- Veseli: I will not stay in a Government that harms Kosovo-US relations (RTK1)
- Mustafa fears that current Government is breaking Kosovo’s relations with US (KTV)
- Haliti: It’s time to suspend tariff and open way to Dialogue (RTK)
- Hoxhaj criticises Limaj and Ahmeti: You shouldn’t meet with Mogherini’s advisors (KTV)
- EU calls unannounced meeting with Limaj and Ahmeti regular (KTV)
- U.S. Embassy reacts regarding six Turkish citizens, calls for accountability (Most monitored broadcasters, Klan Kosova & RTK)
- Blocked roads in the North or a regular situation? (Kossev)
Veseli: I will not stay in a Government that harms Kosovo-US relations
(RTK1)
At his meeting with Kosovo leaders on Saturday, the US Under Secretary of State David Hale said that the US wanted to be seriously involved in the dialogue process, and once again he read to them the letter recently sent from President Donald Trump, and highlighted some facts in the letter.
This was stated by the Assembly Speaker Kadri Veseli in an interview with Pista News, where he disclosed details from the meeting.
“The Under Secretary was very clear, very straightforward, and he asked us, in fact, he picked up President Trump’s letter, and highlighted some facts. I am trying to present some details from the meeting: a historic, unique opportunity for sovereignty of Kosovo also. He asked what your position will be, because the US is willing to be seriously involved, but, I am quoting the Under Secretary, not to waste time if Kosovo is not willing to make decisions. This was a position, the first part of which can be considered a great message regarding the US position that Kosovo enters the Dialogue as an independent and sovereign state and for recognition, but at the same time that you take the responsibility – would you like to go for it or not?” Veseli said.
Talking about the tariff issue, Veseli said that Under Secretary Hale asked whether Kosovo benefits by imposing tariff as a blocking mechanism or by going to the table of talks.
“Tariff is your decision as an independent and sovereign state, but you should think strategically: do you benefit by imposing tariff as a blocking mechanism, or do you want to go to the table of talks, to present your stances as an independent and sovereign state, including the fear for partition – where the Under Secretary again had a very clear position that the US does not support any position that is not supported by the sides, or do you want to use the tariff as a pretext,” Veseli added.
The Assembly Speaker stated that the tariff was his proposal, totally focussed against Serbia, and it makes sense only as long as it is focused against Serbia, but not if it becomes a position against the United States.
“The tariff makes sense only as long as it is focused against Serbia. Do you want my position? We need to impose it to Serbia even up to 1,000 percent, because it is causing reaction against us, because it has blocked us, because it is not fair to us. However, once it turns into a position against the US, I, PDK, changes its position,” he stressed.
“Presently, we have two ways ahead: first, to demonstrate to ourselves and to demonstrate more to our partners – as we have nothing more to demonstrate to Serbia – and to get blocked in this process. Then, we might come to a situation, as the Under Secretary said, you will continue on your own, we observe. Moreover, half joking he said, if we have interest when you are ready, we might come, but we might not come, we will look at our own interests. So, this is the real situation which we are in. There is a quite clear position by our Western partners, and Kosovo should make decisions as an independent and sovereign state,” Veseli concluded.
“My position will be the one that I am presenting publically: the position of the United States and of the Western partners will be my position, too. I will not stay even for two days in a government that harms those relations. This relation is not only about some states; it is about the future of this state, this nation. I cannot imagine development of Kosovo, prosperity of Kosovo, army of Kosovo, I cannot consider it developed without the relation with the US and with the EU,” Veseli stated to Pista News.
The PDK leader added that he would act the moment he sees that relations with the US can be harmed.
“When Kosovo’s interest is at stake, I will make the decision. Then, let them complain to others about my decisions. I will make decisions today, just as I made them yesterday. Both the day before yesterday and tomorrow, the decision will be in the interest of our people, citizens of our country, our state,” he said.
Talking about expected developments, Veseli said:
“I never please Serbia, but the moment I see that Kosovo’s relation with partners like the US and the Western partners are harmed, I will act.”
Mustafa fears that current Government is breaking Kosovo’s relations with US
(KTV)
Kosovo Government is jeopardising friendship with international partners, particularly with the permanent friend – the United States. This is what the LDK chairman Isa Mustafa said.
