Thaçi: KSF ready to transform into KAF (RTK)
President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi, hailed the news that the US Congress has urged the US Administration to set the groundwork for Kosovo joining NATO’s Partnership for Peace programme. Thaçi said the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) is ready to transform into Kosovo Armed Forces (KAF) which would be a multiethnic force and operate in line with NATO standards. He said the Kosovo institutions need to take the decision on establishing the armed forces as soon as possible.
Veseli welcomes news from the U.S. (Epoka e Re)
Kosovo’s Assembly President, Kadri Veseli, hailed the unanimous appeal of the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Government to prepare Kosovo towards inclusion in the program for NATO’s Partnership for Peace. “This is very good news for all the citizens of Kosovo that want to see our country as part of the North Atlantic Alliance as soon as possible. It is also another proof of the eternal friendship of the United States of America, being that with this action they prove to be the allies that we can always count on for support,” Veseli wrote on his Facebook profile.
Tahiri: Kosovo Armed Forces to be established this year (Kosova Sot)
Kosovo’s Minister without portfolio, Edita Tahiri, said during a visit to Tirana that the establishment of the Kosovo Armed Forces (KAF) is one of the priorities of the Kosovo Government which will be concluded this year. She also stressed that the Pristina-Belgrade dialogue in Brussels contributed to Kosovo signing the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU and to the positive recommendation for visa liberalisation.
Thaçi: Agreement on demarcation will be ratified (Zeri)
Kosovo’s President, Hashim Thaçi, during a visit in Gorazhdec/Goraždevac yesterday said that the agreement on border-demarcation with Montenegro will be ratified soon. He also added that everyone must work on the European agenda rather than personal interests. Also Montenegro’s Ambassador to Kosovo, Radovan Miljanić, said he was confident Kosovo would ratify the agreement on border-demarcation soon.
Haliti: Dialogue the only option for demarcation (Zeri)
Kosovo Assembly Deputy Speaker, Xhavit Haliti, told the paper on Wednesday that there is enough space to talk about the issue of demarcation because, according to him, the requirements for demarcation are reasonable. “There are two ways, one to reach another agreement with Montenegro and the second to agree with Montenegro to send the agreement to arbitration or government to take measures to convince citizens that the border was not affected by this agreement,” he said. Haliti argued that dialogue is the only way to find a solution to this matter. He also said that Prime Minister Isa Mustafa would have to meet parliamentary groups and each side to present their arguments.
Lekaj: We will not back down from our requests (Zeri)
Deputy leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), Pal Lekaj, told the paper on Wednesday that his party would not back down from its demands despite the recommendation by the EU that ratifying the border agreement with Montenegro is one of the remaining conditions for visa liberalisation for Kosovo. “If national interests are threatened, visas have no value,” Lekaj said. Asked on a possible coalition with the ruling parties, Lekaj said they will meet with the ruling coalition parties only to discuss early elections. He also said that EU Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn, came to Kosovo to begin a process of cooperation between the government and the opposition, which according to him, can be completed only with early elections.
AAK: We are not getting close to PDK (Epoka e Re)
The Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), held on Wednesday separate meetings with the most senior forums of the party, to coordinate its objectives after the mass protest of the 14 May. During the meeting, AAK denied that they are getting closer to the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK). According to AAK, propaganda for alleged approximation of AAK with PDK is part of the speculations of some political structures, individuals and certain media.
Kosovo Assembly discusses expulsion of Albanians from the north (Koha)
The paper reports on its front page that the Kosovo Assembly discussed yesterday the expulsion of Albanians from their properties in the northern part of Kosovo and their inability to return. Raif Qelaj, an MP from the Movement for Unification (LB), asked the Minister for Returns, Dalibor Jevtić, to provide explanations on the matter. The latter said that over 1,000 Albanians want to return to their properties and he promised that within a three-month period and in cooperation with the UNHCR the Ministry would look into possibilities for the return of Albanians to their properties in the north.
Selimi appointed national coordinator for Millennium Challenge office (Koha)
The paper reports on page two that it has managed to secure a copy of the decision issued by Prime Minister Isa Mustafa appointing Petrit Selimi, Acting Foreign Minister, as national coordinator of the office of the Millennium Challenge Corporation. The MCC is a bilateral United States foreign aid agency established by the U.S. Congress in 2004. The office led by Selimi will be responsible for a five-year grant given to Kosovo. The paper further notes that according to the Prime Minister’s decision, Selimi will be able to keep both posts.
