Headlines - 25.04.2013 Implementation plan of the agreement on Friday (Koha Ditore) The delegation of Kosovo and Serbia will start a new round of talks on Thursday in the effort to draft the joint implementation plan of the agreement, which aims at the normalization of relations between two countries. Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi promised that the harmonization of the document would be done on Friday. Next week, Thaçi plans to bring the Kosovo – Serbia agreement before the Assembly for approval. Thaçi said that the implementation of the agreement would take place without using force. “All our commitments will be peaceful and the communication with citizens in the north will be direct in order to have freedom of movement of people and goods, to have rule of law, to have political pluralism, free elections, and legitimate leadership. Afterwards, will be the creation of all of these mechanisms in conjunction with the agreement,” said Thaçi in the Government meeting.  Ashton: I was not sure until the agreement was signed (Zëri) In an interview for BBC, EU High Representative for Foreign Policy and Security Catherine Ashton praised Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi and Serbia’s Ivica Dacic for their bravery demonstrated in signing a landmark agreement aimed at normalizing relations between the two countries. “I wasn't sure we would get a deal until the moment the two prime ministers initialed it,” said Ashton.  Start of negotiations for SAA is not recognition of Kosovo (Koha Ditore) Only two days after EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule recommended the start of negotiations for the Stabilization Association Agreement (SAA), he expressed optimism that EU member countries would respond positively to this recommendation. Meanwhile, media questions if he is sure that Spain or any other EU country will not block the eventual decision to start SAA negotiations with Kosovo. While the Spanish prime minister repeated that Spain will not change its stance and recognize Kosovo, Fule said, “Based on that what I have heard during the discussions of ministers in EU Council, I can be optimistic.” EU sources say that to EU member states, which have not recognized Kosovo, explained that SAA with Kosovo will be in the form of the agreements, which EU has with entities that are not sovereign states.  Eide, Bumçi deem Kosovo-Serbia agreement historic (Koha Ditore) Norway’s Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said in Pristina that the recent agreement between Kosovo and Serbia is historic and that its implementation requires great commitment. “This agreement is important for Kosovo and Serbia. It is a historic agreement and I have faith in it,” said Eide upon meeting his Kosovo counterpart Enver Hoxhaj. Eide also said that his country is interested in increasing support for the Kosovo Security Force. “We have experience in building a security force, how to create relations with NATO, and we will use our experience and our NATO membership as a platform for this assistance,” he said. Albanian Foreign Minister Aldo Bumçi also visited Pristina. Bumçi stated that Kosovo-Serbia agreement paves the way for regional cooperation and European integration of Kosovo. “This will intensify our relations in the region and will open a new perspective for Kosovo recognitions,” said Bumçi. He said Kosovo’s European perspective is now tangible and concrete. Giffoni: Association does not act outside laws and Constitution (Tribuna) The Italian Ambassador in Kosovo, Michael Giffoni, said in an interview for Tribuna that the agreement on improving relations between Kosovo and Serbia improves the situation in the north, without harming how Kosovo functions and without contradicting the laws in Belgrade. Giffoni, who was also engaged as an informal facilitator of the EU for the north, said that the three parties - Pristina, Belgrade, Serbs in the north - should have the good will to implement the agreement. He pledged not to speak any more about Ahtisaari’s package, because his plan and the agreement reached in Brussels have different intentions.  Krasniqi: Kosovo needs a new political alternative (dailies) Several dailies quote Kosovo Parliament Speaker Jakup Krasniqi as saying that the country needs a new political alternative. Krasniqi said he is consulting with PDK, who are not satisfied with the current government and want changes in Kosovo. “I am talking to people in the PDK, too, because after all I have invested a lot in the PDK. I am also talking to people who want to bring changes in Kosovo’s political life,” Krasniqi said in an interview for RTV21. Krasniqi, a member of the ruling Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), said he communicates with Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi only officially. Commenting on the Brussels agreement, Krasniqi said it does not normalize relations between the two countries, but only gives northern Serbs competencies that go beyond the Constitution of Kosovo. “There should have been full transparency and it should have been said that this is a new compromise,” he added.  LDK backs down on request for Jahjaga’s resignation (Epoka e Re) The Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), the biggest opposition party, has officially backed down on the request for the resignation of President Atifete Jahjaga. The LDK now only wants the president to support direct presidential elections. During an address at the LDK general council, party head Isa Mustafa said the LDK seeks the president’s support for election and constitutional reforms. “We believe the president should express her will and proceed with constitutional amendments and with direct elections for president,” he said, “As far as elections and constitutional reforms are concerned, we think that the way PDK is acting toward the 2011 April agreement is damaging.”  MPs say EULEX’s missing persons report unclear (Koha Ditore) Members of the Parliamentary Commission for Human Rights, Gender Equality, Missing Persons and Petitions assessed that EULEX’s report is incomprehensible. Therefore, they requested the participation of the representative of the Department of Forensics, Arsim Gërxhaliu, and EULEX representative, Alan Robinson, in their next meeting and clarify the work done on illuminating the fate of the missing. “EULEX is moving very slowly and this is not the first time for their report to be deficient, they are not quickly performing exhumations either,” said Kimete Bytyçi, member of the Commission.  Protests across Kosovo against theft (Zëri) Citizens of Kosovo have been called to protest in major cities against the lack of accountability of state institutions. Organisers of the protest are demanding a more dignified life and a country without theft. The protests are scheduled to start at 12.00hrs today.