Prishtina Insight: “It Is Not the Government That We Are Aiming For
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Business: Rise in Bad Debts Worries Kosovo Economists June 18 - July 1, 2010 Issue No. 42 www.prishtinainsight.com Price € 1 ‘Brotherhood NEWS Macedonia to and Unity’ Probe Mass Grave Monument to Allegations be Pulled Down > page 3 CITY Experts are divided on Blair to Visit the merits of the latest Kosovo Next Month monument to join > page 6 Prishtina Muncipality’s ‘demolition list’. The structure will make way for a new Adem Jashari square and stat- ue. BUSINESS See Pages 6 Police Seizures of Forged Banknotes Vetevendosje Takes Gamble By Up in Kosovo > page 5 Contesting Kosovo Polls GUIDE The movement’s decision to run in the next election has disappointed some supporters, but leader Albin Kurti is con- Montenegro’s vinced the move could pay off, telling Prishtina Insight: “It is not the government that we are aiming for. It is the state” Magical Canyon movement’s fifth anniversary to The charges, first initiated by process and wants to see an end to By Jasper Tjaden announce that they intended to the UN mission in Kosovo, EULEX. It called on people not to > page 8-9 contest upcoming general elections UNMIK, concerned his involve- vote in the local elections last ith the air still thick from in 2011, police arrested ment in a 2007 protest in Prishtina November and opposed the inter- NEIGHBOURHOOD pepper spray and broken Vetvendosje’s head, Albin Kurti, 35. during which two of his move- nationally supported decentralisa- Wglass crunching under The arrest left several injured ment’s activists died. tion process, which has resulted in Economy Minister: foot, Vetevendosje activists sat on both sides and has led to calls Despite being found guilty, Kurti the creation of new, Serb-run calmly watching themselves on by Human Rights Watch for an was freed immediately as he had municipalities. ‘Albania could be Kosovo TV news. investigation into whether Kosovo already served more than enough Their slogans, sprayed on walls Through the broken front win- Police used excessive force. time under house arrest. At liber- across Kosovo, draw begrudging the next China’ dow of their headquarters in the A few days later, on Monday, ty again, he used the opportunity respect even from staunch critics central Pejton district of Prishtina Kurti was sentenced to nine to condemn what he and his move- for their wit and imagination. > page 12 one member could be seen, head months’ imprisonment after his ment see as the international com- Some grassroots supporters feel swathed in a bandage, worn with long-delayed trial finally took munity’s colonialist attitude that a step into established politics a sense of visible pride. place. He had been on the run for towards Kosovo. risks damaging the organisation’s It was 7pm on Saturday, June 12, months, after the EU mission in The nationalist movement bit- values and reputation. and calm had returned to the area. Kosovo, EULEX, restarted a trial terly opposed Kosovo’s interna- A few hours earlier, after using the against him. tionally supervised independence continues page 2 Accuracy of Kosovo Asset Kosovo’s Autistic Children Declarations Queried Suffer in Silence Many hoped that the publication on June Only six people are officially registered NGO FOCUS 1 of the assets declared by Kosovo politi- as autistic in Kosovo and receiving some cians would shed light on the wealth accu- help. Out there, another 16,000 may be suf- Lulebora: Leading mulated by senior figures and aid the fight fering in isolation from the same cruel dis- against corruption. order. the Recycling Forms submitted by almost 1,500 senior At the age of six, Ilias is tall for his age. officials and politicians con- Dressed in jeans and a T-shirt Revolution news tained data on all... page 4 feature he looks much like... page 7 > page 14 Y M is supported by: C K 2 June 18 - July 1, 2010 news Vetevendosje Takes Gamble By Contesting Kosovo Polls from page 1 Kreshnik Ahmeti, a Vetevendosje activist, disagrees. He was still at the office at 7pm on Saturday, handing out flyers and explaining its exhibition of photo- graphs, marking the movement’s five years, to visitors. The movement took about five months to decide on the election issue internally, Ahmeti said: “I believe we made the right deci- sion. We are not transforming our- selves into a political party. We are still the same.” Knocking over two EULEX cars right after the announcement and the arrests went some way to prove his point. But others are more sceptical, saying the decision to take on the established parties will result in Vetevendosje losing touch with its grassroots. Arta Berisha, 32, once an ardent supporter, suspects Kurti will lose his standing as a mouthpiece of popular frustration. “Kurti is more limited now than he was back in prison,” she said. Albin Kurti and his supporters