• LVV – LDK meeting, “approximation” but no agreement yet (media)
• Visa liberalisation maybe in the second half of year during German presidency (Koha)
• “The big fish” untouched by justice (Zeri)
• Kosovo charges two Serbian policemen with war crimes (Balkan Insight)
• Vehicle of Serbian List deputy leader set on fire in Leposavic (Kosovapress)

LVV – LDK meeting, “approximation” but no agreement yet (media)

One of the leading stories in most media is Wednesday’s meeting between Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) leader and candidate for Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, and Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) leader Isa Mustafa. The meeting, which lasted around three hours, ended without an agreement for an eventual coalition government, but officials from both parties implied there has been progress in the talks.

Vetevendosje said in a Facebook post there has been “approximation” of positions with the LDK and that talks for a coalition agreement would resume on Thursday, Radio Free Europe reports.

Besian Mustafa, a spokesman for the LDK, told reporters: “the meeting is over. There is movement in efforts to reach an agreement between the two parties. There will be another meeting tomorrow and we will inform you about the details in due time”.

LDK senior official Avdullah Hoti too said there is “movement” in coalition talks with Vetevendosje, RTK reports. “There is movement in reaching a coalition government agreement between the two parties. We will meet again tomorrow,” Hoti said.

Citing sources close to the two parties, Klan Kosova reports that an agreement has been reached and that LDK will have six ministries: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of European Integration and Diaspora, the Ministry of Interior Affairs, the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Government, the Ministry of Education and Culture, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment, the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. The Vetevendosje Movement will reportedly have four ministries: the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Finance and Transfers, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Health and Sports. The LDK will have the right to propose a candidate for Kosovo President and the Vetevendosje will support their candidacy. According to the agreement, Glauk Konjufca will remain Assembly President, while LDK’s Vjosa Osmani will be appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs or Principal Deputy Prime Minister.

Koha Ditore reports in its coverage that apart from a coordinated statement, none of the parties revealed any details about the new conditions of the LDK and whether or not they are acceptable to the Vetevendosje Movement.

Zeri reports on its front page that “Vetevendosje and LDK have approximated their positions and that an agreement is on the horizon”.

Citing unnamed sources, Epoka e Re reports on the front page that if Vetevendosje agrees to give an additional ministry and the post of Kosovo President to the LDK, a coalition government agreement can be signed on Friday.

According to Bota Sot, today’s meeting between Kurti and Mustafa will be crucial for a coalition government agreement. In a different article related to the same issue, the paper quotes unnamed sources as saying that Anton Quni and Besnik Berisha are rumoured as possible ministers from the LDK in a coalition government with the Vetevendosje Movement.

Indeksonline reports that LVV MP Mefail Bajqinovci gave the first signal that a coalition agreement is close. “Good days are coming for Kosovo,” he wrote in a Facebook post.

Prior to meeting the LDK leader on Wednesday, LVV leader Kurti told reporters that a coalition agreement is very close. “We have the chance and I hope that now that talks have resumed, we will move swiftly toward an agreement which is already very close,” Kurti was quoted as saying.

Visa liberalisation maybe in second half of the year during German presidency (Koha)

The paper reports on its front-page story that Croatia is in favour of visa liberalisation for Kosovo during its presidency of the European Union, but that this is not very realistic.

Asked if Kosovo can expect visa liberalisation during the Croatian presidency, Croatian Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic told the paper: “It is well known that Croatia supports the enlargement process and part of this is also the agreement with Kosovo. I wouldn’t want to make promises on how realistic this is … because there are still some important member states that are against this”.

Citing unnamed diplomatic sources in Brussels, the paper notes that it is more realistic to expect visa liberalisation for Kosovo in the second half of this year during the German presidency of the European Union.

Zeri too reports on the visa liberalisation process in one of its front-page stories headlined 2020 revives hopes for visa liberalisation.

“The big fish” untouched by justice (Zeri)

The paper reports in one of its front-page stories that no high-ranking public official was indicted for corruption affairs last year. “Although the Special Prosecution of Kosovo has said it has resolved 94 percent of cases of this nature, monitors of court sessions argue that no charges have been filed against high-profile officials,” the paper notes.

Kosovo charges two Serbian policemen with war crimes (Balkan Insight)

Prosecutors charged two Serbian policemen with involvement in crimes related to a deadly attack on Kosovo Albanian civilians in the village of Nerodime e Eperme during the war in March 1999, the news website reports.

Kosovo’s Special Prosecution filed an indictment on Wednesday charging two Serbian police officers, identified only by the initials Z.K. and D.Sh., with war crimes against the civilian population.

The Special Prosecution said in a statement that the accused “grossly violated the rules of international humanitarian law against civilians and property, in particular the rules of war set forth in the Geneva Convention of 12 August 1949 and the additional protocols [to the Geneva Conventions]”.

Vehicle of Serbian List deputy leader set on fire in Leposavic (Kosovapress)

Citing unnamed sources, the news website reports that a vehicle belonging to Serbian List deputy leader and MP, Slavko Simic, was set on fire on Wednesday evening in Leposavic. No injuries have been reported. Sources said an explosive was thrown at Simic’s vehicle. A police spokesman in the north confirmed the incident but gave no additional details. The news website tried to contact Simic but he was not available for comment.