Headlines - 12.12.2017

• Thaci accuses EU for a non-unifying position on Kosovo (Epoka)
• Krasniqi: We do not have required votes for demarcation (RTK)
• Border deal not to reach Assembly without securing pro votes first (Zeri)
• Collaku: President Thaci is working on establishing Unity Team (RFE)
• Aida Derguti resigns from leading posts in Vetevendosje (dailies)
• Tahiri: Special court is ready (RTK)
• Pronto 3: Chief prosecutor Lumezi close with PDK, phone taps reveal (Koha)
• Minister: KSF transformation in line with Kosovo Constitution (Zeri)
• Gender equality group condemns violence against women (RTK/Telegrafi)

Thaci accuses EU for a non-unifying position on Kosovo (Epoka)

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci has accused the European Union for lack of unity vis-à-vis Kosovo. In the second part of an interview to Politique internacionale, Thaci said: “I think that the EU should endorse a unified political approach towards Kosovo. How can Europe hope to speak unanimously for more important issues such as Russia or Syria if they cannot agree on small Kosovo”. Politique internacionale described Thaci as a pro-western statesman. “Elected President of the country in 2016, Hashim Thaci continues to pursue an entirely pro-western and pro-European foreign policy, based on cooperation and regional stability also during the dialogue with Belgrade,” this paper wrote.

Krasniqi: We do not have required votes for demarcation (RTK)

Memli Krasniqi, head of the PDK parliamentary group, said on Monday that the ruling coalition lacks the required number of votes to ratify in the Assembly the border demarcation agreement with Montenegro. However, he added that this will not affect their coalition with the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) and other political parties.  “Our differences when it comes to demarcation are not new. They existed for years and they continue to exist. They were not an obstacle to create the coalition and they will not be an obstacle in the future. It is an essential issue which no matter if we want it or not, is related with the fundamental right of the citizens of Kosovo to move freely in Europe. This is not an issue that depends on us unfortunately, but on those who set rules, in the case of visa liberalisation, the European Union,” Krasniqi said.

Border deal not to reach Assembly without securing pro votes first (Zeri)

The paper reports on the front page that the border demarcation agreement with Montenegro is not expected to reach the Assembly until sufficient votes to pass it are secured.  Members of the Assembly presidency told the paper that there is not set date when the agreement is to be put to vote and that the motion could be postponed if no broad political consensus is reached. Analysts consider that the delays in sending the agreement to the Assembly are related to efforts in securing enough votes to ratify the deal.

Collaku: President Thaci is working on establishing Unity Team (RFE)

Bekim Collaku, Chief of Staff in the Office of Kosovo President Hashim Thaci, told Radio Free Europe that Thaci is working on establishing a Unity Team or a comprehensive group that will represent Kosovo in what he called the final phase of dialogue in Brussels. “If political parties in the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo will reach this consensus and agreement and adopt a joint resolution on the matter, this will be even better. If not, then the President, as the highest institutional representative and as representative of the unity of the people and political parties, can create a political team for the same purpose. So no matter how this is done, success is guaranteed. What is important is to have broad-based political consensus on this matter,” Collaku said.

Aida Derguti resigns from leading posts in Vetevendosje (dailies)

Aida Derguti, Vetevendosje MP and member of the party presidency resigned yesterday following the publication of a social network chat where she used an insulting term towards former leader, Albin Kurti. Following a lengthy meeting of the presidency of Vetevendosje yesterday, its leader Visar Ymeri told the media that the only resignation received by the party it that of Aida Derguti. Ymeri said the party considers the language used against public figures of Vetevendosje to be unacceptable. “We discussed in the meeting the recent developments regarding the Vetevendosje Movement organization. The presidency together with the parliamentary group, accepted the resignation of Ms. Aida Derguti from the presidency of the Vetevendosje Movement and from the post of head of Vetevendosje Movement branch in Vushtrri Municipality,” Ymeri said.

Tahiri: Special court is ready (RTK)

Kosovo’s Minister of Justice, Abelard Tahiri said that the Special Court is ready and its prosecutors are expected to start with their work very soon. During a show on “Euro Tribuna”, Tahiri promised that in his capacity as minister, he will make it possible for the families to visit the detained during the trial process.

Pronto 3: Chief prosecutor Lumezi close with PDK, phone taps reveal (Koha)

KTV broadcasted on Monday evening phone taps from 2011 between senior PDK officials Adem Grabovci, Kadri Veseli, Besim Beqaj and Hashim Thaci, revealing that they were considering including Aleksander Lumezi, then-Chief Prosecutor of the District Prosecution in Pristina and now State Chief Prosecutor, in their party. The paper has published the transcripts of the phone taps. KTV contacted Besim Beqaj but he refused to comment on the matter saying that the phone taps were misused. Grabovci meanwhile neither confirmed nor denied the case, and insisted that he had no say in Lumezi’s appointment as chief prosecutor. KTV tried to get a comment from Kadri Veseli but members of his cabinet refused to comment on the matter. Lumezi talked to Pristina-based Kallxo news website about the issue, confirming that he had met with Grabovci and Beqaj. “Even though five years have passed, as far as I remember I did meet with them but I don’t recall the details of the meeting. That was a time when I had meetings with representatives of other political parties in different receptions organized by local and international institutions,” Lumezi said. He also denied having received an offer from senior PDK officials to run for Pristina mayor.

Minister: KSF transformation in line with Kosovo Constitution (Zeri)

Kosovo Security Force Minister, Rrustem Berisha, spoke in a meeting with the new KFOR Commander, Salvatore Cuoci, about plans to transform the KSF through constitutional changes and full internal consensus as well as through coordination with NATO and Kosovo’s strategic partners.

Gender equality group condemns violence against women (RTK/Telegrafi)

At the closing of the 16 Days of Activism campaign against gender-based violence, the Security and Gender Equality Group has repeated calls for elimination of violence against women and girls. “Violence against women and children is perhaps the most evident manifestation of deep inequalities in our societies,” the group said in a statement and expressed serious concern over the recent death of a woman suspected to have been killed by her husband in Skenderaj/Srbica. The group called on Kosovo institutions to duly investigate such cases as well as all other domestic violence offences.