Kosovar Albanians

Ashton: Dialogue to resume on March 31

BELGRADE -- EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton scheduled the next round of dialogue on normalization of relations between Belgrade and Priština for Monday, March 31.

This is according to her spokesperson, Maja Kocijancic, who made the announcement on Tuesday.

Ashton on dialogue between Belgrade and Priština

BRUSSELS -- The prime ministers of Serbia and Kosovo, not the EU, are behind the Brussels agreement, EU High Representative Catherine Ashton has said.

Isa Mustafa, head of the opposition LDK, has accused Prime Minister Thaci of “using public and state resources to campaign. This is illegal," he said.

"He is putting the stability of the country at risk; similar actions by other politicians have led Greece, for example, into an economic crisis,” he said.

Opposition MPs condemnd the decision of the Kosovo government to increase salaries for employees in the public sector by 25 to 50 per cent on Thursday.

Kosovo’s President Atifete Jahjaga has established a national council for the survivors of wartime sexual violence in a bid to help rape victims come forward and demand their rights.

Rejecting the appeal, the EU-rule-of-law mission to Kosovo, EULEX, announced that the criminal case will proceed to main trial before the Basic Court of Pristina.

Fatmir Limaj is charged with organized crime, abusing his official position or authority, accepting bribes and non-declaration of received campaign money.

The custody decision was taken on Wednesday but made public on Thursday after the defence received it in writing. The EU rule-of-law mission, EULEX, said: “All of the defendants are charged with the offence of organized crime related to the offences of abuse of official position, trading in influence and fraud”.

The EULEX prosecutor, Johannes Pickert, has raised a second indictment against Limaj and the other defendants, accusing them of “organised crime, misappropriation in office, entering into harmful contracts, abusing official position or authority, accepting bribes and other corruption related offences.

Kosovo's opposition AAK party says it plans to submit a no-confidence motion to parliament on the government of Hashim Thaci “as soon as possible”.

Ardian Gjini, from the AAK, said the motion will be put forward once the party ensures it will be signed by 61 of the 120 lawmakers - the number needed to dissolve the government.