Tag: Kosovo

Why has the mandate for members of public enterprises been extended? How much have these boards been politicized and are appointments made based on political affiliations? What is happening with the water company \”Radoniqi\” in Gjakova? Who is in dispute with the new director and why?

To discuss these issues, Muhamet Hajrrullahu has invited:

• Gani Koci – Deputy Minister of Economic Development;
• Lutfi Zharku – former Minister of Trade and Industry;
• Lorik Bajrami – from the NGO Çohu and
• Shkamb Qavdarbasha – from the NGO INDEP.

During the programme, BIRN will broadcast a report by journalist Edona Musa who addresses the issue of why some of the former board members of “Radoniqi” did not accept the new director.

BIRN also broadcasts a report that shows how many children are going for medical treatment through the funds collected by the Gala Evening of December 1, 2011, organised by the Mother Teresa Society and Life in Kosovo.

Questions to be covered include: What did the four teams from the Ombudsperson institution see during Vetëvendosje’s (Self Determination) protest at the weekend? Who does the Ombudsperson say started the violence first?

Among the protesters, who began to throw stones at the police? Who will Vetëvendosje fine regarding the violence caused during the protest? Will the government or the police change their approach to managing Vetëvendosje’s next protest, planned for the upcoming weekend? What measures of reciprocity is the government considering?

Is there any institutional approach that Vetëvendosje can or would use to push through the implementation of the motion they desire?

 

Participants in the debate will be:

Mimoza Kusari – Minister of Trade and Industry;
Blerand Stavileci – Minister of Agriculture;
Sami Kurteshi – Ombudsperson;
Shpend Ahmet – from Vetëvendosje; and
Galuk Konjufca – from Vetëvendosje.

Also, journalist Alban Selimi interviewed Nijazi Gashi, director of UCCK (University Clinical Center of Kosovo) on how people convicted for serious crimes were selected for heads of the clinic.

In addition to the falsified documents problem, the report points to the argument of the danger of using these drugs because, in the absence of the issuing documents, the costumers would not have any address to complain to.

 

Muhamet Hajrullahu has investigated the situation of the waste landfill. Is there any positional risk for citizens’ health as a result of bad management of these landfills?

 

BIRN will broadcast a reportage which shows what kind of property problems some residents of Tërstenik, a village in Drenas, have.

 

The show will also broadcast a TV report by Edona Musa on why Junik municipality does not comply with the court decisions regarding fired workers?

 

It closes with a report drawing on the repatriation process of Kosovo citizens returning from European countries as an effect of Kosovo Government Agreements with EU countries towards visa-liberalization goals.

Life in Kosovo travels up to this power plant in northern South Africa to see how this power plant has contributed in improving the citizens’ lives.~

 

Why has there been an increase in electricity prices since construction began on the new power plant in South Africa? 

What does a World Bank’s own Inspection Panel report say about the standards breached by the World Bank in giving credit for the construction of the Eskom power plant in northern South Africa – in a similar form of credit planned for Kosovo?

 

How have citizens from whom the power plant is taking water needed for agriculture responded? What has been lobbied for by the only Kosovar representative in the Conference of the United Nations for climate change in Durban? 

What are the lessons that Kosovo could take from the example of South Africa?

 

Exclusively in Life in Kosovo, these issues will be elaborated by the South African minister of environment and citizens from both Kosovo and South Africa.

What are the challenges of the privatization in KEK’s distribution?

What is the attitude of Kosovo’s Government, civil society and opposition parties? What are the practices of energy privatization in the region?

 

For this and related issues, the participants in this roundtable were:

 

Naim Hoxha – RIINVEST
Besim Beqaj – Minister of Economic Development
Nezir Sinani – Institute for Development Policy

Visar Kelmendi – energy expert

Fllanza Hoxha – Beqiri, KEDS
Avdullah Hoti – LDK

Shpend Ahmeti – Vetëvendosje movement

Haki Shatri – AAK
Justina Pula – Shiroka, PDK’s MP
Agon Demi – GAP

Haki Abazi – RBF

Krenar Gashi – Institute for Development Policy

 

New website www.gazetajnk.com. Gazeta Jeta në Kosovë is a comprehensive online news portal in Albanian, which includes investigations, analysis, columns and news on Kosovo’s current political, economic, environmental and social affairs.

What are the terms of this privatisation? What assets of KEK, formerly ElektroKosova, are being sold to private companies and at what price? Which companies are interested in this? How will the private company solve the problem of the lack of billing of 40% of the energy generated? What does the American Ombudsman have to say on Kosovo’s complaints that this privatisation process is not transparent? How will our government make sure that the billing problems which continue to take place in Albania following its privatisation of distribution, will not take place in Kosovo as well? Will the Kosovo taxpayer continue to subsidise the electricity theft even after privatisation?
 

