• PM Haradinaj in no rush for border demarcation with Montenegro (Koha)
• Early parliamentary elections, most likely in autumn (Zeri)
• Hoxhaj critical of Russia’s return to Council of Europe (media)
• PM Haradinaj to travel to Paris for visa liberalization (Epoka)
• Pacolli: Kosovo will apply again for INTERPOL membership (RTK)
• Kosovo’s Trade Minister warns with tariff for Albania, North Macedonia (media)
• PSD, NISMA say negotiating team in dialogue must not be overlooked (Epoka)
• Demarcation as continuation of the idea for border changes (RFE)
• “Improvised humanitarian crisis in the north, threat to stability” (Epoka)

PM Haradinaj in no rush for border demarcation with Montenegro (Koha)

The paper reports on its front page that Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj has yet to act on the border demarcation with Montenegro. While President Hashim Thaci has criticized the government for not responding to Montenegro to correct “the lost hectares”, Haradinaj’s office has not commented on delays in the border demarcation process. The chairman of state committee for border demarcation, Shpejtim Bulliqi, told the paper on Wednesday that they are waiting for the green light from the government. “We are not the ones that initiate or conclude discussions. This is up to the relevant state institutions. When our institutions pave the diplomatic way, we are ready to act,” he said. The paper notes that President Thaci said earlier this week: “I honestly don’t understand why the Kosovo commission does not respond to Montenegro’s request to start correcting the issue. What is stopping the Kosovo Assembly from recommending the government to urgently start the work of the commission for a professional, unbiased and apolitical border correction process.”

Early parliamentary elections, most likely in autumn (Zeri)

The paper reports in its leading front-page story that the Haradinaj-led government could be ousted in autumn this year and Kosovo could go to early parliamentary elections. Opposition parties have so far collected 58 signatures from MPs for a no-confidence motion against the government, and they need three more signatures from the smaller parties that are part of the ruling coalition. Political commentators meanwhile argue that the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), the main partner in the ruling coalition, could have a decisive role in bringing down the government. PDK representatives on the other hand said there will be no early elections this year, but that they are ready to go to elections whenever they are held.

Hoxhaj critical of Russia’s return to Council of Europe (media)

Several media report that Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister Enver Hoxhaj took to Twitter on Wednesday to oppose Russia’s return to the Council of Europe. “What a failure of @coe and return to bad foreign policy. By restoring Russia’s seat back, PACE violated fundamental principles, values and its mission. CoE should be a shield of human rights principles and support to democracy. Shame!” Hoxhaj tweeted.

PM Haradinaj to travel to Paris for visa liberalization (Epoka)

The Prime Minister of Kosovo Ramush Haradinaj met on Wednesday with the Ambassador of France, Didier Chabert, to discuss his official visit to Paris, on 1 July. Haradinaj is expected to meet there France’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Christophe Castaner. “With the intention of coordinating and advancing Kosovo’s agenda for liberalisation of visas and European integration, bilateral and political partnership with France, the government has finalized preparations and arguments that I presented to the Ambassador Chabert and which we will present also in front of the French officials,” said Haradinaj after the meeting.

Pacolli: Kosovo will apply again for INTERPOL membership (RTK)

Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo and Minister for Foreign Affairs Behgjet Pacolli, informed that Kosovo will be part of the agenda at the INTERPOL General Assembly which will be held this year in Chile. “Today, INTERPOL headquarters based in Lyon (France) debated about the application of the Republic of Kosovo and decided in favor of submitting the file of the Kosovo Police for voting at the General Assembly of INTERPOL which will be held in Chile. Kosovo Police was assessed at the highest level of professionalism and credibility as a modern police organization with advanced standards. From the participants of ten states at today’s debate of the Executive Committee for 2019, only three states were from the ones that have recognized independence of our country and almost all participants argued in favor of the application of Kosovo Police to be proceeded to the General Assembly. Therefore, we wish for Serbia to call the voice of reason and not act with its obstructions against peace and security. It would have been primitive and out of any logic to impede and lobby against membership of the Kosovo Police at the international organization of INTERPOL, while talking on the other hand about peace and security,” Pacolli wrote.

