• LVV-LDK continue negotiations, no agreement yet (media)
• Kosovo-Serbia railway link details to be discussed on Monday in Berlin (Klan)
• Grenell to AP: U.S. wants parties to focus on economy (Koha)
• Albanian President Meta hopes Israel will soon recognise Kosovo (media)
• Djuric: Our Ivanovic murder investigation lead in opposite direction from Pristina (Express)

 Kosovo Media Highlights

LVV-LDK continue negotiations, no agreement yet (media)

Media outlets report that the Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) and the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) continued over the weekend negotiations for forming new government of Kosovo and while some media reported that the parties did manage to make progress, there is still no agreement in place.

Koha Ditore quotes sources saying that the parties are expected to bridge there differences early this week and that the majority of the LDK’s leadership and the parliamentary group have agreed to the proposal of Vjosa Osmani to compensate the post of Assembly speaker with leading the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. LVV is reported to also have agreed to this proposal. The paper also reports that it is not clear whether such an arrangement would lead to the increase of number of ministries from the planned 12 to 14.

Zeri writes that LDK has breached the ultimatum it gave LVV last week that it would conclude negotiations by the end of the week and has given the talks another chance to succeed.

LDK deputy leader Lutfi Haziri meanwhile said they are still in the process of internal consultations and reiterated the party’s call for balanced division of powers whereby LVV would lead the government and LDK the Assembly. “I urge fore little more patience,” Haziri wrote on social media. He added that more discussions will the party to eliminate any obstacles or “time bombs” during the four-year mandate.

Haziri also said that the leaders of the two parties will meet as soon as there is internal consolidation. “Meetings may happen when the leaders consider that the need for internal consultations has been exhausted and there is a need to return to the negotiating table.”

Haziri confirmed to the media that a meeting between LVV’s Albin Kurti and LDK’s Isa Mustafa took place on the weekend. “I cannot comment on the place and the way leaders communicate but the last meeting was of a team format,” he said.

At the same time, LVV spokesperson Arlind Manxhuka said he was not aware whether there would be any meetings between the leaders of LVV and LDK but did note that the parties agreed to meet in the coming days.

Kosovo-Serbia railway link details to be discussed on Monday in Berlin (Klan)

After the agreement for Pristina-Belgrade airline was reached, the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade informed through Twitter that the U.S. Ambassador Richard Grenell said all sides agreed to restore rail connections between Pristina and Belgrade.

“On the heels of the first direct air connection between Belgrade and Pristina in more than two decades, SPE Grenell announced today that all sides agreed to also restore rail connections. Details to be negotiated in Berlin on Monday,” reads the tweet.

Grenell to AP: U.S. wants parties to focus on economy (Koha)

U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy for Serbia and Kosovo, Richard Grenell, said that establishing train links between Pristina and Belgrade became a priority after U.S. officials brokered another deal earlier last week to restore air traffic between the two capitals after 21 years.

“President Trump’s vision is now happening. The business community and the focus on job creation is leading the way,” Grenell said in a written statement to The Associated Press.

Grenell said the U.S. wants the two sides to focus on the economy, new jobs and prosperity as the way toward normalizing ties. He has urged Serbia and Kosovo to remove obstacles that have blocked the talks for more than a year.

Albanian President Meta hopes Israel will soon recognise Kosovo (media)

President of Albania Ilir Meta said he hoped Israel would soon recognise independence of Kosovo.

In his visit to Jerusalem for ceremonies marking the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, Meta told The Times of Israel: “Kosovo and Israel have a great friendship. We wish and we hope that Israel recognizes the independence of Kosovo as soon as possible.”

“I cannot speak on behalf of either country, but there is great sympathy among Kosovars for the Jewish people, and vice-versa. I hope that time will come. Until then, all opportunities for bilateral cooperation and development should be exploited.”

Djuric: Our Ivanovic murder investigation lead in opposite direction from Pristina (Express)

Serbia’s Director of the Office for Kosovo Marko Djuric said Serbia welcomes the U.S. proposal for better economic cooperation between Kosovo and Serbia however according to him, ‘this does not mean that it accepts recognition of independence as a pre-condition.”

Djuric said Serbia’s current main challenge is the trial of six suspects for Oliver Ivanovic’s murder. He said Serbia is commencing parallel investigations on the murder and they ‘lead in opposite direction from those in Pristina.”

“The process is a major farce with false evidence and witnesses. This is the reason why Serbia is commencing its own investigation. I am informed from security sources that our investigation is flowing in the opposite direction from Pristina, but we cannot reveal the details in order not to endanger investigation,” he said.

Speaking about Kosovo-Serbia discussions, Djuric told Radio Belgrade that it is important not to reject the dialogue, that they are ready for negotiations ‘with the condition that the Albanian party wants them too.’

“Serbia welcomes the U.S. proposal for between economic cooperation between Belgrade and Pristina, but this does not mean that it accepts recognition of independence as a precondition.” Djuric said.

Asked if the new government will form in Kosovo, Djuric said that it is a very unclear situation and that the issue of elections can change every day.  “What is important for Serbia is the fact that the Serbian List has all guaranteed rights by law and that its representatives would not agree with any blackmail.”