To discuss these issues in the privatisation, Jeta Xharra has invited:

Fllanza Hoxha, from KEK’s distribution privatisation project;
Nezir Sinani, from the civil society;
Izet Mustafa, from the Independent Energy Union of Kosovo, SPEK;
Avni Alidemaj, head of the distribution division, KEK.
 

Within this show, BIRN will broadcast an interview with an employee from KEK who will show which part of the distribution will be privatised.

 

After the show, BIRN will broadcast a reportage which speaks of mysterious arsons in the village of Kernica, in Klina.

Questions covered will include: What hides behind the barricades in the north of the country? How do Albanians feel about it, and what account do Serbs give about the blocked streets? What message was brought to Serbs by Russians in military uniforms? How relaxed are KFOR peacekeepers in Mitrovica near the barricades?
 

Journalist Muhamet Hajrullahu stayed for a week in different parts of the north of the country, and will give an exclusive story about the Albanians and Serbs living in the north.
 

After the show, BIRN will broadcast a report from journalist Alban Selimi, who describes how experts from the United States’ prestigious Harvard University came to Kosovo to confirm that its people are living beneath the most damaging chimneys in Europe.
 

BIRN will also broadcast another report by Alban, showing how doctors forged documents for the sake of a colleague.
 

Afterwards, journalist Edona Musa will present a report revealing more forgery, this time for grades and job contracts in schools.
 

Finally, the ‘Youth in Kosovo’ section will feature a report about the ATOMI project and its selection process for finding young people with exceptional intelligence.

Questions to be covered include: What do representatives of Kosovo’s political parties think about this report? According to the report, has the country progressed or regressed? Which sectors are most criticised by the report? How well are corruption and organised crime being fought?  What are the findings of EU Progress Report on the freedom of speech in Kosovo?

 

To discuss these and related issues, Jeta Xharra has invited the following guests to the studio:

 

Hajredin Kuqi, deputy prime minister of Kosovo;
Vjosa Osmani, a deputy from the LDK;
Ardian Gjini, a deputy from the AAK; and
Visar Ymeri, a deputy from Vetëvendosje.

 

Before the debate, BIRN will re-broadcast a report  from September 2010 about an incident in the Municipal Court of Klina, in which former judge Kole Puka, along with lawyer Lon Palushaj and in cooperation with Dr Mit’hat Jakupi declared a citizen from this municipality to be disabled, and benefited from 16,800 euros on his behalf.

 

In 2010, the Association of Professional Journalists of Kosova awarded BIRN’s investigative report as the best TV report on the fight against corruption. This week, all three people involved were arrested. The police managed to find some other similar cases, resulting in the arrest of 13 more people. 

 

During the debate, BIRN will also broadcast a report by journalist Muhamet Hajrullahu, which considers the opinions of key decision makers about the EU Progress Report, including the political parties in the Assembly, Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi and the Assembly President, Jakup Krasniqi. 

 

At the first meeting with the Vice-President for Europe and Central Asia, Mr. Philippe Le Houerou and South Eastern Europe Director Ms. Jane Armitage, Jeta Xharra raised the issue of New Kosovo lignite power plant plans and pointed out the WB’s lack of transparency in their country web-site and technicalities that arise from the Bank’s published ToR for the work of the Expert Panel evaluating the Kosovar project.

During the meeting with US Congress and State Department Jeta Xharra presented to the USIP audience issues related to the freedom of press, touching also political matters and the ongoing developments related to the energy projects.

 

The meeting was held with the Helsinki Committee staff and Eliot Engel’s office on political, freedom of information and energy matters.

 

A technical presentation was given to European Executive Directors of the World Bank; SEE Director Jane Armitage, Kosovo Director of WB Jan-Peter Olters and New Kosovo Power Plant technical team; Lagarde and Zoellick, on the problems related to the project and their reflection on WB’s mandate as well as how the ESKOM project reflects the problems raised about Kosovo.

Whereas, Mr. Robert Zoellick World Bank’s President addressed the CSOs together with Lagarde that Kosovo is a win-win project, which according to him will allow the country to address the energy problems and close down the most polluting plant in Europe. Xharra asked him if he was ready to carry the burden of another ESKOM in Kosovo, when no proper alternative energy studies were carried out and not much was done in solving energy accountability issues.

 

Zoellick expressed his optimism on this project even though they were put in a position where they had to decide whether they wanted to help or raise their hands altogether off this project ; both options remain open at this stage.

Other meetings with NGOs from around the world were held, Xharra had a TV interview with Voice of America and Daniel Serwer, and other World Bank Departments were visited and meetings with different heads of the WB were held. Overall, the week served well to raise the issues related to the Kosovar projects at the highest levels of the Bank.