- LVV-LDK coalition formalised (KTV)
- Names of 12 Kurti Government ministers revealed (KTV)
- Non-Serb community MPs meet Kurti, request two ministries (KTV)
- Osmani refuses to become Assembly Speaker, seeks MIA and Deputy Prime Minister’s post (RTK)
- Rakic: Srpska List does not vote for new government of Kosovo (RTK)
- Serbian Government’s official: Serb List won’t support new Kosovo Government (N1)
- Haradinaj will not hand over his mandate in ceremony, but over the phone (RTK)
- Avdullah Hoti: Reforms in Kosovo as of tomorrow (GazetaExpress)
- Arben Gashi will be LDK’s caucus chair (GazetaExpress)
News
LVV-LDK coalition formalised
(KTV)
Vetëvendosje and LDK leaders, Albin Kurti and Isa Mustafa, formalised reaching of the government coalition at a joint press conference staged in the Kosovo Assembly hall on Sunday.
“Tomorrow we will go to the Assembly differently from the last time. Now we will go there with the agreement to vote new government. We have agreed about everything. The chairman Mustafa will hold meeting of the general Council. VV has started preparations for referendum, because this is what statutes of our two entities require,” Kurti said.
In the plenary session on 3rd February, Kurti will seek votes of MPs to become Prime Minister.
On the other hand, the LDK leader Isa Mustafa said they had reached an agreement with VV, which is the best alternative for the benefit of Kosovo.
“We have reached an agreement. We consider it a good agreement for benefit of Kosovo and for the changes that must necessarily happen in our country. We have looked at all the alternatives, and together we have come up with a solution, which, we believe, is in the interest of Kosovo, so that we can have a successful government which will meet the expectations,” Mustafa said.
He added that the agreement has already been signed.
Mustafa explained that the Assembly Speaker will be proposed by Vetëvendosje, and the nominee will be an LDK candidate, whilst the President issue will be discussed in due time.
The Vetëvendosje’s leader Kurti added that there would be 15 ministries.
“We have agreed to have 15 ministries and 33 deputy ministers. This indicates that our government has made a big change even without starting work, being the smallest government in size. We believed that our goal of having 12 ministries was fair and we said that the tendency has been to save as much as possible, but, on the other hand, it has been proved that establishment of some super ministries costs more than having 12 ministries. It is better to faster reduce the number to 15 ministries, than waiting longer for 12 ministries,” Kurti said.
He highlighted that Konjufca will not resign the post as the Assembly Speaker.
“Konjufca will not resign, but he will join the government,” Kurti added. However, he did not clarify what would new post of Konjufca be.
Portals reported late on Sunday that Vetëvendosje members adopted Movement’s coalition with LDK in extraordinary elections held during the day.
Names of 12 Kurti Government ministers revealed
(KTV)
Most of the names of ministers in Kurti Government, which is expected to be voted on Monday in the Kosovo Assembly, have been revealed.
The Vetëvendosje leader Albin Kurti and the LDK leader Isa Mustafa formalized the co-government agreement on Sunday, indicating that differently from their initial agreement for 12 ministries, the new government will consist of 15 ministries.
Out of 15 ministries, each of the two parties will have six, and three will belong to minorities. Albin Kurti will be Prime Minister, while LDK’s Avdullah Hoti and VV’s Haki Abazi will be Deputy Prime Ministers. LDK will lead the Assembly with Vjosa Osmani as Assembly Speaker, KTV portal reported.
Vetëvendosje will lead the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Justice, Finance, Economy, Health and the Ministry of European Integration. LDK will lead the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Infrastructure, Ministry of Agriculture, Education, Ministry of Culture Youth and Sport and the Ministry of Defense.
KTV learned that the following 12 names are expected to be voted on Monday as ministers:
VV:
Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Glauk Konjufca
Ministry of Justice – Albulena Haxhiu
Ministry of Finance – Besnik Bislimi
Ministry of Economy – Rozeta Hajdari
Ministry of Health – Arben Vitia
Ministry of European Integration – Blerim Reka
LDK:
Ministry of Internal Affairs – Agim Veliu
Ministry of Infrastructure – Lumir Abdixhiku
Ministry of Agriculture – Besian Mustafa
Ministry of Education – Hykmete Bajrami
Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport – Vlora Dumoshi
Ministry of Defense – Anton Quni
It is not yet clear who the ministers from the minority ranks will be.
Non-Serb community MPs meet Kurti, request two ministries
(KTV)
The Vetëvendosje leader Albin Kurti met some non-Serb minority MPs in Prizren on Sunday. They requested to have two or of three ministries assigned for minorities.
This meeting was held after signing of the agreement between LVV and LDK, in order for the minority parties also to take part in the government and give their contribution in the Kosovo Assembly.
At the meeting, they discussed the new government, challenges and opportunities of cooperation for a democratic state building, where it was said that three ministries would belong to minorities.
Kurti stated to KosovaPress that those meetings were being held in order to ensure as many votes as possible for formation of the government on Monday.
