Resolution on protection of war victims passes, award resolution fails

Parliament approves four international agreements

Photo: Driton Paçarada

The Kosovo Assembly approved several international agreements on Friday. 

The deputies have approved the Draft Law on Ratification of the Loan Agreement between Kosovo and the International Development Association for the Kosovo Financial Sector Development Project, the Draft Law on Ratification of the Loan Agreement between Kosovo and the French Development Agency for the Policy-Based Loan Program, the Loan Agreement between Kosovo and KfW, Frankfurt am Main, for the Policy-Based Loan Program in the Energy and Climate Sector for Kosovo, as well as the Draft Law on Ratification of the Loan Agreement between Kosovo and the International Development Association for the Project "Trade and Transport Facilitation in the Western Balkans 2.0."

LDK resolution on oil price fails

35 votes for, 49 against and 7 abstentions for the LDK result

Photo: Driton Paçarada

MPs did not vote on the LDK resolution on the awards.

The resolution provided for the temporary reduction of the excise tax on oil from 36 cents per liter to 20 cents until prices stabilize, the reduction of VAT on fuels from 18 percent to 8 percent, as well as the subsidization of oil prices for the most sensitive sectors, including agriculture, public transport and local producers.

VIDEO: The moment of voting

Resolution on the truth of war is adopted

Photo: archive

Photo: Driton Paçarada

The resolution proposed by the Democratic Party of Kosovo on the protection of victims and the historical truth of the war was approved in the Assembly on Friday. The resolution received 90 votes in favor, none against, and no abstentions.

This resolution also includes a provision for initiating the punishment of those who deny or minimize Serbian crimes. The proposal for this resolution came after the exhibition in Pristina Square which reflected incorrect data about the massacres in Kosovo. 

PDK MP, Nait Hasani, has read the content of the resolution: 

-The Assembly emphasizes that it is the responsibility of Kosovo institutions to conduct research and documentation of Serbia's crimes in Kosovo.

-Encourages justice institutions to continue the work begun to investigate and prosecute war crimes committed by Serbia in Kosovo.

-Humiliatingly honors the sublime sacrifice of the Albanian people, of all the martyrs of the nation and those who contributed and sacrificed for freedom and independence.

-Condemns any official or other attempt and any statement by public officials that aims or advocates for the amnesty of Serbia from responsibility for crimes committed in Kosovo

-Condemns any form of distortion, relativization or inaccurate presentation of facts related to the 1998-99 war in Kosovo.

-Condemns initiatives like the recent exhibition in Pristina, which, with inaccuracies in data about the massacres in Serbia, incite widespread reactions and provoke the re-experiencing of pain, risking the distortion of the truth and historical facts.

-Invites the Institute of Crimes Committed in Kosovo to research and document accurate data on the massacres committed in Kosovo by Serbia as soon as possible, and to reflect the historical truth in an accurate and complete manner.

-Invites state institutions, academic institutions and research institutes, media, NGOs, professional associations in the field, citizens and families of victims to engage in collecting facts, evidence, testimonies and arguments by depositing them at the Institute of Crimes Committed During the War in Kosovo.

-Supports and encourages preparations for the indictment of Serbia for genocidal crimes committed in Kosovo.

-Invites the justice bodies to conduct a full, independent, impartial investigation regarding the possible presence of criminal elements in the case of the presentation of incorrect data and to fully clarify possible cases.

-It obliges the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Presidency to react in real time and professionally in cases where the truth of the war in Kosovo is attacked in international forums or public statements.

-Obligation of responsible institutions that any activity, exhibition or publication dealing with the war period be based on sources verified and confirmed by the Institute of Crimes Committed During the War in Kosovo, any scientific research institution and on the final decisions of justice institutions in order to avoid any interpretation that violates the dignity of the victims and the truth of the liberation war.

-Encourages the academic community, civil society and researchers in the accurate and fact-based documentation of the history of the war in Kosovo.