He added that as an opposition, they have been trying to make the current government change its attitudes and behaviours because it is of interest to have good cooperation with Kosovo’s partners.
Mustafa said that the European agenda must be fulfilled, because without fulfilling this agenda, the country cannot join the EU.
According to him, the current government is hiding major issues of citizens, by making decisions, and referring to the tariff. Mustafa said that the Government must find a way to solve this problem.
The LDK chairman Mustafa made these comments on 29th anniversary of establishment of LDK’s Women and Youth Forums.
Haliti: It’s time to suspend tariff and open way to Dialogue
(RTK)
Kosovo Assembly Deputy Speaker Xhavit Haliti said that it’s time for the tariff against Serbia to be suspended and open the way to Dialogue.
He spoke on Monday evening with RTK3 Open Studio, RTK portal reported.
“I think this is the time for the representatives to sit, or the Government to make a decision to suspend the tariff, in order to see how the situation will develop. This would allow the parties to put equal pressure on Kosovo and Serbia to reach agreement,” he said.
“I think this is the time not to think and act angrily. Serbia is very much interested that we do not revoke the tariff,” he ended.
Hoxhaj criticises Limaj and Ahmeti: You shouldn’t meet with Mogherini’s advisors
(KTV)
Senior state officials started the week with more meetings.
Two senior advisors of the German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Jan Hecker and Matthias Luttenberg, visited Prishtinë/Pristina on Monday.
Initially, they had a meeting with President Hashim Thaçi. From the President’s Office, they did not utter any single word about what was discussed at the meeting.
From the President’s Office the two advisors of Merkel proceeded to the meetings in the Government building, where for more than an hour they had a meeting with Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj.
The Government’s press release says that the Prime Minister and the two German advisors discussed political and economic developments in the country and the region, as well as normalisation of the dialogue with Serbia. However, there have been reports that the German advisors asked for the Government to suspend the tariff, in order to open the path to Dialogue with Serbia.
Advisors Hecker and Luttenberg continued their meetings with Deputy Prime Minister Enver Hoxhaj.
Hoxhaj stated that the key topic of discussion was dialogue with Serbia and the tariff. He was reluctant to provide details on what specifically the two German advisors ask for Kosovo, but he said that the tariff should be suspended, so that within 120 days, an agreement with Serbia can be reached.
Meanwhile, Hoxhaj criticised his two colleagues in the State Team for Dialogue, Fatmir Limaj and Shpend Ahmeti. He said that internal unity in Prishtinë/Pristina is needed, prior to meetings in Brussels.
He highlighted that the process could not continue, unless the tariff is suspended.
This is not the first time that the two co-chairpersons, Shpend Ahmeti and Fatmir Limaj, have travelled secretly to Brussels.
Last time also they had meetings only with advisors of Federica Mogherini.
EU calls unannounced meeting with Limaj and Ahmeti regular
(KTV)
The EU has qualified Monday’s meeting of the Kosovo Negotiating Team with representatives of the Office of Federica Mogherini as regular and as part of consultations.
In a response to Koha.net, the EU Foreign Policy Media Office said that on Monday the Kosovo Team briefed on the latest developments.
“The European Union External Action Service Team met today with the Kosovo delegation for Dialogue, as part of regular and continuous consultations. The Kosovo Delegation for Dialogue briefed EEAS on the latest developments. EEAS and the Kosovo Delegation agreed to meet again in a near future,” the response says.
The two co-chairpersons of the Delegation of the Dialogue with Serbia, Fatmir Limaj and Shpend Ahmeti, without any announcement travelled to Brussels on Sunday, in order to hand in the Dialogue Platform, which was voted last week in the Kosovo Assembly.
KTV reported that Limaj and Ahmeti travelled to the Office of the EU High Representative Mogherini, at the time when she is not in Europe.
On Monday, Federica Mogherini held a lecture at Princeton University, New Jersey.
KTV learned that Limaj and Ahmeti met with the Deputy Director for Asia, Western Balkans, and Turkey at Mogherini’s Office, Angelica Eichhorst, and handed in the Dialogue Platform to her.