MP of 6+ caucus Fikrim Damka told KosovaPress that at the meeting, they presented their demands, and he hopes that they will be fulfilled by Monday.
Damka said that as a multi-ethnic caucus, 6+ will have the smallest number of ministries, namely three ministries in total. Nevertheless, he says they will give a great support and contribution in state-building process.
MP of 6+ Rasim Demiri, who also attended the meeting, said that as of today, he is no longer part of 6+, but he was reluctant to disclose the reasons.
Demiri said that at the meeting, they presented their demands to the future Prime Minister, and he hopes that the demands will be fulfilled.
Osmani refuses to become Assembly Speaker, seeks MIA and Deputy Prime Minister’s post
(RTK)
The situation, which seemed to be calm as Monday’s session of the Kosovo Assembly was approaching, escalated on Sunday afternoon.
LDK’s candidate for Prime Minister Vjosa Osmani clashed with her party leaders over the manner they decided to share the ministries. Vjosa Osmani had asked for the position of Minister of Internal Affairs and that of the Deputy Prime Minister. However, this has not happened because Isa Mustafa was in support to Agim Veliu, RTK portal quotes GazetaExpress as reporting.
Osmani announced on Sunday afternoon that she would not accept the Assembly Speaker’s post.
When the election process ended, LDK officials had said that Vjosa Osmani would choose which institutional positions she would like to be appointed at.
However, due to recent developments, it seems that this promise has not been fulfilled.
It remains unclear how Vjosa Osmani will react tomorrow or that her party may reflect and change the latest decision on appointments to government positions.
Rakic: Srpska List does not vote for new government of Kosovo
(RTK)
Following consultations with the Government of Serbia, Srpska List chairperson Goran Rakic stated on Sunday in Belgrade that the political entity he represents has been invited only once in consultation with the new Kosovo Government.
“We have learned from the media that a sort of coalition has been reached, and we have decided not to support that government, because we trust only Belgrade,” Rakic said, following his meeting with the Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic and Head of the Serbian Government Office for Kosovo, Marko Djuric.
The latter said that Srpska List would participate in Kosovo’s institutions, although it will not support the government.
“There are no conditions for Srpska List to vote for the new government, but it will take part in institutions and fulfill its mandate,” Djuric said.
Srpska List is the largest political entity representing Serb community in Kosovo.
Most online portals also quoted Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic to have said that Srpska List will not support formation of new Kosovo Government.
Serbian Government’s official: Serb List won’t support new Kosovo Government
(N1)
Marko Djuric, the head of the Serbian Government’s Office for Kosovo, said the Serb representatives will not support the new Kosovo government.
“The Serb List will not vote for the Government in Pristina, but will continue implementing the mandate granted by the Serb people to represent them in the institutions,” said Djuric speaking to reporters in Belgrade.
Kosovo media earlier reported that Albin Kurti and Isa Mustafa, the leaders of the Vetevendosje (Self-Determination) and the Democratic Alliance of Kosovo (DSK), signed a coalition agreement after four months of negotiations, which opened the door for the Kosovo government formation.
Leaders of Vetevendosje (Self-Determination) and Democratic Alliance of Kosovo (DSK) signed a coalition agreement after four months of negotiations, which opened door to the Kosovo Government formation.
Haradinaj will not hand over his mandate in ceremony, but over the phone
(RTK)
Incumbent Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj will not hand over the mandate to Albin Kurti in an official ceremony.
He said he would probably do so over the phone, or some of his deputies would hand over the mandate to Vetëvendosje leader.
“I will be abroad. I will either ask one of the Deputy Prime Ministers to hand over the position immediately after the election of the head of government, or make a phone call to wish him success,” Haradinaj said.
He says he will not vote formation of the government on Monday.
Haradinaj has held the post of outgoing Prime Minister since he stepped down on July 19 last year.
Avdullah Hoti: Reforms in Kosovo as of tomorrow
(GazetaExpress)
Avdullah Hoti, chief of the Parliamentary Group of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) has reacted after his party signed the agreement on co-governance with the Vetevendosje, saying that right after Government formation, Kosovo will start reforms, Gazeta Express reports.
In a Facebook, post Hoti said they will work on strengthening the state of Kosovo, its army and work its statehood be strengthened internationally, and said that they will work on normalisation of relations with neighbours.
“Tomorrow we will start reforms in economy, education and health, as well as strengthening of the rule of law,” Hoti wrote.
The Vetevendosje and LDK signed on Sunday an agreement on forming new government. According to the new deal on co-governance Albin Kurti’s Government will have 15 ministries, two deputy prime ministers and 33 deputy ministers. The LDK will get the post of Parliament Speaker.
Arben Gashi will be LDK’s caucus chair
(GazetaExpress)
Arben Gashi will be Democratic League of Kosovo’s (LDK) caucus chair. This is what was decided at Sunday’s meeting of LDK’s General Council.
Gashi has been part of the Assembly of Kosovo since 2010. From that year until 2014, he was Head of the Legislation Committee, and from 2014 until 2017 he was a member of the European Integration Committee.
