Main Stories 16 September 2012

 Mustafa: Fighting corruption, an anti-opposition tool (Koha Ditore)  PDK and AAK continue talks on possible coalition (Express)  Tërmkolli accuses Jagcilar of inflating number of Turks in Kosovo (Koha Ditore)  Osmani: There is no other more important issue then the removal of Thaçi Government (Koha Ditore)

Kosovo Media Highlights

Mustafa: Fighting corruption, an anti-opposition tool ( Koha Ditore ) Koha Ditore quotes LDK leader Isa Mustafa as saying that he fears the fight against corruption in Kosovo is turning into a tool of the government to fight the opposition. Mustafa made these remarks after the recent detention of Pristina municipal assembly chairman Sami Hamiti. Mustafa, leader of the biggest opposition party, said everywhere in the world corruption is fought in the government whereas in Kosovo it is the contrary.

“We are not against fighting corruption in the opposition too, if there are elements and facts are found by the judicial system, but the fight against corruption should in no way be transferred from the government to the opposition, because then the fight against corruption turns into a government’s tool against the opposition. No democracy or state of law can be achieved in this way,” Mustafa said.

The LDK leader also said the arrests of his party’s officials should not be politicized and that justice should have its say on such matters.

During the press conference, Mustafa used harsh words against President Atifete Jahjaga, saying that the LDK has no reason to recognize a president that eats her own words and violates the agreement of unity among political parties.

PDK and AAK continue talks on possible coalition ( Express ) The paper reports that officials from PDK and AAK are increasingly speaking in favour of a possible coalition between the two parties, especially in light of recent scandals in Kosovo involving Deputy Prime Minister Behgjet Pacolli. PDK’s Adem Grabovci told the paper however that the current ruling coalition is stable but that his party remains open for coordination and cooperation with other political parties while AAK’s member of presidency Melihate Tërmkolli said there is some truth in recent reports about a PDK-AAK coalition. “There is some truth in this direction but such a coalition is only possible with Ramush Haradinaj prime minister,” said Tërmkolli.

Tërmkolli accuses Jagcilar of inflating number of Turks in Kosovo ( Koha Ditore ) Former minister of public services and currently member of AAK presidency Melihate Tërmkolli accused public administration minister Mahir Jagcilar of artificially inflating the figures of the Turkish community in Kosovo during the population census process. According to Tërmkolli, Jagcilar has brought in people from Turkey to register them as residents of Kosovo only to have the number of actual Turks appear higher than in reality. Tërmkolli said she has evidence to support her claims.

Osmani: There is no other more important issue then the removal of Thaçi Government ( Koha Ditore ) Koha Ditore reports that member of LDK presidency and deputy in Kosovo Assembly, Vjosa Osmani, has accused Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi for the blockade of the agreement for the election of the president. According to her, there is no other more important national issue then the removal of the Government which is led by Hashim Thaçi. Osmani made this evaluation during a meeting she had with the representatives of LDK in Gjakova. Osmani has requested that the achieved agreement between Prime Minster Hashim Thaçi, Behgjet Pacolli of AKR and the head of LDK Isa Mustafa, with the guarantees of USA to be respected, otherwise she said, this agreement is a test for every process that comes after September.

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