• PM’s Office: Regional relations to be discussed in Berlin meeting (Zeri)
• Haradinaj speaks about expectations from Berlin meeting (RTK)
• Ahead of Berlin meeting, German ambassador calls for tax suspension ( Sot)
• Haradinaj: No reconciliation without accepting the truth (Klan Kosova)
• EU reacts to denials of Recak massacre (Koha)
• Serwer: No need for Kosovo to rush into agreement with Serbia (Bota Sot)
• Assembly fails to adopt resolution tackling migration (Zeri)
• EU, OSCE welcome political parties’ pledge to improve elections system (RTK)
• Rasic: Elections in the north will be only a farce (Epoka)
• Hoxhaj: In 2019 Kosovo is not only a Balkans’ issue (RTK)
• Kurti: Removal of current government, only solution to the crisis (Koha)
• Mogherini to participate at the meeting of Western Balkans’ leaders (RTK)
• Djuric escalates with ‘siptari’, calls Albanians criminals and terrorists (Klan)
• KFOR announces new training and exercises in the north (media)

PM’s Office: Regional relations to be discussed in Berlin meeting (Zeri)

The Office of Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj told the paper in a written response that regional relations are expected to be discussed in the upcoming meeting in Berlin where Germany and France have invited Western Balkans leaders.

“As far as what will be discussed is concerned, it is set in the agenda decided by the organisers which sent out the invitation to Kosovo but it will mainly be regional relations and the overall developments in the Western Balkans,” the response reads.

At the same time, political analysts believe that Kosovo-Serbia dialogue is very likely to be discussed in the meeting and that there could even be private meetings between the two parties at the sidelines. “It is important for the president and prime minister to coordinate their stances before Germany and France. We know there were different views which I think need to be coordinated before Berlin,” said Violeta Haxholli from the Kosovo Democratic Institute.

Haradinaj speaks about expectations from Berlin meeting (RTK)

The Prime Minister of Kosovo Ramush Haradinaj said yesterday at a press conference after the meeting of the government that there is no expectation for a potential agreement at the meeting in Berlin. He said that he will use this meeting to push forward the process of visa liberalisation for Kosovo.

“This is a broad subject. It is an honor to represent Kosovo at this meeting. It is an important meeting and it is good that this meeting will be led by Chancellor Merkel and President Macron. The 29 April meeting is a possibility to move forward also on the process of visa liberalisation,” Haradinaj said.

Ahead of Berlin meeting, German ambassador calls for tax suspension (Kosova Sot)

The German ambassador to Belgrade, Thomas Schieb, said that the idea behind the 19 April meeting of Western Balkans leaders in Berlin is to lay the ground for the dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo to resume. “We hope the tax on Serbian products is soon lifted and conditions for continuing the dialogue are created,” Schieb is quoted as telling the regional TV, N1.

Denial of crimes in Kosovo to be punished by law (media)

The government of Kosovo decided to begin drafting a legal initiative which will sanction denial of crimes which happened in Kosovo during the last conflict. The decision for the Ministry of Justice in cooperation with the others, to draft the law, came based on the initiative of Deputy Prime Minister Enver Hoxhaj.

“I request for us to have a legal initiative and concrete steps which in the future would sanction by law such statements of Serb officials,” Hoxhaj said. “In majority of Western countries, denial of crime and genocide is considered the biggest insult to the victims, families and the nation. Genocide committed in Kosovo is undeniable. I think that dignity of the victims in Kosovo should be protected by law,” Hoxhaj said.

Haradinaj: No reconciliation without accepting the truth (Klan Kosova)

Prime Minister of Kosovo Ramush Haradinaj wrote on Twitter that the denial by the Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic of the Recak massacre “reveals the dangerous reality of Serbian nationalism.” “There can be no reconciliation without accepting the truth of the past,” Haradinaj wrote.

EU reacts to denials of Recak massacre (Koha)

In a response to a media query, spokesperson for EU foreign affairs, Maja Kocijancic, said that “there is no room for denying or relativizing events that occurred in Recak, Kosovo, in January 1999.” The denial of such crimes goes against the values of the European Union and against the project for integration of the Western Balkans. “By respecting victims, authorities should show restraint and work sincerely for a right assessment of the past. The region needs reconciliation, stability and normalisation of relations,” the EU said.

Serwer: No need for Kosovo to rush into agreement with Serbia (Bota Sot)

The U.S. Balkans analyst Daniel Serwer said in an interview with the paper that there is no need for Kosovo to rush into reaching an agreement with Serbia and while the dialogue should end in mutual recognition and Kosovo’s membership in the UN, “that day may still be years away.”

