ASSEMBLY SUPPORT INITIATIVE asiNEWSLETTER Kosovo’s new political leadership ASSEMBLYasi SUPPORT INITIATIVE NEWSLETTER юѦȱŘŖŖŜǰȱќȱŘŘ Strengthening the oversight role of the Kosovo Assembly oces Mission in Kosovo ASSEMBLY SUPPORT INITIATIVE 2 NEWSLETTERasi Editorial Editorial 2 Kosovo has a new political leadership. Within one Mr. Kolë Berisha’s speech on the occasion ǰȱȱ ȱǰȱ ȱȱȱȱ of assuming the Assembly Presidency 3 ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱĜǯȱȱ Fatmir Sejdiu succeeded the late President Ibrahim President Fatmir Sejdiu talks to BBC 6 Rugova. Former TMK Commander Agim Ceku succeeded Bajram Kosumi as prime minister. Mr. “There is no full freedom in Kosovo Kole Berisha succeeded Nexhat Daci as president unless all of Kosovo’s citizens can enjoy it” 7 ȱȱ¢ǯȱ¢ǰȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ ȱǯȱȱŘŚȱȱŘŖŖŜǰȱȱ¢ȱȱ Kosovo Serb Leaders Meet Premier Çeku, ȱ¡ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱęȱ ȱ Consider Joining Government 9 rounds of talks on decentralization. Recent Developments in the Assembly 10 ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱĴȱȱȱȱ¢ȱ sessions in the Assembly on various policy issues. The new president Let’s learn to hear the voice of the citizen 12 ȱȱ¢ǰȱǯȱ ȱǰȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱ a new democratic atmosphere and to strengthen co-operation with Presidency of the Assembly 14 international institutions. Transparency and full adherence to Rules Why we asked for a new dynamic in of Procedure are high on his agenda. Assembly’s Work 16 In light of the current changes at the Assembly one can hope that this ȱǰȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱĴǰȱ Our Vision of an Independent Kosovo 17 to further enhance their role in overseeing the work of the government ȱ ¡ȱ ęȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Pay off Time 18 Consolidated Budget (KCB). These are key issues to come closer to Strengthening the oversight role of the ȱ ȱ ȱ ǯȱ ¢ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Kosovo Assembly 19 ¢ȱȱĜȱȱȱȱȱ¡ȱǯ Challenges and Improvements of the ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Ĵȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ work of Kosovo Assembly 20 ȱȱ ǰȱȱȱȱęȱȱȱ¢ȱȱ areas that have been presented mainly in the form of a review. Kosovo’s Journey Toward EU Integration 22 ȱȱǰȱǯȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱ ȱ Reviewing the Draft Law on Veterans: (NDI) shares his views on the importance of a “question time” for OSCE Provides Support 23 ministers in parliament. Some questions have been initiated in the ¢ȱ ȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǯȱ ȱ ȱ The Basics of “Question Period” 24 ȱǯȱȱǰȱȱȱȱ ȱ¢ȱȱȃȱ ǰȄȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȬ¢ȱȱȬ New OSCE field presence 25 ethnic group which intends to play an active role in the legislative ȱ ȱ ȱ¢ȱ Ĵǯȱ ǯȱ ¢£ȱ ¢ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Translation/Interpretation: ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱǻ Ǽǰȱ Keeping the Meaning the Same 26 ȱĴȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱ Ĝȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ǯ ȱ ȱ ȱ Ěȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ DZȱ ȱȱǰȱȱȱȱȱ with voters. At a time when Kosovo is entering its most important ȱǰȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱ ȱ Ĵǯȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ promote co-operation while dealing with substantial issues for ȱ ǯȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ “Assembly Support Initiative” are willing to give their contribution. ȱȱȱȱ Ĵȱȱȱȱȱǯ Franklin De Vrieze, “Assembly Support Initiative” Coordinator. ASSEMBLY SUPPORT INITIATIVE asiNEWSLETTER 3 Mr. Kolë Berisha’s speech on the occasion of assuming the Assembly Presidency Assembly of Kosovo, 10 March 2006 Honourable Assembly mem- ǰȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ęȱ ȱǰ and precious times; this is the time when we should move I am fully aware that by expres- ¢ȱ ¢ǰȱ ǰȱ ǰȱ ȱ¢ȱęȱȱȱȱ ǰȱ ȱ Dzȱ £ǰȱ ǰȱ ȱ it is the time of our general and chair the work and other cause (question)–Kosovo an ȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ǰȱ ȱ independent and sovereign ȱ¢ǰȱ ȱ¢ȱǰȱȱ state; it is the present and the ȱȱȱȱǰȱ¢ȱ future of our children and of ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ǰȱ ȱ our grandchildren. ȱ ěǰȱ ¢ȱ ȱęǯ Rest assured that I will do my best for this sacred house— Kosovo is now facing its cru- from which the acts that ȱǰȱ¢ǰȱȱ ȱ ȱ will determine and sanction even say even its crucial ǰȱ ǰȱ ȱ hours. and other areas of life in a This is certainly a historical Kosovo state will continue phase for Kosovo and its to come out—to become a ǰȱ ȱ ȱȱ temple of free speech for all in by the free vote of its citizens Assembly members; to be a ȱ ǰȱ ȱ ǰȱ ȱ strong voice of both position along with the understanding ȱ ǰȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǰȱ ȱ ¢ǯȱ ǰȱ ȱ led by the USA and other EU ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǰȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱ which promotes equal rights till the end—until we build