Headlines - 14.09.2016

• Coalition’s survival depends on demarcation with Montenegro (Koha)
• PM Mustafa consults KOSTT archive documents on demarcation (Epoka)
• Zemaj: Current version of demarcation needs to be reviewed (Telegrafi)
• Serbian List waiting for PM Mustafa’s invitation (Zëri)
• Avramopolous to Hoxhaj: We are in the last kilometer with visas (Epoka)
• “Pristina-Belgrade dialogue cannot continue forever” (Zëri)
• Brussels talks to continue today and tomorrow (Indeksonline)
• Ymeri: Kosovo needs another political course (Epoka)
• KLA veterans demand pensions from the government (RTK)

Coalition’s survival depends on demarcation with Montenegro (Koha)

The paper reports on its front page that the fate of the ruling coalition depends on the border demarcation agreement with Montenegro. Citing unnamed sources, the paper reports that despite an initial idea to postpone the ratification of the border deal until spring, the ruling coalition partners have now agreed to send the bill to the Assembly in the next couple of days regardless of the outcome. The failure to ratify the agreement is seen as a pretext to go to early parliamentary elections. While the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) insists that the government’s mandate is not related to demarcation, sources argue that PDK is preparing to use demarcation as a pretext for early elections. “This idea is supported more by PDK. Due to different dissatisfactions, they are not insisting for the current version of demarcation to be ratified by all means,” a source told the paper. Meanwhile, Faton Abdullahu, advisor to Prime Minister Isa Mustafa, said the demarcation deal will be presented to the Assembly without delay. PDK senior official, Xhavit Haliti, did not say if demarcation could take the country to early elections. “I don’t know anything about this. If the government wants, there will be elections,” Haliti said.

PM Mustafa consults KOSTT archive documents on demarcation (Epoka)

Prime Minister of Kosovo Isa Mustafa continued with his consultations to eliminate all  raised dilemmas regarding the process of  demarcation of the borderline between Kosovo and Montenegro. On Tuesday he met with chief executive of the Transmission System and Market Operator (KOSTT), Mustafë Hasani. A press release issued by the government informs that they consulted archive documentation starting from 1977, which shows Kosovo’s transmitters at the borderline with Montenegro and the managing border of the transmission line. “We came to a joint conclusion that the documentation at KOSTT archives will contribute to complete clarification of the process of border demarcation between Kosovo and Montenegro,” the press release noted.

Zemaj: Current version of demarcation needs to be reviewed (Telegrafi)

Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) MP, Armend Zemaj, said on Tuesday that the current version of the border demarcation agreement with Montenegro needs to be reviewed. In an interview with TV Dukagjini, Zemaj said that during talks with Montenegro, there was no insistence on documents that show that the disputed areas belong to Kosovo. Zemaj also said he supports Prime Minister Mustafa’s initiative to meet representatives of different institutions on the matter.

Serbian List waiting for PM Mustafa’s invitation (Zëri)

The leader of the Serbian List, Slavko Simić, told the paper they have not been invited yet by Prime Minister of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa, to discuss the demarcation deal with Montenegro. “As leader of the Serbian List, I did not have any meetings with  coalition partners regarding the demarcation deal with Montenegro. Representatives of the Serbian List were left aside from the decision making process on this issue,” Simić said, calling on  coalition partners to show more respect for the Serb MPs. “We did not require anything new from our partners. We only want much more respect from  LDK and PDK,” he said. Simić did not want to comment whether his party will participate in the next Assembly session where demarcation deal would be part of the agenda.

Avramopolous to Hoxhaj: We are in the last kilometer with visas (Epoka)

Enver Hoxhaj, Kosovo’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, met on Wednesday in Strasbourg with the European Union Commissioner for Migration and Internal Affairs, Dimitris Avramopolous, who believes that the last kilometer of Kosovo’s visa liberalisation will not last long. “As I stressed during my latest visit to Pristina, we are at the last kilometer. I assure you that this kilometer will not last long,” Avramopolous was quoted as saying.

“Pristina-Belgrade dialogue cannot continue forever” (Zëri)

The paper reports in a front-page story that representatives of the Kosovo government say that the dialogue with Serbia cannot last forever so they want to put a deadline to this process. Faton Abdullahu, advisor to Prime Minister Isa Mustafa, told the paper that the Kosovo government has asked the European Union to put more pressure on Serbia to implement the agreements reached so far. Abdullahu also said that the dialogue cannot continue forever. “We cannot continue the dialogue forever, it makes no sense if agreements are not being implemented. Therefore, because of this unconstructive approach, we will be forced to set a deadline for the implementation of agreements,” he said.  On the other hand, Vetëvendosje Movement MP, Rexhep Selimi, said the longer this dialogue lasts, the more harmful it becomes. “Starting the dialogue with Serbia after independence was a loss and harmful for Kosovo,” he said.

Brussels talks to continue today and tomorrow (Indeksonline)

Kosovo’s Minister without portfolio, Edita Tahiri, announced on Tuesday that the EU-mediated talks between Kosovo and Serbia on the technical level will resume today and tomorrow. According to her, the parties will discuss free movement and the telephone code for Kosovo. Tahiri also said that the agreement on vehicle plates had been reached last week, while now the working groups will focus on the removal of the remaining illegal plates that still exist in Kosovo and the blockade that Serbia is imposing on the agreement on telecom.

Ymeri: Kosovo needs another political course (Epoka)

The leader of the Vetëvendosje movement, Visar Ymeri, met on Tuesday with the EU Special Representative to Kosovo, Nataliya Apostolova. After the meeting, he wrote on his Facebook account that he informed Apostolova about the positions of the Vetëvendosje movement toward Kosovo’s integration path. “I informed Ms. Apostolova about the political situation that is ruling in our country as well as Vetëvendosje’s positions related to the path of the Republic of Kosovo towards the EU, as well as the necessity for change of the political course of governing in Kosovo in order to orient it towards sovereignty, economic development, increase of wellbeing and social equality for Kosovo’s population,” Ymeri said.

KLA veterans demand pensions from the government (RTK)

Associations of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) war veterans slammed the statement of the Finance Minister Avdullah Hoti who said that the government has no funds to pay pensions for the veterans due to their large number. Smajl Elezaj from the War Veterans Organisation said the government has to fulfill its obligations towards the veterans and no manipulations will be allowed. At the same time, head of the Council for Protection of KLA Veterans, Xhevdet Qeriqi, said they oppose any change to the pension scheme.  He said it was the government commission who came up with the number of the KLA members and it now needs to settle its obligations towards them.