- Pledges to take legislative action to supplement the Criminal Code in order to provide for penalties for persons who deny or minimize the crimes committed by Serbia in Kosovo.

-It is pledged to provide for punishments for persons who commit actions that violate the dignity of victims, approve, glorify or justify the tyranny and arbitrary rule of Serbia, as well as the crimes committed by it in Kosovo, or spread Serbian propaganda.

-Requires that the Parliament and any other institution, before financially or in any way supporting activities that aim to present the war period, or contain elements from the war, ensure the accuracy of the data.

-Prohibits funding or support for organizations that organize or promote projects that distort historical truth and insult victims.

-Confirms the full commitment of the Assembly to the protection, preservation and promotion of historical truth.

VIDEO:

The 13th salary clashes between the Minister of Finance and the AAK MP

Photo: Driton Paçarada

The distribution of the 13th salary for the public sector has sparked a debate between Finance Minister Hekuran Murati and AAK MP Besnik Tahiri. Tahiri has demanded an answer from Murati about the distribution of this salary and has demanded responsibility for the private sector. 

Murati said that if the opposition wants something like this to be done for the private sector as well, this can be done by law. 

"We allocated 70 million euros in December last year, given as a one-time payment of 100 euros. Now, 200 million euros are given every year for mothers and children. There has been an increase in the minimum wage. Regarding the 13th salary, we have given those salaries because we are the employer for the public sector. If you think that the private sector should also do such a thing, perhaps we can amend this by law. If you think that it should be made mandatory by law, we are open to doing such a thing," Murati replied. 

But, Tahiri once again demanded concrete answers for private sector employees. 

"I saw the minister, did you hear what he said? He said we have given support to pensioners, pensioners, mothers, they are not working, this is called a social scheme. We are for their support. The child has not worked for 13 years. I spoke to you in Albanian, I said you gave 65 million for the 13th salary, what you have done for the private sector, for those on the scaffold, women in supermarkets, for journalists," said Tahiri.

 

Abrashi asks Haxhiu to appoint the third LVV member to the CEC

Photo: Driton Paçarada

Vetevendosje Movement MP Artan Abrashi has asked the acting president, Albulena Haxhiu, to appoint the third Vetevendosje Movement member to the CEC.

According to him, being the largest parliamentary group, they deserve the third member.

"Honorable Ms. Haxhiu, I call on you to reflect on your duties and appoint the third member of the LVV to the CEC. As the largest Parliamentary Group in the history of the Assembly of Kosovo, we deserve the third member. This issue must be resolved as soon as possible. I call on you to reflect on your constitutional and legal duties," he said.

PDK MP, Blerta Deliu, also asked Haxhiu in the Assembly today to appoint the second PDK member to this institution.

Both parties have claimed the last seat in the CEC – VV third and PDK second.

Tahiri: The government is not looking for solutions, it is aiming for blockades

The Head of the Parliamentary Group, Besnik Tahiri, said that the goal of this government is not to have a solution, but to build a blockade.

He added that the goal is to normalize functioning with a government in office.

He called for the political program to be brought to the Parliament as soon as possible.

"Tomorrow it will be two months since this Assembly voted for the Government of Kosovo. While we still have 17 days left until the dissolution of this parliament. What would be a common conclusion is that this government has blocked Kosovo from producing successive crises. Is it logical that 17 days are left for this Assembly to reach an agreement on the president and... I see the situation as quite problematic when crises are the last name of this government," he said.

PDK asks Haxhiu to complete the CEC according to the Constitution

Photo: Driton Paçarada

Democratic Party of Kosovo MP, Blerta Deliu, has once again requested, on behalf of the group, the appointment of the second member of this party to the Central Election Commission. 

Deliu said in the plenary session of the Parliament that the deadline for the new composition of the CEC ended on Thursday. Although she said that the deadline ended on Thursday, April 11 is the legal deadline to make the appointment. 

