• Haradinaj to submit his resignation to Thaci today (RTK)
• analysts foresee elections in September (Zeri)
• Haradinaj continues performing prime minister’s duties (Koha)
• Veseli: Haradinaj’s resignation was personal decision, elections inevitable (Klan)
• Kurti calls for quick elections (media)
• Haradinaj meets Meta in Pristina (Klan/Kallxo)
• Veliu: Kurti can only talk on behalf of his political party (Express, RTK)
• Simic tells if Serbian List would participate in elections (TV Prva/Express)
• Darmanovic: With Haradinaj out, Thaci and Vucic gain room (Zeri)
• Wolters: NATO fully supports Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (RFE)
• Serwer: Constitutional Court stripped Thaci of steering dialogue (Koha Ditore)
• Peci: Thaci would violate Constitution if he resumes dialogue with Serbia (Express)
• The arrested Serb suspected for Sllovia masacre (Bota)

 Kosovo Media Highlights

Haradinaj to submit his resignation to Thaci today (RTK)

The outgoing Prime Minister of Kosovo Ramush Haradinaj is expected to formally submit his resignation today to the President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci. Haradinaj informed about his resignation at the government meeting on Friday and informed later that he would submit his resignation letter on Monday.  Haradinaj’s resignation came after an invitation by the Special Chambers, where he preferred to be presented as an ordinary citizen instead of the Prime Minister.

Kosovo analysts foresee elections in September (Zeri)

Political commentators believe that following the resignation of Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj, early elections most likely in September are imminent as the coalition partners have not shown any signs of trying to come out with another candidate to replace Haradinaj. Ramush Tahiri told the paper that if the coalition partners do not agree on a joint candidate for prime minister, President of Kosovo needs to announce fresh elections no later than 45 days.

Haradinaj continues performing prime minister’s duties (Koha)

Despite announcing resignation on Friday, Prime Minister of Kosovo Ramush Haradinaj has continued to perform official duties, the paper reports. Over the weekend, he participated in the inauguration of a memorial in Rahovec and while the legal framework does not prevent the outgoing prime minister to continue exercising his duties, analysts see this as “political manipulation”. Behlul Beqaj said Haradinaj is trying to strengthen his position by continuing to exercise the functions of a prime minister as he perhaps wants to return to being a key figure in the political scene of Kosovo.

Veseli: Haradinaj’s resignation was personal decision, elections inevitable (Klan)

In a press conference following his return from the U.S., Assembly Speaker and leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) Kadri Veseli said that Ramush Haradinaj’s resignation from the post of prime minister was his personal decision and that he was not informed of it beforehand.

“At present, early elections are inevitable. The Democratic Party of Kosovo is ready for elections, whenever they are announced. What can be discussed now is only their timing. On this, I believe we will have consultations with the current coalition partners and other political parties, in line with the Constitution and applicable legislation,” Veseli said.

Kurti calls for quick elections (media)

Vetevendosje leader Albin Kurti said in a social media post that Kosovo should ‘immediately’ head to new elections and that its president should call political parties to discuss elections date as all parties, ruling and opposition, have declared interest to head to elections following the resignation of Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj.

Kurti said that under the present circumstances the Assembly of Kosovo needs to be dispersed and “anything the president does which is not about announcing new elections will only delay the process by damaging the state of Kosovo and the interest of the citizens.”

Haradinaj meets Meta in Pristina (Klan/Kallxo)

Outgoing Prime Minister of Kosovo Ramush Haradinaj met in Pristina Albanian President Ilir Meta. “Good opportunity to exchange thoughts about political developments in Kosovo, Albania and the region. In the processes Kosovo is going through, joint efforts will empower the Albanian factor in face of challenges,” Haradinaj wrote on Facebook after the meeting.

Veliu: Kurti can only talk on behalf of his political party (Express, RTK)

Agim Veliu, deputy leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) and mayor of Podujeve/Podujevo, has requested from the leader of the Vetevendosje Movement, Albin Kurti, to talk only on behalf of his own political party.

Veliu, who could become leader of his political party on 3 August election, spoke harshly about Kurti’s proposal to unite forces in the upcoming elections. “Albin Kurti has the right to speak only about his own political party, not about LDK,” He added that all the ideas will be discussed within LDK and not by someone else.

