EC will submit to Kosovo “achievable conditions” for SAA (Koha Ditore)

Koha Ditore reports that Kosovo has made progress in fulfilling of some criteria’s for eventual start of Stabilization - Association Agreement SAA with European Union, but at this moment it cannot be said that it has fulfilled all necessary criteria’s to be able to take obligations from such an agreement. In many fields have been identified weaknesses, while also the functioning of state institutions is not at the level which is requested according to European standards, although in different parts of the document on Feasibility Study it says that it exist appropriate legal framework which should ensure basic functioning of democratic structures.

This priority will be general voice of Feasibility Study for SAA agreement for Kosovo, which will approve and will be made public from European Commission on Wednesday, while Koha Ditore had possibility to see this document. Even that the formulation of recommendation for eventual start of negotiations for the Stabilization – Association Agreement will be approved at latest moments, in the meeting of Commissioners Panel on Wednesday, Koha Ditore learns that European Commission has for the aim to propose “in principle” some priorities that Kosovo needs to fulfill as conditions for the start of SAA negotiations.

Koha Ditore in a separate box under headline EU accepts that Serbia in the north has also its security structures, writes that the particular part also in the Feasibility Study is dedicated to the north of Kosovo. There is even a specific chapter in the document called “Aspects in connection with the north of Kosovo”, which is defined as territory which includes municipalities of Leposavic, Zubin-Potok, Zvecan and one part of Mitrovica. For the first time in an EU document is accepted that Serbia, except parallel structures there, finances and maintains security structures.

Kosovo to organize next elections with closed lists (Koha Ditore)

The paper writes that if all goes to plan of political leaders, next parliamentary elections will be with closed lists and the citizens will only vote for the party and not individual candidates. A reliable source told the paper that this is an arrangement agreed upon by PDK leader Hashim Thaçi, LDK leader Isa Mustafa, AAK deputy leader Blerim Shala, head of Independent SLS Petrovic and the leader of KDTP Mahir Jagcilar.

The leaders, adds the sources, have agreed in principle to speedily conclude election reform in a meeting they had last week with former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. Political leaders also agreed not to head for new elections until six months after the approval of the new law have passed.

The leaders of two main political parties, PDK and LDK, expressed readiness to go to elections as soon as possible so as to overcome the institutional crisis but without the finalization of the reforms process, it is unlikely that new elections can take place before spring of next year.

Furthermore, political leadership also reached agreement on the consensus for talks with Serbia.

EU still in phase of consultations for dialogue (Zëri)

European Union officials have yet to clarify if there is a concrete plan for leading talks between Kosovo and Serbia, Zëri reports on page two. Maja Kocijancic, spokeswoman for European Union High Representative Catherine Ashton, told Radio Kosova yesterday that the EU is in the phase of consultations and is working to launch this dialogue as soon as possible.

Mustafa and Daci get closer to unite (dailies)

Leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) Isa Mustafa met yesterday with leader of Democratic League of Dardania (LDD) Nexhat Daci to discuss modalities of cooperation in order to head for new elections with a joint platform. Two officials, once members of the same party, said they are ready to intensify meetings and possibly unite in the future.

“Our goal today was to sit down together and talks, spend time together, have a working discussion but not to agree or disagree on something. I came out last week with an idea and proposal to look at the processes and based on them make a unification of centre-right parties so that we can act and work together in the next government mandate,” said Mustafa after the meeting.

Daci, former head of the Kosovo Assembly while still a member of LDK, did not manage to pass election threshold in last elections with his party, LDD.

Surroi: Return of reserved seats, renegotiation of Ahtisaari Package (Koha Ditore)

Request for return of reserved rights for minorities in the Constitution of Kosovo is an attempt to renegotiate Ahtisaari Package, warned former Kosovar negotiator in Vienna talks and head of Kosovo-based Foreign Policy Club, Veton Surroi.

In a public reaction Surroi, who during negotiations for independence of Kosovo in Vienna led the group for communities, has given explanations how agreement with reserved seats for two mandates was reached and why their return within the Constitution now would mean the opening of Ahtisaari Package which also carries other risks.

“Deputies who initiate the change of this judicial rate, also those who accept those kinds of initiatives, should be conscious that they are opening Ahtisaari Package, which has been achieved with two forms of consensus; the one between Albanians and minority communities, as the one between Kosovo and countries who supported independence of Kosovo”, says Surroi.

Tahiri: I don’t speak on behalf of the President (Bota Sot)

Bota Sot reports on page eight that a statement on Serb parallel structures in northern Kosovo by Ramush Tahiri, political advisor to President Atifete Jahjaga, has caused an echo both in southern and northern Mitrovica. Tahiri said his statement was part of a half-hour interview for a Serbian media and that it produced misunderstandings.

“My statement was part of a half-hour interview that no Albanian media published in full. I never speak on behalf of the President. This is the spokespersons’ job. This was my opinion and my professional analysis. No one can call someone parallel if that parallel is the only structure. I said these structures are anti-constitutional and illegal because they were not elected and are not working according to the laws of the Republic of Kosovo. I said these structures must dissolve and Kosovo’s municipal elections must be held there. I said this requires dialogue with citizens there and with their legitimate representatives. I stand behind my position,” Tahiri told the paper.

Krichbaum: Serbia to recognize Kosovo (Zëri)

“At the end of negotiations for EU membership, Serbia must give a clear answer about the independence and recognition of Kosovo,” said Gunther Krichbaum, chairman of the EU affairs committee of the German Parliament. “I am aware that certain processes take more time. Nonetheless, it has to recognize the reality produced by the conflict. Serbia must focus on future challenges such as globalization and the fight against corruption and organized crime.”

Serbs tried to prevent reconstruction of houses (Zëri)

Mitrovica mayor Avni Kastrati said on Monday that the process of rebuilding houses in northern Mitrovica is aimed at creating better conditions for the return of all IDPs and is not aimed against any community. Kastrati made the statement after several Serbs threatened Albanian workers who were rebuilding several houses in the Kroi i Vitakut neighborhood. Kastrati said the reconstruction process is a humanitarian action and that it has no political background. He also said that no one should be afraid because the process which is supported by the Government of Kosovo will bring benefits to all communities.

 Serbs of the north deny to have met Jahjaga (Epoka e Re)

The illegal mayor of Mitrovica, Krstimir Pantic, has denied the claims that the President of Kosovo, Atifete Jahjaga, has met the representatives of the Serbs in the north. “As far as I know, not only that Jahjaga did not meet with the representatives of the Serbs in the north of Kosovo, but since her election as a President of the so-called independent Kosovo, she did not even cross the bridge of river Ibër,” said Pantic for Serbian media. He added that such claims serve in Pristina for internal political needs and “to deceive the citizens.” Pantic did not exclude the possibility for Jahjaga to have met with representatives of NGOs to whom Pristina serves to take money for some projects in the north of Kosovo.

Jahjaga: Kosovo an example tolerance and interreligious respect (Koha Ditore)

Koha Ditore reports that in presence of the highest state leaders, political and religious leaders of three religions in Kosovo, on Monday has been put founding’s of cornerstone of the Central Mosque in Pristina. The heads of state institutions evaluated the building of Central Mosque as an important moment for the believers of Muslim confession, because as they have expressed, religious and national freedoms represent basic pillars of democracy. President Jahjaga, who has been welcomed with applause from worshipers at the time when she arrived at the ceremony, said that Kosovo has proved long time ago that it is a place of tolerance and interreligious respect.