Headlines - 15.09.2016

• Pristina, Belgrade reach agreement on licence plates (media)
• Veseli: Serbian List did not present conditions over demarcation vote (media)
• Rašić: No official position on border demarcation (Klan Kosova)
• Kosovo Assembly to hold next session on September 22 (media)
• KFOR committed to providing safe environment in Kosovo (RTK)
• Millions of euros for restoration of Serb churches (Koha)
• Serbian PM fears instability in the Balkans (media)

Pristina, Belgrade reach agreement on licence plates (media)

All media report that Pristina and Belgrade have reached an agreement on licence plates. Koha Ditore carries a press release issued by the office of the spokeswoman for the EU External Action Service, Maja Kocijancic, as saying: “In order to ease the free flow of people and goods, the parties agreed that so called 'proba' plates will no longer be required as of 15 November 2016 for travelling from one side to the other. Both sides agreed to cover relevant parts of the respective licence plates with stickers. Licence plates used by residents in Kosovo will not be affected by this sticker regime. On licence plates, parties agreed that the registration of all vehicles with licence plates issued by Kosovo authorities will commence on 15 January 2017 and will last for 12 months at the end of which the issue will be reviewed within the Dialogue. Kosovo will extend the validity of KS licence plates for 5 years at the end of which the issue will be reviewed within the Dialogue. The parties also agreed that an information campaign will be carried out by them and the EU to explain to the affected residents modalities for registering vehicles with these licence plates. Content and modalities of this campaign will be discussed within the next weeks. The EU welcomes the outcome of today's discussion and urges both sides to make progress on all other outstanding implementation work, in particular on Telecoms, the Association/Community of Serb majority municipalities and on Energy. On Telecoms, extensive discussions took place and progress has been made on key elements for implementation. Both sides agreed to continue the negotiations on 26 September in Brussels under EU facilitation”.

Veseli: Serbian List did not present conditions over demarcation vote (media)

Most media quote Kosovo Assembly President, Kadri Veseli, as saying that the Serbian List did not present him with any conditions in exchange for their vote in support of the border demarcation agreement with Montenegro. Veseli said that even if conditions are presented they would not be accepted and added that the border demarcation will be ratified jointly “in order to strengthen the sovereignty of the state of Kosovo”. “The Serbian List is exceptionally positive in the Assembly. They did not present any conditions to me as leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo and no condition will be accepted. MPs will not make any decision that it is not in the interest of the country,” Veseli added.

Rašić: No official position on border demarcation (Klan Kosova)

Serbian List MP, Nenad Rašić, said that the Kosovo Serb MPs were not invited to any meeting regarding the border demarcation agreement with Montenegro and that they have no official position on the matter. “We do not know yet whether we will take part in the session when demarcation is on the agenda as the talks that we have insisted on never came about,” said Rašić.

Kosovo Assembly to hold next session on September 22 (media)

Several media report that the Kosovo Assembly will hold its next session on September 22 and that the border demarcation agreement with Montenegro will not be on the agenda.

KFOR committed to providing safe environment in Kosovo (RTK)

Prime Minister of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa, met yesterday KFOR Commander, Major General Giovanni Fungo and discussed progress in Kosovo and priorities of the Kosovo government. Mustafa expressed appreciation of the people of Kosovo for KFOR’s contribution in providing security. He also said Kosovo is ready to further deepen its relations with KFOR.  COMKFOR on his part said KFOR is committed to providing a safe and secure environment in Kosovo.

Millions of euros for restoration of Serb churches (Koha)

Kosovo has allocated millions of euros for the restoration of Serb churches that were damaged during the March 2004 riots. Representatives of the Serb Orthodox Church say that Kosovo’s authorities have done a lot for the restoration of Serb Orthodox sites but added that the situation is not fully satisfactory. Sava Janjic, from the Decani Monastery, told Radio Free Europe that Kosovo’s institutions were correct in restoring sites that were damaged during the 2004 riots, but not for the sites that were damaged immediately after the 1999 conflict.

Serbian PM fears instability in the Balkans (media)

Several news websites report that Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic told AFP that he fears for the stability of the Western Balkans, and called for a regional trade bloc as a way to overcome a painful past. “I am not afraid of our future economically speaking... but what we need actually is political stability in the region,” Vucic told AFP. “That is why we are going to invest a lot of efforts, a lot of time, to secure that kind of political stability”. Vucic said Serbia would oppose Kosovo’s eventual bid to become a member of the United Nations, but said that there is improved trust and confidence between Belgrade and Pristina. “I don’t think that relations between Belgrade and Pristina are the biggest problem in the Balkans,” he added.