• ECAP to decide today on Diaspora votes (media)
• VV-LDK continue coalition negotiations (Kosovapress)
• Kurti: There will be no obstacle that will not be overcome with LDK (RTK)
• “There is no obstacle on establishing new government” (Epoka e Re)
• Kurti: There will be talks with Serbia but under clear guidelines (Zeri/Epoka)
• UK wants to postpone UN Security Council session on Kosovo (Klan Kosova)
• Palmer to visit Kosovo this week? (Gazeta Sinjali/Klan Kosova)
• “Kosovo to lift tax, Serbia to ensure favourable climate for talks” (Indeksonline)
• Dacic says independence of Kosovo is “dead” (Lajmi/Zeri)
• Ramadani: Russia and Serbia are threatening Balkans (Epoka e Re)
• Protest in New York will demand justice for sexual violence victims (RTV21/Kallxo)

 Kosovo Media Highlights

ECAP to decide today on Diaspora votes (media)

Following the Supreme Court’s decision in favour of Vetevendosje’s request for counting 4,639 ballots which the Election Complaints and Appeals Panel had previously ruled against counting, ECAP is set to deliberate on the issue today.

Spokesperson for the Central Election Commission (CEC) Valmir Elezi said they will wait for ECAP’s decision. “Announcement of results cannot be done without a decision from ECAP so we need to wait for the decision before proceeding,” Elezi told Zeri.

He also said that the recount of ballots from four polling stations has been concluded over the weekend.

VV-LDK continue coalition negotiations (Kosovapress)

Working groups from the Vetevendosje Movement and the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) are expected to meet today and continue coalition negotiations.

Vetevendosje leader Albin Kurti said the teams will discuss economy and announced that soon he will meet LDK leader Isa Mustafa. Kurti also said that they have not yet divided ministerial posts as the main focus right now is to reorganise the ministries into fewer ones.

Kurti: There will be no obstacle that will not be overcome with LDK (RTK)

Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) leader Albin Kurti expressed his conviction that there will be no obstacle that will not be overcome with the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) when it comes to establishment of the new government. He however added that they have not divided the ministry posts yet, as the current focus is on reorganizing them.

“There is no obstacle on establishing new government” (Epoka e Re)

Imri Ahmeti, senior official at the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) told the daily that there should be no delays on establishment of the new institutions, in accordance with 6 October elections results. He added that despite differences, there are no obstacles for LDK and Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) on establishment of the new government. He added that these two political entities will offer good governing, efficient and without corruption. He however added that many challenges await the new government, including resumption of the dialogue with Serbia, economic development as well as strengthening Kosovo’s position in international arena.

Kurti: There will be talks with Serbia but under clear guidelines (Zeri/Epoka)

Vetevendosje leader Albin Kurti spoke to Tirana-based ABC News and said there will be a dialogue with Serbia but noted that this should be done under clear and precise principles. He also said that prior to this, there will be a review process of all agreements reached in the course of the EU-facilitated dialogue in Brussels.

“For six years we had negotiations with Serbia and every day and week we were told it would speed up the integration, but we still don’t even have visa liberalisation. I have no choice but to conclude a fake urgency of this issue that forces us to act without thinking. To think means to ask Serbia for what it owes us because it owes us a great deal, it has killed 10,000 of our civilians, raped 20,000 women, mothers and our sisters and over 1,000 children were killed 20 years ago when the [current] Serbian president was minister of information,” Kurti said.

“We will have our negotiating team that I will lead and we will have our red lines. I have expressed them but this time I want to do this together with LDK as well as the opposition of Kosovo, not with arrogance but in the spirit of good cooperation,” Kurti added.

Speaking about President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci, Kurti said the right thing for him to do would be to step down although stressed that Thaci’s dismissal will not be his priority. He said he did not meet Thaci whilst both attended the South East Europe Peace Summit in Tirana over the weekend but that he will do so in the future. “I will meet him and it will be a very good meeting for Kosovo.”