clashed at the Vetevendosje offices on Saturday “Inevitably, they will adapt to the system. They used to be differ- activists are clean. Their status to rage against the system.” mixed. There is a negative exam- Mufail Limani, a political com- ent. Up to now I did not question would be wasted by getting Kurti denies selling out. “There ple from Albania, where the move- mentator, said Vetevendosje could their intentions… but now they involved with party politics.” is no risk of us losing our sup- ment MJAFT, meaning “enough”, make significant electoral risk losing my trust completely,” Blerim Selimi, 41, a passer-by port,” he said. “We won’t change has failed to become a stable polit- inroads. “Around 20 per cent of she added. met walking past the Vetevendosje our programme or our methods – ical force after entering conven- the electorate in Kosovo feels Berisha said many supporters office, agreed. “The decision to we will enhance them. tional politics, following years of unrepresented,” Limani told felt the leap into power politics take part in election was a mis- “It is not the government that successful activism. Prishtina Insight. Such a large was badly timed. “The govern- take,” he told Prishtina Insight. we are aiming for. It is the state”, But there are more positive body of people could easily vote ment is accused of corruption and “If Vetevendosje fails to claim says Kurti. examples. Starting as a purely for the movement. The step into the papers are filled with stories enough seats in parliament they Following his conviction, he is environmental movement in the conventional politics was “a logi- about organised crime… will have a tough time retrieving banned from standing in elections 1960s, the Greens have evolved cal progression since they have Vetevendosje will legitimise the their prior fame as a movement,” for three years. But he says he into powerful players in become a political factor in government by running for elec- he added. “Once they are part of does not recognise the court, how- Germany’s political landscape. Kosovo,” he added. tions,” she continued. “Their the game, it will be more difficult ever, and will try to stand. Vetevendosje’s political oppo- In the evening at the “I can’t really say whether this nents are certainly treating the Vetevendosje office on the day of will have an impact,” Kurti told movement’s decision with respect. Kurti’s arrest, Kreshnik was Prishtina Insight. “Maybe we will Ramush Haradinaj, leader of sweeping away the splinters from even get more votes if I do not run. the Alliance for the Future of the broken window. Who knows?” Kosovo, AAK, said it was a legiti- In the coming months There seems little doubt that mate move, to take part in the elec- Vetevendosje will conduct inter- the movement’s campaign meth- tions - but Kurti would have to nal restructuring, work on pro- ods and radical activism will change his ways. “The movement grammes and kick off internal alienate some voters, looking for has to find a path towards the elections in order to prepare the responsible political leaders. A law,” he said, mentioning Kurti’s movement for national polls. movement can get away with arrest. Kreshnik feels confident. “I more. “We are tired of aggres- The New Kosovo Alliance, AKR, believe we could even win a major- sion,” Blerim Selimi said. “We also said the movement had every ity next year,” he said. “Some 60 don’t want to endanger our EU right to participate in elections. “I per cent of people in Kosovo do future.” welcome them and wish them suc- not vote because they are frustrat- The precedents set by similar cess,” Ibrahim Makolli, AKR vice- ed with the current parties. We Kreshnik Ahmeti, a Vetevendosje activist movements in other countries are president, said. have huge potential.” News in Brief EULEX to Remain in Kosovo for Two PTK to be Privatised OSCE in Kosovo: War Crimes Cases Must More Years ost Telecommunications of Kosovo will be sold, with the government retaining a 25 per cent stake. Be Priority he European PThe decision was approved on Wednesday by the gov- he OSCE mission in Kosovo Union has ernment, although it still requires ratification by the assem- published its report on war Textended the bly. mandate of its rule Tcrimes trials in Kosovo on This followed the recommendation of the inter-ministeri- of law mission in Tuesday, revealing that there has al group which has been considering whether to privatise Kosovo, EULEX, been a systematic failure to adjudi- one of Kosovo’s most lucrative assets. for another two cate war crimes cases. Prime Minister Thaci promised an ‘open and transparent years. “All communities in Kosovo have process’. The decision was been affected and none will be able taken at the meet- to close this difficult chapter in ing of EU financial ministers in Luxembourg, and allows their lives until the remaining war EULEX to be active in Kosovo until June 2012.