• Haradinaj: We are entering a serious process (media)
• Veseli: Tariff will be suspended because President Trump requested this (media)
• Thaci: We don’t accept conditions from Serbia, tariff remains in force (RFE)
• Veseli summons heads of Kosovo institutions to meeting today (Bota Sot)
• Veseli: International Court for Serbia’s crimes in Kosovo, necessary (Epoka)
• Cakaj: Request in Berlin summit was to suspend not lift the tax (Telegrafi)
• Mustafa: President is correcting his statement on the border (Bota Sot)
• Pacolli: Congo expected to recognise Kosovo in the coming days (media)
• Topalli: There are 65 Kosovars in Syria (Koha)
• Over 200 OSCE officials to be engaged in elections in the north (Epoka)

Haradinaj: We are entering a serious process (media)

After the meeting of the government yesterday, Prime Minister of Kosovo Ramush Haradinaj extended his thanks to the German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron for organising the Berlin summit. He said that although the summit was of a multilateral character, much of its focus was on normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia.

Haradinaj also spoke about the upcoming meeting in Paris with the Serbian side which he said will be a very important event. “Kosovo needs to complete its format because it is not just one meeting but a dialogue and the delegation mandated by the parliament also needs to be present in the dialogue,” Haradinaj said adding: “We are entering a serious process.”

He said that the dialogue with Serbia will center around mutual recognition: “It will not be about border correction or exchange but about mutual recognition. There is also no need to discuss the tax either. We are heading to the Paris meeting for bilateral talks and we have to continue the dialogue.”

As for visa liberalisation, Haradinaj said he received Germany’s clear support for the process. “I can safely tell Kosovo: congratulations on visa liberalisation,” he said.

Veseli: Tariff will be suspended because President Trump requested this (media)

Kosovo Assembly President, Kadri Veseli, said on Thursday that the import tariff on Serbian goods was one of the most dignifying decisions of the state of Kosovo, but that it needs to be suspended now because this is a request coming from U.S. President Donald Trump, and not because of Serbia and President Aleksandar Vucic.

In an interview to Klan Kosova, Veseli said that the decision on the tariff is now being used for internal consumption. “I was the one that suggested the decision. And after the letter and request from U.S. President Donald Trump, I said that the tariff will not be lifted but that it should be suspended for 120 days. We shouldn’t oppose the U.S.,” Veseli added.

Thaci: We don’t accept conditions from Serbia, tariff remains in force (RFE)

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci said in an interview to Radio Free Europe today that the 100-percent import tariff on goods from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina will remain in force. Commenting on the recent Berlin Summit, Thaci said it did not produce any clear conclusion, and he criticized the European Union for lack of unity. Thaci also said that the United States of America must have a role in the process of dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia.

President Thaci, following the Berlin Summit, you were not overly optimistic that there would be a positive movement toward concluding the process of dialogue with Serbia and a final settlement. What are the key obstacles in the process?

In my opinion the Berlin Summit did not produce a clear conclusion, and I am optimistic that in Paris we will have more clarity and a new pace of engagements to find a way to conclude the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, a comprehensive and legally-binding agreement that will close all open issues between Kosovo and Serbia, and which will conclude in mutual recognition.

Do you see this as continuation of the dialogue or a new beginning?

I see it as new dynamic in the framework led by the European Union and Mogherini, but now including Chancellor Merkel and President Macron too. I see an interesting and creative concept and vision by President Macron, that’s why I believe there will be additional consultations among the Quint countries, the United States of America, Great Britain, Germany, France and Italy, in order to have a united position on dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia and for this unity to be seen in society, the political landscape in Kosovo, and in Serbia too. And to have an agreement that is acceptable to both sides and that can be implemented on the ground.

You did not spare criticism toward the EU and Quint countries. Does this mean the process is not being led properly?

In Berlin one could certainly see how weak Europe is and how non-united the European Union is and the lack of clarity among the leaders of the respective countries. There was good will from Chancellor Merkel, but no results.

You mentioned an inevitable role of the U.S. in the process of reaching the agreement. How do you see this, given that Washington has said on several occasions that it supports the EU-led process?

A crucial and historic role by the United States of America in the past, when a peace agreement was reached in Dayton for Bosnia and Herzegovina, then the agreement on Kosovo in Rambouillet, and the exceptional contribution of the United States of America for the Ohrid Agreement for Northern Macedonia, and the agreement in Koncul [Serbia]. I have discussed today with representatives of the United States of America at the U.S. Embassy in Berlin for two hours before the Berlin Summit, and I said that the U.S. have an irreplaceable role in the process of dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia and that an agreement cannot be reached without a dynamic and leading role by the U.S. I say this because President Trump was very clear in his messages and the formula for reaching a final settlement between Kosovo and Serbia is in the core and framework of the letters of President Trump.

