Headlines - 25.02.2016

Assembly to elect new Kosovo President on Friday (dailies)

Kosovo Assembly President Kadri Veseli announced on Wednesday that the Assembly will elect the new President of Kosovo this Friday at 11:00. Veseli also said there will be two candidates in the race for president on Friday: the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) leader Hashim Thaci and PDK MP Rafet Rama. The opposition parties called on their supporters to protest in front of the government building on Friday against Thaci’s election as president, while PDK called its supporters to celebrate Thaci’s new post. Vetevendosje Movement former leader Albin Kurti said that Kosovo government must announce early elections and that the opposition will not allow Thaci’s election as president.

Veseli: We won’t back down (media)

Following the meeting of the Kosovo Assembly Presidency on Wednesday, Assembly President Kadri Veseli addressed the media and called on the people of Kosovo to be careful “because of the dangerous phase that the country is entering”. “The direction in which Kosovo is heading is very serious. This is why I call on all families to take care of one another. The direction we are heading involves a fanatic approach that no longer listens to the opinions of friends. This is very serious,” he said. Veseli added that those who want to ruin the state of Kosovo are not going to be successful. “Those that think that this state does not function will not be successful. The state of law in Kosovo will be unwavering and it will not succumb to any blackmail, speculation or imposition,” Veseli said.

Aida Derguti arrested (Epoka e Re)

On Wednesday, Kosovo Police arrested the Deputy President of the Assembly of Kosovo, Aida Derguti, from the Vetevendosje movement, for throwing teargas at the room where the Assembly presidency was holding a meeting. After this, she announced that election of the president of Kosovo would only deepen the crisis in Kosovo. According to her, the Assembly does not have the legitimacy to elect the president. Derguti also criticized security of the Assembly for their behavior towards her colleague, Albulena Haxhiu.

Ymeri: We will protest against attempts to smuggle Thaci (media)

Several media quote Vetevendosje leader Visar Ymeri saying that the joint opposition will continue its protest, “especially at the Assembly session in which this government will try to smuggle what it calls the new President”. “Allow me to repeat that the Association [Community of Serb-majority municipalities] and the border demarcation [with Montenegro] are dead agreements; the days of this government are numbered and the country needs to go to elections,” Ymeri said.

Haradinaj: Do not deepen the crisis further (Epoka e Re)

In an interview for the paper, the leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), Ramush Haradinaj said it was senseless that Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) leader Hashim Thaci is insisting on being elected president by an Assembly that has been blocked for a long time now. Haradinaj said the election of the president under the current circumstances is a bad decision because it will only deepen the current crisis. He added that the united opposition will remain at the main square until the resignation of the current government, or announcement of new elections.

Selimi: We’ll protest inside and outside Parliament against Thaci (Bota Sot)

Vetevendosje Movement MP Rexhep Selimi said on Wednesday that the opposition will not change the method of opposition to the election of Hashim Thaci as Kosovo president. “We will protest inside and outside Parliament, because citizens are out in the streets to overthrow the government,” Selimi said. He also commented on the recent burning of vehicles owned by government officials’ family members, saying that the Vetevendosje Movement has distanced itself from such acts.

Political analysts: Early elections after Thaci’s election as president (Zeri)

Political analysts in Kosovo say that the country will go to early elections after Hashim Thaci's election as president. According to them, early elections will be announced no later than autumn this year. “If Thaci is elected president, he would lead the country to early elections, hoping that the PDK will win the majority,” said Halil Matoshi, a political analyst. He also added that Thaci wants to take the credit for sending the country to early elections in an attempt to gain more sympathy from the people.

Pacolli: I support the protesters, elections are the solution (Klan Kosova)

Behxhet Pacolli, leader of the New Kosovo Alliance (AKR), wrote on his Facebook account on Wednesday about his concerns on the political situation and the fact that “the people are ultimately paying the price”. Pacolli said he supports the protesters on the main square in downtown Pristina and that early parliamentary elections are the only solution to the current crisis.