UNMIK Headlines 7 August
- Parties entrenched in their positions (Zeri)
- PDK-Vetevendosje battle of accusations increases (Koha Ditore)
- PDK: Veseli’s offer valid through Wednesday (RTK)
- Krasniqi: All parties responsible for the new deadlock (Zeri)
- Hyseni: We have strong support for Interpol membership (Telegrafi/RTV21)
- FAZ: Vucic asked Serbs to realize Kosovo is lost (Lajmi)
Kosovo Media Highlights
Parties entrenched in their positions (Zeri)
The paper writes on the front page that Wednesday’s meeting of heads of parliamentary groups is not expected to produce any concrete solution to the current stalemate in Kosovo while parties have only entrenched themselves deeper into their positions. Xhavit Haliti from the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) told the paper that at present he is not seeing any light at the end of the tunnel. “I don’t see a solution with the votes being tied”, he said. At the same time, Vetevendosje and LAA coalition expect the PAN coalition to return to the Assembly and propose a candidate for Assembly speaker. As per analysts the paper spoke to, they argue that the best way to overcome the present stalemate is to call fresh parliamentary elections that would take place alongside local ones scheduled for 22 October.
PDK-Vetevendosje battle of accusations increases (Koha Ditore)
The paper reports that exchange of accusations between the officials of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and those of Vetevendosje has increased in the recent days and that apart from a campaign that the PDK branch in Pristina has launched against Mayor from Vetevendosje, Shpend Ahmeti, the ‘attacks’ have now spread to the entire party. Meanwhile, Vetevendosje is not standing idle in face of these accusations by launching its own and claiming the PDK’s reaction comes after its election “defeat” in June.
PDK: Veseli’s offer valid through Wednesday (RTK)
Deputy leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Rexhep Hoti, said the offer of the party leader Kadri Veseli to Vetevendosje and LAA coalition that he is ready to step down as candidate for Assembly speaker if, in exchange, they vote for a Ramush Haradinaj-led government is only valid through Wednesday. Hoti said this was the last sacrifice the PDK would make in the process of establishing new institutions.
Krasniqi: All parties responsible for the new deadlock (Zeri)
Former Kosovo Assembly Speaker and co-founder of Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA), Jakup Krasniqi, said all parties are responsible for the current deadlock in forming new institutions but noted that if PAN fails to secure enough votes the first time to form a government, the second attempt should be given to whoever has 61 votes.
Hyseni: We have strong support for Interpol membership (Telegrafi/RTV21)
In an interview to RTV21 from New York, Kosovo’s Interior Minister Skender Hyseni said he was hopeful of Kosovo’s prospects in gaining Interpol membership this September. “I believe we will manage to secure necessary votes and will do everything in our power to achieve this”, Hyseni said adding that even certain countries that have not recognised independence of Kosovo seem inclined to support its Interpol membership bid.
FAZ: Vucic asked Serbs to realize Kosovo is lost (Lajmi)
German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reported that the Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic’s call for “internal dialogue” on Kosovo is a call to the people in Serbia to realize that they have lost Kosovo. The paper wrote that Vucic has left a dark legacy on Serbia’s history in the past and he is now trying to redeem himself by asking for recognition of Kosovo’s independence.