Headlines - 24.12.2012

Haradinaj: I have enough votes for prime minister (Epoka e Re)

In an interview for the paper, AAK leader Ramush Haradinaj said he made an offer to PDK leader Hashim Thaçi for a coalition. He said if AAK’s offer is not accepted, he will nevertheless continue to provide support for important processes in which Kosovo is going through.

“I have the votes from the people for a ruling mandate,” declared Haradinaj adding that none of the  present-day parties in Kosovo have more than 51 percent of the citizens’ votes and cannot say that someone is taking someone else’s mandate. “In a parliamentary system, the mandate is given by the MPs, despite the possibility of getting a prime minister from outside, not from the political life,” said further Haradinaj.

LDK wants to change state symbols (Zëri)

Democratic League of Kosovo leader Isa Mustafa has notified all political opponents that if his party wins the trust of the electorate in the next elections, it will take over the responsibility to lead the government. Mustafa also said that when the LDK comes to power it will change the anthem and flag of Kosovo, by replacing them with the Flag of Dardania and the anthem of former President Ibrahim Rugova.

“This is a debt that we have toward our great and historic president, Ibrahim Rugova, the man who together with the LDK projected and established the independent, sovereign and democratic republic of Kosovo,” Mustafa said.

On the other hand, PDK parliamentary group chief Adem Grabovci said, “we appreciate initiatives, but the people and institutions of Kosovo have much more important works than the need to change the anthem and the flag. Before making changes to the flag and the anthem, the LDK should unblock election and constitutional reforms.”

Office of President does not know about Nikolic’s invitation (Kosova Sot)

Kosova Sot reports that one day following the invitation by Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic to meet his Kosovo counterpart Atifete Jahjaga, everything about the issue remains unclear. Arbër Vllahiu, media advisor to President Jahjaga, told the paper that he is not informed about the invitation. Asked if President Jahjaga would be willing to attend such a meeting, Vllahiu said, “for the interests of the state and the people of Kosovo, President Jahjaga will meet anyone, at any time and any place.”

Platform, (in)effective in the dialogue (Epoka e Re)

LDK senior official Lutfi Haziri said that the Serbia’s platform is nothing new and only the actors have changed. “Serb tendencies in relation to these plans should not alarm us. What should be of concern though is our lack of engagement in face of Kosovo’s progress in all levels,” said Haziri. He added that Belgrade’s aim is to create two states within Kosovo. “Serbia’s tendency with this platform is duplication of Kosovo, creation of a Kosovo for Albanians and one for Serbs,” he said.

At the same time, Vetëvendosje’s Glauk Konjufca called on the Government of Kosovo to use the Serb platform as an excuse to leave the dialogue process. He said the platform has nothing to do with normalization of relations but is all about the status of Kosovo. “For as long as the EU doesn’t take an open position against this document of Serbia we will always be right in remaining concerned and suspicious that such a document could serve as one of the positions in a dialogue for the north of Kosovo,” said Konjufca.

Biserko: Platform, waste of time (Zëri)

Sonja Biserko, president of the Helsinki Committee in Serbia, is quoted as saying that Belgrade cannot expect anything more than what is provided by the Ahtisaari Plan. It is a different issue when Belgrade will recognize the reality in Kosovo. “I think the platform is very discouraging, knowing what Serbia is required to do in order to get the candidate status for membership in the European Union,” Biserko added.

Presidency resists (Express)

Express reports that President Atifete Jahjga is resisting the scenarios for reconfiguration of the political scene that endanger her position. A close official to Jahjga, who preferred to remain anonymous, reportedly said that despite the efforts to reconfigure the political scene, the President does not intend to resign or to leave her position gained by the PDK-LDK-AKR agreement.  According to this source, she would agree to leave her position only after the completion of the constitutional reform, announcement of direct presidential elections and hand over of the duty, despite the fact that her mandate is not over. The source said that in such case, the President would not candidate to request the vote of the citizens and she would not send the case to theConstitutional Courtto object cutting down of her mandate.

Members of the Democratic Party of Kosovo claim that Ramush Haradinaj’s scenario to become a Prime Minister while Hashim Thaçi a President, is difficult to be implemented, while officials at the Democratic League of Kosovo make fun of it.

LDK and Vetëvendosje did not consider sending “Shala case” to Constitutional Court (Koha Ditore)

The two biggest opposition parties – the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) and the Vetëvendosje movement have yet to decide if they will request the Constitutional Court to rule on the appointment of AAK deputy leader Blerim Shala in the post of political coordinator for dialogue with Serbia. Shala was appointed in the post by Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga. LDK and Vetëvendosje representatives told the paper on Sunday that such actions are decided by the governing structures of their respective parties and that they have yet to discuss the initiation of such a procedure.

Legal experts meanwhile consider that Shala’s appointment lacks constitutional and legal support. Members of the Constitutional Court confirm that the Shala case consists of enough evidence to be treated as a case by the Court.

Pacolli: Gentlemen be quiet, respect the Constitution (Bota Sot)

Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo, Behxhet Pacolli, writes today in Bota Sot that while EULEX announced that accusations against him are ungrounded, he was on his duty, serving Kosovo, inNew York, Ruanda and other south countries ofAfrica. “I thought that those who initiated attacks against me would now be quiet,” says Pacolli and adds that it is known that EULEX is not biased and offers professional investigations. However, he says that he knows some individuals in Kosovo that in order to make fabrications against him believable, they would proclaim war even toAmerica, let aloneEurope. “I am a man of work and certainly do not have time to deal with each initiative against me, motivated by hatred, envy, political rivalry or something even lower than this,” says Pacolli.

Censorship – from Muqibaba to purchasing arms (Koha Ditore)

Koha Ditore reports on the front page that media are denied access to government meetings whenever sensitive issues are discussed. The paper notes that it often happens that media have only limited access to what Prime Minister Thaçi calls open meetings of the government. Sources told the paper that in such cases government ministers discuss sensitive issues or engage in polemics with one another.