Thaçi: Kosovo and Serbia to implement Brussels agreements (RTK)
In an interview for the Serbian news agency Beta, President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi, said that Kosovo and Serbia need to implement the obligations from the Brussels agreements. “Development of relations between Kosovo and Serbia cannot be achieved through conditioning and through obstacles. Kosovo will meet its end of the obligations and at the same time, Serbia should do the same,” said Thaçi. He added that Kosovo is on the path to deepening political, economic, and rule of law reforms and that it is undertaking major steps in its Euro-Atlantic integrations process. Further in the interview, Thaçi stressed that he expects the establishment of the Kosovo Armed Forces soon and noted that this would be a multiethnic structure in line with NATO standards.
Little interest for protest in Mitrovica (dailies)
The papers report that only a dozen people took part in yesterday’s protest in Mitrovica calling for the opening of the River Iber/Ibar Bridge, removal of the Tsar Lazar monument, halting of construction works at the so-called Sunny Valley settlement in Zveçan/Zvečan and return of displaced Albanians to the north of Kosovo. Mitrovica Mayor Agim Bahtiri said earlier that he would not be joining a protest not knowing who the organiser was, while the organisers, a group of students, blamed the municipality’s leadership for the low turnout.
“Opposition should present arguments at the Assembly” (Epoka)
Adem Grabovci, head of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) parliamentary group, told the paper on Sunday that the Assembly is waiting for the government to proceed for ratification the border-demarcation agreement with Montenegro. Grabovci said it was important for the agreement to be in accordance with Kosovo’s interests, to safeguard its territorial integrity and the will of the people. Grabovci appealed to the opposition to give its constructive contribution at the Assembly by offering arguments which would help on rightful determination of the borderline between Kosovo and Montenegro.
Mustafa to attend Summit of Leaders in Paris (Epoka)
The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa, will participate today at the Summit of Leaders of the Western Balkans in Paris. He is expected to meet leaders of the European Union states as well as counterparts of the region. The Summit is expected to discuss advanced cooperation among the countries of the region, the strengthening of the economy and youth cooperation. The paper reports that the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Enver Hoxhaj, will also participate at the Summit.
Tërnava: Inter-institutional coordination prevents extremism (Epoka)
Head of the Islamic Community of Kosovo, Muhamet Tërnava, said in an interview with the paper that only inter-institutional coordination can help prevent violent extremism. He said that strengthening of educational institutions of the Islamic Community, could help on the matter, because this would prevent the interpretation of religious lectures by non-competent people. Tërnava also called for the adoption of the law on the legal status of the religious communities.
MPs that helped Thaçi get elected as President are being rewarded (Koha)
The paper reports on its front page that the government is “rewarding” members of the Kosovo Assembly that attended the session in which Hashim Thaçi was elected President of Kosovo. Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) MP, Alma Lama, who initially said she would oppose Thaçi’s election but later changed her position, has been proposed as Kosovo’s ambassador to Italy. Lama denied reports that she was being rewarded by Prime Minister Isa Mustafa. She told the paper on Sunday: “You are referring to this as a reward but I want to remind you that the post of an MP is much higher than the post of ambassador. What is important for me is that I engage for the state of Kosovo”. The paper also reports that Hajdin Abazi, a senior member of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and former Deputy Minister, has been proposed as Kosovo’s ambassador to Sweden.
