Headlines - 15.03.2017

• KSF Ministry forwards army draft law to government (Koha Ditore)
• Quint countries: Do not undertake unilateral actions (Zeri)
• Veseli: Kosovo army will not damage relations with allies (Zëri)
• Konjufca: Constitution to change through referendum (Klan Kosova)
• Merkel speaks about Kosovo-Serbian relations (Zëri)

Kosovo Media Highlights

KSF Ministry forwards army draft law to government (Koha Ditore)

The Ministry of the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) forwarded yesterday to the government the draft law on KSF transformation saying it fully supports the creation of a legal base for “building a defence and security system with necessary state capacities to protect sovereignty, territorial integrity and state interests and implement Euro-Atlantic integration goals.” The government has yet to receive opinions from the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of European Integration before it can endorse the bill and pave way for the Assembly to vote on it.

Quint countries: Do not undertake unilateral actions (Zeri)

The Spokesperson of the British Embassy to Kosovo, William Danny, told the paper that Great Britain supports creation of Kosovo’s army but that it should be created in consultation with international partners. According to him, just as the NATO Secretary General made it clear during his last visit, KSF’s support by NATO is conditioned within the current mandate. “If this mandate is changed, NATO should reconsider its support for KSF,” he said. “We have worked hard to build Kosovo’s relations with NATO, and we consider that it should be Kosovo’s priority to protect and develop these relations,” Danny said. “Any unilateral action could endanger the stability of the region and Kosovo’s relations with its international partners.” Christina Gehlsen from the German Embassy said that any change of KSF mandate should be done in accordance with the Constitution of Kosovo and a transparent political process which involves all the actors.

Veseli: Kosovo army will not damage relations with allies (Zëri)

The President of the Assembly of Kosovo, Kadri Veseli, told Klan Kosova that Kosovo Security Force will gain a military mandate. He said that this is a responsibility of the institutions of Kosovo and in no manner endangers Kosovo’s relations with its allies. “Creation of the army is responsibility of Kosovo institutions. We will have transformation of the KSF into a military force very soon,” Veseli said. He also said that dialogue with Serbia will resume only when Belgrade withdraws all arrest warrants against Kosovo citizens. “We will continue the dialogue as a process because it is required for Kosovo to move forward towards European Union integration. At the same time, we will never agree to the Serb state having authority over our citizens. Serbia cannot interfere in Kosovo’s internal matters and it cannot file indictments against our citizens,” Veseli said. 

Konjufca: Constitution to change through referendum (Klan Kosova)

Head of Vetevendosje parliamentary group, Glauk Konjufca, said that Constitution of Kosovo needs to change through a referendum so as to enable the transformation of the Kosovo Security Force into a Kosovo army. Konjufca accused President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, for trying to divert attention from the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities and the border demarcation agreement with Montenegro by “inventing” the issue with KSF transformation. “Kosovo army is an invention because it was not an authentic project of President Thaci,” Konjufca said. 

Merkel speaks about Kosovo-Serbian relations (Zëri)

The German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, said on Tuesday after the meeting with the Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic that Serbia’s relations with Kosovo are better. “We should fight for stability and Vucic has always been for the development in the region to be quiet, which is not that simple. These reforms are very important and courageous, and apart from this, I want to stress that relations with Kosovo are better,” Merkel said.