Prime Minister Thaçi believes in an agreement with Serbia (dailies)

Kosovo Prime Minister, Hashim Thaçi, travelled on Monday to Brussels believing that his Serb counterpart, Ivica Dacic, will accept the agreement in the eighth meeting between them facilitated by EU High Representative for Foreign Policy and Security, Catherine Ashton. According to Thaçi, the eventual agreement between Kosovo and Serbia will not only help in normalization of neighborly relations between the two countries but will also provide a drive to EU integrations.

“I hope that Belgrade will accept and respect the agreement, and then work jointly with international factor in full normalization of the situation in the north. At the end of the day, that is our territory and we are going to do outmost based on our constitutional and legal authorities to normalize the situation in the north,” stated Prime Minister Thaçi in a press conference held at Pristina airport before departing for Brussels. PM Thaçi evaluated that neither side has reasons for dragging on the reaching of the agreement but in case Belgrade fails to agree again, then “Serbia will pay the price”. 

Ashton: The agreement is close but it will not be easy (dailies)

European Union High Representative, Catherine Ashton, expressed on Monday her conviction that the agreement between Pristina and Belgrade is close but warned that it will not be easy. “I believe that the agreement is close, but it will not be easy”, stressed Ashton in a message for journalists, read by her Spokesperson Maja Kocijancic ahead of the eighth round of the dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade. Ashton also stressed that she has seen the “commitment and determination of both parties to reach an agreement,” from the very first meeting. “When we started, we all knew that this is going to be difficult and that it would require a strong political leadership,” said Ashton.

Washington expects agreement in the Brussels meeting (Koha Ditore)

Koha Ditore quotes reports from Serbia’s news agency Tanjug that United States of America support continuation of the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia and hope that the eighth round of the dialogue will result in success. “We are engaged in the normalization of relations which would lead to economic progress and European path of both countries”, stated US State Department Spokesperson, Victoria Nuland.

Svilanovic: Time for an agreement (Koha Ditore)

Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Goran Svilanovic said in an interview for the paper that the anticipated agreement between Kosovo and Serbia would be a huge success for the EU High Representative Catherine Ashton as well as the EU as it would confirm the values of the European Union system. He however stressed that an agreement between the prime ministers of Kosovo and Serbia will not be the end of the process but only the beginning and that the implementation stage will likely take years.

“I don’t know if this will happen on 2 April, but this is the time when an agreement is possible”, said Svilanovic adding that his statement is based on the fact that Serbia has at present a stable government and enjoys popular support because of the actions it has undertaken to combat corruption.

Local elections in Kosovo set to take place in autumn (Koha Ditore)

Kosovo is expected to hold local elections early this autumn with September being considered as the optimal time, reports the paper. While for the leading party PDK the time is not all that relevant, the opposition Vetëvendosje is concerned if elections are postponed for winter which makes manipulations easier.

Musliu: The Valley may take up arms again (Tribuna)

Mayor of Bujanovc Jonuz Musliu warned that the issue of the Preshevo Valley is being neglected and that this could carry a high price. He said the situation in the Valley is “alarming” and did not rule out the possibility of Albanians taking up arms if they see no progress in their demands. “If the killings, expulsions begin, there is no other way in Preshevo, Medvegjë and Bujanovc”, said Musliu. He added that Albanians in the Valley demand their problems be resolved in accordance to the rights given to Serbs in the north.

Albanian driver stabbed at the Merdare border crossing (dailies)

The driver of a Kosovo bus travelling to Austria is reported to have been stabbed by a group of Serbs as soon as the bus crossed the Merdare border point and entered Serbia. The driver was taken to the Pristina hospital and is in a stable condition.

Kosovo Police Spokesperson Baki Kelani confirmed the attack and said that they contacted authorities in Serbia regarding the case. “Serb police confirmed they are aware of the case and are looking for the suspects”, said Kelani.

Serbs in the north announce unrests (Koha Ditore)

Koha Ditore reports that while the leaders of Kosovo and Serbia are meeting in Brussels in a bid to achieve an agreement, Serb citizens in the north do not want to live together with Albanians and do not want to integrate into Kosovo institutions. One of the Serb leaders said last week that a frozen conflict is not in the interest of Serbia, thus signaling a possibility for an agreement to be reached.

However, Serbs of Mitrovica warned that forcing them and Albanians to live together against their will could lead to unrests or fleeing of Serbs. “We will not accept Albanian institutions or any form of integration in the legal system of Kosovo”, said Milan Ivanovic, one of the representatives of Serb community in the north told Voice of America.

Protests of Serbs in Jarinje (Epoka e Re)

Epoka e Re reports that ahead of the meeting of prime ministers of Kosovo and Serbia, Hashim Thaçi and Ivica Dacic, Serb citizens have gathered at the border crossing point in Jarinje to, as they said, draw attention to the fact that they will not accept an anti-constitutional solution for Kosovo. The protest was also attended by representatives of the Serbs of the north including Krstimir Pantic. On Monday afternoon, media reported that the protest organized with vehicles has ended and that the traffic at the border point is back to normal.