UNMIK Headlines 24 October
Ashton: Dialogue to resume as soon as possible (Epoka e Re)
EU High Representative for Foreign Policy and Security Catherine Ashton said after a meeting with Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci that it has been her privilege to facilitate the dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade. She thanked Prime Minister Thaci for the “incredible statesmanship” that he had shown during the Pristina-Belgrade agreement. Ashton said she is aware that Kosovo is currently undergoing a challenging period, adding, “Whatever happens, we hope that the dialogue will continue and will restart as soon as possible. Much has been done, but I am the first to say there is much more to do”.
In Belgrade, Hoxhaj calls for recognition of Kosovo (Epoka e Re)
Kosovo Foreign Minister Enver Hoxhaj said during a conference in Belgrade on Thursday that outstanding issues between the two countries will be resolved in the near future and that there would also be a friendship treaty that would include Kosovo’s recognition by Belgrade. Serbian officials did not react to Hoxhaj’s statement. The meeting occurred without diplomatic formalities or state symbols, in order to avoid misunderstandings between Pristina and Belgrade. Hoxhaj, however, responded to this, saying “I am the symbol of Kosovo’s sovereignty.”
LDK to end coalition with Vetevendosje today? (Kosova Sot)
The chairmanship of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) is expected to meet today to discuss the latest political developments and a recent statement by Vetevendosje leader Albin Kurti, who said that there are “second-rate thieves”in the coalition consisting of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) and Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA). LDK senior official Haki Rugova refused to comment on a statement by his party colleague Lutfi Haziri who said that the LDK could end its coalition with Vetevendosje. Zeri reports on the front page that LDK, AAK and NISMA leaders met with Kurti, but did not ask him to provide explanations for his public remarks. “We did not discuss his public statements, even though they are not good. But we are faced with a major problem: the formation of the institutions,” AAK leader Ramush Haradinaj said after the meeting.
Kosovo won’t get telephone code in 2015 (Epoka e Re)
Kosovo will not get its own telephone code in 2015 as foreseen in the telecommunications agreement reached in the EU-brokered dialogue with Belgrade. Edita Tahiri, the outgoing Deputy Prime Minister and Kosovo’s coordinator for the talks with Belgrade, told Radio Free Europe that, prior to the implementation of the agreement, parties should also sign an implementation plan, to pave the way for an official application to the International Telecommunication Union. Tahiri said the application for Kosovo will be made by Austria, which volunteered to help Kosovo in this process. She added that the implementation plan has been negotiated for a year but that some outstanding issues still remain. She noted that Pristina was in contact with Brussels on that matter, and that the moment the outstanding issues were resolved, Pristina would sign the plan. However, she could not predict when that would be.
US Ambassador congratulates Kosovo on Olympic recognition (Kosova Sot)
The United States Ambassador in Kosovo, Tracey Ann Jacobson, congratulated Kosovo on Twitter for its provisional recognition by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). “Congratulations to Kosovo on the International Olympic Committee’s vote for provisional recognition! Kosovo in Rio 2016,” Jacobson wrote. The decision by the IOC’s Executive Board to grant provisional recognition to the Kosovo Olympic Committee was welcomed by many personalities, who said that this is a major opportunity for Kosovo’s young athletes.
Bozovic told Kosovo Intelligence Agency who killed Zymberi (Zeri)
Bojan Bozovic, a former member of the Kosovo Intelligence Agency, wrote on his Facebook account on Thursday that, three years ago, he submitted a report to the Agency revealing who had killed Enver Zymberi, a member of the Kosovo Police Special Units, in July 2011 in northern Kosovo. “Why doesn’t anyone mention the name of the killer? Why are killers roaming freely in Kosovo?” he asked. Bozovic was a correspondent from northern Kosovo for several Pristina-based media and was later arrested by Serbian police.