Fuele: Belgrade and Pristina know what they have to do (Koha Ditore)
Serbia and Kosovo know what to do to achieve the necessary progress in the dialogue, said EU Commissioner for Enlargement, Stefan Fuele, on Monday during his visit in Belgrade. Fuele did not want to speculate in connection with the result of talks but said that he expects “the best” to come out of the meeting between Prime Ministers Thaçi and Dacic. He repeated that Serbia could make an important step this year in its path of European integration, but the main condition remains sustainable progress in relations with Kosovo.
After the meeting with Fuele, Serb Prime Minister Ivica Dacic said that he is happy with the achieved progress in fulfilling the criteria but added that it is clear to everyone that the main political criteria is the visible and sustainable progress in the dialogue with Pristina. Due to this, Dacic said this week would be very important for Serbia and “is the time when important and big political decisions should be taken”.
Biden meets Thaçi and Nikolic (dailies)
Tribuna reports that US Vice President Joe Biden has given strong support to the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue days before the next meeting between Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi and Serb Prime Minister Ivica Dacic. Biden met with Thaçi and Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic on Monday evening separately.
Thaçi said in a statement after the meeting that he received US support for reaching an agreement, which will be in accordance with the Constitution of Kosovo. Thaçi reaffirmed that the agreement for the north could be achieved in the next meeting with his Serb counterpart Dacic if Serbia gives up trying to create a type of Republika Srpska in Kosovo.
Ban Ki-moon stresses the importance of the dialogue (Koha Ditore)
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon stressed the importance of the dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade and called on both parties to remain determined to obtain an agreement. A press release distributed by UNMIK reads that Ban Ki-moon is encouraged by Pristina and Belgrade’s efforts to reach progress in the dialogue mediated by Baroness Catherine Ashton.
Meanwhile, Voice of America reported that on Friday, during the Security Council meeting for Kosovo, the UNSG will meet Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi and Serbian Prime Minister of Serbia Ivica Dacic. The meeting of the UN Security Council will be held two days after both prime ministers meet in Brussels to try to normalize relations between the two parties.
Dialogue does not guarantee seat in the UN (Tribuna)
Kosovo and Serbia aim to finalize an active part of the dialogue without enabling Kosovo to gain a seat in the UN. Officials close with this process noted this possibility on the eve of achieving an agreement on the north, the greatest challenge in the political dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia. According to sources, once an agreement on the north is achieved, then the final idea will be launched by international representatives. The aim was the normalization of Kosovo–Serbia relations, according to the model of relations between two German states, which was created after the World War II.
International pressure sought for determining fate of missing persons (dailies)
During a meeting of the Government’s commission on missing persons, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Hajredin Kuçi said that normalizing relations with Serbia cannot happen without resolving the fate of missing persons.
Kuçi encouraged families of missing persons to apply more pressure on both the international community and the Kosovo Government on the issue. “The key to the problem is in Belgrade,” said Kuçi, “We as a Government are fully committed on cooperation.”
Pack: Ashton should not open Pandora’s box (Koha Ditore)
German Deputy at the European Parliament Doris Pack called on EU High Representative, Catherine Ashton, to be careful regarding the mediation of discussions between Pristina and Belgrade on northern Kosovo and not go beyond Ahtisaari’s Plan, because this would create other problems in the region of the Western Balkans. Pack told Newstv that the north should not be treated differently from other areas in Kosovo. “We do not need new ideas for northern Kosovo, because Ahtisaari’s Plan was made for all of Kosovo. Therefore, those who are communicating about the situation in the country should not forget,” said Pack, adding that if the agreements exceed Ahtisaari’s plan, “Pandora’s box would open” like in Preshevo Valley and Macedonia.
Krasniqi: Idea for a peace treaty was mine (Epoka e Re)
Kosovo Parliamentary Speaker Jakup Krasniqi said on Monday that in 2001 he had suggested the idea for a peace treaty between Kosovo and Serbia. According to Krasniqi, he presented the idea to European officials immediately after the war. But 12 years later, Krasniqi now says that ongoing talks between Pristina and Belgrade could make the treaty unnecessary. “In 2001, I requested from a senior EU official to sign a peace treaty between Kosovo and Serbia, but he did not like the idea very much. I think many things have changed since then. These talks could make such a treaty unnecessary,” Krasniqi said.
Elections in October (Express)
Sources told the paper that the majority of political leaders in Kosovo in a meeting with President Atifete Jahjaga suggested that local elections take place in September or October of this year. An unidentified official, however, said that it is likely to be in October when citizens of Kosovo will head out to the polls. It seems that political parties have given up on the initial idea to have local and parliamentary elections on the same day and now want them held separately.
IMF warns of potential crisis if PTK is not sold (Zëri)
The Head of the International Monetary Fund mission in Kosovo, Johannes Wiegand, said that the budgetary balance can be maintained only if Kosovo Post and Telecom (PTK) is privatized this year. If this fails to happen, the Kosovo Government will have to cut expenses, including on the Pristina-Skopje highway. “There is contingency planning in the budget that foresees reductions in certain expenditures in case PTK is not sold,” said Wiegand, who considers that the Government has undertaken cautionary measures if PTK is not sold so that the budget remains on the right path.
Çeku calls on Serbs to join KSF (Tribuna)
Kosovo’s Security Force Minister Agim Çeku during a visit to Shillovë, near Gjilan, said the Kosovo Security Force belongs to everyone and called on Serb youth to use this opportunity and join the force. Çeku told Serb youth that KSF provides them with education and employment. “You should not remain hostage of the past. Join the Kosovo Security Force and Kosovo institutions because this force is a guarantee for all citizens regardless of their ethnicity,” Çeku said, “Kosovo and KSF is everyone’s home; it guarantees security and peace in the region. This is our goal and the sooner we unite, the easier it will be for you too. Our offer to you is very sincere.”
