Headlines - 02.03.2017

• Koha Ditore/Zeri: Ratification of border demarcation deal destined to fail
• Veseli: Border demarcation session next week (RTK)
• These are coalition MPs that would not vote for demarcation (Lajmi)
• “Haradinaj to be released today, Serbia has no facts” (Zeri/Epoka e Re)
• Mogherini postpones Kosovo visit for a day (Telegrafi) 

Kosovo Media Highlights Koha Ditore/Zeri: Ratification of border demarcation deal destined to fail Koha Ditore reports on the front page that the ratification of the border demarcation agreement with Montenegro by the Kosovo Assembly is destined to fail as it will not secure sufficient votes. According to the paper, apart from 30 opposition MPs that will not vote for the agreement, there are a number of MPs from the ruling coalition that have made it clear they would not endorse it either. Furthermore, the government can also not count on 11 votes from Kosovo Serb MPs who are boycotting the Assembly for months now. Coalition partners, the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) did not comment on whether they have secured enough votes but the head of PDK parliamentary group, Zenun Pajaziti, said that the voting could be complicated by the fact that some MPs are out of the country. At the same time, Zeri writes that although the government of Kosovo has announced it will resubmit the border demarcation to the Assembly next week, it has not yet secured the necessary votes. Analyst Halil Matoshi said the agreement has to be sent to the Assembly for ratification even if it means it will not be endorsed. In case it doesn’t, Matoshi said Kosovo needs to announce early elections. Veseli: Border demarcation session next week (RTK) Kosovo Assembly President, Kadri Veseli, currently on a visit to Italy, said that he expects the border demarcation agreement to be submitted to the Assembly in the coming week. “We have excellent relations with Montenegro and next week we will discuss at the parliament ratification of border agreement,” Veseli said adding that the agreement is in the Kosovo’s national interest.   These are coalition MPs that would not vote for demarcation (Lajmi) Except for the opposition MPs who have opposed the demarcation of the border with Montenegro, it appears that there is a serious problem with the votes of the Kosovo Assembly MPs from the governing coalition, Lajmi writes.  There are nine MPs from the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) who have already stated that they would not vote for the demarcation of the border: Shpejtim Bulliqi, Adem Salihaj, Melihate Termkolli, Vjosa Osmani, Arben Gashi, Fatmir Rexhepi, Hatim Baxhaku and Anton Quni. Also two MPs from the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Nait Hasani and Raif Qela, are against ratification of the agreement with Montenegro. Two independent MPs, Ilir Deda and Gezim Kelmendi, also publicly announced to be against the ratification.  Ratification of the agreement requires at least 80 votes, or two thirds of Kosovo Assembly MPs. This calculation shows that the PDK-LDK coalition would not be able to pass the demarcation without the votes of the MPs of the Serbian List. “Haradinaj to be released today, Serbia has no facts” (Zeri/Epoka e Re) Ramush Haradinaj’s lawyer, Arianit Koci, said on Wednesday that Serbia could not provide new evidence that would lead to extradition of the leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo to Serbia. On Thursday, the Colmar Court in France is expected to come up with the verdict on Haradinaj’s case. Epoka e Re also quotes political analysts and lawyers as saying that Haradinaj’s return to Kosovo is the only decision that the court in France could make. Mogherini postpones Kosovo visit for a day (Telegrafi) The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, is expected to visit Kosovo on 4 instead of 3 March as originally planned. Kosovo is the last stop on Mogherini’s tour of the Balkans and she is expected to meet Kosovo leaders and visit Mitrovica.