You have mentioned on several occasions the idea of border correction, as part of negotiations, but you did not receive support, especially not in Pristina, or at the Berlin Summit. What sort of correction are you engaged in?

I have always been against territorial exchange because it is bargaining, and I will never allow that to happen. I am strongly in favor of correcting the historical injustices against Albanians in Presevo, Medvedja and Bujanovac. I am strongly in favor of that region joining the territory of the Republic of Kosovo. I presented this at the Berlin Summit too, but the Berlin Summit did not bring anything new, and it did not close any idea that has been discussed until now, so including the Presevo, Medvedja and Bujanovac issue.

If you ask for Presevo, Medvedja and Bujanovac to join Kosovo, doesn’t this open way for Serbia to ask the same for certain parts of Kosovo, like the north for example?

I will try and fight for Presevo, Medvedja and Bujanovac to be part of the territory of the Republic of Kosovo, with the current borders, and not violating a single centimeter of Kosovo’s territory. At the same time, and I have said this in Berlin too, we will not allow any ideas for double sovereignty for Kosovo, or any other idea for an Association with executive competencies, similar to the Republika Srpska, because this would mean the partitioning of Kosovo, and we will also not allow a German-German model.

Mr. President, let us go back to the tariff introduced by the Kosovo Government on goods from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Can talks resume if the tariff is not lifted?

It is very good that with the initiative of President Macron, with my agreement, and with the consent of President Vucic too, we agreed to have the meeting in Paris. The tariff is a legitimate right by the Kosovo Government and therefore it will remain in force. We will not allow Serbia to condition the dialogue.

Earlier, you were against the tariff, you called for its removal or suspension …

It is a pure lie by anyone to say that I was against the tariff. You can look at my statements, since day one, since it was suggested by Mr. Hoxhaj at a 10 percent rate, I supported it, and also supported Assembly President Veseli’s proposal for a 100-percent tariff. The tariff is a legitimate and fair decision and it will remain in force.

If the Kosovo Government does not lift the tariff, despite requests from Kosovo’s allies, will there be new elections in Kosovo?

The tariff will not be lifted, and it is no way related to elections. If the partners of the coalition lose the majority in parliament, or if they conclude that they don’t have the majority in parliament, the country can certainly go to new elections and that would not be the end of the world. It is healthy in democracy and I have sent a message to the coalition partners that they must keep the majority, otherwise the country cannot remain paralyzed with a minority government.

This means that in your opinion the tariff should not be lifted despite pressure from Kosovo’s allies to lift the tariff.

I saw no pressure in Berlin, and there was no meeting that discussed the lifting of the tariff. It was all improvisation, acting for political points. No one was under pressure.

There is a negotiating team in Pristina that drafted a platform on dialogue, and this was then adopted by the Assembly. Who will represent Kosovo in the final phase of negotiations, yourself or this team?

Kosovo will be represented by the heads of institutions, the legitimacy that derives from the Kosovo Assembly, and the will of the citizens of Kosovo, a constitutional and legal mandate. But we will try to have broad representation, a part of the unity team. So it will be us, the heads of institutions, and also other members, and I will inform the other members, including the opposition, soon.

In general, Mr. Thaci, do you expect Kosovo and Serbia to reach an agreement this year?

I hope so, on the contrary we will lose another decade.

Veseli summons heads of Kosovo institutions to meeting today (Bota Sot)

Kosovo Assembly President Kadri Veseli has invited leaders of Kosovo institutions for a meeting today (Friday) at 10:00 hours. Veseli has reportedly invited the President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci, Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj and members of the negotiating team Fatmir Limaj and Shpend Ahmeti. Sources from the Assembly told the paper that they will be talking about the Berlin Summit discussions on the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia. The same source said Veseli is trying to coordinate all institutional actors for the further phases of the dialogue with Serbia as well as Paris Summit that will be held in July.

