- Kosnett visits Mitrovica North (media)
- Foggo: If situation in the north were dangerous, Kosnett would not go there (RTK)
- Haradinaj: Vucic cannot seek German investments while undermining peace (RTK)
- Thaci congratulates Stoltenberg (media)
- Rasic: The biggest problem of Kosovo Serbs is Belgrade (RTK)
- Soltes: I hope and believe visa regime for Kosovo will be lifted before summer (RTK)
- Veseli: EU should liberalise visas for Kosovo people (RTK)
Kosnett visits Mitrovica North (media)
The U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo, Philip Kosnett, visited on Friday Mitrovica North where he met with head of Srpska List and resigned mayor of this municipality, Goran Rakic. News agency KosovaPress published a photo where US Ambassador Kosnett is seen sitting in one of the Mitrovica North restaurants together with Rakic drinking coffee. According to Gazeta Express, Rakic told Kosnett that the River Iber bridge will not open prior to definition of the border between Mitrovica North and Mitrovica South municipalities.
RTK reports that Kosnett visited the Regional Police Directorate in north Mitrovica together with Director of Investigation Department, Riza Shillova, and U.S. ICITAP officials where they met with the director of the Directorate Nenad Djuric.
Ambassador Kosnett, confirmed the continued support of the U.S. Embassy to the Kosovo Police and Regional Departments, especially with regards to the strengthening of the rule of law in Kosovo.
Foggo: If situation in the north were dangerous, Kosnett would not go there (RTK)
James Foggo, commander of the Allied Joint Forces in Naples, spoke about the security situation in the north of Kosovo. He said that if the situation were dangerous, the U.S. ambassador would not go for a visit there.
Foggo made these comments following Britain’s warnings to its citizens not to travel to Kosovo, especially in the municipalities of Zvecan, Zubin Potok, Leposavic and in the northern part of Mitrovica.
“I myself was there and there is nothing to feel endangered,” he said during his visit to Shterpce where he was with KFOR Commander Lorenzo D’Addario.
Haradinaj: Vucic cannot seek German investments while undermining peace (RTK)
The Prime Minister of Kosovo Ramush Haradinaj has criticized Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic saying that he intends to destabilise Balkans by forcing Serbs to leave their public positions in the institutions of Kosovo, including MPs from Serbian List.
To Haradinaj, this is Vucic’s second attempt after failing to cause turmoil through the idea of exchange of territories.
“EU should react against such a dangerous attempt,” Haradianj added.
“Serbia’s President Vucic is seeking major German investment (Volkswagen) and at the same time continuously undermines peace and stability in Kosovo and region. Hypocrisy must be called out,” Haradinaj wrote on his Twitter account.
Thaci congratulates Stoltenberg (media)
Kosovo President Hashim Thaci congratulated Jens Stoltenberg for extension of his term as NATO Secretary General until 30 September 2022.
“Congratulations dear friend. We thank NATO and you personally for supporting secure environment. Dialogue is the only way to guarantee peace in Balkans and Kosovo’s future prompt accession to PfP and eventual NATO membership. This is a consensual aim of our people,” Thaci wrote on his Twitter account.
Rasic: The biggest problem of Kosovo Serbs is Belgrade (RTK)
Kosovo Serb politician Nenad Rasic, said on Friday that Belgrade is the biggest problem for Serbs living in Kosovo.
Rasic, said he refused offers to join Srpska List. “To Kosovo Serbs, Belgrade or the specific party in power there, is the biggest problem. Serbian President Vucic in his recent statements says that there are no Serbs living in southern part of Kosovo. He is intentionally minimizing the role of Serbs in the south because of his agreed plan with Kosovo president Hashim Thaci,” Rasic told public broadcaster – RTK.
He also criticized Srpska List for causing problems to local Serbs in Kosovo. “There is a psychological division between Serbs living in the north and south of Kosovo. The problems come from the instructions coming from a certain political party in Belgrade,” Rasic said adding that this political entity was not established to represent interests of Serbs in Kosovo.
Soltes: I hope and believe visa regime for Kosovo will be lifted before summer (RTK)
The European Parliament Rapporteur for Kosovo Igor Soltes said he hopes and is optimistic that visa regime for Kosovo will be lifted before summer.
“However this depends on the Council of the EU, some countries oppose it, but we are certain that if the Council includes this point in the agenda, it would gain majority of votes. So, it is not necessary to have a complete consensus of all member states. We are doing what we can to convince our colleagues to convince their governments to convince those at the Council. So, it can happen, but we certainly have to wait for EU elections and see what will happen. I am optimistic,” he said.
Veseli: EU should liberalise visas for Kosovo people (RTK)
Kosovo Assembly Speaker Kadri Veseli requested understanding of Kosovo citizens with regards to the processes that have to be passed in order to reach visa liberalization for Schengen zone. “We expect from the EU to definitely give the opportunity that belongs to the citizens of the Republic of Kosovo as to all the other citizens,” Veseli said adding that fortunately, EU is also admitting now that all technical criteria are met.
