Kosovo 'Sole Decision-Maker After June 15'

Pristina _ Kosovo’s government will be the sole decision-maker after its constitution comes into force, Kosovo’s Prime Minister claims.

Hashim Thaci vowed that the authority of Kosovo’s institutions will extend across the whole authority of Kosovo after June 15, when Kosovo’s constitution is set to enter into force.

“I believe that after June 15, the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo will start functioning throughout Kosovo’s territory with full state authority,” Thaci said during a government meeting on Monday.

He admitted that this authority would accept and work beside the supervision provided by the international community.

Kosovo declared independence on February 17 after almost nine years of United Nations administration.

Kosovo Serbs oppose independence and many of them have continued to defy the Pristina government, especially in northern areas, where they readily receive political and financial assistance from Serbia.

The ethnically-divided town of Mitrovica remains one of the main concerns in the path towards inter-community integration.

The flashpoint was engulfed in riots on March 17 after UN forces retook a courthouse Kosovo Serbs had seized days earlier in a bid to put it under Belgrade’s control.

Thaci admitted that Mitrovica is still a fragile case saying that “the situation there is unacceptable for local and international institutions.”

Thaci emphasised that after June 15, Kosovo needs only one decision-making centre and that, according to him, can only be Pristina.