Headlines - 27.12.2012

Thaçi: IBM to be “expanded” on 31 December (dailies)

Prime Minister of Kosovo Hashim Thaçi said that implementation of the agreement on Integrated Border Management, IBM, is going as planned in the two border points in the north while as of 31 December, the agreement will expand and include additional border crossings of Bërnjak and Dheu i Bardhë.

“Therefore, gradually, I can freely say that customs and border points with Serbia will become functional and for the first time enter a normal process, that of inter-state functioning between the state of Kosovo and that of Serbia,” said Thaçi.

The post of Kosovo president offered to Haradinaj (Zëri)

PDK leaders have found the formula on how to accommodate AAK in the coalition government, reports the paper on the front page. PDK is ready to offer AAK leader Ramush Haradinaj the post of Kosovo president while that of prime minister would continue to be exercised by Hashim Thaçi.

One of PDK’s senior officials, Halit Krasniqi, said the maximum that the party is ready to offer to the AAK is the post of the president. He said the PDK electorate would never agree to give up the prime minister’s position.

However, AAK remains adamant on the prime minister’s post and rules out any other scenario. The party’s Avni Arifi said the AAK has not given an ultimatum to the Government but only made an offer.

Pacolli’s fate (Express)

There are chances that President of Kosovo Atifete Jahjaga will have to step down as a violator of the Constitution just like her two predecessors, Fatmir Sejdiu and Behgjet Pacolli.  Nomination of Blerim Shala as coordinator in the dialogue with Serbia, is expected to cause serious troubles to the President of the Republic.

Diplomatic sources said to Express that if the case reaches the Constitutional Court, there are great chances that Jahjaga will be found guilty of violating the most senior political and judicial act. “The case is quite serious,” said the diplomat who preferred to remain anonymous.

However, in order for the case to reach the court, signatures of thirty deputies have to be collected. The two opposition parties, LDK and Vetëvendosje, have not come up with a statement yet. They stated that they are in the process of considering President’s decision.

Krasniqi and Thaçi with “frozen” relations (Koha Ditore)

Koha Ditore reports that people close to Assembly Speaker Jakup Krasniqi and Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi have confirmed that there have been some months that the two haven’t spoken to each other. Krasniqi, who had this year more clashes with deputies of PDK than with the deputies from opposition, implied possibility to leave the party even though he has not yet made up his mind of whether he is going to remain an independent politician or create a new political party.

The truth is that Thaçi did not call Krasniqi on the phone and did not request to meet with him after the so-called tapping scandal but at the same time, neither did Krasniqi insist on talking to him. Consequently, their relations are currently “frozen”, said one of PDK’s senior officials.

PDK does not feel endangered from the dissatisfied in the party (Koha Ditore)

PDK does not see any danger from the members who may be dissatisfied with its internal election process. “PDK is a big party and a very strong party”, stated PDK elections coordinator, Basri Masmurati. He spoke in the context of the possibility of new political fractions coming out from the election process of PDK, as is the case with the new political group from the branch of Drenas.

Masmurati said that the election process in all branches, including that of Drenas is going well. “In Drenas there was no claim about violations, no divisions and no removals”, said Masmurati. “All of the delegates participated, they ran, were elected, someone has not been elected but there no division”.

Haradinaj: I don’t know if coalition initiative is going to give results (Koha Ditore)

AAK leader, Ramush Haradinaj, on Wednesday in Prizren has said that the talks for the inclusion of his political subject in the governing coalition are open, but there is no agreement yet. “We have started well in this direction, but have no achievement,” he said. “I am sorry that we don’t have an immediate achievement,” Haradinaj added.

In Prizren, he elaborated about the possible scenarios of these talks for governing coalition. “If we agree to start the work, I am planning to start changing the real situation in the country”, said Haradinaj. However, in case of failing to achieve agreement between AAK and PDK, he evaluated that he will continue to be engaged in processes and institutional life until the next national elections.

Thaçi: Offer for AAK after the elections in PDK (Epoka e Re)

Epoka e Re quotes PDK leader, Hashim Thaçi, as saying that after elections within his party, this political subject will present the offer to AAK. He said that there is will for strategic partnership between PDK and AAK and this can happen in the near future, while the AAK leader, Ramush Haradinaj, has repeated that he is ready to start the work after New Year’s Eve.

Kuçi would not become Haradinaj’s deputy (Koha Ditore)

The paper writes that Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuçi would not agree to become deputy to many people, including the AAK leader Ramush Haradinaj if he is to take on the prime minister’s post. Kuçi said that the few people he would agree to be deputy for are not outside his party, PDK. Kuçi however told the reporters that the Government has still no stance on the possibility of expanding the coalition so as to include the AAK.

Albright pulls out of PTK privatisation race (Zëri)

Sources told the paper that the company of the former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright has decided to pull out of the race for privatisation of Kosovo Post and Telecom. Albright Capital Management LLC is said to have withdrawn from the process citing economic reasons.

Officials at the Ministry of Economic Development said they have no indication that any of the contenders is going to withdraw from the privatisation process but added that such a thing could be known by 15 January 2013 when prequalified companies are expected to submit their financial bids for PTK.

Serbia will fail (Express)

Officials of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Kosovo are convinced that Serbia will fail in its initiative to send emissaries to the Islamic countries in order to prevent recognition of Kosovo’s independence. Cabinet of this Ministry stated that Belgrade will not manage to affect the dynamics of the recognitions or to misuse the dialogue or any other circumstance, because it has become clear worldwide that this is a dialogue between two independent countries.

“Serbia has de facto already recognized the independent and sovereign state of Kosovo. Our powerful activity during the last two years, numerous public and non-public meetings with many statesmen of the countries that formally have not recognized Kosovo yet, as well as touchable results in this respect, made the Serbian diplomacy undertake measures to impede further results, but they will fail,” the paper quotes Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Pristina.

UÇPMB: Don’t touch the monument (Epoka e Re)

Epoka e Re reports that former members of Liberation Army of Presheva, Bujanovc and Medvegja (UÇPMB) have threatened prime minister of Serbia, Ivica Dacic, with armed conflict if the Serb Government attempts to demolish the UÇPMB monument in Presheva. To this, PM Dacic replied that the state is stronger that any threat.