Mustafa and Vucic to meet on 9 February (Zeri)
Citing information issued by the Serbian Government’s press office, the paper reports that Kosovo Prime Minister Isa Mustafa and Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic will meet on 9 February in Brussels. According to unidentified sources, the main topic of the meeting will be the formation of the association/community of Serb majority municipalities.
Tahiri: We have no reason to fear Serbia (Kosova Sot)
Kosovo Minister without portfolio Edita Tahiri said on Thursday that Serbia’s biggest problem is its foreign policy because the country is caught between Moscow and Brussels. “I am convinced that with all the capacities we have, we will achieve our goals in the Brussels dialogue”, said Tahiri in a Klan Kosova TV debate. Speaking about the challenges in implementing the Brussels Agreement, Tahiri said the main problem is the dissolution of the parallel Civil Protection in northern Kosovo and the establishment of the association/community of Serb majority municipalities, which, she assured, will have no executive powers.
Hyseni meets UNMIK chief (Zeri)
Kosovo’s Minister of Interior Affairs, Skender Hyseni, met on Thursday with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG), Farid Zarif. The SRSG said that the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) would cooperate with Kosovo institutions and implement a pragmatic and constructive approach. Hyseni thanked Zarif for UNMIK’s support and cooperation. Hyseni and Zarif discussed the Pristina-Belgrade dialogue, implementation of the Brussels Agreement, and other topics related to the rule of law in Kosovo.
EU countries won’t host illegal migrants from Kosovo (Koha)
The paper reports on the front page that a large number of Kosovo migrants are expected to be repatriated to Kosovo very soon. Citing unidentified sources, the paper notes that Germany, Austria and Switzerland will be the first countries to repatriate migrants, with travel costs being covered by the government of Kosovo. Another source told the paper that the Kosovo embassy in Germany has already contacted airlines that will transport migrants from Germany back to Kosovo. “The embassy has asked airlines about the cost of sending back 1,000 migrants by airplane to Kosovo. I don’t know if the airline has been selected but it is known that the costs will be covered by the Kosovo budget. Asylum seekers in Germany will be turned down and they will all be repatriated,” the source said.
Opposition to Mustafa: Take measures against Jablanovic (Epoka e Re)
Aleksandar Jablanovic, the Kosovo Minister for Returns and Communities, called the mothers of missing persons from Gjakova/Djakovica “beasts,” because they refused to allow Serbian pilgrims to enter the city church. Opposition parties have reacted to Jablanovic’s remarks. The Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) and Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA) called on Prime Minister Isa Mustafa to take measures against Jablanovic. AAK leader Ramush Haradinaj said that Jablanovic should apologize for his remarks. “We Albanians do not use hate speech to insult communities that live in Kosovo. Therefore, no one should use such language,” Haradinaj said. The Vetevendosje Movement, on the other hand, said it expects a reaction from the people instead of institutions. The Municipality of Gjakova/Djakovica issued a press release saying that hate speech does not contribute to peace or the improvement of relations between communities.
Vucic to visit Kosovo from 12 to 14 January (Lajmi)
The government of Kosovo and Prime Minister Isa Mustafa have received a letter asking for police assistance during the upcoming visit of Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic to Kosovo. Vucic is reported to have planned the visit from 12 to 14 January.
New LDK leadership to be elected in May (Epoka e Re)
Isa Mustafa, the leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), wrote on his Facebook account that elections in LDK branches will be held at some point between March and May, while the party’s general convention will be held by the end of May.
