UNMIK Headlines 7 July
Thaci backs down, offers Prime Minister post (Zeri)
The opposition bloc’s determination not to enter into a coalition with the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) has forced the PDK leader, Hashim Thaci, to negotiate on the post of Prime Minister, reports the paper on the front page. Although Thaci insisted throughout the election campaign and following the results that he would win a third term as Prime Minister of Kosovo, he has now shifted his position and has been offering the post to possible coalition partners, to ensure his party remains in power. However, the PDK’s deputy leader, Hajredin Kuci, said he is not aware that the Prime Minister’s post is up for negotiation.
Jahjaga to decide on Assembly constitutive session in two days (Epoka e Re)
Arbër Vllahiu, senior political advisor to President Atifete Jahjaga, told the paper on Sunday that Jahjaga will decide on the date of the constitutive session of the Assembly within two days. Vllahiu said every action by President Jahjaga will be in accordance with the Constitution of Kosovo. Vllahiu said the information in the media, which said the next session would be held on 18 July, was political speculation, intended to put pressure on the staff of the Presidency as well as on the President herself.
Disagreements over largest parliamentary group (Tribuna)
The paper reports on its front page that the creation of parliamentary groups in the new Assembly is expected to be the crucial issue when forming the new government. If, in the first session of the Assembly, parliamentary groups are determined based on election results, the Speaker’s post would go to the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK). However, if opposition parties – the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) and Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA) – are to gather into a single parliamentary group, they would form the majority in the Assembly and would therefore be entitled to propose a candidate for the post of Speaker.
Borg-Olivier: Government formed by those with Assembly majority (Zeri)
The former head of UNMIK’s Legal Office, Alexander Borg-Olivier, told the paper that if the first attempt at forming the new government of Kosovo fails, President Atifete Jahjaga has the right to select a different candidate for Prime Minister in her second attempt. He said that in different countries, the leader of the party that wins the majority in elections is given the first opportunity to form the government, but in the case of Kosovo, the Constitution does not make this mandatory. Borg-Oliver said that the candidate for Prime Minister should be the one who can secure sufficient numbers in the Assembly, and that the Constitution of Kosovo does not make any distinction between coalitions reached before or after elections. “It is very common for coalitions to be formed after election results. This is normal in a parliamentary democracy”, said Borg-Olivier, who currently works in Kosovo as an international lawyer.
Djuric announces construction of promenade by Mitrovica bridge (Bota Sot)
Marko Djuric, Director for Kosovo in the Serbian Government, during a visit to Mitrovica North on Sunday, announced the construction of a promenade and square by the River Ibër/Ibar. “Based on the decision of the local government in Mitrovica, as well as the support of the Government of Serbia, in the following months, Mitrovica will have a road called ‘Knjaz Milos,’ which will reflect the pride of the Serb population in Kosovo,” Djuric told reporters. He added that the construction would begin within a few days. Djuric also visited the Serb community in the Kroi i Vitakut neighborhood.
Families of missing persons blame Zbogar and Jacobson (Tribuna)
Families of missing persons in Kosovo are outraged at the halting of excavations in the location of Rudnica, Serbia, and have blamed the EU Special Representative, Samuel Zbogar, and the US Ambassador, Tracey Ann Jacobson, for the stalemate in determining the fate of their loved ones. “They did nothing. Zbogar has all the information on the missing persons, suspected mass grave sites, and other details, and yet he is not interested in moving the process forward,” said Bajram Cerkini, Deputy Chairman of the Coordinating Council of Missing Persons Associations in Kosovo. Cerkini alleged that both Zbogar and Jacobson could have exercised pressure on Serbia to continue excavations into suspected mass grave sites.
Kurti: Albanians are important but have weak states (Koha)
“Albanians are the most important nation in the Balkans, but we have weak states,” Vetevendosje leader Albin Kurti said during a conference in Tirana, Albania, on Saturday. He added, “Albanians have states with weak armies, education systems and economies. Albania’s foreign policy is closely tied to Albanians in the region.”
Albania extradites terrorist suspect to Kosovo (Koha)
Albanian authorities have extradited to Kosovo Burim Ballazhi, who is accused of terrorism activities by police and prosecution in Kosovo. Ballazhi is believed to be part of a terrorist cell that was sending Muslim fighters to Syria. Police in Kosovo meanwhile arrested three terrorist suspects in the town of Kacanik. All four suspects fought actively for four months in Syria as members of the terrorist organizations “Jabat Al-Nusra” and “ISIS”.