• Haradinaj: Work on correcting border demarcation to begin in optimal time (media)
• Mustafa: LDK has red lines only for PDK (EO)
• Parties rule out surprises, say Assembly will be disbanded (Koha)
• AAK, PSD expected to sign coalition agreement today (Express)
• Authorities say Kosovo flag remains at Novoberdo castle (media)
• Kosovo not issued international arrest warrant for Radoicic (Telegrafi)
• Kosovo introduces reciprocity measures against North Macedonia (media)
• Vucic to meet Pompeo in NY on Tuesday, expected to discuss Kosovo (media)
• “Serbia used dialogue to damage process of Kosovo recognitions” (Koha)

Haradinaj: Work on correcting border demarcation to begin in optimal time (media)

Outgoing Prime Minister of Kosovo and leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), Ramush Haradinaj, said that there is agreement with prime minister of Montenegro to work on correcting border demarcation between Kosovo and Montenegro.

“We have managed to protect our land through the right of sector correction in the direction of Kulla and Cakorr and we agreed with Prime Minister of Montenegro for interstate committees to begin work in optimal time,” Haradinaj wrote on Facebook.

In another more recent post, Haradinaj wrote that Kosovo can no longer continue remaining stagnant. “Kosovo’s determination for the concept of 100% state closes all question marks around it and clarifies our path with our allies as a serious state and true partner. Only this opens ways for Kosovo so that it can focus all its energies on sustainable development, opening new jobs and investments,” Haradinaj wrote after a meeting with AAK membership in Klina.

Mustafa: LDK has red lines only for PDK (EO)

Isa Mustafa, leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), said that his party remains firm in insisting on the Assembly being dissolved as a way for a legitimate government to take shape which, he said, would tackle issues that the Ramush Haradinaj-led government failed to. Mustafa said LDK is open to cooperating with all parties on a governing programme, except with PDK which, he said, will not be given a second chance.

Speaking to Ekonomia Online news website, Mustafa dismissed allegations there was pressure from international officials in Kosovo for forming a technical government. “In my office these representatives said they would respect the will of the deputies of the Republic of Kosovo’s Assembly, the will of political parties in Kosovo for heading to new elections,” Mustafa said adding that what the international officials underlined was the need to have free, fair and transparent elections.

Asked about possible pre-election coalitions, Mustafa said the LDK membership is of the opinion that the party ought to run on its own as the only way to determine the real power of each political entity. “However, if the others don’t stick to this rule we will of course rethink our position and see who we can govern with.”

Commenting on his recent meeting with Vetevendosje leader, Albin Kurti, Mustafa said they did not concretely speak about coalition or division of leading posts but about approximating stances. “We agreed that coalition talks would have to take place amongst technical groups of political parties so that all requirements for a coalition are taken into consideration,” he said adding that LDK is determined to lead the future government of Kosovo.

Mustafa further said that Kosovo should have reciprocity measures towards Serbia. “If Serbia removes all tariff and non-tariff obstacles to Kosovo including free movement, interference in Kosovo’s statehood recognition and focuses on its own affairs that creates a climate for us to sit down, we will discuss this issue, but the tax will not be lifted without conditions.”

Parties rule out surprises, say Assembly will be disbanded (Koha)

The paper reports on its front page that “all Albanian political parties have said they will attend the Kosovo Assembly session on Thursday and that they will vote in favour of disbanding the assembly”. Prior to the vote on dissolution, parties have agreed to vote in favour of an €100 million agreement for EU funds. The paper also notes that although representatives of political parties have denied the possibility of any surprises, political commentators do not rule out last-minute contradictory moves saying that this could involve a high political cost for the parties in the upcoming elections.

AAK, PSD expected to sign coalition agreement today (Express)

The Haradinaj-led Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) and the Social Democratic Party of Kosovo (PSD) led by Shpend Ahmeti, are expected to sign a pre-election coalition today, several days before the Kosovo Assembly meets to vote on its dissolution, the news website reports citing reliable sources. Both parties have agreed to announce the agreement at a press conference.

Authorities say Kosovo flag remains at Novoberdo castle (media)

Kosovo’s Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports has come out with a statement clarifying reports that the Kosovo flag was taken down from the Novoberdo castle and replaced by that of Serbia.

Ismet Hajrullahu from the department of cultural heritage with the Ministry of Culture told Klan Kosova that the Kosovo flag was never taken down and has been at the castle since May.

Meanwhile, leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) Kadri Veseli posted a picture of his visit to the site saying he was proud of the “beautiful flag of Kosovo waving proudly” at the fortress. “Serbia in vain tries to appropriate our culture and heritage. As a future prime minister I will not allow this ancient richness of Kosovo being politically instrumentalised or touched by anyone,” he wrote.

Kosovo not issued international arrest warrant for Radoicic (Telegrafi)

“Betimi per Drejtesi” show reported that Kosovo authorities have not issued an international arrest warrant for Milan Radoicic, wanted in connection to the murder of Kosovo Serb political leader Oliver Ivanovic in January of 2018.

The show quoted sources from UNMIK saying that they never received any request from Kosovo authorities to issue an international arrest warrant for Radoicic while Kosovo Police said they also have no such request from relevant courts.

Meanwhile, officials from the Pristina Basic Court said a request for issuing an international arrest warrant for Radoicic has been forwarded to the Ministry of Justice. The show reached out to the Ministry of Justice for comment but has not received any repoly yet.

Kosovo introduces reciprocity measures against North Macedonia (media)

Most news websites report that Kosovo’s Ministry of Trade and Industry decided on Friday to introduce reciprocity measures against North Macedonia banning the import of honey and potatoes. Minister Endrit Shala said he had earlier written a letter to his North Macedonian counterpart “asking him to reflect and allow the import of fishery products from Kosovo to North Macedonia. Authorities in Skopje however did not reflect, and we were forced to introduce reciprocity measures”. North Macedonia’s Minister of Agriculture, Trajan Dimovski, said on Sunday that the ban on fish import does not relate to Kosovo alone. He said his country wants to get a permit to export fresh fish to the European market and that standards have been raised in this industry. He also said he expects the issue to be resolved soon through dialogue.

Vucic to meet Pompeo in NY on Tuesday, expected to discuss Kosovo (media)

Several news websites report that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic will meet the U.S. Secretary of State, Michael R. Pompeo, in New York on Tuesday. The U.S. State Department issued a press release saying that Pompeo will attend a debate at the United Nations Security Council and then meet UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and the Serbian President. Serbian media reported that Vucic and Pompeo are expected to discuss the situation in Kosovo.

“Serbia used dialogue to damage process of Kosovo recognitions” (Koha)

The paper’s Brussels-based correspondent, Augustin Palokaj, argues in an opinion piece that “perhaps it is legitimate for Serbia to lobby against recognitions of Kosovo’s independence and its membership in international organisations. But it is a deception and an abuse to use the dialogue in Brussels for this end. It was a mistake by the EU to allow and a defeat by Kosovo to accept, for dialogue to be presented as a continuation of the process for negotiations on status or as Serbia calls it ‘on the Kosovo issue’,” Palokaj writes.