Serwer said he believed there will be no border correction or territorial exchange as part of the final agreement between Kosovo and Serbia while with regards to the tax imposed on Serbian products, “it is senseless and provocative.” “Kosovo is being stubborn but without good effect. I understand the impulse to use sovereign powers and actually appreciate it but not if results are negative,” he said.

Assembly fails to adopt resolution tackling migration (Zeri)

The Assembly of Kosovo held an extraordinary session yesterday to discuss reports of increasing number of people leaving Kosovo. The MPs expressed concern over the trend and highlighted that unlike the past when people left Kosovo through illegal ways, this time mainly the educated youth are going to Europe equipped with work visas. However, a resolution, proposed by the opposition Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), aimed at providing incentives for the youth to remain in Kosovo, was not approved due to lack of quorum.

EU, OSCE welcome political parties’ pledge to improve elections system (RTK)

The EU Office in Kosovo and the OSCE Mission in Kosovo welcomed the joint statement of Kosovo parliamentary parties pledging to work on improving and strengthening the elections system.

“We welcome the decision of the Assembly to establish an ad hoc parliamentary committee. It is important that this committee will have an advisory group composed of local and internationals experts and stakeholders. The EU and the OSCE will support and assist them in their work” the statement issued jointly by the EU and OSCE states.

They add that strengthening and improving the electoral process is crucial to every democracy. “In Kosovo, it needs to be based on findings and recommendations from EU Election Observation Missions from previous elections to secure the most democratic elections within the constitutional framework. The engagement of all political parties is crucial for the success of this effort.”

Rasic: Elections in the north will be only a farce (Epoka)

Nenad Rasic, leader of the Democratic Progressive Party and former MP, told the paper that extraordinary elections in the northern municipalities of Kosovo will be only a farce. He added that it is difficult to have a good organizing of elections under the current circumstances. He has not decided yet if his party would participate on elections. “Under these circumstances, it will be very difficult for a party or other individual to make a campaign in harmony with democracy,” Rasic said. He said that pressure of the official Belgrade to political opponents of the Serbian List is not news. He added that this pressure exists ever since Aleksandar Vucic came into power.

Hoxhaj: In 2019 Kosovo is not only a Balkans’ issue (RTK)

Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo Enver Hoxhaj told the national broadcaster that in 2019, Kosovo is not only a Balkans’ issue but a European one and global as well.

“Currently, there is no new development with regards to the tariff, but I do not exclude the possibility that there could be an international situation, that can unblock the dialogue. In 2019, Kosovo is not only an important issue in Balkans, but a major European and global issue as well. We need a political awareness on how to use this chance,” he said.

“Berlin meeting could be a new turn. Germans and French made preparations for this summit to be successful. I think that there will be proposals and concrete dates on the future of Balkans there,” he said.

“Currently, the dialogue with Serbia is dead. The circumstances are known, Serbia does not sit to dialogue due to the tariff while our partners are not for pushing them. But I believe that the dialogue will restart. What we have to understand is that 2019 is for Kosovo a year of great opportunity,” Hoxhaj said.

Kurti: Removal of current government, only solution to the crisis (Koha)

Vetevendosje leader Albin Kurti told a rally in Pristina on Thursday that whenever faced with a wave of civic protests, the Haradinaj-led government makes patriotic actions such as the recent dismissal of Local Government Minister Ivan Teodosijevic. “You saw that Serbian List Minister, Ivan Teodosijevic, was dismissed for a statement he made on March 24. We all saw the statement on March 24, but he was dismissed only yesterday. Every time there is a popular wave against their thievery and corruption, they make a patriotic action,” Kurti said. He argued that the removal of the government is the only solution to the current crisis.

Mogherini to participate at the meeting of Western Balkans’ leaders (RTK)

Belgrade news agency Tanjug reported based on its reliable sources in Brussels that the EU High Representative Frederica Mogherini will also participate at the meeting of the senior representatives of Western Balkans at the end of this month in Berlin.

The meeting which is organized by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the President of France Emanuel Macron, will take place on 20 April.

Marko Djuric escalates with ‘siptari’, calls Albanians criminals and terrorists (Klan)

Marko Djuric, Director of the Office for Kosovo at Serbian government used on Thursday’s press release the pejorative ‘siptari’ for Albanians and he also called them criminals and terrorists, reported Serbian daily Danas.

Commenting the decision of Kosovo government to punish by law those who insult war victims, Djuric said “this is a cynical statement of Albanian terrorists and criminals.”

KFOR announces new training and exercises in the north (media)

Several news websites report that KFOR troops will conduct new training and exercises in the north in the following days. “In the following days KFOR will conduct scheduled training and exercises throughout Kosovo, particularly in the West and in the North. We are here to provide a safe and secure environment to all people. We exercise to be always ready. If you see us around, feel safer!” KFOR said in a Facebook post.