Simic tells if Serbian List would participate in elections (TV Prva/Express)

Igor Simic, deputy leader of the Serbian List said Kosovo government went down the moment his political party left the government, and now that Haradinaj has resigned. “We will always fight for our population. Serb population wants legitimate representatives,” Simic told TV Prva.

Darmanovic: With Haradinaj out, Thaci and Vucic gain room (Zeri)

Montenegro’s Foreign Minister Srdjan Darmanovic commented on the resignation of Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj saying that with him out of the picture, presidents of Kosovo and Serbia, Hashim Thaci and Aleksandar Vucic, will gain more room for negotiations. “Ramush Haradinaj was an eminent participant in resolving problems and relations of Kosovo Serbs and he had his views on this. These are seen and interpreted differently: someone sees them as obstacles, others [see him] as a person of principles,” Darmanovic told VOA.

Wolters: NATO fully supports Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (RFE)

In an interview with Radio Free Europe, Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) General Tod Walters spoke of his recent visit to Belgrade and Pristina and underlined that NATO was reviewing the level of commitment with Kosovo Security Force following the decision to transform into an armed force.

“Our KFOR mission has provided important contribution to the stability in the Western Balkans region over the last twenty years and our mission remains unchanged, based on UN Security Council resolution 1244. We are there to maintain a secure environment for all people in Kosovo and this is what we are doing,” Gen Wolters said adding: “NATO fully supports renewal of dialogue facilitated by the EU between Belgrade and Pristina as the only political solution sustainable for the region.”

Serwer: Constitutional Court stripped Thaci of steering dialogue (Koha Ditore)

In a front-page interview with the paper just before Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj announced his resignation, the U.S. Balkans expert Daniel Serwer said that the Constitutional Court of Kosovo has ruled that the dialogue with Serbia should not be led by President. “From what I gather [Constitutional Court] has decided for the dialogue to be left in the hands of the Government and not the president or even the Assembly,” Serwer said.

Serwer called on ruling and opposition political parties in Kosovo to create a spirit of unity in the dialogue with Serbia: “Kosovars needs to reflect unity and this unity should include the president, the prime minister, majority of the coalition, someone from the opposition.”

The U.S. expert said the international community should put pressure on Serbia over its obstruction of Kosovo’s membership in international organisations. “With regards to Interpol, UNESCO, I think Belgrade’s campaign cannot be justified. This is not in the spirit of the dialogue process,” Serwer noted.

He reaffirmed his position against border changes warning of immediate consequences of such a scenario. He also mentioned a recent National Democratic Institute (NDI) poll which showed majority of people in Kosovo oppose territorial exchange.

“I think the message is clear: Citizens of Kosovo do not want to give territory on ethnic lines, they don’t want to give territory at all. I personally think they are right. If Kosovo has ambitions of joining the European Union, the key to membership is rule of democracy which means equal treatment of all citizens,” Serwer said.

Peci: Thaci would violate Constitution if he resumes dialogue with Serbia (Express)

Executive director of KIPRED Institute and former Ambassador of Kosovo to Sweden, Lulzim Peci, considers that Kosovo’s President Hashim Thaci would violate the Constitution of Kosovo is he resumed the dialogue with Serbia, now that the government of Kosovo is resigning.  He said the decision of the Constitutional Court is very clear; “The President can only have an advising role, while the government is the institution which leads the dialogue.”

The arrested Serb suspected for Sllovia masacre (Bota)

Kosovo Police arrested on Saturday Goran Stanisic, suspected for war crimes. Stanisic did not visit Lipjan/Lipljane for years, despite of his living there before the conflict. However, the first time he came, he was arrested under suspicion of participating at Sllovia massacre. Survivors of this crime mention additional names that they identified to have committed murders and expelling during the conflict.

Marko Djuric, director of the Office for Kosovo at Serbian government, said Stanisic’s arrest was made to increase pressure on Kosovo Serbs. “This action of Pristina is clear: to make a counterbalance after the invitation of KLS leader to Hague, for the sake of the public. But it was also an attempt in front of the international institutions and media to create a false image of Serbs as criminals,” Djuric said.