• LVV and LDK expected to formalise coalition agreement today (media)
• LVV invited opposition in dialogue, AAK responds positively (media)
• Kurti: Special Prosecution is not prosecuting war criminals (Klan Kosova)
• Borrell: Spain’s position on Kosovo, not a problem for me (media)
• “U.S. policy on Serbia has not changed” (RFE/Zeri)
• “Germany Army will remain in Kosovo” (Indeksonline)
• Privatisation Agency of Kosovo heading toward closure (Radio Free Europe)
• Ministry, UNMIK support construction of safehouse for domestic violence victims (Zeri)

LVV and LDK expected to formalise coalition agreement today (media)

Leader of the Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) Albin Kurti will meet today the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) leader Isa Mustafa in an effort to finalise the agreement for forming the new government of Kosovo.

Today’s meeting has been confirmed by both parties but none gave any details about how the government posts are expected to be divided. Officials from the two parties said this issue will be decided today and that the coalition agreement is close to being finalised.

Several media outlets report that LVV and LDK have already agreed to each get five ministries, while one will be led by a Serb representative and the twelfth by another community member. Klan Kosova meanwhile reports that Kurti and Mustafa agreed on their last meeting on Saturday to support Mustafa’s candidacy for president of Kosovo when Hashim Thaci’s term in office expires.

LVV invited opposition in dialogue, AAK responds positively (media)

The Vetevendosje Movement (LVV), which won the highest number of votes in the October parliamentary elections, said its leader Albin Kurti will lead the process of dialogue with Serbia and invited the opposition to be part of the delegation.

Asked if Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) is ready to cooperate and be part of the delegation in the dialogue with Serbia, Ramush Haradinaj, acting Prime Minister of Kosovo and leader of the AAK told KosovaPress that despite being in opposition, they will support the new government on any matter of national interest.

This news agency tried to learn the position of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and Social-Democratic Initiative (NISMA) on the matter, however these two political entities did not respond.

Kurti: Special Prosecution is not prosecuting war criminals (Klan Kosova)

Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) leader and candidate for Prime Minister, Albin Kurti said on Saturday that Kosovo’s Special Prosecution is failing to prosecute war criminals. According to him some of their names are publicly known, as survivors and families of the victims are still alive.

“However, the special prosecutor remains silent. Why haven’t the investigations and indictments started? Why haven’t those who massacred our people been brought in front of the trial panel yet? Why there is no press conference where they would publicly report on their work for these six months?” Kurti asked. “Trial and punishment of criminals is a duty not only towards our nation, but towards the entire humanity. Special prosecutors cannot continue remaining passive on this matter.”

Borrell: Spain’s position on Kosovo, not a problem for me (media)

Josep Borrell from Spain, who assumed on 1 December the post of EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, said in an interview with Croatian paper Vecernji List that his country’s opposition to independence of Kosovo will not present a problem in carrying out his new duties.

“Why would it be a problem? I no longer act as Spanish foreign minister as I have new tasks now. I understand that people may come to the conclusion that if my country does not recognise Kosovo, the Kosovars will not like me. Imagine, on the other hand, if I came from a country that does recognise Kosovo. In that case people could think Serbs will not be pleased with me. There are some asymmetries,” Borrell said.

He added that he plans to visit Kosovo in the new capacity as soon as the new government is formed. “I will also visit Serbia, where I’ve been several times, to talk to the two sides about the new approach for resolving problems in the Balkans which for us is one of the priorities.”

“U.S. policy on Serbia has not changed” (RFE/Zeri)

The U.S. policy on Serbia has not changed, said officials at the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade in light of a recent Pentagon report which states that Serbia is the most perilous environment concerning Russian influence in the Western Balkans.

“Washington understands the interest of Serbia for developing positive relations with a wide range of partners and we expect other Serbian partners to demonstrate similar respect and support for Serbian strategic goals,” the U.S. Embassy said.

“Germany Army will remain in Kosovo” (Indeksonline)

German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said during a visit to Pristina on Sunday that the withdrawal of peacekeeping troops from Kosovo would result in increased Russian and Chinese influence in the region. “The presence of German troops in Kosovo is very necessary,” Kramp-Karrenbauer said in a meeting with COMKFOR Michele Risi.

“What has been built in Kosovo needs to be sustainable in the future. This is why German troops have been engaged in Kosovo for twenty years now. Although a lot has been in the last twenty years, there is still fragile stability in the region. What is most important is that what we have built over the last twenty years is not threatened in the future,” Kramp-Karrenbauer said.

Privatisation Agency of Kosovo heading toward closure (Radio Free Europe)

The news website reports that many socially owned enterprises in Kosovo, privatised by the Privatisation Agency of Kosovo (PAK) have not become operational and are considered a failure by economy experts. The latter argue that the privatisation process has failed to reach its economic objectives and that it should be concluded as soon as possible.

PAK officials said in a written reply to RFE that the privatisation process was initiated 16 years ago and during this period 1,809 privatisation contracts were signed in the amount of €733 million.

The news website also notes that the Vetevendosje Movement, which won the highest number of votes in the October 6 parliamentary elections and is expected to lead the new government, notes in its program that the Privatisation Agency of Kosovo will be closed and its assets will be transferred to a Sovereign Fund, an investment fund and a tool for industrial development.

Ministry, UNMIK support construction of safehouse for domestic violence victims (Zeri)

The paper reports that the Ministry of Local Government and Administration and UNMIK are supporting a project for constructing a safehouse for victims of domestic violence in the north of Kosovo.

Acting Minister Adriana Hodzic told Kontakt Plus radio in Mitrovica that the safehouse will be constructed in line with the law on competencies of local institutions and that the municipality of Zubin Potok has already allocated the land in the village of Zupce while UNMIK has pledged USD 110,000 for the project.