• Haradinaj claims he has prevented division of Kosovo (media)
• The three leaders in Paris (Zeri)
• Macron’s Balkan breakdown (Politico, media)
• Limaj: No agreement with Serbia without the U.S. (RTV21)
• Mustafa: Change of borders is change of Declaration of Independence (media)
• Thaci hosts a meeting with Kai Eide in Pristina (RTK)
• Veseli: I am not going to Hague, I was not invited by Special Court (media)
• Kosnett against Sylejman Selimi’s nomination for ambassador (Klan)

Haradinaj claims he has prevented division of Kosovo (media)

The Prime Minister of Kosovo Ramush Haradinaj said during a meeting with the structures of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) that he has regained Kosovo’s sovereignty and prevented its division. He said that some gave up sovereignty of Kosovo in the dialogue with Serbia without gaining anything in return.

“They told me Sir, division of Kosovo is a done deal, the contracts was signed. I had many in Pristina who came and told me that it is a done deal. They told me you have to give something, why do you need some hills in the north for?”

“If stopping a process of division of Kosovo after so much lobbying and money invested and so many set traps, is a minor thing to someone, the history is going to prove that preventing division of Kosovo was a great deal,” Haradinaj said.

The three leaders in Paris (Zeri)

Based on sources from the meeting organized by Assembly Speaker Kadri Veseli on the outcome of the Berlin Summit, the paper reports that the President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci and the Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj requested for the three leaders of Kosovo’s key institutions, President Hashim Thaci, Assembly Speaker Kadri Veseli and the Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj to participate at the Paris Summit on 1 July, called by the President of France Emmanuel Macron.

As this meeting will gather the Kosovo and Serbia’s parties, the two co-heads of the negotiating team in the dialogue with Serbia, Fatmir Limaj and Shpend Ahmeti are also expected to participate. However, the same sources told the paper that the format of the delegation to Paris is still not definite.

Macron’s Balkan breakdown (Politico, media)

Several media in Kosovo report on an article published on Friday in politico.eu.

“Emmanuel Macron was on the verge of losing it.

After trying (and failing) for hours to prod and coax Kosovan Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj to accept a compromise to defuse his small country’s worsening dispute with Serbia, the French president resorted to his signature bluntness.

“You’re in no position to ask for anything,” Macron, raising his voice, told Haradinaj as a group of other leaders from the region looked on, according to two people who witnessed the encounter in Berlin.

So it goes for Europe’s would-be Balkan peacemakers.

Macron visited the German capital this week to co-host a summit of Western Balkan leaders alongside Angela Merkel aimed at jumpstarting talks between Serbia and Kosovo. Frustrated by the EU’s failure to forge a deal to ease the tensions, Merkel and Macron decided to take matters into their owns hands.

https://www.politico.eu/article/merkel-macron-balkans-serbia-kosovo/

Limaj: No agreement with Serbia without the U.S. (RTV21)

Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo and co-head of Kosovo negotiating team in the dialogue with Serbia, told RTV21 that it should be clear to everyone that an agreement with Serbia cannot be reached without the U.S. “The U.S. has been part of this process, and Kosovo should be in complete consultations with the U.S. and our European friends. I expect a powerful resumption of the dialogue and conclusion of Kosovo-Serbia issue,” he said.

Speaking about the meeting called by Assembly Speaker Kadri Veseli on the outcome of the Berlin Summit, Limaj said “we made it clear to them that the Kosovo delegation should be part of any bilateral meeting with Serbia. The Assembly has issued a resolution and Kosovo delegation should be present at any bilateral meeting,” Limaj said adding that Kosovo is not a private property of anyone.

Mustafa: Change of borders is change of Declaration of Independence (media)

Isa Mustafa, leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) said at a press conference on Friday that Berlin Summit put an end to correction of the borders. He added that change of borders means change of the Declaration of Independence. “Dialogue with Serbia should not touch the border issue because this opens the issue of statehood. As LDK, we engage for the dialogue process, but we think that the best solution is new elections,” Mustafa said.

Speaking about the 100-percent tax imposed to Serbian products, Mustafa said some Kosovo leaders are changing positions on the matter on daily basis. “Institutions of the country should consider this matter thoroughly, in order not to condition the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue. LDK considers that after the elections at the European Commission, way to dialogue process should open,” he said.

Thaci hosts a meeting with Kai Eide in Pristina (RTK)

The President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci met on Friday with former UN Envoy for Kosovo, Ambassador Kai Eide.

“Always a pleasure meeting Ambassador Kai Eide, a friend of Kosovo and Balkans. As we’re trying to achieve a new momentum for progress, it’s important we engage pro-actively with friends, diplomats, experts to ensure Kosovo achieves UN, NATO membership as result of dialogue,” Thaci wrote on his Twitter account.

Veseli: I am not going to Hague, I was not invited by Special Court (media)

Kosovo’s Assembly Speaker Kadri Veseli denied the news published in Gazeta Express that he was traveling to Hague to be interviewed as a suspect by the Special Court.

“If I received an invitation, I would have made it public. It is not a shame nor the end of the world. I feel sorry if someone became upset from this news, but I also feel sorry for those who felt happy for it. I said it also in the past that no one can frighten me. Only my nation can bend or support me,” Veseli wrote on his Facebook account. He also told Klan Kosovo that he is in Ljubljana for his PHD studies.

Memli Krasiniqi, caucus of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) wrote on his Facebook account that some appear more happy to see former KLA member in Hague than Serbia. “It is a shame,” he wrote. Kosovo Assembly Chief of Staff Blerand Stavileci on the other hand said that not only the news is not true, but they are going to press charges for it.

Kosnett against Sylejman Selimi’s nomination for ambassador (Klan Kosova)

The U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo Philip Kosnett, took to Twitter to express dissatisfaction with regards to the nomination of Sylejman Selimi for Kosovo ambassador to Tirana, Albania.

“What message does Kosovo send to the world when it nominates a convicted war criminal to represent it as Ambassador?  Does this show respect for Rule of Law?  We certainly advocate strongly against such a move—waiting to see,” he wrote.

Further, Kosnett also considered discouraging the prosecutor’s withdrawal of the indictment for throwing tear gas in the Parliament of Kosovo .

“Discouraging to see a two-year-old indictment for throwing tear gas in Parliament withdrawn by prosecutors, despite a guilty plea and readily-available evidence.  Good trial practice by prosecutors requires professionalism and preparation,” Kosnett wrote.