Klan Kosova)
“No decision if Kosovo will renew UNESCO bid this year” (Klan Kosova)
Former cellmate of Astrit Dehari dies while in detention (Koha Ditore)
Viets: The governing coalition has a stable majority (Epoka)
“Serbia’s integration to be conditioned with the issue of the missing” (Epoka)
President Thaci condemned attack on the Dragolec returnees (Bota Sot)
OSCE: “Kosovo and Metohija” designation was technical error (Zeri)
Kosovo Media Highlights
EU does not back down on border demarcation criteria (Koha Ditore)
The paper reports on the front page that the EU is not backtracking from the
ratification of border demarcation agreement with Montenegro as a condition for
lifting the visa regime for Kosovo. Most recently, Prime Minister of Kosovo Isa
Mustafa urged the EU to “modify” the border demarcation criteria so that the people
of Kosovo could enjoy the freedom of movement to Schengen zone while the
institutions would work on ratification of the border agreement. However, in a written
response to the paper, the EU Office in Pristina reaffirms that the conditions for visa
liberalisation remain the same as presented in the European Commission progress
report for 2016. These include the ratification of the border demarcation agreement
with Montenegro and strengthening the track record of fighting corruption.
Hoxhaj: Demarcation has to be ratified, it is a condition (Epoka e Re)
Kosovo’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Enver Hoxhaj, reported on Monday to the
members of the Assembly Commission for Stabilization Association, about the steps
undertaken by the Ministry that he leads to fulfill obligations deriving from the
Stabilization Association Agreement. He reiterated that the agreement on demarcation
of the border with Montenegro should be fulfilled as soon as possible. “It is in
Kosovo’s interest. Otherwise the demarcation will be an issue also during 2017, 2018,
1
http://media.unmikonline.org/
2019, and 2020. If some consider that this condition can be removed, they are wrong,”
Hoxhaj said.
Vujanovic: Kosovo to ratify border demarcation agreement (Klan Kosova)
President of Montenegro, Filip Vujanovic, said he hoped Kosovo Assembly would
ratify the border demarcation agreement. “We have understanding and patience for the
process in Kosovo. We expect this to be in the best interest of Kosovo because the
visa regime I believe depends on ratification,” Vujanovic said.
“No decision if Kosovo will renew UNESCO bid this year” (Klan Kosova)
Kosovo’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Valon Murtezaj, said Kosovo government has not
yet decided whether it will renew its UNESCO bid this year. “We are working on it
but it is not certain if we will apply. This requires work and analysis with international
partners,” Murtezaj said.
Former cellmate of Astrit Dehari dies while in detention (Koha Ditore)
Former cellmate of Vetevendosje activist Astrit Dehari who died at the detention
facility in Prizren, Naser Makolli, has also died while in detention in Lipjan.
Correctional service authorities said Makolli’s death is being investigated. Dehari’s
lawyer Tome Gashi said Makolli’s death is a cause for concern while Vetevendosje
leader Visar Ymeri said Makolli was the last person to have seen Dehari alive. At the
same time, Vetevendosje MP Albulena Haxhiu called for the resignation of Justice
Minister Dhurata Hoxha.
Viets: The governing coalition has a stable majority (Epoka)
The German Ambassador to Kosovo, Angelika Viets, said on Monday that the
governing coalition has a stable majority and that they could commence all major
duties of Kosovo with a wide consensus. “I believe that you are aware of my
assessment that this issue should not become a goal on its own… Prior to elections,
Kosovo should prove achieved successes. The major danger in case of early elections
would have been a stalemate for Kosovo in an up to one year period,” Viets said
adding that Kosovo cannot allow this to happen. “I definitely wish for the Kosovo
voters to think next time when they vote about who and how represented them,” Viets
said.
“Serbia’s integration to be conditioned with the issue of the missing” (Epoka)
Head of Kosovo’s government Commission for the missing persons, Prenk Gjetaj,
criticized the international community for not including the issue of the missing in the
dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia that is being held in Brussels. He told the paper
that the justification of the international factor was that the current dialogue is of
another nature. He said that the fate of the missing is hostage of Belgrade’s policy. He
requested from the local and international institutions to treat the matter of the missing
as priority.
President Thaci condemned attack on the Dragolec returnees (Bota Sot)
2
http://media.unmikonline.org/
The President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, said that return of displaced families in their
properties is a fair process and any interethnic incident, no matter how small it could
be, damages peace, stability and process of the reconciliation in Kosovo’s multiethnic
society. “Incidents like the one today in Dragolec, Istog, where the location prepared
for the returnees’ houses, are harmful for Kosovo state and society.” Thaci added. He
also welcomed voluntary and spontaneous return of 13 families in Lubozhde/Ljubozda
village adding the process should be supported by everyone. “Every citizen of the
Republic of Kosovo, regardless of ethnic belonging, has the right to return and live on
his property. I invite the institutions of the country to do more on facilitation of the
return of the displaced as well as for their security and integration in the society,” he
said. “We cannot build a better future if we become hostages of the past,” concluded
Thaci.
OSCE: “Kosovo and Metohija” designation was technical error (Zeri)
Zeri reported that the OSCE mission in Serbia considers Kosovo still as part of Serbia,
as in a document regarding presidential elections in Serbia, the OSCE referred to
Kosovo as “Kosovo and Metohija”. Furthermore, the document also employs “racist
vocabulary” by referring to a neighbourhood in a term deemed derogatory for the
Roma, Ashkali, Egyptian community. The OSCE however said this was a technical
error and that the document that the media published was not edited. “The OSCE
mission never uses ‘Kosovo and Metohija’ designation. This can be easily verified on
our website or our publications,” the OSCE said in a reply to the paper.
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.
3
http://media.unmikonline.org/