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UNMIK Headlines 25 December

Jahjaga supports Thaci for agreements with Serbia (dailies)

All dailies cover yesterday's meeting between Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga and Prime Minister Hashim Thaci about the process of dialogue and the agenda of upcoming talks with Serbia. The Office of the President issued a press release saying that Thaci thanked Jahjaga for her support to the process of dialogue, for her unifying role in the process, for appointing Blerim Shala as political coordinator whose goal is to approximate the positions of the entire political landscape in Kosovo. Jahjaga expressed support for the work of the government and the prime minister to reach concrete agreements between the Republic of Kosovo and the Republic of Serbia, especially on integrated border management, with which both countries achieve an important European standard on the path toward EU integration.

Only good words (Express)

Express reports on the front page that on Monday representatives of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) continued making statements about the coalition. The paper notes that PDK officials spoke good words about AAK leader Ramush Haradinaj, but did not provide a concrete answer on the issue of the coalition. PDK parliamentary group chief Adem Grabovci talked about cooperation with the entire political landscape. Meanwhile, AAK officials once again confirmed their readiness for a joint government with PDK leader Hashim Thaci.

Grabovci apologizes for Pronto affair (dailies)

The head of the parliamentary group of the ruling Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Adem Grabovci, publicly apologized to the people of Kosovo about tapped telephone conversations where he talked about dismissing Parliament Speaker Jakup Krasniqi and employing his uncle and a relative. Grabovci however did not apologize to Krasniqi. Koha Ditore notes on the front page that Grabovci had avoided media for one month and never addressed the Pronto affair. On Monday, Grabovci justified the accommodation of relatives as a value of the ruling party.

Pakistan announces decision to recognize Kosovo (Express)

Pakistani authorities on Monday announced the decision to recognize the independent state of Kosovo, Express reports on page five. "The Government of Pakistan has decided to recognize the Republic of Kosovo. The decision was made in accordance with the aspirations of the people of Kosovo," a press release issued by the Pakistani Foreign Ministry said. Unidentified sources told the paper that Prime Minister Thaci was informed about the decision by his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayip Erdogan.

Ceku: 2013 - the year of the establishment of the Kosovo Army (dailies)

Several dailies report that Kosovo Security Force Minister Agim Ceku presented on Monday the annual work report and said 2013 would "without a doubt" be the year of the establishment of the Kosovo Army. Ceku said opinion polls in Kosovo showed that the KSF is the most trusted organization. He said that KSF has yet to establish formal contractual relations with NATO, "but we are on a good path".

Dodik: With an entity in the north, you will be recognizing Kosovo (Koha)

Milorad Dodik, president of the Serbian Republic in Bosnia and Herzegovina, said Kosovo's division would be the only sustainable solution and added that if Serbia insists on the model of Catalonia or Bosnia and Herzegovina, it would be recognizing the independence of Kosovo. In an interview for Serbian newspaper Informer, Dodik said the existence of the Serbian Republic in Bosnia is very important for the position of Serbs in the region, but that Kosovo should not be put on the same direction. "If you accept an entity status for northern Kosovo, then practically you would be recognizing Kosovo as an independent state," he added.