Veseli: International Court for Serbia’s crimes in Kosovo, necessary (Epoka)

Kadri Veseli, Speaker of the Assembly of Kosovo has initiated meetings with different organisations and justice institutions that deal with documentation of war crimes. He even said that an international court which would trial Serbia’s crimes in Kosovo is possible. “Creation of the International Court for Serbia’s war crimes in Kosovo is a must. And we, as a state, have an obligation to make it unavoidable. I have already started the initiative with this intent. Today, I met the Chief Prosecutor of the State, Government committee for the missing persons as well as civil society organisations which have been working for years in the field of the transitional justice,” he wrote on his Facebook page. It has been several days since Veseli started with the initiative for Serbia’s crimes in Kosovo. He has also sent a letter to the parliaments of the friendly countries, requesting their reaction with regards to Serbia’s denial of the massacres in Kosovo.

Cakaj: Request in Berlin summit was to suspend not lift the tax (Telegrafi)

Albania’s Acting Foreign Minister, Gent Cakaj, spoke about the recent summit of the Western Balkans leaders in Berlin and whether Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama pressed Kosovo’s Ramush Haradinaj to lift the tax on products from Serbia.

“There was no request for lifting of the tax in Berlin, but rather for its suspension. The suspension was discussed under special conditions. To rescind it for a period of 4-6 months in order to give dialogue a chance. This request was not even official. It was an informal exchange of views,” he said.

Mustafa: President is correcting his statement on the border (Bota Sot)

Isa Mustafa, leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) told KTV that it is of vital importance that Germany and France are together in their positions about Kosovo and that they are engaged in the process. Speaking about the EU High Representative Frederica Mogherini, Mustafa said she and her office tried to play the role of the mediator however they rushed with their latest statements, as it is not a matter of her office to discuss the borders. According to Mustafa, this affected the process. Mustafa added that the U.S. role in the dialogue process remains irreplaceable “the process has to resume in Europe, but we still need the support and involvement of the U.S.”  Mustafa said. Speaking about exchange of territories, Mustafa said “as far as I can see, the President is also correcting his statements,” Mustafa said. “I think that a powerful kick was given to this idea. I am not certain if it was closed or not, but I am certain that LDK will never support it,” he said.

Pacolli: Congo expected to recognise Kosovo in the coming days (media)

Kosovo’s Foreign Minister, Behgjet Pacolli, said before the members of the Assembly committee on foreign affairs that while the recognition of Kosovo process has experienced a setback because of Serbia’s campaign, an agreement between Kosovo and Serbia would pave way for more recognitions.

He said that lobbying efforts are underway in a number of countries including Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil but admitted that their recognition of Kosovo could take years. Meanwhile, a recognition that according to Pacolli is imminent is that of “Congo”. “We expect recognition from Congo in the coming days,” Pacolli said. He also said that he has received confirmation that Ethiopia has initiated the procedures for recognising independence of Kosovo.

He also spoke about the Berlin summit of the Western Balkans leaders and noted that Kosovo representatives spoke in one voice. Pacolli said that the U.S. ambassador to Germany requested the import tariff on products from Serbia be suspended for a period of two weeks.

“The President did not ask for the tax to be lifted. I saw the president to be very firm and determined in having the tax remain in force. We also had a meeting with Mogherini, President Thaci and I, where she presented the request of dialogue resuming as soon as possible and underlined that she never discussed the border project with either President Thaci or Vucic,” Pacolli noted.

Pacolli was also asked about Kosovo membership to the Council of Europe and Interpol. He said that the appointment of the new Secretary General of the Council of Europe enables Kosovo to soon apply for membership while with regards to Interpol bid, Pacolli requested to answer this without the presence of the media.

Topalli: There are 65 Kosovars in Syria (Koha)

Kosovo Intelligence Agency (AKI) chief, Shpend Maxhuni, briefed on Thursday the Kosovo Assembly Oversight Committee for AKI, on the recent operation for the repatriation of 110 Kosovars from Syria. The meeting was held behind closed doors. Faton Topalli, head of the oversight committee, later told reporters that according to the AKI chief the repatriated persons pose no threat to Kosovo’s security. “Most of them are victims, therefore, there is no threat,” he said. Topalli also said that so far 334 persons have returned from fighting zones in Syria and that there are another 65 Kosovars there.

Over 200 OSCE officials to be engaged in elections in the north (Epoka)

Head of the OSCE mission in Kosovo, Ambassador Jan Braathu visited on Thursday the Central Elections Commission (CEC) where he met with head of the CEC Valdete Daka. He said OSCE responded positively to the request of the CEC to help with technical advising during the election process in four municipalities in the north. Braathu informed that OSCE will offer around 215 officials to help in extraordinary elections in the north. He added that OSCE has already started with preparations for technical advising and added that so far, they had a very good cooperation.