• Grenell to remain envoy for Kosovo-Serbia negotiations (media)
• Jamaica recognition: Kosovo leaders hail it, Jamaica FM refutes it (media)
• Haziri requests from Kurti to lift the tariff (RTK)
• The U.S. informed Kurti that military presence is being considered (Express)
• Konjufca dismisses 14 consuls saying their appointment was unlawful (media)
• Reka: Mini-Schengen is only in interest of Serbia (Express)
• Haradinaj: Kurti threatens national security with approach to KIA (Klan)

Kosovo Media Highlights

Grenell to remain envoy for Kosovo-Serbia negotiations (media)

Media report that the U.S. Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell, recently appointed by President Donald Trump as the Acting Director of National Intelligence, will continue to also serve as special envoy for Kosovo-Serbia negotiations.

“We can confirm that Ambassador Grenell will serve as U.S. Ambassador to Germany, Special Envoy for Serbia and Kosovo peace negotiations, and now, as acting director of national intelligence, simultaneously,” Grenell’s spokesperson Dick Custin told Koha.

Custin is also reported to have said Grenell’s appointment to the National Intelligence will be for a limited period of time, until the White House announces a new nominee.

Jamaica recognition: Kosovo leaders hail it, Jamaica FM refutes it (media)

President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci announced the he received confirmation from Kosovo’s Ambassador to the U.S., Vlora Citaku, that Jamaica has recognised Kosovo as an independent and sovereign country.

“I know this is a result of hard work & lobbying of several years, incl @RepEliotEngel. Good work. Thank you dear friends from Kingston!” Thaci wrote on Twitter.

Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti thanked the people and the government of Jamaica for recognising Kosovo. “Jamaica, an important country of the Caribbean and an important part of the Commonwealth of Nations recognized officially the Republic of Kosova. A good start of the 2020 for Kosova’s diplomacy and the new government,” he wrote on Twitter.

Kosovo’s Foreign Minister Glauk Konjufca hailed Jamaica’s decision saying the government will express readiness to initiate establishment of diplomatic relations to deepen the cooperation.

Several media outlets however quote Kamina Johnson-Smith, Jamaica’s Foreign Affairs Minister, refuting news that the country has recognised Kosovo. “To date, Jamaica has not recognized Kosovo as an independent state,” she wrote on Twitter.

Haziri requests from Kurti to lift the tariff (RTK)

Deputy leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) Lutfi Haziri has requested from the Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti to lift the tariff on the goods from Serbia and to proceed with reciprocity.

He took to Facebook to write that difficult decision make a leader successful. He added further that these decisions might not be the right ones now, but they are necessary for the future. “Time to lift the tariff. Assessments for reciprocity go in parallel. Time for difficult but necessary decisions,” Haziri wrote.

According to LVV-LDK agreement the tariff will be lifted by the government, as soon as full economic, political and trade reciprocity with Serbia is established.

The U.S. informed Kurti that military presence is being considered (Express)

Based on its sources, the news portal reports that that the United States of America made a step forward with pressure on the government of Kosovo to lift the tariff on the goods from Serbia.

Express claims that the U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo Philip Kosnett told PM Albin Kurti that his country is considering the possibility of moving its troops from Kosovo if the tariff towards Serbia is not lifted. This is the U.S.’s most serious threat towards Kosovo, reports the portal.

The U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Kosovo-Serbia dialogue Richard Grenell is categorical that the tariff should lift immediately in order to resume with the dialogue, and there are chances that an agreement between Kosovo and Serbia will be reached soon. However, this fact appears to frighten the new leaders of Kosovo, reports Express quoting Kurti as saying in an interview for RFE “we do not have to rush in this process, as there will be elections in Serbia in April.”

Konjufca dismisses 14 consuls saying their appointment was unlawful (media)

Kosovo’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Glauk Konjufca, dismissed 14 consuls who he said were appointed in violation to the Law on the Republic of Kosovo Foreign Service.

Media report that majority of the dismissed consuls were closely affiliated with political parties that were previously in power.

Vetevendosje Movement MP Fitore Pacolli welcomed Konjufca’s decision saying Kosovo’s foreign service had been transformed into a sector for accommodating political party militants and friends and families of institutional leaders.

Reka: Mini-Schengen is only in interest of Serbia (Express)

Kosovo’s Minister for European Integration Blerim Reka said the idea of the Balkans Mini-Schengen is a failed one. “Look only at the context when it was launched, from whom was it launched the idea of the Balkans Mini-Schengen. It was launched by Serbian President Vucic when it became clear to him that the previous idea for border change did not succeed,” Reka said.

He added this idea is in interest of Serbia which wants to have an easier approach to Durres harbour through Kosovo motorways and to get easier to Thessaloniki through North Macedonia.

“I think that this idea will fail, After the events in Montenegro, I do not believe that that state is going to be part of this process. I am not convince4d that the EU and the U.S. supported this idea. We should not have Belgrade’s permission for an Albanian Macro-Schengen. The matter of bilateral relations is among two sovereign states and no permission from third country is required,” Reka said.

Haradinaj: Kurti threatens national security with approach to KIA (Klan)

Leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) Ramush Haradinaj accused Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti for, as he said, threatening national security by deciding not to provide salaries for former heads of the Kosovo Intelligence Agency (KIA).

“A country needs to provide salaries to protect national security. If you leave a KIA official without salary and respect, you expose the security nerve of your country,” Haradinaj said.

“This goes to show that Kurti doesn’t know what a country is. He thinks it is a non-governmental organisation. I did not personally know former KIA or Police heads but I respected them all.”