Kosovo constitution takes effect

Kosovo's new constitution officially came into effect at a ceremony on June 15, reports said. This has been rejected by the authorities in Belgrade aS an unacceptable and illegal move. Kosovo constitution takes effect In Pristina on Sunday, Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu signed the enactment of 41 laws stemming from the Ahtisaari plan, Beta news agency reported. Assembly speaker Jakup Krasnici and Premier Hashim Thaci spoke at the ceremony, in addition to Sejdiu. The constitution defines Kosovo as "a parliamentary republic, with distinct executive, legislative and judicial branches of government", guaranteeing "the political equality of all citizens and full respect for internationally-guaranteed human rights". The documents also says it "guarantees the participation of all ethnic communities in Kosovo's political life", and contains all of the Ahtisaari document's original provisions. Accroding to Beta, the enactment also gives full powers to Kosovo's institutions, except in the areas of justice and the police, as envisaged by the Ahtisaari plan – these areas will remain in the jurisdiction of the EU mission. The International Civilian office will have an advisory and executive role while the EU High Representative will be in charge of supervising the implementation of Ahtisaari's package. Before the constitution took effect, Kosovo's highest legal act was the Constitutional Framework adopted by the Kosovo Assembly on May 15, 2001. Assistant U.S. Secretary of State for European and Eurasian issues Daniel Fried congratulated Sejdiu and pledged U.S. aid in developing "an independent, democratic and prosperous Kosovo," a statement from Sejdiu's office said. The ceremony was attended by Kosovo assembly members, members of its cabinet and international guests like EU High Representative in Kosovo Pieter Feith, EULEX mission chief Yves De Kermabon, U.S. Congressman Eliot Engel and Jean Schmidt, Ambassador William Walker, and diplomatic representatives in Pristina. President Boris Tadic reacted to this by saying that "Serbia does not accept the proclamation of Kosovo's constitution as a legal fact". "We are prepared to return to the negotiating table and we will insist on that in all international forums. That will be our strategy and our response to the declaration of the illegal, so-called country of Kosovo and Metohija, or more precisely, the state of Kosovo," Tadic told journalists in Belgrade yesterday. Also Sunday, Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic, DS, said that Kosovo's constitution has no validity for Serbia and that Serbia "should not even take note of such things". "The unilateral proclamation of independence was annulled adequately in the Serbian parliament and consequently all the acts stemming from that were also annulled. That is why this proclamation of the constitution has no legal weight for Serbia," he told B92. "The constitution and the laws of Serbia are implemented in the entire territory of Serbia, and UNMIK is active in Kosovo in keeping with Resolution 1244. We have an international civilian presence in Kosovo which cannot be changed without a decision of the Security Council," Jeremic said. "There is increased pressure on countries in the world to recognize the illegal independence," the foreign minister said, pointing out that he could suppose "today's act will serve as an argument for stepping up that pressure." Minister for Kosovo Slobodan Samardzic, DSS, was in the province yesterday, where he announced the setting up of a Kosovo Serb parliament for June 28, and said that the Kosovo constitution is an act that concerns "only those who recognize it". Also in Belgrade, Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica's DSS announced that it will seek an urgent session of the new parliament in order to adopt a resolution annulling the Kosovo Albanian authorities' decision to proclaim their own constitution. Party official Milos Aligrudic announced that they will likely submit their request on Monday. In reaction to calls for a parliament session to debate the latest developments in Kosovo, LDP leader Cedomir Jovanovic said his party supported this move, "in order to redefine the state policy on Kosovo", which he says has been "wrong so far". Kosovo Albanian leadership in the ceremony yesterday (FoNet)

Kosovo constitution takes effect

In Priština on Sunday, Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu signed the enactment of 41 laws stemming from the Ahtisaari plan, Beta news agency reported.

Assembly speaker Jakup Krasnici and Premier Hashim Thaci spoke at the ceremony, in addition to Sejdiu.

The constitution defines Kosovo as "a parliamentary republic, with distinct executive, legislative and judicial branches of government", guaranteeing "the political equality of all citizens and full respect for internationally-guaranteed human rights".

The documents also says it "guarantees the participation of all ethnic communities in Kosovo's political life", and contains all of the Ahtisaari document's original provisions.

Accroding to Beta, the enactment also gives full powers to Kosovo's institutions, except in the areas of justice and the police, as envisaged by the Ahtisaari plan – these areas will remain in the jurisdiction of the EU mission.

The International Civilian office will have an advisory and executive role while the EU High Representative will be in charge of supervising the implementation of Ahtisaari's package.

Before the constitution took effect, Kosovo's highest legal act was the Constitutional Framework adopted by the Kosovo Assembly on May 15, 2001.

Assistant U.S. Secretary of State for European and Eurasian issues Daniel Fried congratulated Sejdiu and pledged U.S. aid in developing "an independent, democratic and prosperous Kosovo," a statement from Sejdiu's office said.

The ceremony was attended by Kosovo assembly members, members of its cabinet and international guests like EU High Representative in Kosovo Pieter Feith, EULEX mission chief Yves De Kermabon, U.S. Congressman Eliot Engel and Jean Schmidt, Ambassador William Walker, and diplomatic representatives in Priština.

President Boris Tadić reacted to this by saying that "Serbia does not accept the proclamation of Kosovo's constitution as a legal fact".

"We are prepared to return to the negotiating table and we will insist on that in all international forums. That will be our strategy and our response to the declaration of the illegal, so-called country of Kosovo and Metohija, or more precisely, the state of Kosovo," Tadić told journalists in Belgrade yesterday.

Also Sunday, Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić, DS, said that Kosovo's constitution has no validity for Serbia and that Serbia "should not even take note of such things".

"The unilateral proclamation of independence was annulled adequately in the Serbian parliament and consequently all the acts stemming from that were also annulled. That is why this proclamation of the constitution has no legal weight for Serbia," he told B92.

"The constitution and the laws of Serbia are implemented in the entire territory of Serbia, and UNMIK is active in Kosovo in keeping with Resolution 1244. We have an international civilian presence in Kosovo which cannot be changed without a decision of the Security Council," Jeremić said.

"There is increased pressure on countries in the world to recognize the illegal independence," the foreign minister said, pointing out that he could suppose "today's act will serve as an argument for stepping up that pressure."

Minister for Kosovo Slobodan Samardžić, DSS, was in the province yesterday, where he announced the setting up of a Kosovo Serb parliament for June 28, and said that the Kosovo constitution is an act that concerns "only those who recognize it".

Also in Belgrade, Prime Minister Vojislav Koštunica's DSS announced that it will seek an urgent session of the new parliament in order to adopt a resolution annulling the Kosovo Albanian authorities' decision to proclaim their own constitution.

Party official Miloš Aligrudić announced that they will likely submit their request on Monday.

In reaction to calls for a parliament session to debate the latest developments in Kosovo, LDP leader Čedomir Jovanović said his party supported this move, "in order to redefine the state policy on Kosovo", which he says has been "wrong so far".