UNMIK Headlines 26 January
Jakup Krasniqi says he won't attend PDK convention (dailies)
Jakup Krasniqi, secretary general of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), has indicated that his time in this party has come to an end. Through a public letter, Krasniqi accused PDK leader Hashim Thaci of turning into a dictator.
Krasniqi has decided not to attend the PDK convention which will be held on Saturday. Consequently, Krasniqi will remain outside the leadership of the PDK. Krasniqi accused Thaci of turning the PDK into his private property. He also said Thaci is using elections in the PDK to satisfy his own ambitions. PDK officials refused to comment on Krasniqi's public letter.
Krasniqi, who is Speaker of Parliament, said he would reveal his political future in the next couple of days and did not rule out the possibility of forming a new political party.
Dailies recall that Krasniqi and PDK principal deputy leader Fatmir Limaj were positioned against the initiatives of the Thaci government. Limaj was the reason why Krasniqi decided to boycott the PDK convention after he called for the convention to be postponed until Limaj, who is charged for war crimes and corruption, is released. Krasniqi's request was rejected by party leader Thaci.
Dacic: UN seat for Kosovo was never mentioned in talks (dailies)
Serbia's Prime Minister Ivica Dacic said the issue of Kosovo's seat in the United Nations was never mentioned in talks between Belgrade and Pristina. "The government in Pristina mentioned the UN seat for Kosovo knowing that the process of independence is not complete without this," Dacic said during a visit to Vrsac. "This issue cannot be resolved, if there are no discussions on the whole package for the settlement of the Kosovo issue."
Dacic said Serbia was not willing to discuss the issue superficially. "We are not going to change our position on Kosovo. This is the only thing that Kosovo cannot win," he added.
Serbian Gendarmerie enters Kosovo's territory (Koha Ditore)
Members of Serbian Gendarmerie crossed on Thursday Gate 1 at the border between Kosovo and Serbia and entered several hundred meters into Kosovo's territory. Eyewitnesses told the newspaper that Serbian Gendarmerie stayed in Kosovo for several hours. During this time, a group of Serb businessmen blocked the highway near the village of Rudare threatening they would demolish Gate 1 in sign of dissatisfaction with the agreement between Kosovo and Serbia prime ministers on customs taxes.
Serwer: Serbia needs to exchange ambassadors with Kosovo (dailies)
U.S. expert on the Balkans, Daniel Serwer, said Serbia will not get membership in the European Union for another decade. He said normalizing relations with Pristina would bring Serbia the date for the start of membership negotiations but that in order to go beyond this stage Serbia would have to establish diplomatic relations and exchange ambassadors with Kosovo.
In an interview for Belgrade-based Vecernje Novosti, Serwer said EU member states, which have recognized Kosovo's independence, insist on diplomatic relations between Pristina and Belgrade. "There will be many conditions in the coming months and years. Kosovo will be a problem in more than 35 chapters of talks, unless a full solution is not reached at the start of the process," he added.
Petrovic to meet senior Serbian officials soon (dailies)
Kosovo's Deputy Prime Minister Slobodan Petrovic will soon meet senior members of the Serbian Government. He argues this is the only way to find solutions for basic problems in Kosovo.
"It's important that people have assumed responsibilities and have joined the processes aimed at improving the lives of Serbs and all citizens. I am deputy prime minister and I represent the Serb community in the Government of Kosovo. I would not like to comment on the location of the upcoming meeting, but I can say everything will be transparent," Petrovic said.
Petrovic told RTK in Serbian that dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade cannot stop because it would damage mutual interests, "and dialogue helps us reach qualitative solutions that contribute to normalizing people's lives".