• Beyer calls for resumption of dialogue, opposes border changes (Koha)
• At Bled forum, Palmer speaks about Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (Klan Kosova)
• Parties reject PDK’s anti-corruption pact calling it hypocrisy (media)
• Hoxhaj: We have set a new standard with anti-corruption pact (T7/Bota Sot)
• Haradinaj: Germany’s clear position has saved the Balkans (media)
• Pacolli meets Palmer: Kosovo can count on the U.S. (media)
• Two U.S. senators to visit Kosovo and Serbia (media)
• Kurti: There will be challenges if we don’t cooperate with Tirana (media)
• Rasic: Serbs must be involved in decision-making (Express)

Beyer calls for resumption of dialogue, opposes border changes (Koha)

The paper reports on its front page that during his visit to Kosovo, German MP Peter Beyer held separate meetings with outgoing Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj and representatives of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK). In two separate press conferences, Beyer said dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia must resume without conditions immediately after the formation of the new government in Pristina and he opposed an eventual border correction process.

“Both in Belgrade and here I have called for dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia to resume and this is very important. I must say that the new government that will be formed after the elections should enter the process without conditions from any of the parties. I know it is difficult, but this is the position of Chancellor Angela Merkel too,” Beyer told reporters.

Beyer said Berlin is against the idea for border changes. “Kosovo must maintain its borders, this is very important for us,” he said.

On visa liberalisation for Kosovo, Beyer said: “in all my meetings I call for visa liberalisation for Kosovo and it is not fair that Kosovo is the only country without visa liberalisation … the Prime Minister’s wish was for this to happen before Christmas; I don’t give dates, but perhaps it will be a gift for Christmas”.

At Bled forum, Palmer speaks about Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (Klan Kosova)

The U.S. special representative for Western Balkans Matthew Palmer said at the Bled Strategic Forum that he will be insisting on Serbia stopping lobbying against recognition of Kosovo’s independence and on Kosovo to suspend the import tariff on products from Serbia.

“That means for the United States making clear that we expect for the new government in Kosovo to be a strong partner meaning they are pro-dialogue, suspend the tax, return to negotiations and work seriously in achieving an agreement. Also, it means to convince Ivica Dacic and Aleksandar Vucic that campaign for de-recognition of Kosovo’s independence poisons the negotiations and risks Serbia scoring a tactical win but a strategic defeat which is not in Serbia’s interest and in that of peace in the region,” Palmer said.

Parties reject PDK’s anti-corruption pact calling it hypocrisy (media)

Political parties have rejected the proposal of Kadri Veseli, leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), to sign an anti-corruption pact calling it a hypocrisy.

“We will not sign any document with PDK, no pact, no document whatsoever. We fight corruption on our own and this is a fundamental position of the LDK,” said leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) Isa Mustafa.

At the same time, Vetevendosje said that a pact with Kadri Veseli for fighting corruption would be a way to legitimise “his party’s corruption.” “Behind this request there is an attempt to forget all the corruption in the 20 years’ time after the war which is one of the reasons, we have a captured state and undeveloped economy. These are attempts to shift the attention from the corruption hotbed,” Vetevendosje said in a response to Koha.

Deputy leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) Teuta Haxhiu said instead of proposing a pact against corruption, Kadri Veseli should be asking who brought corruption in Kosovo.

The Social Democratic Party (PSD) also said it would not sign the anti-corruption pact with PDK. “We will certainly not sign anything proposed by the PDK, even less so an anti-corruption pact,” said party spokesperson Natyra Kuci. New Kosovo Alliance (AKR) officials meanwhile called Veseli’s document “meaningless” and for electoral purposes.

Koha reports that former Lipjan mayor, Shukri Buja, has returned to PDK and had begun campaigning for the party. Buja, recalls Koha, was sentenced to three years in prison for corruption and his case is now under retrial.

Yesterday in a press conference, Veseli presented a document he said he would send to leaders of all political parties running in upcoming elections where PDK pledges to fight corruption and nepotism.