"Yesterday, the 60-day deadline for the new composition of the CEC ended. The Constitutional Court's decision has clarified this issue. The composition of the CEC does not proportionally reflect political power, but only the number of parliamentary groups. Civil society organizations have also confirmed that the second member belongs to the PDK. The PDK demands that the acting president complete the CEC as provided for by the constitution. Any other decision by Mrs. Haxhiu would constitute a constitutional violation," Deliu said.  

The Constitution requires that six members of the CEC be appointed by the six largest parliamentary groups that do not hold reserved seats. And, if there are fewer parliamentary groups in the Assembly, according to the Constitution, the largest groups can appoint additional members.
 

Agreement is reached to vote on the PDK resolution as the first item on the agenda

Photo: Driton Paçarada

(Text updated 12:02) - 86 members of the Kosovo Assembly have voted to place the resolution on the protection of war victims proposed by the PDK as the first item on the agenda, after parliamentary questions.

After a consultation with the heads of the parliamentary groups and the Speaker of the Assembly, the deputies who were engaged in working on harmonizing the text left the room to continue working on the text of the resolution.

The resolution on prices proposed by the LDK was moved from point nine to point six.

The agenda was voted on with 91 votes in favor.

During this time, the Serbian List has left the courtroom.

Disagreements again over PDK resolution, no agreement on which point to address

PDK MP Vlora Çitaku has once again requested that the resolution on the protection of war victims be  is voted on in this session as the first item on the agenda.

She thanked all parliamentary groups for their contribution to drafting the text of the resolution, saying that there is no more important issue than this for voting.

"As far as I understand, an agreement has already been reached. However, we insist that this point be treated as the first item on the agenda. Because there is no more important issue to be addressed than this. It is neither shame nor weakness for the parliamentary majority to accept a request from the PDK," she said.

The head of the Vetëvendosje Movement Parliamentary Group, Arbërie Nagavci, said that two MPs are working on the text of the resolution, adding that it can be voted on as soon as the work is completed.

"I had asked you to leave it according to the already proposed agenda and as soon as we have final agreement on the resolution, we will adopt it," she said.

The head of the LDK Working Group, Jehona Lushaku-Sadriu, has requested that a resolution on raising oil prices be voted on before international agreements.

"The content of the laws is extremely important, but there is no urgency to see us as a voting machine for the laws that you urgently bring in. We propose that our resolution be put before international agreements," he said.

The head of the AAK Working Group, Besnik Tahiri, asked where the problem of Vetëvendosje lies, which according to him, he will not put as the first item on the agenda.

He added that he doesn't know how they will agree on the president when they can't even agree on a resolution.

The resolution was put to a vote to be discussed before parliamentary questions, but there was a lack of quorum. Only 52 MPs participated in the vote.

The opposition does not approve the change to the agenda proposed by the LVV

Photo: Driton Paçarada

The Vetëvendosje Movement has proposed that eight draft laws be included on the agenda of the plenary session, among them those on price ceilings, the Mediterranean Games, social housing, health insurance, and others.

But, without the support of other opposition parties, these draft laws failed to make it onto the agenda on Friday, April 10.

The head of the PDK Parliamentary Group, Arian Tahiri, said that these draft laws are not urgent to be reviewed by Friday.

"PDK considers that these proposals are not urgent and as such does not support any of them being handled outside of regular procedures. This is only a tendency to create a new agenda for the election campaign," he said.

The Head of the LDK Parliamentary Group, Jehona Lushaku-Sadriu, has called the inclusion of these draft laws on the agenda unreasonable.

"Draft laws that have passed this week in committees and are coming to be approved in an accelerated procedure. The topics are extremely important but not in the period for which they should be reviewed, because they require analysis. This urgency is unreasonable and will not be supported by us," she said.

And, the head of the AAK Parliamentary Group, Besnik Tahiri, while saying that he also does not support changing the agenda, has requested that this not become a parliamentary practice.

"It makes no sense to disrupt the agenda every session. Not that we don't support it, but I ask that this not become a parliamentary practice."

Only the multiethnic Parliamentary Group supported all the draft laws.