APIK and VAPIK, or keeping abreast of Kosovan developments

The mysteries of Google Image: a search
for 'apik' + 'vapik' brought up the
image above in the first line of hits ...

Whatever setbacks copyright protection may face in the United States, much of Asia and most of Europe, it's comforting to note that things are looking a little rosier for the increasingly controversial right in Kosovo. According to information recently received,

"On July 12, the Copyright and Related Rights Office, operating under the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports in Pristina, Kosovo, gave licenses to the first two copyright collectives established in Kosovo.

The two collectives are the Association of Authors, Producers and Interpreters (APIK), responsible for the collective management of musical works, and the Audio Visual Association of Performers and Interpreters (VAPIK), responsible for the collective management of audiovisual works.

Memli Krasniqi, minister of culture, youth and sports, under whom the copyright office operates, handed the licenses to the representatives of the two associations, Florent Boshnjaku from APIK and Blerim Gjoci from VAPIK.

The new Law on Copyright and Related Rights entered into force in Kosovo in December 2011 and now the copyright office has taken an important step to ensure proper implementation of this law". 

Source: PETOSEVIC July 2012 news

Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports feature on APIK and VAPIK here