Jahjaga: Kosovo has entered critical phase (dailies)
Most dailies today covered a press release issued by the office of Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga after her separate meetings with political leaders on Tuesday. “The President of the Republic of Kosovo, Madam Atifete Jahjaga, today has continued the meetings with the leaders of the parliamentary political parties within the process of the facilitation of the discussions on the creation of the Kosovo institutions. President Jahjaga met initially the President of the LDK, Mr. Isa Mustafa, and later the President of the PDK, Mr. Hashim Thaçi, the President of the AAK, Mr. Ramush Haradinaj, the President of the Vetevendosje Movement, Mr. Albin Kurti and the President of NISMA, Mr. Fatmir Limaj. President Jahjaga in the separate meetings with the political leaders stressed that Kosovo has entered into a critical phase and not establishing the institutions rapidly will hinder citizens’ lives and will prevent the overall functioning of the state. She said that the creation of the institutions of the country is an immediate need to fulfill the obligations that state has initially to the citizens and the international obligations it has undertaken. President Jahjaga stressed that the postponement of the solution will hinder the functioning of the institutions of the country and will lead the country into a financial and budgetary crisis. She requested from the political leaders to show political maturity during these moments, to act in accordance with the constitutional framework and to provide the solutions that will lead to sustainable institution building and the promotion of democratic processes,” the press release noted.
Zeri reports on the front page that President Jahjaga has once again failed to find a formula to break the political deadlock. Political leaders have not obeyed Jahjaga’s suggestions for an agreement, and divisions between the coalition bloc and the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) were even bigger on Tuesday. Kosovo is going to new elections, the paper claims.
Tribuna reports on the front page that legal justifications for announcing early parliamentary elections are being prepared. The paper also quotes unnamed sources as saying that the only obstacle to announcing new elections is the eventual decision of northern Kosovo Serbs to take part in the process.
Brovina invites political leaders to meeting on Wednesday (dailies)
Flora Brovina, chairperson of the Kosovo Assembly’s constitutive session, has scheduled a meeting with leaders of political parties on Wednesday to continue consultations on the constitutive session of the Assembly. Brovina said the meeting would be held at 12:00 in the Assembly. Asked by reporters what she would do if leaders of the coalition bloc do not attend the meeting, Brovina said this is the third time she is inviting them and that she believes they will accept her invitation this time. Otherwise, Brovina said she would not schedule the continuation of the constitutive session.
Limaj: We’re not going to the meeting called by Brovina (Bota Sot)
Fatmir Limaj, leader of the Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA), said on Tuesday that Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) leader Hashim Thaci should play a constructive role as a member of the opposition. Limaj said he would not attend the meeting on Wednesday called by Flora Brovina, chairperson of the Kosovo Assembly’s constitutive session, saying that Brovina does not have the right to call such meetings.
Mogherini: Future of the Balkans is in the EU (dailies)
Federica Mogherini, the new Commissioner for Foreign Policy and Security of the European Union, said on Monday that the future of the Balkans lies in the EU. Mogherini said the enlargement policy is the only guarantee for the democratic transformation of the Western Balkans and Turkey. “I believe this policy is the best one in terms of stability and development,” she said.
Shugurov: Troika agreed for Kosovo to declare independence in 2013 (Zeri)
In the second part of an interview for the paper, Andrey Y. Shugurov, head of the Russian liaison office in Pristina, said that the Troika consisting of the United States, the European Union and Russia agreed in 2008 that Kosovo would declare its independence in 2013 after it would have fully implemented the Ahtisaari Package. According to Shugurov, then US President George W. Bush did not stick to the agreement saying that Kosovo would become independent earlier. Shugurov did not want to comment on whether or not Russia and Serbia would have recognized Kosovo if independence had been declared in 2013, saying that all agreements were violated by the unilateral declaration of independence in 2008.
Suspect in police killing turns himself in to EULEX (dailies)
Citing reports in the Serbian media, several dailies report that Radomir Kasalovic, who is suspected of having committed the murder of Kosovo Police Special Units member Enver Zymberi in July 2011, handed himself over to EULEX police on Tuesday near Zubin Potok. EULEX later said that Kasalovic was arrested at a logistics base of this mission without the use of force.
Commission doesn’t review constitutionality of international accords (Koha)
The paper reports on the front page that, if the coalition bloc consisting of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Vetevendosje Movement, Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) and Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA), manages to form the new government, they will send agreements reached between Pristina and Belgrade for review to the Venice Commission. The paper recalls that Vetevendosje insisted on including this point in the coalition agreement. Vetevendosje was initially against the Brussels agreement and dialogue with Belgrade, but now has changed its approach. Vetevendosje MP Glauk Konjufca told the paper that the Venice Commission would be asked to review possible ways in which the agreements violated the Constitution of Kosovo. Meanwhile, Fisnik Korenica, head of the Pristina-based Group for Legal and Political Studies, said the Venice Commission would not review the constitutionality of the April 19 agreement between Pristina and Belgrade because it does not assess the constitutionality of legal acts, including international agreements, and it cannot play the role of a local constitutional court. Korenica said that, following a request from the President, Assembly or government of Kosovo, the Commission could only assess the compliance of the agreement with international standards.