On the issue of a Western Balkans mini-Schengen, Kurti said Serbia wants to expand its influence in the region: “Serbia is engaged in creating a new platform for Great Serbia. Serbia needs a platform to expand into a fourth Yugoslavia and we should not allow this.”

Meanwhile, in his remarks at the Southeast Europe Peace Summit, Kurti spoke about the role of the parliament on inter-state and neighborly relations. “Tensions in the relation between Kosovo and Serbia come from extreme concern with foreign diplomatic normalization between our states while neglecting the need for internal democratic normalization in both countries separately,” Kurti said.

UK wants to postpone UN Security Council session on Kosovo (Klan Kosova)

Klan Kosova is quoting Serbian paper Vecernje Novosti saying that the UN Security Council session on Kosovo scheduled for 31 October could be postponed on the intiative of the United Kingdom.

The paper quoted sources saying that the request for postponement is due to Kosovo Ambassador to the U.S. Vlora Citaku not being able to attend the session on the set date. The paper also says that the UK may be wanting to postpone the session so that when it takes presidency of the Security Council on November it can entirely drop the issue from the agenda.

Palmer to visit Kosovo this week? (Gazeta Sinjali/Klan Kosova)

The U.S. Special Representative for Western Balkans Matthew Palmer could be visiting Kosovo on Friday, 31 October, Gazeta Sinjali reported.

It said Palmer will meet leaders of political parties and institutions and discuss the recent political developments and dialogue with Serbia. “The U.S. will request Kosovo authorities to engage in resumption of dialogue with authorities in Belgrade by March 2020 at the latest, before the start of election cycle in Serbia,” the news website reported.

“Kosovo to lift tax, Serbia to ensure favourable climate for talks” (Indeksonline)

Maja Kocijancic, spokesperson for the EU foreign policy, said once the new government of Kosovo is formed, it has to lift the 100-percent import tax on products from Serbia. “At the same time, Serbia needs to ensure a favourable environment for talks and the dialogue needs to be functional,” Kocijancic told Indeksonline.

She added that the EU expects all political actors to remain committed to these processes which are crucial for Kosovo, Serbia and the future of the region. “We continue to work closely with Member States and our international partners, including the United States. Dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina facilitated by the EU is a process launched by the UN General Assembly and supported by EU member states,” Kocijancic said. 

Dacic says independence of Kosovo is “dead” (Lajmi/Zeri)

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said independence of Kosovo is “dead” on paper. “They would not have withdrawn their Interpol bid if this wasn’t the case,” he said.

In reference to the UK Ambassador to Kosovo Nicholas Abbott having his picture taken with Vetevendosje leader Albin Kurti at the party offices with the Albanian flag in the background, Dacic said that when he meets the UK ambassador he will put up a flag of Republika Srpska and see what the reaction will be. “They say they cannot arrange the furniture but you cannot arrange mine either and can choose not to sit,” Dacic is quoted in Danas.

Speaking  about Vetevendosje leader Albin Kurti who is projected to become new prime minister of Kosovo, Dacic said: “I thought there was can be no worse than Haradinaj but maybe I was wrong.”

Ramadani: Russia and Serbia are threatening Balkans (Epoka e Re)

Kosovo’s Acting Deputy Minister of Defense Burim Ramadani said Russia and Serbia are threatening peace in Balkans through demonstration of power, by establishing Russian rocket system in Serbia. “The sovereign right of a state certainly does not include threatening of neighbors in cooperation with NATO’s main opponent, Russia. Balkan’s pro-Western and pro-NATO orientation is the only one that guarantees eternal peace. The other games, is this most recent one, affect relations in the region, and induce tensions even beyond. Serbia has to take responsibility for the crimes committed in Balkans. Its army should finally decriminalize and distance from genocidal heritage,” Ramadani wrote on his Facebook account.

Protest in New York will demand justice for sexual violence victims (RTV21/Kallxo)

Representatives from the Albanian, Bosniak, and Croat communities in the U.S. are planning to protest in New York on Tuesday in front of the Serbian consulate demanding justice for 70,000 victims of sexual violence from the conflicts in former Yugoslavia and call on Serbia to identify perpetrators of these crimes.