• Thaci meets Mogherini, discuss the dialogue (media)
• Mogherini: If tax was revoked tonight, I’d call for dialogue tomorrow (RTK)
• “Vucic, Thaci, Rama discussed partition under Mogherini’s mediation” (media)
• Rama rejects involvement on plot to divide Kosovo (media)
• Haradinaj: Liberalisation of visas might happen in September (RTK)
• Thaci in Tirana mentions Presevo Valley’s unification with Kosovo (Zeri)
• Swiss ambassador: Border correction idea could lead to trouble (media)
• O’Connell calls for civic pressure on politicians over corruption (Koha)
• U.S. General: In ten years, KSF will fully transform into an army (media)
• Ex-intelligence chief refuses to report on deportation of Turkish nationals (Koha)
• Zvizdic: Bosnia will lift visas for Kosovo, if tariff is removed (Zeri)

Thaci meets Mogherini, discuss the dialogue (media)

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci met with the EU High Representative for Foreign Policy Federica Mogherini on Wednesday in Tirana. They discussed Kosovo’s European perspective and the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia. “President Thaci reiterated the necessity of the achievement of a comprehensive and legally binding agreement between Kosovo and Serbia, which ensures the mutual recognition and paves the way for Kosovo’s NATO, EU and UN membership,” a statement issued by Thaci’s office noted.

Mogherini: If tax was revoked tonight, I’d call for dialogue tomorrow (RTK)

The EU High Representative for Foreign Policy Federica Mogherini said during a joint press conference with Albania’s PM Edi Rama in Tirana that if the government of Kosovo lifted the tariffs on Serbian products tonight, she would call for the next meeting of the dialogue tomorrow. “During the recent months, the decision of the government of Kosovo to set a 100-percent tariff for goods from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, have created an environment which is not fruitful for the dialogue. On our side, the EU side, but also that of the other international partners, we have requested withdrawal of the tariff and this would immediately create conditions for the resumption of the dialogue. And I am convinced that in case the tarif got lifted tonight, a would call for a session tomorrow morning, a new session of the dialogue,” she said.

“Vucic, Thaci, Rama discussed partition under Mogherini’s mediation” (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj accused President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic, President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci and Prime Minister of Albania Edi Rama of discussing plans for partition of Kosovo under the mediation of the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini. “These is well-grounded suspicion that Aleksandar Vucic, Edi Rama and Hashim Thaci discussed partition of Kosovo and there is also well-grounded suspicion that this was done under the leadership of Mogherini. It would be good for them to apologise now for wasting so much time on this issue,” Haradinaj said at a conference organised by the Kosovo Democratic Institute (KDI). “Mogherini has no more time to lead the dialogue. I have sympathies for her but whoever speaks about Kosovo’s borders with another state is an enemy of the country that I lead,” he added. “Twenty years have passed since the end of war in Kosovo and we have no interest of opening the Kosovo of 17 February because this was closed by the International Court of Justice. I can assure you that anyone that tells you that peace can be achieved through shifting borders or correction is wrong, peace cannot be achieved but only war and tragedy,” Haradinaj said. Haradinaj also spoke about the import tax on Serbia emphasizing that there are no plans for its withdrawal. “The tax will not be lifted, if Serbia waits so will we. Pressure will not work – this was proven with the tax that all that pressure produced no effect,” he said adding that he will not accept conditions for continuation of dialogue. Speaking about upcoming meeting in Paris with the Serbian side, Haradinaj said that Kosovo leaders need to speak in one voice. He said five participants from the Kosovo side have been so far confirmed but added that he would also like to see representatives from the Democratic League of Kosovo and Vetevendosje attend the event.

Rama rejects involvement on plot to divide Kosovo (media)

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama responded on Wednesday to claims made by his Kosovo counterpart Ramush Haradinaj that Rama, Kosovo President Hashim Thaci and Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic had a joint plan to divide Kosovo. At a joint press conference with EU High Representative Federica Mogherini in Tirana, Rama said statements over Kosovo’s division were lies of pervasive dimensions and dangerous foolishness. “If there are so many fools to believe that a process which does not involve only two states, but states of the world, parliaments, political parties, societies, voting and referendums, can finally be done secretly by some individuals and pass… then this is the end of the world,” Rama said.

