- Final elections results announced (media)
- LDK leader Isa Mustafa comments on final election results (media)
- Haradinaj, Pacolli closer to a possible alliance (Gazeta Metro)
- Vetevendosje delegation meets EU Enlargement Commissioner Hahn (media)
- PDK indicates reforms (Kosova Sot)
- Haxhiu: Special court ready to indict 19 people (Gazeta Express)
- O’Connell: Fight corruption (Kosova Sot)
- Over 10 percent of KSF, members of minority communities (Koha/RFE)
Final elections results announced (media)
All print and electronic media report that Kosovo’s Central Election Commission (CEC) announced on Thursday the final results of the 11 June parliamentary elections. Koha Ditore reports on its front page that the final results did not bring major changes to the preliminary vote percentages of political parties, with the exception of the Vetevendosje Movement which has won another seat in Parliament, totaling to 32 seats. The PDK-AAK-Nisma (PAN) coalition will have 39 seats and the LDK-AKR-Alternativa coalition will have 29 seats. There is a 24 hour-deadline for political parties to submit complaints and after that the election results will be certified. This will pave way to the formation of the Assembly and the election of the Assembly President, who must be nominated by the PAN coalition as winner of the elections. PAN meanwhile is keeping secret the name of their candidate for Assembly President. CEC chairperson Valdete Daka told reporters on Thursday that the certification of election results is expected next week.
LDK leader Isa Mustafa comments on final election results (media)
Commenting on the final election results, Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) leader Isa Mustafa posted on Facebook on Thursday that the results showed that no Albanian political party can form the government on its own. “Another bitter truth is that the governance of the country risks being overly dependent on the will of the Serbian List, namely Serbia, if we fail to find an Albanian consensus. Another truth is that the LDK position not to extend the reserved seats for minority communities in Parliament minimizes this threat from the Serbian List,” Mustafa wrote. According to Mustafa, the issue of a possible coalition between the LDK and PDK is a closed matter, “because there is full consensus among all LDK branches that there should be no such coalition in this mandate”. “The basic question is what changes the country needs? We in the LDK will seek these answers in our dialogue with the Vetevendosje Movement, AAK and Nisma. We will look toward the future. If we agree on our concepts, we will find a joint solution,” he wrote.
Haradinaj, Pacolli closer to a possible alliance (Gazeta Metro)
The PDK-AAK-Nisma (PAN) coalition is holding talks with the Behxhet Pacolli-led New Kosovo Alliance (AKR), which has won four seats in Parliament, the news website reports. Pacolli is reportedly asking for key positions in government, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Economic Development, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Trade and Industry, and a post of deputy prime minister. According to the news website, the PDK is rejecting Pacolli’s request to lead the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Vetevendosje delegation meets EU Enlargement Commissioner Hahn (media)
A Vetevendosje Movement delegation led by Visar Ymeri, Albin Kurti and Shpend Ahmeti has presented the priorities of its government program to EU Enlargement Commissioner, Johannes Hahn, in Brussels, most media report. Kurti said at the meeting that on the border demarcation with Montenegro, Vetevendosje does not blame Montenegro, but rather the government of Kosovo, and said that the border was changed rather than delineated. Kurti also said that Kosovo needs to hold dialogue with the European Union regarding the talks between Pristina and Belgrade. “We informed officials in Brussels that we will immediately start dialogue with Kosovo Serbs. We should also launch dialogue with the European Union regarding the talks with Serbia … We are not against dialogue in principle but rather against dialogue without principles. We are against asymmetric dialogue, in which was invested so much over the last six years and which brought fewer results and a lot of damages,” Kurti is quoted as saying.
PDK indicates reforms (Kosova Sot)
The chairmanship of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) held a four-hour meeting on Thursday following the announcement of the final results of the 11 June parliamentary elections. The meeting reportedly discussed thorough reforms that the party is expected to begin soon. According to the paper, PDK leader Kadri Veseli said at the meeting that “those that don’t have anything more to give to the party or are suspected of corruption will be shown the door”.
Haxhiu: Special court ready to indict 19 people (Gazeta Express)
Baton Haxhiu, Kosovo reporter and director of Klan Kosova, told Gazeta Express on Thursday that the Specialist Chambers are ready to file the first two indictments, involving 19 people. According to Haxhiu, “among the reasons why Kosovo held early parliamentary elections on 11 June was also the Special Court”. He also said the indictments are ready but “no one knows when the indictments will be filed”.
O’Connell: Fight corruption (Kosova Sot)
The British Ambassador to Kosovo, Ruairi O’Connell, said on Thursday that Kosovo must engage in a powerful fight against organized crime and other illegal phenomena and promised that his country would provide support in this respect. O’Connell made these remarks during a meeting with Kosovo’s State Prosecutor, Aleksander Lumezi.
Over 10 percent of KSF, members of minority communities (Koha/RFE)
Over 10 percent of members of the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) come from minority communities, Serbs, Bosniaks, Roma, Croats and others. Institution and KSF representatives say that the force has already met the European standards for a multiethnic composition. Muhamet Latifi, outgoing Deputy Minister for KSF, told Radio Free Europe that all communities living in Kosovo are represented in this force. He also argued that the multiethnic structure of the force is helping eliminate the prejudices that the communities used to have. “We believe that even the Serb community no longer is prejudiced about this. This year we had a recruiting campaign for the Serb community and Serbs from all parts of Kosovo sent requests to join the force,” Latifi added.