Hoxhaj: We have set a new standard with anti-corruption pact (T7/Bota Sot)

Deputy leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) Enver Hoxhaj spoke about the anti-corruption pact presented yesterday by party leader Kadri Veseli.

Hoxhaj said the pact sets a new standard, new criteria, and serves Kosovo and its citizens. “We call on other parties to support it, join it and be part of the process which is in the good of Kosovo,” Hoxhaj said.

He said PDK was in the process of drafting a list of candidates which will not have any room for those that have problems with the law. Asked by T7 whether the list will include Adem Grabovci, Zenun Pajaziti and other figures implicated in the so-called “Pronto” case, Hoxhaj said those with indictments will not be in PDK’s ballot.

Haradinaj: Germany’s clear position has saved the Balkans (media)

Outgoing Prime Minister of Kosovo Ramush Haradinaj thanked the German MP Peter Beyer for Germany’s clear position in support of Kosovo’s territorial integrity. “I think with this position they saved the Balkans from a serious instability and I am extremely grateful for this,” Haradinaj said after the meeting.

Haradinaj said it was an honour for him to meet Beyer. “I told him I was quite pleased with the maturity of our democracy shown in all these processes. At the same time, we hope that right after elections those that have won the trust build swiftly Kosovo institutions, new government, parliament and return the dynamics of European agenda for Kosovo.”

“Deeply grateful to Bundestag and Chancellor Merkel for consistency and determination in support of Kosovo’s sovereignty by openly becoming our voice against ideas for partition and correction. I also expressed my appreciation for Germany’s support in the process of visa liberalisation and the possibility of this happening this year since Kosovo has fulfilled all requirements,” Haradinaj wrote on Facebook.

Pacolli meets Palmer: Kosovo can count on the U.S. (media)

Kosovo’s outgoing Minister of Foreign Affairs Behgjet Pacolli met the U.S. Special Representative for Western Balkans Matthew Palmer at the sidelines of the Bled Forum.

“I congratulated Mr. Palmer on his appointment and as an old friend of Kosovo in this new position he will continue to support us at all levels. We see dialogue as an important process that can close the dark chapter between Kosovo and Serbia. Normalisation of relations through mutual recognition is the only goal, nothing less, and we appreciate Washington’s firm position on this. Kosovo can, as always, count on the U.S. but the U.S. should also count on us, as committed and reliable partners,” Pacolli wrote on Facebook.

Two U.S. senators to visit Kosovo and Serbia (media)

U.S. senators, Chris Murphy and Ron Johnson, will be visiting this week Kosovo and Serbia to express support for the continuation of dialogue for normalisation of relations.

Murphy, a Democrat, and Johnson, a Republican, were expected to also visit Russia but were not allowed entry by Moscow authorities. “Russia wouldn’t let us in, but @RonJohnsonWI and I will be visiting Ukraine, Serbia, and Kosovo this week to demonstrate bipartisan support for the new Ukrainian government and continued dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina,” Murphy tweeted.

Kurti: There will be challenges if we don’t cooperate with Tirana (media)

Vetevendosje leader Albin Kurti said during a visit to Tirana that when Vetevendosje leads the new government of Kosovo it will strive for greater cooperation with Tirana. “If cooperation will lack then there will be challenges,” he said. Asked to comment on the international pressure on Pristina to lift the import tariff on Serbian products, Kurti said: “politicians in Kosovo always complain about pressure from the internationals; I have never complained. Internationals have never put pressure on me. To be honest I am a little curious because I want to know how this pressure looks like. We meet with them, but they have applied no pressure. They come and they listen to what we have to say”.

Rasic: Serbs must be involved in decision-making (Express)

Nenad Rasic, former Minister of Labor and Social Welfare and leader of the Progressive Democratic Party, in a debate on T7 on Tuesday, commented on the inclusion of Serbs in decision-making processes by Kosovo’s institutions. Rasic, who is against Belgrade’s influence on the Serbian List, said “the concept of including local Serbs in society and decision-making processes was first raised by Albin Kurti”. “Kosovo’s biggest wealth is its cultural diversity and I think there can be no deep democracy without the inclusion of all communities in decision-making and institutions,” he added.