Biden: Kosovo-Serbia agreements historic (dailies)
The U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden said yesterday in Zagreb that agreements between Belgrade and Pristina are historic and commended leaders for achieving them. Biden made the remarks at a press conference following the Brdo-Brijuni Western Balkans summit.
Kerry will meet with Jahjaga, Mustafa, Veseli and Thaci (dailies)
The U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry will meet during his visit to Kosovo on 2 December, with the institutional leaders President Atifete Jahjaga, Prime Minister Isa Mustafa, Assembly President Kadri Veseli and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Hashim Thaci. There is no information on whether he would meet with the leaders of the opposition parties. Contacted by Klan Kosova, the U.S. Embassy in Kosovo replied that his agenda is not finalized yet but that it is expected he will not meet only the representatives of the government. Zeri quotes the US Embassy spokesperson Michelle Schohn as saying that Kerry’s visit is in no way related to the current political situation in Kosovo but, rather, is a show of strong friendship between the US and Kosovo.
Serbia aims at taking control over Kosovo’s airspace (Koha Ditore)
The paper reports on the front page that the Government of Serbia has made an official request to the European Union to oversee and manage air control services over the territory of Kosovo once this responsibility, currently exercised by Hungary, expires. International sources said the request was made by the head of the Serbian Government’s Office for Kosovo Marko Djuric in September during a visit to Brussels. “The representative of the Serbian Government has presented this request in the context of Serbia’s approximation with the EU and NATO based on normalization of relations between Serbia and Kosovo in the framework of the Brussels dialogue and regional cooperation and expertise in the aviation fields. This argument was welcomed by officials in Brussels as it could be approved,” said the unnamed source.
EU: PM’s initiative to be used to reestablish dialogue (Koha Ditore)
European Union’s Office in Pristina has expressed support for the initiative of Kosovo’s Prime Minister, Isa Mustafa, to call for international expertise in assessing the border demarcation with Montenegro. At the same time, the EU has urged this opportunity is seized to reestablish political dialogue in Kosovo. The EU spokesperson Dinka Zivalj said the EU “welcomes any effort that leads to the resolution of the current situation.”
Thaci: Opposition should apologize (Zeri)
Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Hashim Thaci, told Deutsche Welle that the opposition’s call for a “violent rally on 28 November is harmful for Kosovo.” “The opposition should apologize not only to the citizens of Kosovo but to all Albanians for this provocation on this important day. I invite all Albanians wherever they are to celebrate and to distance themselves from such misuse of national holidays,” Thaci said.
Ymeri: We want the power only through votes (Kosova Sot)
The leader of the Vetevendosje Movement, Visar Ymeri, told the paper that the opposition will take the power only through votes. According to him, opposition’s actions do not aim for the power but to stop the harmful agreements for Kosovo, such as on the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities and border demarcation with Montenegro. “If the government withdraws from these agreements, we are ready to go back to normal immediately, with full responsibility,” Ymeri said. He added that the opposition’s rally on 28 November will be peaceful. “But, if the government does not take into account the requirements of the opposition and a petition of more than 200,000 citizens, then of course there is no other option but new elections,” he added.
Limaj: Government is contributing to crisis (Kosova Sot)
The leader of the Initiative for Kosovo (Nisma), Fatmir Limaj, said yesterday that the government of Kosovo is only contributing to the current political crisis by not reflecting on the recent agreements on the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities and border demarcation with Montenegro. According to him, the demand for the resignation of the government is growing every day. He said even those who voted for the ruling-coalition parties do not support their decisions and that this coalition will be remembered in history as a coalition that arrested MPs who worked for Kosovo’s better future.
Deda: Government and opposition will agree (Epoka e Re)
Vetevendosje Deputy, Ilir Deda told RTV 21 that agreement between the government and opposition is only a matter of time. He added that it is absurd for the people of the same country not to discuss important issues. “Everyone will ask them what took you so long. This is a kind of an inertia in Kosovo’s politics where things have to be waited for, for a long time. It is absurd for the people of Kosovo not to sit and discuss with each other while they sit and discuss with Vucic and Dacic. There is no reason not to meet the people of your country,” Deda said. He also spoke about the proposed plan drafted by him and Deputy Vjosa Osmani.
Veseli: There is no room for Wahhabi criminals in our country (RTK)
The President of Kosovo’s Assembly, Kadri Veseli said in an interview for the public broadcaster RTK that Kosovo population and institutions in charge will not allow criminals and terrorists to ruin faith in God and relations among Albanians. “Our brothers are Catholic and Orthodox Albanians. We have extraordinary citizens, our population is extraordinarily mature and sometimes even more than the political class. I have exceptional faith in hundreds of believers, in those imams and thousands of people of the Islamic faith. It is the greatest guarantee that these believers in god would not allow miscreants, criminals, terrorists to ruin their faith in god, our relations with other religions. We Albanians have three religions…this is the guarantee which creates stability,” Veseli said.
