Headlines - 21.11.2014

Jacobson: We don’t know who the prime minister will be (Tribuna)

The US Ambassador to Kosovo, Tracey Ann Jacobson, said in an interview for Voice of America that the agreement between the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) is an issue that concerns Kosovo politicians and not the US Embassy or the international community. She said the new government should work quickly to implement Kosovo’s strategic priorities but added that it is not yet known who will be the future prime minister. “This is not up to us; it is not our interest. Our interest is to move the process forward”, Jacobson stressed.

New turning point with PDK-LDK coalition (Tribuna)

Intensive negotiations will begin on Monday between representatives of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) on the sharing of responsibilities in the new government of Kosovo. PDK will be represented in these talks by its leader, Hashim Thaci, and deputy leaders Kadri Veseli and Hajredin Kuci. LDK’s team will include party leader Isa Mustafa, and senior officials Lutfi Haziri and Agim Veliu. Sources told the paper that, apart from the post of prime minister, LDK is expected to be in charge of seven ministries, and the same number will be led by PDK. In addition, four ministries will be led by members of minority communities.

Assembly and government by next week (Epoka e Re)

Hashim Thaci, leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), and Isa Mustafa, leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), said they will fully engage to implement the co-governing agreement reached on Wednesday evening in the Office of the President. While Thaci did not speak about the post of prime minister, Mustafa said the post would belong to LDK. US Ambassador Tracey Ann Jacobson stressed that many obligations await the coalition. She believes that Kosovo will constitute its Assembly and form the government by next week. After meeting the leadership of his party, Thaci also said he hopes that the constitutive session of the Assembly will be held next week.

Opposition blasts new coalition (Kosova Sot)

Opposition parties in Kosovo on Thursday had harsh reactions to the coalition between the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK). Ramush Haradinaj, leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), told reporters on Thursday that the coalition government will lead to an increase in crime and corruption. “This government failed badly in 2008-2010 and this mixture of two failed government groups will mark a continuing setback for Kosovo,” Haradinaj said. Koha Ditore quotes Haradinaj as saying that the PDK-LDK coalition is a fusion of the bad and the wicked. “State institutions will not be freed from corruption,” he added.

Serbian List: PDK-LDK coalition is acceptable (Koha)

The coalition of Serb political parties – the Serbian List – said on Thursday that they will join the coalition government of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK). The paper recalls that the Serbian List was one of the reasons why LDK leader Isa Mustafa abandoned the opposition coalition. Mustafa had said that the inclusion of the Serbian List in the new government was one of the conditions set by President Jahjaga and international representatives, and the Serbian List had said it would not join a government with the Vetevendosje Movement.

Kosovo key to Serbia’s EU membership (Epoka e Re)

Serbia will be the first EU candidate country that Johannes Hahn, the EU Commissioner for European Neighborhood Enlargement Negotiations Policy, will visit. Prior to traveling to Belgrade, Hahn stated that the EU will continue its enlargement process. Diplomatic sources claim that Serbia is the “best student” in the EU membership process. “Dialogue and normalization with Kosovo remain the main duties in this path, while the pace of the negotiations depends on the progress of reforms and the process of normalization of relations with Kosovo,” Hahn stated.

Nikolic announces conditions to dialogue (Kosova Sot)

Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic said on Thursday that Belgrade is ready to continue talks with Pristina and to implement every agreement reached in Brussels, including the agreement on the community/association of Serb municipalities. However, in a press statement, Nikolic said that talks cannot resume if Kosovo continues to be represented as an independent state.