Kosovo accepts the agreement, Serbia partially (dailies)
Kosovo Prime Minster, Hashim Thaçi, said that for the third time Kosovo has accepted what he called “official agreement proposed from Baroness Ashton, while Serbia refused it”, reports Koha Ditore. Serb Prime Minister, Ivica Dacic, on the other hand, said that Serbia has agreed with most of the proposals but “not with the request for membership of Kosovo in international institutions”.
Thaçi noted that the Kosovar side came to the meeting with good intentions to reach the agreement but this was not possible because the Serb side refused it. However, Serb Prime Minister Dacic blamed the Kosovar side for obstructions, saying that the insistence of Kosovo to introduce an issue which was not discussed earlier was the reason the agreement failed. Dacic added that Serbia accepts all points of the agreement, except the one, added by Kosovo’s request, referring to the sides not obstructing membership in international organizations. “Kosovo can not obstruct Serbia anywhere. Therefore, this request is as if it requests us to recognize independence of Kosovo which we will never do,” said Dacic.
Vetëvendosje rejects agreement, AAK insists on its implementation (Koha Ditore)
Vetëvendosje Movement considers that a possible agreement between Kosovo and Serbia is unacceptable and that the entire dialogue process lacks transparency. Deputy leader Shpend Ahmeti said it is even more surprising the fact that Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi failed to report to the Assembly following the eighth round of talks, considered as the most important one, and did not announce what it is he agreed to on this meeting. “We have invited Prime Minister Thaçi to the foreign affairs commission but he did not reply at all. So, he doesn’t come to the commission, doesn’t come to the Assembly, doesn’t bring texts. Therefore, this agreement is unacceptable for us”, said Ahmeti.
Meanwhile, representatives of the Alliance for Future of Kosovo (AAK) argued that an agreement between Kosovo and Serbia that respects Kosovo’s constitutional order would not be damaging for the country. “You know how the situation is in that part of Kosovo but also in other aspects. We are optimistic but this does not mean to say everything will be resolved with this agreement”, said the party leader Ramush Haradinaj. He also noted that pressure needs to be put for the implementation aspect of the possible agreement.
US denies proposing a plan for KSF (dailies)
“The process of dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade was all along facilitated by the EU. It is not up to us to give proposals and suggestions to the EU on decisions which are to be taken in Brussels,” said US ambassador in Kosovo, Tracey Ann Jacobson. While answering to the reports in the media that United States has proposed a plan that prevents the Kosovo Security Force from being deployed in the north in the next five years, Ambassador Jacobson said that the US has supported the process of the dialogue but it did not play a role in this process and has not presented a plan, RTK originally quoted Jacobson. Serb media also reported that the US Ambassador in Belgrade, Michael Kirby, has rejected reports in media for the existence of an American plan for normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia.
Cercone: More work needed for visa liberalization (Bota Sot)
EU officials in Brussels noted that Kosovo is on the right track to visa liberalization regime but that a great deal more remains to be done. Michelle Cercone, spokesperson to the Commission for Internal Affairs Cecilia Malmstrom, said that authorities in Pristina should respect the executive mandate of the EU and cooperate in achieving concrete results in fighting corruption and organized crime. “Based on the assessment made in our report, perhaps this is one of the points where the result was not all that excellent. Therefore, more work needs to be done”, said Cercone for a local Kosovo TV.
Serbs react against PTK privatisation (Zëri)
Serbia’s Office for Kosovo has reacted against the privatisation of 75 percent of Kosovo Post and Telecom (PTK) assets considering it as “undermining of the right to property and usurpation of the Serb state property”. “The sale of PTK comprised by premises under the ownership of Telekom AD Srbija and PTT Srbija has been carried out without an agreement, authorization or participation in the process”, said a statement issued by the Office for Kosovo.
Veseli: Kosovo’s flag will wave in Zvecan castle too (Epoka e Re)
Kadri Veseli, deputy leader of the ruling Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), said Kosovo will be successful in dialogue with Belgrade. “We entered dialogue at the right time and because we are in joint partnership with the European Union and the United States of America, with whose help we managed to wield sovereignty and territorial integrity in the Republic of Kosovo. We believe we will be successful in dialogue, but we are also aware of possible obstructions by the government in Belgrade which will try to keep our country under aggression,” Veseli was quoted as saying. In a ceremony in Pristina where PDK membership cards were given to 300 youths, Veseli said the flag of Kosovo would wave in Vërmicë, Merdare and in Zvecan castle.
