• Thaci meets regional leaders at dinner hosted by HR Mogherini (media)
• Pacoli meets his counterparts in New York (Epoka)
• Kurti: Full reciprocity with Serbia ends international pressure on Kosovo (Koha)
• Thaci: Kosovo remains example for coexistence among religions (Telegrafi)
• Vucic: U.S. will request from Serbia to recognize Kosovo (RTK)
• Authorities launch investigation into vote fraud claims (media)
• Kosovo Police drafts operational plan for elections (Koha)

Kosovo Media Highlights

Thaci meets regional leaders at dinner hosted by HR Mogherini (media)

President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci, currently in the U.S. for the UN General Assembly, said he met leaders of the regional countries in a dinner hosted by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini. “Commitment of the countries in the region for peace and stability, for development and integration into the European Union was yet again confirmed,” Thaci wrote on Facebook after the meeting.

The EU meanwhile issued a press release after the meeting Mogherini had with Western Balkans leaders. “In view of the clear European Union perspective the Western Balkans has, the High Representative and the representatives from the region reviewed substantial progress achieved and looked at the tasks ahead. They expressed support for the opening of the EU accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania, underlining this decision is crucial not just for both countries concerned, but for the whole region and for the EU. They all supported the continuation of the Serbia-Kosovo Dialogue and the early conclusion of a legally binding agreement on full normalisation of relations,” the statement reads.

Pacoli meets his counterparts in New York (Epoka)

Kosovo’s acting Minister for Foreign Affairs Behgjet Pacolli is participating at the UN General Assembly works. During this visit, he met with the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Guyana, Caren Cummings, and that of Qatar Soltan bin Saad Al-Muraikhi. Pacolli requested their support for Kosovo. “Qatar is Kosovo’s trustful partner and supports our economic and political development,” Pacolli said.

He also met with Slovakia’s Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak, who currently also presides with the OSCE. Slovakia is among the five EU countries that have not recognised Kosovo’s independence.

Kurti: Full reciprocity with Serbia ends international pressure on Kosovo (Koha)

In a front-page interview with the paper, Vetevendosje leader and candidate for prime minister Albin Kurti said introducing full reciprocity on Serbia will end the international pressure on Kosovo and at the same time “we show Serbia that this is not a matter of price but of dignity and integrity.” He said however that the 100-percent tax was not an idea lobbied for by Vetevendosje and that what they called for involved boycotting Serbian products.

Kurti said that if elected, his government would in a month’s time come out with an assessment of all 33 agreements reached so far between Kosovo and Serbia in Brussels and determine what their effect was on the lives of the people.

He noted that the dialogue would have to be led by the government of Kosovo. “As prime minister of the Republic of Kosovo I would set up a principled negotiating team, in agreement with Brussels as well. So, we should have a dialogue on the dialogue, so that the dialogue is well-prepared,” Kurti said adding that this may take a while but that on his first week in office, he would launch the dialogue with Kosovo Serbs.

“In principle, we are not against dialogue but a principled one. At the same time, we will prepare a list of demands we believe we are owed by Serbia since neither the succession of Yugoslavia nor war reparations from Serbia have been addressed by any government or prime minister.”

Thaci: Kosovo remains example for coexistence among religions (Telegrafi)

The President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci participated together with Kosovo’s Acting Foreign Minister Behgjet Pacolli at the “Global Call to Protect Religious Freedom” conference presided by the U.S. President Donald Trump. Thaci said Kosovo remains an example for religious coexistence.

“We share the vision with the U.S. President Donald Trump for religious freedoms in the world,” Thaci wrote on his Facebook account.

Vucic: U.S. will request from Serbia to recognize Kosovo (RTK)

The President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic reiterated that the United States of America will request from Serbia to recognize Kosovo. Serbian media report that during the “Global Call to Protect Religious Freedom” which was held under the margins of the Un General Assembly, except for an eventual meeting with the U.S. President Donald Trump, Vucic will also meet with the German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

“I cannot accept positions that meeting with someone, only because it is a famous name, is easy for us. No, these meetings are difficult because we are talking with representatives of the main powers which have recognized independent Kosovo. All these countries, just like the U.S., stand firmly on this position. The U.S, expects from Serbia, as you have seen in President Trump’s letter, to recognize independence of Kosovo. Let us not deceive the population. In a softer manner, or by the end of the dialogue, the same will be said by the other western countries that have recognized Kosovo. This is how things stand in the Awest. What are we doing in the meantime? We are showing our position,” Vucic said.

Authorities launch investigation into vote fraud claims (media)

Basic Prosecution in Pristina has authorised the Kosovo Police to launch investigations into a video clip claiming to show electoral fraud involving ballots sent to eligible voters of Kosovo diaspora. The video clip reported to show a man claiming to have completed tens of ballots made rounds on online media before being deleted.

Head of the Central Election Commission (CEC) Valdete Daka said that the video clip needs to be authenticated before any measure is undertaken but she did raise concern over the possibility of the voting process outside of Kosovo being undermined.

“It is cause for concern, I have consistently pointed out that the voting outside Kosovo has a questionable integrity and can be very easily undermined,” Daka said recalling that in 2013 elections, the CEC had ordered the invalidation of thousands of votes suspected of being manipulated.

Kosovo Police drafts operational plan for elections (Koha)

The Kosovo Police has prepared operational plan for maintaining a safe environment during the election period in Kosovo. The plan is split into four stages, beginning with the pre-election period. “The Kosovo Police will engage sufficient number of officers of different profiles, from different units within the Kosovo Police, and has taken additional measures by appointing police coordinators through the CEC and other institutions involved in this process,” the police said in a statement.