• Vetevendosje’s offer: an additional ministry for LDK (Koha)

• Kurti to Thaci: Do not put pressure, we are close to agreement with LDK (Express)

• Kurti: Discussions with LDK are not easy (RTK)

• Bahtiri: LDK offered us Foreign Ministry in exchange for Assembly President (Epoka)

• Zaimi: They want to pressure VV into a bad agreement (Indeksonline)

• “Russian agents with plans to incite riots in Prizren” (Klan Kosova)

• Haradinaj resigns from the post of AAK leader (media)

• Apostolova: Security in the region, precondition for resumption of dialogue (media)

Vetevendosje’s offer: an additional ministry for LDK (Koha)

Sources of the newspaper within the negotiations between the Vetevendosje Movmement (LVV) and the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), said LVV offered last Thursday an additional ministry which would be chosen by the LDK, in order to form the new government.

LVV also agreed for LDK to propose the candidate for the President of Kosovo. However, the same sources said the leader of the LDK Isa Mustafa, proposed that the post of the Assembly Speaker should belong to his political party during the first year, or until the President is elected.

Albin Kurti rejected this offer saying that Glauk Konjufca’s nomination as Assembly Speaker is irreversible. His offer for an additional ministry will be discussed and decided at the LDK general council, as a part of the leadership rejected it.

Kurti to Thaci: Do not put pressure, we are close to agreement with LDK (Express)

Albin Kurti, leader of the Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) responded to the President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci, requesting from him not affect or impose forming of the government, instead to be patient and wait.

“We have received your letter dated 10 January 2020. Wanting to understand your constitutional role, I would first like to regret that your message constitutes interference and prejudice to institution building and a threatening warning, in this case to the winning entity.” Kurti wrote in his reply that “the role of the president should be seen only in the context of his constitutional position, not his subjective and political position.”

He urged Thaci not to put pressure and make political assessments as they are close to the reach of the agreement with LDK.

Kurti: Discussions with LDK are not easy (RTK)

Vetevendosje leader, Albin Kurti, said that he presented on Thursday a new proposal to the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) and that now he is expecting the LDK to consider it.

Without revealing the content of the proposal, Kurti said that everything that has been done so far cannot be reversed, including the Assembly constitutive session, where Glauk Konjufca from LVV was voted for Assembly Speaker.

“We should work but be patient. These talks are not easy,” he said. “The negotiations with many authorities that await the future government will be even more difficult. Of course, we could and should have reached an agreement by now. However, we have only discussed government composition after certification of election results.”

Kurti said he was confident that an agreement with the LDK would be reached but it did not depend on him.

“I am ready to meet every day and continue the meeting until an agreement is reached, but I can say this for myself, not for the other party (the LDK),” he said. “What we have to say is that we have to make it clear what we stand for. Not only as leaders and leaders but also as citizens we must make it clear that we cannot go backwards, that we cannot compromise with the future and that we will never stop defending our positions and principles.”

Bahtiri: LDK offered us Foreign Ministry in exchange for Assembly President (Epoka)

Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) member and Mitrovica South Mayor, Agim Bahtiri said in an interview with the paper that negotiations between LVV and the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) for an eventual coalition government have stalled on the post of Assembly President.

According to Bahtiri, the LDK has offered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the LVV in exchange for the post of Assembly President.

Bahtiri called on LDK leader Isa Mustafa to reflect on the issue, adding that the issue of the Assembly President is a closed matter now. He also said the LVV will not wait long for the LDK.

Zaimi: They want to pressure VV into a bad agreement (Indeksonline)

Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) MP candidate Arber Zaimi took to Facebook on Sunday to respond to criticism against his party for failing to reach a coalition agreement with the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK).

Zaimi argued that all those that want LVV to make a hasty deal are trying to pressure this party into a bad agreement. He added that the party he represents cannot be even compared to other parties.

“The funniest are the thieves of the previous government who are taking advantage of the last days to steal some more,” he argued.

“Russian agents with plans to incite riots in Prizren” (Klan Kosova)

The news website reports that while politicians are making their own calculations, security structures in Kosovo are closely following the activities of three Russian nationals that have entered Kosovo. According to the news website, one of them has entered Kosovo through an illegal route and with false documents as a member of an international mission that enjoys immunity. “Their objective is to incite riots in Kosovo,” the news website reports.

Haradinaj resigns from the post of AAK leader (media)

Ramush Haradinaj, leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) has resigned from his post. He said he undertook this decision due to the announcement of internal elections in his political party, and that he will be only acting leader until then. “I have resigned. This means, I resigned since the last working assembly that we held. I only commence duties in resignation until the elections,” Haradinaj told Ekonomia Online. AAK announced its new internal elections on December 29.

Apostolova: Security in the region, precondition for resumption of dialogue (media)

Ambassador Nataliya Apostolova, Head of EU Office in Kosovo and EU Special Representative, paid a visit to Major General Michele Risi, Commander of KFOR.

During the office call, Ambassador Apostolova, emphasized the high level of cooperation with KFOR and its deep commitment in maintaining the overall security in the region that is the precondition to revitalize the EU- facilitated dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina.

Major General Risi expressed his aspiration to undertake a more effective collaboration in the planning and implementation of projects in favour of Kosovo communities.