Even with Serbian List, PDK will not have enough votes (Koha)
The paper reports on the front page that the constitutive session of the Kosovo Assembly has been postponed for next Thursday following a request by the Serbian List which has decided to review its earlier support for the opposition coalition. The paper notes that even if the Serbian List supports the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), the latter will not have enough votes to elect the Assembly President. After the “agreement on principles”, the bloc consisting of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) and the Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA), and the Vetevendosje Movement, now have the majority in the Assembly with 63 MPs. Meanwhile, the PDK together with minority parliamentary parties have 57 MPs.
Assembly constitutive session postponed (Lajm)
Flora Brovina, chairperson of the Kosovo Assembly, decided yesterday that the constitutive session should be postponed to next Thursday and not be held today as was initially scheduled. Brovina summoned a meeting between representatives of parliamentary parties, but the opposition coalition and the Vetevendosje Movement refused to participate. Aleksandar Jablanovic from the Serbian List said their request to postpone the constitutive session comes in light of new political developments. He said the Serbian List considers unacceptable the position of the Vetevendosje Movement to review the Brussels Agreement as noted in Vetevendosje’s agreement with the opposition coalition.
Wisner: Act with maturity, save state interests (Epoka e Re)
Ambassador Frank Wisner, former U.S. envoy for talks on Kosovo’s status, appealed on Thursday for Kosovo to establish institutions deriving from 8 June elections, as soon as possible, in order for Kosovo to move forward. “We want to see clarity; we want to see that independence, for which the entire Kosovo population fought so much produces a responsible government and functioning democracy, not only during elections, but also on establishment of the new institutions. Therefore, allow me to make a strong, personal appeal to members of the Parliament: Carry out your work, elect your president, fulfill the challenge of creation of the majority and elect the government in order for Kosovo to move forward. In this manner, the strengthened relations between Kosovo and the United Nations will expand,” said Wisner.
Veseli: LAN and Vetevendosje creating anarchy (Tribuna)
Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) deputy leader, Kadri Veseli, hailed in principle the recent agreement between the post-election coalition and Vetevendosje but warned that their supreme objective reflects scary positions that not only damage democratic foundations of Kosovo but also its relations with international partners. Veseli added that the agreement aims to set a precedent whereby the will of the people is denied.
“A parliamentary group is that which works together in the Assembly” (Koha)
In an interview for TV show Jeta ne Kosove [Life in Kosovo], John Tunheim, chief advisor hired by the USAID in 2007-2008 to help with drafting the Constitution of Kosovo, said the spirit of the Constitution allows for the unification of MPs in parliamentary groups. “In my opinion, a parliamentary group is a group that works together in the Assembly, but the Constitutional Court has a different definition of this, according to its interpretation of parties and political coalitions and their registration. In my opinion, a parliamentary group is a group within the Assembly,” Tunheim said.
Internationals are not accepting Limaj (Lajm)
The paper reports on what it calls “an unpleasant meeting” at the U.S. Embassy in Pristina, where LDK leader Isa Mustafa and AAK leader Ramush Haradinaj were invited, but not NISMA leader Fatmir Limaj. Citing a report published by Indeksonline, the paper notes that Limaj was driving in the same car with Mustafa and Haradinaj, but was not allowed to enter the premises of the U.S. embassy. The U.S. Embassy did not want to comment on Limaj but confirmed that Mustafa, Haradinaj and NISMA National Council President Jakup Krasniqi, attended the meeting.