Haradinaj: Liberalisation of visas might happen in September (RTK)

Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj said on Wednesday that he received promises for visa liberalization at the recent Berlin Summit. According to Haradinaj, Germany’s Minister of Interior Horst Seehofer, told him that German Chancellor Merkel is in favor of visa liberalization for Kosovo citizens. “There is no reason for the EU countries to break up with Germany over a matter like this. I assure you that visa liberalisation is going to happen. It is something technical that the countries must vote for. September is optional to make the decision so that we move freely within a year,” Haradinaj said.

Thaci in Tirana mentions Presevo Valley’s unification with Kosovo (Zeri)

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci met with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama in Tirana on Wednesday, the paper reports on page three. “I met with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and we discussed, among other issues, the need to fully open the border between Kosovo and Albania and to create a borderless Albanian area under the Euro-Atlantic umbrella. We also discussed the need to correct historical injustices, and to unite the Albanian factor on the right of Presevo, Medvedja and Bujanovac to join the territory of the Republic of Kosovo,” Thaci said after the meeting.

Swiss ambassador: Border correction idea could lead to trouble (media)

Switzerland’s Ambassador to Kosovo, Jean Hubert Lebet, said on Wednesday that the border correction idea has never worked and warned that such an option could spell trouble for both Kosovo and Serbia. “If borders are shifted, the sources of conflict will not be resolved, especially not in the Balkans. You could get into trouble,” he said. “Border change idea does not work, never worked, and we are happy the Berlin meeting did not support this,” Lebet said at a conference organised by the Pristina-based Kosovo Democratic Institute on the recent Western Balkans summit in Berlin. He said the summit confirmed the importance of a comprehensive and legally-binding agreement between Kosovo and Serbia ensuring full normalisation of their relations.

O’Connell calls for civic pressure on politicians over corruption (Koha)

The paper reports in one of its front-page stories that the British Ambassador to Kosovo, Ruairi O’Connell, called on Kosovo’s citizens on Wednesday to put pressure on politicians and heads of institutions to change the situation concerning organized crime and corruption. During a debate in Pristina, O’Connell expressed his concern that in the last two years no mid or high-level official in Kosovo was tried for corruption. “If people want changes, they are possible, and only their voice can bring about such changes. If people that vote for parties, which violate laws, include criminals, employ people based on their party affiliations and not professionalism, don’t react then there is nothing we can do. The day will come when we will be faced with a difficult decision to continue supporting Kosovo,” O’Connell was quoted as saying. He also said that his calls are aimed at civic awareness-raising and not for protests.

U.S. General: In ten years, KSF will fully transform into an army (media)

General Timothy Orr, Commander of the Iowa National Guard, said during a visit to Pristina that his retirement will not stop his engagement for Kosovo and that relations between the two countries remain very strong. General Orr said that “the future of the Kosovo Army is bright” and that the United States of America will continue to be their partner in the future. Orr also said that in ten years the KSF will fully transform in an army.

Ex-intelligence chief refuses to report on deportation of Turkish nationals (Koha)

The paper reports on page five that the Kosovo Assembly’s investigative committee, which is investigating circumstances surrounding the deportation of six Turkish nationals from Kosovo last year, interviewed Kosovo Intelligence Agency (AKI) chief Shpend Maxhuni, and former agency’s head, Driton Gashi, on Wednesday. Media were not allowed to attend the interview. LDK MP and committee member, Driton Selmanaj, told reporters after the meeting that Gashi refused to report to the committee and asked for legal interpretations, the same way that President Hashim Thaci did a week ago at a meeting of the committee.

Zvizdic: Bosnia will lift visas for Kosovo, if tariff is removed (Zeri)

Denis Zvizdic, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, said on Wednesday that Bosnia would lift visas for Kosovo, if Pristina removes the import tariff on Serbian and Bosnian goods, the paper reports on page three. “The tariff remains in force and we are calling for its removal. We expect that the Paris summit in early July will result in the removal of the tariff, and then we would lift visas for Kosovo,” Zvizdic said.