Headlines - 09.08.2017

• Heads of parliamentary groups to meet today at 10 (dailies)
• LAA against a broad-based government (Zeri/Express)
• Vetevendosje accuses PDK of waging “dirty war” (Bota Sot)
• Hoti: Teuta Rugova will not vote for PAN government (RTK/Tribuna)
• Sejdiu: I hope Assembly speaker will be elected tomorrow (Zeri)
• Police arrest 11 Serb and Russian nationals for illegal border crossing (Koha) 

Kosovo Media Highlights

Heads of parliamentary groups to meet today at 10 (dailies)

Most of the print and online media report that the meeting between heads of parliamentary groups is set to take place today at 10 highlighting the aspect of who will be in attendance. All report that PAN will take part in the meeting and that Vetevendosje and LAA coalition will not. Enber Hoxhaj from PAN told Kosovapress ahead of the meeting that Kadri Veseli’s offer to step down as candidate for Assembly speaker in exchange for Vetevendosje and LAA voting for Ramush Haradinaj to lead the new government is only valid until 10 a.m. today.

LAA against a broad-based government (Zeri/Express)

The coalition between the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), New Kosovo Alliance (AKR) and Alternativa, is against the idea of a broad-based government, said its candidate for prime minister, Avdullah Hoti. He told Gazeta Express that only an LDK-led government would be able to offer the people of Kosovo a pro-European government focused on respect for the rule of law.

Vetevendosje accuses PDK of waging “dirty war” (Bota Sot)

In a press conference yesterday, Vetevendosje officials accused the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) of waging a “dirty war” and of trying to create further delays in the process of forming new institutions. MP Xhelal Svecla said PDK is willing to do anything to return to power and is spreading false information in this regard. “PDK is trying to convince the public opinion that we are all the same which is not the case and the citizens have seen this”, Svecla.  He also said that Vetevendosje will not attend today’s consultative meeting of heads of parliamentary groups in the Assembly.

Hoti: Teuta Rugova will not vote for PAN government (RTK/Tribuna)

LAA coalition’s candidate for prime minister, Avdullah Hoti, said in an interview to Tribuna Channel that LDK MP, Teuta Rugova, will not vote for a PAN-led government and that her vote at the Assembly’s constitutive session was simply in support of the motion to postpone it. Hoti said LAA would not support Kadri Veseli’s candidacy for Assembly speaker but that if PAN manages to form new government, they will act as a constructive opposition.

Sejdiu: I hope Assembly speaker will be elected tomorrow (Zeri)

In an interview to the paper, deputy leader of the New Kosovo Alliance (AKR), Korab Sejdiu, said he hoped Kosovo Assembly speaker would be elected tomorrow paving way for the PAN coalition to try to form new government.  “What I expect to see is for PAN to use the right, given to it unfairly in my view, to propose a candidate for Assembly speaker. It should take this right with full responsibility and propose candidates that find sufficient support from MPs to be elected”, Sejdiu said. Asked whether there could be any AKR MP that would vote in favour of Kadri Veseli’s candidacy, Sejdiu said AKR remains united in coordinating all its actions within the LAA coalition. “Remains to be seen in the next session but I don’t have any indication that an MP would vote differently from the rest of us”.

Police arrest 11 Serb and Russian nationals for illegal border crossing (Koha)

The Kosovo Police has arrested a group of 11 persons, of which five are Serb nationals and six Russian, for unauthorized crossing of the border into Kosovo. In a statement to the media, Kosovo Police said it acted on information it received that the group would enter Kosovo illegally near the village of Metergof, Podujeva/Podujevo municipality and that the arrested persons were travelling in two vehicles with Serbian license plates.