• Assembly convenes today, LVV-LDK fail to reach agreement (media)
• Mustafa: Negotiations have not failed, LVV’s strategy did (media)
• LDK to hold leadership meeting ahead of Assembly session (Koha)
• Konjufca: Osmani, acceptable candidate for any post (Telegrafi)
• Veliu: LVV has no right to decide who will be LDK's presidential candidate (Zeri)
• Osmani: There is nothing more sacred than the will of citizens (Klan)
• LVV MP on lack of reach of agreement for governing coalition (RTK)
• Abazi: LVV-led government is last hope for the people (media)
• Bulliqi: LDK turned down Assembly Speaker and President posts (RTK)
• Pacolli reacts to changes in Serbia's special army brigade (media)

Kosovo Media Highlights

Assembly convenes today, LVV-LDK fail to reach agreement (media)

Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) and the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) have not managed to agree on a coalition deal to form the new government before the Assembly is set to hold its constitutive session today.

In a video message on social media, LVV leader Albin Kurti confirmed that no agreement was reached saying that LDK refused the coalition offer which contained three items.

“Item one: It is known that the Vetevendosje Movement as the first party is entitled to the post of Assembly Speaker and first deputy speaker. LDK is entitled to second deputy speaker. Let us switch the speaker and the second deputy speaker's speaker. The speaker's post would go to LDK while LVV the second deputy speaker,” Kurti said.

On the second item of the offer, Kurti proposed the issue of Kosovo president to be left for a later stage but said that if LDK insists on us making the pledge for a nomination from LDK, “then we would have to be given another ministry: the Ministry of Internal Affairs which is of vital importance for fighting crime and corruption.” Kurti said the nomination from LDK would come in case no consensual candidate is found and when the LDK decides on a name, it will also have to require LVV's consent.

The third item which Kurti said was based on LDK’s request, is to split the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports whereby the culture and youth would be attached to the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation while the sports part would be added to the Ministry of Health. “The non-Serb minorities would get the Ministry of Regional Development or that of Local Government while the Serb minority would get the Ministry for Communities,” Kurti said adding that in addition the first deputy prime minister would be from the LDK and five ministries.

“The offer refused yesterday was our fifth concession. It is also known we were very generous also in our efforts for a pre-election coalition in August and September of this year,” Kurti said.

Mustafa: Negotiations have not failed, LVV’s strategy did (media)

Leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) Isa Mustafa slammed the decision of the leader of Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) Albin Kurti to issue a video message on the failure of a coalition agreement before informing its negotiating party, the LDK.

“Negotiations have not been easy and the partner at the table, Vetevendosje Movement, in several instances ignored the rules on which we agreed. Such is the example of tonight’s video message of Vetevendosje Movement leader, Mr. Albin Kurti. For LDK and for me, negotiations have not failed. The strategy of Vetevendosje to secure before the public the reputation of a principled and generous party in negotiations and shifting the blame to LDK failed,” Mustafa wrote on Facebook.

He added that none of the LDK demands should be treated as made to Vetevendosje because, as he argued, “Vetevendosje has not won all responsibilities but no more than ¼ of the votes, almost as much as LDK did.” Mustafa said that based on the election result, LDK insisted on a balanced division of responsibilities and vowed to continue working on delivering the change that the people of Kosovo have voted for.

LDK to hold leadership meeting ahead of Assembly session (Koha)

The Democratic League of Kosovo leadership is expected to hold a meeting today ahead of the Assembly’s constitutive session.

The meeting will focus on the latest developments regarding a coalition agreement with the Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) and according to sources, LDK will come out with a statement at the end of the meeting.

Konjufca: Osmani, acceptable candidate for any post (Telegrafi)

Deputy leader of the Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) Glauk Konjufca said in an interview with RTV Dukagjini that Vjosa Osmani is well-respected by LVV and would be an acceptable candidate for any negotiated post.