U.S. Embassy reacts regarding six Turkish citizens, calls for accountability
(Most monitored broadcasters, Klan Kosova & RTK)
One year after expulsion of six Turkish citizens from Kosovo, the United States Embassy in Kosovo reacted.
In a press statement, as Radio and Television of Kosovo (RTK) reported, the US Embassy expressed its concern regarding the manner how these citizens were expelled by violating the laws.
The Embassy’s reaction is based on the parliamentary investigative committee, which exposed legal violations surrounding the incident despite attempts to obstruct its work, RTK continued its report.
Given that the committee found violations, the US Embassy said that these findings, which suggest 31 legal or procedural breaches by the Kosovo Intelligence Agency, Interior Ministry, and other institutions, raise concerns about overreach by key security agencies, as well as the security sector’s susceptibility to political manipulation.
“We call on Kosovo institutions to ensure full accountability for anyone violating the law, and remind Kosovo leaders that security institutions must act only within their constitutional authority, subject to the rule of law.
The issue is not the alleged guilt or innocence of the individuals, but rather the apparent circumventing of Kosovo’s legal processes by Kosovo politicians. Political pressure on the security sector to break Kosovo law is an egregious breach of democratic values. We urge full transparency in the security sector, and in the conduct of foreign affairs, to prevent inappropriate interference by Kosovo politicians in the future,” the reaction of US Embassy in Kosovo states.
The British Embassy in Kosovo supported the stance of United States of America regarding expulsion of Turkish citizens in March last year, online version of Klan Kosova TV reported later in the evening.
“We fully support U.S. Embassy Pristina, Kosovo statement today on expulsions of Turkish citizens last March. Kosovo institutions must be accountable and subject to the rule of law,” the reaction of British Embassy reads.
Blocked roads in the North or a regular situation?
(Kossev)
Certain Belgrade-based media outlets reported today about the „Steel Ring“ action – the blocking of the „alternative roads“ in the north of Kosovo – which is linked to the alleged „indictments issued against well-known Serbs“ and the intensified deployment of Kosovo’s border units in the North. The Kosovo Police, however, indirectly denied these allegations and stated that the situation is normal. The „Steel Ring“ action has been present in the practice of the Kosovo Police for about ten years as the usual operational plan for controlling vehicles and passengers immediately after the commission of a criminal offense.
„Members of the Kosovo Police Service (KPS) are starting to block alternative roads leading from Central Serbia to Kosmet, Telegraf.rs received unofficial information. This action, as it is called ‘Steel Ring’ in Pristina, is even connected with the secret lists on which indictments are being prepared against the well-known Serbs. According to the unofficial information, Kosovo Police withdrew sections of the border units from the crossings towards Northern Macedonia and Albania. Members of these units will be deployed in the north of Kosovo and Metohija. They will, allegedly, have only one task, which is the blockade of alternate roads leading from central Serbia to the north of Kosovo and Metohija,“ Telegraf reported, which was then picked up by the Tanjug news agency and then several other media outlets in Belgrade.
On the other hand, however, the Kosovo Police claimed that the situation is „normal“.
Kosovo Police spokesman, Baki Kelani told KoSSev that the situation is „normal“ and that „nothing specific“ is happening in the North.
„Regarding your question, we inform you that there is nothing specific except that the Kosovo Police is working to prevent organized crime and smuggling and that it is taking police actions based on its legal rights and obligations,“ Kelani emphasized in a written reply to KoSSev.
In a previous telephone conversation, when asked whether he denies media reports from Belgrade, Kelani briefly reiterated that the situation was „normal“ and that he will not comment on media allegations.
The deputy commander of the Kosovo Police for the north region, Besim Hoti told KoSSev that the traffic in the North is moving regularly.
The „Steel Ring“ action has been in practice within the Kosovo Police for a decade. It is activated when the operational plan of the police is in force immediately after the commission of a criminal offense, or escape from prison and involves the control of vehicles and persons.
As far as „alternative“ roads are concerned, in the practice of the Kosovo Police, these roads are called „illegal“. According to an agreement reached between Belgrade and Pristina in Brussels, there are two integrated border crossings – Jarinje and Brnjak in the north of Kosovo, along which legal traffic takes place.
