UNMIK Headlines 3 September
Jahjaga will intervene only if democratic processes are at risk (Koha)
Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga is closely following developments related to the establishment of the Assembly, but does not plan to summon leaders of political parties in an attempt to overcome the institutional deadlock. Arber Vllahiu, spokesman for President Jahjaga, said interfering in the work of the independent Assembly would constitute a violation of the principles of parliamentary democracy. “President Jahjaga will fully respect the autonomy of Kosovo institutions and the principle of division of power, and will implement the Constitution and laws of the country. We reiterate that, if necessary, the President will facilitate discussions while respecting the independence of the Assembly and only if democratic processes are at risk,” Vllahiu said.
Brovina invites political leaders to consultation (dailies)
The Kosovo Assembly chairperson, Flora Brovina, has invited leaders of political parties for a consultation on Thursday. Brovina told reporters on Tuesday that the meeting will try to set a date for resuming the constitutive session of the Assembly.
Opposition coalition rejects Brovina’s invitation (Lajm)
The opposition coalition, consisting of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) and Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA), said on Tuesday that it will not agree to attend a meeting called by Flora Brovina, chairperson of the Kosovo Assembly. AAK deputy leader Ardian Gjini said Brovina is not President of the Assembly and that she cannot send out such invitations. “She is just a chairperson of the Assembly and nothing more. The bloc expects Brovina to schedule the Assembly session by the end of this week; otherwise we will,” Gjini said. LDK secretary general Ismet Beqiri said his party would not attend consultations with Brovina. Beqiri argued that Brovina does not have the mandate to meet with party leaders and that her duty is only to schedule the Assembly session. “We don’t have any reason to attend consultations or to reach an agreement as suggested by the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK). The PDK cannot tell us where to go for consultations,” Beqiri said.
PDK calls on coalition to stop blocking formation of institutions (Epoka e Re)
The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) called on other parties on Tuesday to accept Assembly chairperson Flora Brovina’s invitation for a meeting on Thursday, in order to reach an agreement for resuming the constitutive session of the Assembly. “The PDK presidency reiterates its readiness for a broad-based agreement on a joint government with parliamentary parties and calls on the political spectrum to turn away from destruction and stop blocking the establishment of state institutions,” the PDK statement noted.
Arifi: We’re not going to waste any time with PDK (Epoka e Re)
Avni Arifi, senior advisor to the leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), said on Tuesday that the opposition coalition will not accept consultations or negotiations with the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) for the post of Assembly President. “Our coalition is not interested in wasting any time with the PDK. The bloc has agreed to move forward together and, if necessary, go into new elections,” Arifi said.
PDK’s plan for Assembly President (Zeri)
In a front-page report, the paper quotes a source from the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) as saying that the PDK candidate will be elected as Assembly President in the next session, because the PDK has secured the necessary 61 votes. PDK officials reportedly told the paper that they have managed to “win over” four MPs from the opposition coalition and that, together with the votes of minority MPs, they will elect the Assembly President.
Kuci: Dialogue won’t end without peace treaty (Tribuna)
Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister, Hajredin Kuci, who initiated the idea for a peace treaty between Pristina and Belgrade, said on Tuesday that the dialogue should continue, as the final goal of this process is the signing of a peace agreement. Kuci also said that Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic’s recent statement that Serbia would never sign a peace accord was aimed at domestic audiences and for internal consumption only.
Mogherini: Pristina-Belgrade dialogue an EU priority (dailies)
Italian Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini said on Tuesday that dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade is a priority of the Italian Presidency of the European Union (EU) and the entire EU. Mogherini, who will take up the post of EU High Representative for Foreign Policy and Security, said that during her visits to Pristina and Belgrade she saw strong willingness from both sides to resume dialogue. She also said that equally important was the implementation of agreements that Pristina and Belgrade have reached in Brussels thus far.
Kosovo to focus on more recognitions at UN General Assembly (Epoka)
Kosovo’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Petrit Selimi, said on Tuesday that the role of the Kosovo delegation at the United Nations General Assembly will be to lobby for more recognitions of Kosovo’s independence. “The delegation will be led by President Atifete Jahjaga. We will focus on lobbying and greater interaction with the United Nations,” Selimi said. He added that Kosovo will first join United Nations agencies and that later it will become a Member State of the United Nations.
Rexhepi: Demarcation would prevent incidents at Serbia boundary (Koha)
Kosovo’s Interior Affairs Minister, Bajram Rexhepi, said on Tuesday that only demarcation would help end incidents along the boundary with Serbia. Rexhepi said incidents mainly occur at the northern boundary and in some villages in the Podujeve/Podujevo municipality. “These incidents come as a result of illegal crossings or illegal logging. We have stepped up our police patrols but it is impossible to have 24-hour surveillance because of the size of that territory. KFOR and Border Police have stepped up their presence after the latest incidents,” Rexhepi said. Meanwhile, opposition representatives and security analysts argue that Kosovo institutions must cooperate with international mechanisms in the territory and that Pristina and Belgrade must discuss the boundary issue in Brussels.
Vetevendosje MPs to contest extended mandate of international judges (Koha)
The Vetevendosje Movement said on Tuesday that its MPs will contest the extended mandates of the international judges working in the Constitutional Court. “The Vetevendosje Movement believes that extending the mandates of the international judges in the Constitutional Court, by avoiding constitutional procedures, questions the Court’s very credibility. Meanwhile, the President of Kosovo has exceeded her competencies and failed to guarantee the constitutional functioning of the institutions of the Republic by seriously violating the Constitution. It will be up to members of the new Assembly to eliminate this anti-constitutional process,” the Vetevendosje statement noted.
Kosovo won’t participate in Bled Forum (Kosova Sot)
Kosovo will not participate at the regional forum in Bled, organized by the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, because the organizer has used the footnote for Kosovo. “Despite our concerns, the organizer, just like last year, has decided to use the footnote in Kosovo’s case. This is not the accepted practice,” Bashmir Xhemaj, political advisor to Foreign Minister Enver Hoxhaj, told the paper. [The article is referring to the denomination “Kosovo*”, and the footnote to be applied to the asterisk reads: “This designation is without prejudice to the positions on Kosovo's status, and is in line with the UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and the International Court of Justice opinion on Kosovo's 2008 declaration of independence.”]