It has been a while since I updated...so here is the latest and greatest from Kosovo.
EULEX & The North - After deploying to the north of Kosovo at the beginning of January, EULEX has now declared the north of Kosovo a danger zone for their staff following the beating of some of its staff. Outgoing Kosovo Interior Minister, Bajram Rexhepi, has in turn requested EULEX to withdraw from the north and allow KFOR and KPS to provide security if the EU mission cannot.
The "Marty" Report - Issued by Council of Europe rapporteur Dick Marty, the report digs into the accusations of human organ trafficking by the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) during and immediately after the war in Kosovo. Outgoing Kosovo PM Haschim Thaci, who reportedly was named in the report, has called the report "monstrous slander" and threatened to sue. According to local media, Thaci also stated that he would publish the names of so-called collaborators who provided evidence to the Council of Europe. The Council of Europe Parliament is scheduled to debate the report on 24-25 January. According to UNMIK SRSG Lamberto Zannier, ICTY had previously investigated the matter but was unable to come up with enough evidence to open the case. Now the matter falls to EULEX to investigate the matter but so far requests for evidence from the Council of Europe and Marty have not produced any results.
Elections - Problems with fraud and corruption marred the Kosovo elections on 12 December resulting the re-voting in several different places. The re-voting will wrap up this weekend in Mitrovica where Vetevendosje made a complaint of fraud. Currently the vote tallies place the political parties in the following order: Thaci's PDK, Mustafa's LDK, Kurti's Vetevendosje, and Haradinaj's AAK. Talks about a coalition government continue as no political party has secured a majority vote alone. The most talk has been about a PDK-AAK coalition although initial reports following the elections were that none of the other political parties except Pacolli's AKR were interested in forming any kind of coalition with PDK.
