Thursday 25th September 2008 MEDIA HEADLINES IN ENGLISH

You’re listening to NEWS REPORT, a summary of today’s media, prepared by UNMIK ON AIR

Serbia seeks support
Romania misses 5.5 billion €
US in midst of serious crisis

KOSOVO
Serbia does not have the support it needs in the UN’s General Assembly, to ask the International Court of Justice on the legality of Kosovo’s independence. The Serbian President Boris Tadic said yesterday that Serbia will continue to lobby for support of their resolution that Kosovo is not a unique case in international law.

Kosovo’s delegation at the UN, led by President Fatmir Sejdiu, met with President of FYR of Macedonia saying that recognition of Kosovo’s independence would have a positive influence on bilateral relations. Crvenkovski said the Government in Skopje will consider the arguments and state interests on Kosovo’s recognition.

Kosovo deserves to be a United Nations Member State as soon as possible, Albanian President Bamir Topi told the General Assembly’s annual debate yesterday. Topi said any political, economic, military or diplomatic effort against Kosovo’s consolidation as a State “would be a hopeless attempt against its EU integration”.

Kosovo is to become a member of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, IMF, in 2009. Shiego Katsu, vice president of the World Bank for Europe and Central Asia met with officials in Pristina revealing that Kosovo’s accession is in a process but it is possible to end after six or nine months.

A grenade exploded with no injuries in downtown Pristina yesterday morning at 6:00am. The explosion occurred in Agim ramadami Street, near to small gaming parlor.

Kosovo will close privatize its national telecoms – PTK, and electric companies – KEK, by the end of 2009, Finance Minister Ahmet Shala said yesterday.
He added that the Government is also looking to complete a concession deal for Pristina airport by next summer.

Kosovo will soon have a new commercial bank, “The Chemical, vapour metal refining Bank”, whose aim will be to promote investment and provide loans in the field of mining and nickel refining

Kosovo opposition party AAK says the country is seen as a fragile country by foreign investors. AAK Party member Donika Kada-Bujupi also criticized Government stagnation in foreign diplomacy, economic development, and with the delay in “Kosovo C” power-plant construction.

Serbia’s Interior Ministry have arrested ten people, including a former and two active policemen, suspected of illegal selling of Serb property in Kosovo. The arrested are charged with embezzlement of an estimated 100,000 € using false documents.

REGIONAL
Serbia needs to curb spending and continue economic reforms in order to keep inflation under control through 2010, the International Monetary Fund warned yesterday. Serbia is lagging with privatization and structural reforms, and its government faces pressure to meet election promises of increased spending.

Romania's President says the country has missed an opportunity to access 5.5 billion € from EU funds for modernizing its roads and railways. President Traian Basescu said the lack of investment in infrastructure is hampering economic and social development in the country.

A popular Turkish transsexual singer has defended his statement that Turkey's long conflict with Kurdish rebels needs a solution - not more deaths. Bulent Ersoy made the comments at a court hearing in Istanbul, after being charged with attempting to turn the public against military service.

INTERNATIONAL
President George W. Bush warned yesterday that the US was in the middle of a serious financial crisis that could push the economy into a long-term recession if the government did not act. He gave a live TV address aimed at persuading the public to support a $700 billion financial bailout being negotiated with Congress.

The U.N. World Food Programme said yesterday it will buy surplus crops directly from poor farmers in Africa and Central America to feed people facing hunger and starvation. The Purchase for Progress project has $76 million in grant funding from charitable organizations, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Howard Buffett Foundation.

WEATHER
Today will be rainy with a high of 10 degrees and a low tonight of 9 degrees; more rain will fall tomorrow with temperatures ranging from a high of 10 to a low of 8 degrees Celsius.