Haradinaj says Ricalos dismissal possible

The dismissal of this minister, coming from the Serbian List, is one of five conditions set by the Social Democrat Party of Kosovo, in exchange for votes for adopting the Law on the Budget, which passed its first reading, awaits the second reading in the Kosovo Assembly.

Haradinaj at today's media conference in Serbian has declared the dismissal of Ricalos possible. News has also been broadcast in Serbian media. The FoNet agency has quoted Haradinaj as declaring that “is possible for the Minister of Agriculture from the Serbian List to replace”.

A source within the ruling coalition has confirmed to the portal Time that the dismissal will occur.

We delay that salvation is not available. But when it happens I can't say”, he said of Koha.net this source in condition of anonymity.

The Koha Ditore newspaper has written last week that the government has so far met only one of the PSD's budget conditions. And Ricalos' dismissal was expected to take place this week.

“Janari has not found Kosovo with a budget approved for the new fiscal year, and the Government has not provided signals that it could soon undertake the 5 actions that the opposition PSD has listed as conditions to give the pro-buke vote. Nevertheless, newspaper sources have said that this direction will be moved next week. According to them, after the holidays, the dismissal of Agriculture Minister Nenad Ricalo will be in order. With it the second condition would be met, since only one has received treatment so far has been approved in the Government Bill on Duties, responsibilities and competencies of the state delegation that will represent Kosovo in negotiations with Serbia”, Koha Ditore has written.

Over the past year, the government has worked, not having the majority in the Assembly. This, since, formally in March, the Serbian List with its 10 deputies has emerged in opposition, but ministers from its ranks have continued to exercise positions and for the work done have not reported either the Assembly or the Government. Dalibor Yevtic, Ivan Todosijevic and even Nenad Ricalo perform functions, and do not appear at government meetings nor at plenary sessions, as well as reject reporting invitations to parliamentary commissions.

For months Rikalo has not observed the court rulings associated with the government dictatorship leading him. The Constitutional Court in Pristina had given the stamp to claims that they were of peace “the elements” that he listed Ricalo as the reason to dismiss him from the position of chief Elhami Hajdari, the man who had refused to submit to the illegal over 80 thousand euros to a Prizren-based business, with which he had report Afarist Biljana Rikalo, wife of this minister. In fact, the court had demanded the completion of a ruling by the Independent Supervisor Council, which calls for the return of Hajdari's country to the position it was dismissed from. Ricalo had not observed the Council's decision or the Court's.

After some time, he has returned Hajdari to his post and immediately dismissed him with another decision, causing the complaint proceedings to begin again.

The paper has also reported that the Serbian List is oriented millions of euros north from the state budget, in effect that the subject has abandoned the coalition.

The PSD, which has set the conditions for the budget, has justified the need for Ricalos' dismissal, saying agriculture should be a priority sector and that it needs more budgets.

“Developing agriculture increases the labour market and strengthens the economy”, this reasoning says. “This is done when the right people are placed in the right place, and Ricalo is not the right one to head this sector”.

Rikalo's dismissal was demanded by the opposition, appointed minister, since his former neighbours in Dardania neighbourhood accused him of torture and beating in wartime. That had prompted Haradinaj to seek lustration for him. Security institutions in the country had said they had no information that Rikalo has mistreated Albanians, including his former neighbours in Dardan.