• Thaci calls meetings with political leaders (media)
• Thaci: Some people want to prevent agreement with Serbia (RTK)
• Grenell reiterates call for dropping of tariff (media)
• Kurti and Haradinaj call for dialogue coordination (Koha Ditore)
• Hoti: No need for dialogue conference, Kosovo has legitimate institutions (media)
• Gender equality demanded on International Women’s Day (Koha Ditore)
• Assembly to hold special session to mark International Women’s Day (media)
• Haxhiu pledges €900,000 for domestic violence shelters (Kosovapress/Koha)
• Kosovo cancels flights to Italy’s northern region due to coronavirus fears (media)

Kosovo Media Highlights

Thaci calls meetings with political leaders (media)

President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci has sent out invitations to leaders of political parties in Kosovo for separate meetings to discuss coordination of issues of state interest, media report.

Thaci has planned to meet Prime Minister and leader of the Vetevendosje Movement Albin Kurti, leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo Isa Mustafa, leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo Kadri Veseli, leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo Ramush Haradinaj, leader of the Social Democratic Initiative Fatmir Limaj, and leader of the New Kosovo Alliance Behgjet Pacolli.

Online media however highlight that Kurti’s agenda for today has no mention of the meeting with Thaci.

Thaci: Some people want to prevent agreement with Serbia (RTK)

President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci said on Twitter that there is a lot of interest from certain people to prevent the reaching of the agreement between Kosovo and Serbia.

“So, let me say it again, loud and clear: We’re talking about ending a century old conflict, focusing on economic developmen, better life for our citizens, and mutual recognition. Nothing more & nothing less. Again, the role of US is indispensable,” he wrote adding that the special envoy Richard Grenell is doing a great job and has the full support of Matthew Palmer, special representative for the Western Balkans.

Finally, Thaci thanked the U.S. President Donald Trump for “working for peace in the world.”

Grenell reiterates call for dropping of tariff (media)

The U.S. special envoy Richard Grenell has called for the full dropping of the tariff on Serbia.

Responding to a question on Twitter on what is being discussed between Kosovo and Serbia at Washington, Grenell said the U.S. is focused on economic development which it believes was ignored in the dialogue.

“But we can’t help when the Kosovo Gov’t tariffs continue to hurt Kosovo. They must be dropped first. Also, political issues will be solved by the two sides – not Washington,” he wrote.

Kurti and Haradinaj call for dialogue coordination (Koha Ditore)

Kosovo’s political spectrum continues to be split not only over the tax on Serbian imports but also on the process of dialogue, the paper reports on the front page adding that these differences are visible both amongst the coalition partners and the opposition camp.

Officials from the Office of the Prime Minister did not say how they plan to overcome these differences and whether a new decision on the tax can be expected this week.

“Prime Minister Albin Kurti wants to give more time for as wider endorsement of his position as possible which combines gradual reciprocity with gradual removal of the tariff,” Kurti’s office told the paper.

At the same time, leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) Ramush Haradinaj presented the idea of organising a dialogue conference in Pristina that would gather representatives of political parties as well as officials from the U.S. and the EU.

“The process of agreement with Serbia has been compromised. Political factor in the country is split with the president on one side and the prime minister on the other. Because of this Kosovo has become a subject of talks and not a party at the table,” Haradinaj said.

Hoti: No need for dialogue conference, Kosovo has legitimate institutions (media)

Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti reacted to the proposal of the former prime minister Ramush Haradinaj for organising a conference on dialogue with Serbia that would gather political parties as well as the U.S. and the EU.

“Kosovo has legitimate institutions formed from 6 October democratic elections, which carry constitutional responsibilities, including for the dialogue with the neighbouring country, Serbia. There is no need for a conference for this purpose, be it internal or external. Of course, consultations are always positive,” Hoti wrote on Facebook.

He said that the prime minister of Kosovo should take the lead of the dialogue as defined by the ruling of the Constitutional Court while “the president should remain within his constitutional competencies.”

Gender equality demanded on International Women’s Day (Koha Ditore)

Hundreds of citizens protested on Sunday in Pristina on the International Women’s Day demanding for social justice and gender equality.

Organisers of the march said there is no cause for celebration this year. “United we demand gender and social justice in Kosovo by resisting and fighting until the patriarchal system that oppresses and discriminates us every day is uprooted.”

Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti and Justice Minister Albulena Haxhiu also joined the march. On a Facebook post, Kurti wrote that gender equality should not be only on paper but “part of our every day lives.”

Assembly to hold special session to mark International Women’s Day (media)

The Assembly of Kosovo is scheduled to hold a special session today to mark 8 March, International Women’s Day.

Today’s session will be dedicated to raising the awareness of the society for survivors of sexual violence during conflict and Vasfije Krasniqi-Goodman, a survivor, will be addressing MPs today.

Haxhiu pledges €900,000 for domestic violence shelters (Kosovapress/Koha)

Kosovo’s Minister of Justice, Albulena Haxhiu, said yesterday in a visit to a safehouse for victims of domestic violence that €900,000 from the 2020 budget have been dedicated to support the work of safehouses in Kosovo.

Haxhiu commented the role of the Safehouse in Gjakova. “I chose Gjakova for a reason because everywhere I go the Gjakova Safehouse is held up as a model, as something that should be followed by other shelters,” she said.

Haxhiu said she agrees that the law on domestic violence which is currently in a draft form needs to address some additional issues and that she considers wrong to have the deputy minister of justice act as anti-violence coordinator. “We thought of setting up a secretariat within the Ministry of Justice that would include civil not political staff,” she said.

Kosovo cancels flights to Italy’s northern region due to coronavirus fears (media)

Kosovo authorities have decided to cancel all flights to and from the northern part of Italy that is seeing high cases of coronavirus infections.

Infrastructure Minister Lumir Abdixhiku said the decision was taken in line with the recommendation from the Kosovo’s National Public Health Institute after the Italian government decided to quarantine the region to contain the spreading of the virus.

Online media are also reporting that Albania has confirmed its first two cases of coronavirus infections. The persons infected, a father and a son, travelled to Italy recently.