an ȱ ȱ £ȱ ȱ ǰȱ independent and sovereign ȱ ȱ ȱ ǰȱ state that will serve as an ǰȱǰȱǯȱȱȱ example for South-eastern I will do my utmost for the Europe; a state which will Assembly members to feel have perpetual friendly re- themselves (at home) as real lations with the USA–our heads of this household. I will ȱ¢ǰȱ ȱ ȱǰȱ certainly need your support. only within one century stood And I assure you that you will next to us. have mine. ȱ ȱ ¢ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱȱęȱȱȱȱ of the greatest mechanisms ȱ ȱ ȱ ǰȱ ȱ of making Kosovo an inde- ȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ěȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱ Ĵȱ ȱ a lot of responsibilities and to conduct normal work and duties lay ahead. to tackle eventual individual ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ problems of each Assembly ȱ ǰȱ ȱ ¢ȱ member but of all common ¢ȱ ȱ ¢ǰȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ȱȱǻȱȱ¢ǰȱ ȱȱȱ ǰȱ ȱ as much as the circumstances are more or less smaller in ȱ Ǽǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ y Assembly President Kolë Berisha ASSEMBLY SUPPORT INITIATIVE 4 NEWSLETTERasi utmost to enable the best ȱ ǰȱ ȱ possible co-operation in the this temple of democracy du- President Fatmir Sejdiu ȱ ¢ǰȱ ȱ ring very critical moments ¢ȱ ǰȱ Ȭ for Kosovo and its people. I Ĵȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ would also like to thank my talks to BBC ¢ȱǰȱȱȱ party—the Democratic League In an interview with BBC, President of Kosovo spoke about the is the only way to progress. ȱ ȯȱȱęȱ challenges in his new post, the future of his country and how much given to me. I think that the best way to ȱȱȱĞȱȱȱǯȱȱȱȱ achieve all these and other ob- ǰȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱ ȱǯȱȱȱȱDZ jectives is by respecting and here and move on. It will implementing faithfully the ȱ ȱ ¢ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ BBC: Was the election of the of Kosovo independence. ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ęȱ President, with such a speedy ȱ ȱ ȱ ęȱ ȱ Ȭȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ęȱ ȱ ȱ consensus a result of political and the second important is- Assembly Rules of Procedure. ȱ ȱ ǰȱ maturity of the political sue in this process is how to Civilized nations are governed will continue to provide their structures and entities of create a strong cohesion of Ko- ¢ȱ Ĵȱ ǯȱ ȱ ȱ ǰȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ Kosovo, or is it rather a result ȱ ǰȱ ¢ǰȱ should be able to prove that thus far. America and Europe of pressure put from outside? we are indeed a civilized are here to help us become government as well as ensure nation. part of western civilisation. Sejdiu: I think that the most Ȭȱȱȱȱǰȱ Rest assured my friends that ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Ĵȱ ȱęȱȱȱȱ I would like to use this oppor- this is our real objective. ȱȱȱǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǰȱ tunity to thank— on my and ȱ ȱ Ěȱ ȱ which has to do with serving your behalf— Academician Once again, thank you for your proves the political culture ȱȱĜȱȱȱ Nexhat Daci for his job done ęǷȱȱȱ¢Ƿȱ of Kosovo institutions and state functions. political parties. Let me also Biodata of Kolë Berisha remind you that we have gone BBC: President Sejdiu, since ºȱȱ ȱȱȱŘŜȱȱŗşŚŝȱȱºǰȱ ȱ through such challenges even you mentioned the changes ¢ǯȱ ȱȱ¢ȱȱȱºǯȱĞȱ during earlier periods. in Kosovo government, how ęȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Ȧǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ I always make mention of four much do you think these ¢ȱȱȱȱȱºȱȱ ºȱȱ ȱ- ȱȱȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱĚȱȱȱ ¢ǰȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ŗşŝřȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ȱȱ were evaluated as the best ever overall processes in Kosovo? ȃȱ Ȅȱȱȱȱ ǯȱ ȱȱȱ ȱ elections held in South-eastern Were they really necessary at ȱȱ¢ǯȱȱŘŞȱȱŗşŞşǰȱȱ ȱȱ Europe and this proves that this time? ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱºȦǯȱȱȱ the people are fully aware of ȱȱ ȱǰȱȱȱȱȱǯȱ Sejdiu:ȱ ¢ǰȱȱ ȱ ȱ the times (periods) they are ¢ȱ ȱ ȱȱ ȱǰȱ Following the establishment of the Democratic League of ȱ ǯȱ ¢ǰȱ ¢ȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ I especially appreciate the ȱĴȱȱ ȱȱ ȱ ȱ Ȃȱ ěȱ ȱ ȱ mandates he was a member of the presidency of the LDK democracy. ȱȱ ºǰȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ- ȱ ȱ ěȱ ǯȱ ȱȱǯȱȱȱȱȱŗşşŞȱȱȱȱ The second issue is the need to The Assembly voted him in as vice president of the LDK. He was a member of the Transi- have an international coope- ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǰȱ ȱ ŗŖŖȱ tional Council in post-war Kosovo; a member of the Political ǯȱȱę¢ȱȱȱ ¢ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱȱ ȱȱ¢ȱ ȱ ȬDzȱȱ international support in the the performance of the go- Ȃȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱ upcoming periods. ǰȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ status negotiations. This is his second mandate as a member performance of all govern- ment ministers and other high of the Kosovo Assembly.