"All parties ought to sit down and agree to a president that does Kosovo honour, an apolitical president who represents the unity of all the people in Kosovo," Konjufca said.

Konjufca said that many names from LDK could be acceptable for president but said that the problem is with the way the party has raised the president issue by seekign guarantees that the post will be LDK's.

Commenting on a possible Plan B that would also include the name of president's candidate, Konjufca said Osmani would be fine with LVV. "For us the name of Vjosa Osmani as president does not present a problem for president in the sense of how we believe she would perform."

Veliu: LVV has no right to decide who will be LDK's presidential candidate (Zeri)

Agim Veliu, deputy leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), said that Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) has no right to decide who the candidate for president from LDK will be.

Veliu's comments follow those of LVV deputy leader Glauk Konjufca who said that they consider Vjosa Osmani to be an acceptable candidate for any post, including that of Kosovo president.

"I think this statement of Konjufca was not very wise at the time when we are trying to build a coalition as well as trust. This is basically a type of interference in the Democratic League of Kosovo's internal policies," Veliu said adding that LDK will decide on its candidate for president when the time comes. "I believe there are plenty of names that meet the constitutional criteria for that post and there should be no hasty moves on this matter."

Osmani: There is nothing more sacred than the will of citizens (Klan)

Vjosa Osmani, deputy leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), said it cannot be played with the verdict of the 6 October elections, won by Vetevendosje Movement and proceeded by LDK.

"State interest should be above the individual one. Despite the current challenges, we should all remember that there is nothing more sacred than the will of the citizens," Osmani wrote adding that this will clearly determined coalition between LDK and LVV. "Anyone who plays with this verdict, is playing with Kosovo's fate," Osmani said.

LVV MP on lack of reach of agreement for governing coalition (RTK)

Elected MP from Vetevendosje Movement (LVV), Fatmire Mulhaxha-Kollcaku, blamed the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) for the lack of the agreement to form the government of Kosovo a day ahead of the Kosovo Assembly's constitutive session of the seventh legislation.

"When the self-called 'institutionalists' stand against institutional logic, as a result we are confusing parliamentary elections with those for president. It is true that hope dies the last, but it is difficult if it dies at the hands of some "businessmen policy-makers," writes Kollçaku in a Facebook post.

Abazi: LVV-led government is last hope for the people (media)

Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) MP Haki Abazi argued in a debate on T7 that a Vetevendosje-led government is the last hope for the people of Kosovo. "Otherwise we are all going to have to leave," he said.

Abazi said that Vetevendosje does not want new parliamentary elections and that they want an agreement [with the LDK] to be reached.

Abazi also said that since the start of negotiations they preferred to leave the issue of a new President of Kosovo after the formation of the government.

Bulliqi: LDK turned down Assembly Speaker and President posts (RTK)

Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) MP Shpejtim Bulliqi took to Facebook to say that the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) turned down the posts of Assembly President and President of Kosovo in exchange for the Ministry of Interior Affairs.

"The LDK leadership, due to narrow-minded interests, turned down a fantastic opportunity from Albin [Kurti]. They refused to take the posts of Assembly President and President [of Kosovo] in return for the Ministry of Interior Affairs," Bulliqi argued.

Pacolli reacts to changes in Serbia's special army brigade (media)

Kosovo's outgoing Foreign Minister, Behgjet Pacolli, reacted to organisational changes in one of Serbia's special army brigades.

"Serbian Defense Minister Vulin has announced the decision to bring back the 63rd Parachute & 72nd Special Brigades of Serbian army that have committed horrible war crimes in Kosovo & Bosnia. 63rd Parachute Brigade is responsible for killing more than 35 Albanians in Gjakova," Pacolli tweeted.

"This is a continuation of Serbian politics of denial that has gained only silence by the international community. #ICTY has failed on war crimes in Kosovo committed by Serbia. The same failure by @UNMIKosovo & @EULEXKosovo. War criminals walk free in Srb & treated like heroes for their killings."