Headlines - 13.12.2017

• Date for discussing demarcation agreement to be decided next week (Koha)
• Sherifi: NISMA has not changed position on border demarcation (Koha)
• Hoti: Haradinaj government counting down its days in power (Zeri/Kosova Sot)
• EU expects indictments and confiscation of wealth of criminals (Koha)
• Pacolli’s visit to Sweden postponed (Kosovapress)
• Former U.S. VP Biden to soon visit Kosovo (Zeri)
• Pacolli to attend meeting of Adriatic Charter countries (RTK)
• Gucati: We have political support to change Law on Special Court (Epoka)
• Izetbegovic comments on possibility of Kosovo recognition (Kosovapress)
• Hodzic: Payment of electricity and water, priority of Brussels talks (Lajmi)
• Thaci welcomed his friend in the PDK, phone taps reveal (Koha)
• Vulin accuses Zaev: You did not keep your promise (RTK)

Date for discussing demarcation agreement to be decided next week (Koha)

Vjosa Osmani, LDK MP and chair of the Kosovo Assembly Foreign Affairs Committee, said on Tuesday that the date for discussing the border demarcation agreement with Montenegro in the Assembly will be decided next week. Meanwhile, members of the ruling coalition have admitted that they currently lack the required number of votes to ratify the deal, however, they did not rule out the possibility of securing the votes in the coming days.

Sherifi: NISMA has not changed position on border demarcation (Koha)

In an interview to KTV, head of the Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA) parliamentary group, Bilall Sherifi, said his party has not changed position on the border demarcation agreement with Montenegro. He said that if the agreement is reviewed by the assembly committee soon, it could be sent to MPs by the end of the year but as things stand, “it is highly likely for this version not to receive sufficient votes.”

Hoti: Haradinaj government counting down its days in power (Zeri/Kosova Sot)

Head of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) parliamentary group, Avdullah Hoti, said in a press conference that the Haradinaj-led government is counting down its days in power and that it will fall in a matter of days or weeks. Hoti claimed the government of Kosovo is not being able to push forward any process, not even pass laws at the Assembly. According to him, this is a result of the government’s need to coordinate everything with its partner, the Serbian List, which is under the control of Belgrade authorities.

EU expects indictments and confiscation of wealth of criminals (Koha)

The paper reports on its front page that although visa liberalization and the border demarcation agreement with Montenegro dominate the discourse in Kosovo, the main concerns of the EU related to Kosovo are organized crime and corruption. The paper’s correspondent from Brussels quotes a draft document prepared at the latest meeting of the EU-Kosovo Stabilization/Association Council. The document notes: “it is of crucial importance to continue efforts to build a professional and specialized prosecutorial and police system, free from unnecessary interference”. It further expresses regret over the small number of confiscation of assets accumulated from criminal acts and the small number of financial investigations. The document also notes that the lack of a strategic political commitment and unnecessary interferences are obstructing the fight against organized crime.

Pacolli’s visit to Sweden postponed (Kosovapress)

The visit of the Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Behgjet Pacolli, to Sweden has been postponed due to weather conditions, the media report. Pacolli was set to travel yesterday and meet Swedish Foreign Minister, Margot Wallstrom, and the Parliament Speaker, Urban Ahlin.

Former U.S. VP Biden to soon visit Kosovo (Zeri)

The paper reports that the former U.S. Vice President, Joe Biden, is expected to soon pay a visit to Kosovo. Though no exact date of the visit was given, Biden is set to visit the municipality of Gjilan/Gnjilane where a road connecting two cities is named after his late son, Beau, who served in Kosovo as part of KFOR troops.

Pacolli to attend meeting of Adriatic Charter countries (RTK)

Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo and Foreign Minister, Behgjet Pacolli, is visiting Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) where he is expected to participate at the meeting of the countries of the Adriatic Charter (A5), presided by FYROM. On Tuesday evening, Pacolli participated at a working dinner with representatives of the respective countries, where he met with Mr. Matthew Palmer, Director for South Central European Affairs at the U.S. State Department. This organisation currently has five states and two observing states, the latter being the status of Kosovo.

Gucati: We have political support to change Law on Special Court (Epoka)

Hysni Gucati, head of the KLA War Veterans Association, told the paper on Tuesday that starting from Friday they will organize a petition which aims to amend the law on the special court. Gucati claims the war veterans have the support of all political parties. According to him, these changes would make possible for the Court to deal also with the crimes committed by Serbs in Kosovo. He said that after collection of 10.000 signatures, the petition will be submitted to the Assembly President and the Assembly Presidency.

Izetbegovic comments on possibility of Kosovo recognition (Kosovapress)

Member of the Bosnia and Herzegovina presidency, Bakir Izetbegovic, said they cannot recognise Kosovo as an independent country unless there is political consensus. “Recognition cannot happen for as long as there is no consensus on such a decision at the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Izetbegovic is quoted to have said in an interview for a Sarajevo-based news portal.

Hodzic: Payment of electricity and water, priority of Brussels talks (Lajmi)

The debt of electricity consumers in the northern part of Kosovo is considered to be over €140 million, the news website reports. Adriana Hodzic, head of the Administrative Office in Mitrovica North, said this is a political matter and that the Kosovo government should have presented it as the first point of talks in Brussels. “Unfortunately, it is not only the electricity that is not paid in the north. There is the water problem too,” she said. “I believe this is issue should have been discussed in Brussels, not the main bridge. Issues discussed in Brussels were not a priority. Mitrovica North functions with two systems. We have Kosovo’s system and we have the system which still functions based on the laws of the Republic of Serbia, and this should be addressed not ignored”.

Thaci welcomed his friend in the PDK, phone taps reveal (Koha)

In one of its front-page stories, the paper reports that the latest phone taps broadcasted by KTV reveal that Aleksander Lumezi, now Kosovo State Chief Prosecutor, had agreed with senior PDK officials Adem Grabovci and Besim Beqaj, to run as PDK’s candidate for Pristina. Grabovci notified then-PDK leader Hashim Thaci about the agreement, the latter suggesting that Grabovci and Lumezi should meet outside Kosovo and define the way that Lumezi would join the PDK.

Vulin accuses Zaev: You did not keep your promise (RTK)

Serbia’s Minister of Defense Aleksandar Vulin, accused the Prime Minister of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Zoran Zaev, ”for not keeping his promise” by stating that his country will support Kosovo in all processes. Vulin reacted after Zaev’s response on the question if FYROM would support Kosovo on UNESCO membership, by responding that “Pristina will have Macedonia’s support in all processes.”