AAK gives PDK a deadline (Koha Ditore)
The Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) set a deadline for the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) to respond on their offer to co-govern. Following an AAK leadership meeting, their deputy leader Ardian Gjini said that the coalition issue with PDK will be clear by next month.
“The beginning of February is an almost agreed deadline for a clear answer on what will happen in the future […] not only because of AAK, but this definitely reflects the situation in Kosovo. Such issues cannot be infinitely prolonged; everyone should know where they stand. State agendas are difficult and serious, therefore we cannot go on like this,” said Gjini.
Rexhepi: Let me be clear, NO! (Epoka e Re)
PDK deputy leader Bajram Rexhepi told AAK officials not to expect to take over the post of prime minister in February. Rexhepi said the government is stable and has its own Prime Minister.
“They can make a request, but we have been very clear that the post of prime minister belongs to current Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi and we don’t have any reason to make changes. This government will continue its Constitutional mandate,” he said.
Sao Tome and Principe invalidate Kosovo recognition (Koha Ditore)
In a front-page report, Deputy Prime Minister Behxhet Pacolli did not give anything to Kosovo for the New Year. Pacolli, who was engaged in the lobbying process for new recognitions, said on December 31 that the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe in Africa decided to recognize Kosovo’s independence, although an earlier coalition came to a decision in March 2012, even if it was never finalized.
The previous government coalition’s decision was never approved by Parliament. The reasons for not voting were due to problems between the government and the majority in Parliament. Sao Tome and Principe President Manuel Pinto da Costa decided to invalidate the recognition.
The chance for the north (Express)
Kosovo Foreign Minister Enver Hoxhaj told the paper that he believes the upcoming dialogue of 17 January is one of the most important. Central to it will be disbanding illegal security structures in the north.
“Our aim in this dialogue is not only to have meetings and reach agreements, but, above all, to implement the agreements reached thus far,” said Hoxhaj, stressing that implementing IBM has been a great success for Kosovo.
He said integrating northern municipalities into Kosovo institutions could not have happened because of the presence of illegal structures funded by Serbia. “Kosovo’s plan to reintegrate the three and a half municipalities in northern Kosovo is Ahtisaari’s Package; the Package grants all competencies, all rights that municipalities in northern Kosovo could have,” said Hoxhaj.
Asked when Kosovo envisages applying for UN membership, Hoxhaj said this requires strategic thinking and must be made in close consultations with Kosovo’s partners.
Resolution for dialogue should be “wide and flexible” (Epoka e Re)
The European Parliament Rapporteur for Serbia, Jelko Kacin, hopes that the resolution for the dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade will be “wide and flexible.” He said that in order to calm tensions, there should be a meeting between Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic and Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga as soon as possible.
“I do not know how the history of the platform approval will end and what the Serbian Parliament will say about this, but I hope Serbia will approve the initial position, which is quite wide and flexible, allowing not only the continuance of the dialogue, but the agreement on contested issues as well,” Kacin told Serbian media.
Still no full agreement for customs (Koha Ditore)
Delegations from Kosovo and Serbia in technical working groups met Thursday in Brussels. Officially, the parties or the EU did not discuss anything else regarding this meeting except that it took place and talked about customs, telecom and energy, and preparations for the fourth round of dialogue in the highest political level, which would take place one week later in Brussels between both Prime Ministers.
The EU is uncertain as to how the money will be collected from Kosovo customs and how they are going to be used once collected in the north. Unofficially, EU diplomats accept that Serbs in the north might not pay custom fees once IBM is implemented.
Serbs still not paying customs for goods up to 3.5 tons (Koha Ditore)
The decision to implement custom fees for goods up to 3.5 tones arriving at border crossing points in northern Kosovo remains on hold. Newspaper sources and Government of Serbia officials said customs officers could not put all customs points in the same customs code of Kosovo, as was originally announced. Kosovo customs did not announce this issue Thursday.
“In both custom border points, goods weighing up to 3.5 tons continue to enter without paying custom fees,” said a source in northern Mitrovica. Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic echoed the same sentiment to Serb media. During the dialogue, Dacic said Pristina has not reached any kind of agreement for customs and taxes and an agreement will be found in seven days for paying customs in two northern border points. “The solution should be reached on 17 January, and until now no changes in the field are foreseen. If change happens, Serbia will never accept it,” said Dacic.
Hezbollah targets PTK (Zëri)
In a front-page report, Lebanese company “M1 International Limited” is rumored to have remained a strong competitor in the process for the privatization of the Kosovo Post and Telecom (PTK), after “Albright Capital Management” and Avicena Consortium withdrew from the race.
M1 International Limited is part of the M1 Group, a corporation owned by Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati and his brother Taha Mikati. Najib Mikati was nominated as Prime Minister in 2011 by the Shia movement, Hezbollah, after the downfall of the unity government in Lebanon.
Sources close to the privatization of the PTK told the paper that if M1 International Limited is announced as the winning bidder, which is very likely to happen, this could further damage Kosovo’s image in the eyes of serious Western investors.
€475,000 for passports at “Te Gjyla” (Koha Ditore)
During a dinner at “Te Gjyla” in Ferizaj, director of the Department for the Production of Documents, Besnik Berisha, incurred a major profit. Natali Velija claimed that this is where she submitted €475,000 as a reward for the passport tender won by the Austrian company OeSD. Velija told prosecutors that Berisha took the money for himself and others who helped OeSD win the tender.
Protesting 23 hectares to Decani Monastery (Koha Ditore)
Hundreds of Decan citizens protested Thursday against the decision of the Special Chamber of the Supreme Court of Kosovo to give away 23 hectares of land of two ‘socially-owned’ enterprises to the Decani Monastery. Members of Kosovo Parliament and leaders of different political parties participated in the protest.
Protest organizers accused central institutions, the President, and the Prime Minister of failing to react against the decision of the Special Chamber. “The Kosovo Trust Agency, following a decision made by UNMIK in 2005, gave away this wealth and excluded the citizens from the process,” protesters said.
Adem Lushaj, one of the organizers, said the remaining structures of UNMIK should stay away from the wealth of Decan residents. “Our message to UNMIK representatives is to stay away from outdated actions and usurpations, because our property is sacred,” Lushaj said.
US: Institutional solution for Presevo monument (Express, Bota Sot)
The United States embassy in Belgrade considers the UÇPMB monument issue an internal affair of Serbia and urges Belgrade authorities to find a solution that would satisfy all parties. “We support all offers that would resolve the issue through dialogue within what the laws of Serbia specify,” said US embassy spokesperson Stephen Stark.
Kosovo has monuments to Serb criminals (Koha Ditore)
Removing the UCPMB monument in Presevo Valley risks creating a chain reaction in Kosovo. There are many monuments in Kosovo dedicated to Serbs who have committed crimes against Albanians. In these monuments, the former Kosovo Liberation Army is described as a terrorist organization. There are also monuments against internationals. Eventually removing the monument will not lead to reciprocal measures by authorities in Kosovo. However, according to a government official, he fears people will mobilize to destroy Serb monuments.