Kosovo’s Trade Minister warns with tariff for Albania, North Macedonia (media)

Kosovo’s Minister for Trade and Industry Endrit Shala, warned at the debate on the impact of 100-percent tariff on Serbian goods, organized by Riinvest Institute, that Kosovo will soon impose tariffs on other countries of the region. He mentioned Albania and North Macedonia for setting barriers Kosovo products and warned with the same measures if CEFTA agreement is not respected.

PSD, NISMA say negotiating team in dialogue must not be overlooked (Epoka)

Two political parties, the Social-Democratic Party of Kosovo and the Social-democratic Initiative (NISMA), have criticized approach of the President and Prime Minister of Kosovo towards the dialogue with Serbia. Senior officials of these two political entities, Visar Ymeri and Haxhi Shala, said Kosovo leaders have the negotiating team during the Berlin Summit and preparations for the meeting in Paris, which later failed. According to them, lack of coordination of the institutions has made unclear the conclusion of the dialogue.

Demarcation as continuation of the idea for border changes (RFE)

The border demarcation between Kosovo and Serbia is lately mentioned as an idea that needs to be discussed in the process of dialogue between the two countries. The term ‘border correction’ seems softer compared to ideas for border correction, changes or exchange of territories. There are discussions and dilemmas nowadays in Kosovo when the border demarcation should happen. According to political commentators, border demarcation can happen only after an agreement for mutual recognition between Kosovo and Serbia. Otherwise, demarcation before mutual recognition is seen as a continuation of the idea for border changes. Kosovo President Hashim Thaci, who relies on the idea for border changes, says that through demarcation or correction he is trying to implement the unification of the three municipalities in southern Serbia – Presevo, Medvedja and Bujanovac – with Kosovo. Thaci said it is regrettable that Kosovo’s political class is failing to reach a united position on what he calls “the real ideal of Albanians living in Presevo Valley to join Kosovo”. The majority of Kosovo’s political landscape does not agree with Thaci’s idea and are sceptical that the border demarcation process can be used as an opportunity to change borders. Political commentators argue that positions on the matter need to be clarified. Ramush Tahiri, political commentator, told Radio Free Europe that the final settlement for the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia should include the border demarcation issue. “Where is Thaci’s idea in this respect? We will have to wait and see whether the demarcation process will include border changes or exchange of territories, or if it will be an ethnic correction or not,” Tahiri said. “There is misunderstanding in the public opinion because some time demarcation implies new borders, border changes, and at times even exchange of territories and people, and there is no reason for this,” Tahiri added. He added that an agreement on the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia implies Kosovo’s existing borders without new ethnic lines, as has happened with all the countries that emerged from the breakup of Yugoslavia. “In a demarcation process, Serbia must recognize the existing borders and there needs to be a signed agreement. This is phase one. Phase two then can include border changes or exchange of territories, but this can happen only when Kosovo has its own position on the matter”. Agron Bajrami, editor-in-chief of Koha Ditore daily newspaper, told RFE that border changes are not a demarcation process but rather an exchange of territories. “Before there is an act of recognition, any changes to borders is not a demarcation process, but rather an exchange of territories; it is interference in Kosovo’s territorial integrity and sovereignty and a serious violation of the Constitution. Therefore, it is absurd to say or pretend that border correction can be made through a border demarcation process,” he said. Bajrami added that claims for border demarcation between Kosovo and Serbia without a prior agreement can be seen as attempts to bring back to the table of talks the issue of Kosovo’s partition. “This can be an attempt to bring back to the political discourse the highly-detrimental idea of Kosovo’s partition … Demarcation is a normal process between two countries and it often has nothing to do with political issues,” he added.

“Improvised humanitarian crisis in the north, threat to stability” (Epoka)

Behar Selimi, expert on security issues assessed that the public security level in Kosovo is good and it can be compared with western countries. However, he said national security continues to be threatened. He told the paper that national security is in danger as long as Serbia impedes normal functioning of Kosovo’s institutions. He considers that recent scenarios to improvise humanitarian crisis in the north, are concerning and calls on respective authorities to unmask any propaganda of this kind.