Headlines - 11.05.2017

• Source: General elections on 11 June (Epoka e Re)
• CEC ready for elections (Zeri)
• Mustafa: My government attacked crime and corruption (media)
• International reactions to decision for early elections in Kosovo (dailies)
• Haradinaj: AAK with red lines for PDK and LDK (Zeri)
• Albanian President to visit Kosovo today (media)

Source: General elections on 11 June (Epoka e Re)

After receiving the official announcement from the Assembly of Kosovo, the President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi, has decreed the dissolution of the Assembly, thus paving way to new parliamentary elections. Citing reliable sources in the Office of the President, Epoka e Re reports that early elections will be held on 11 June. Zeri reports that President Thaci will meet today at 08:45 the leaders of the political parties to decide on the date of the new elections. Most news websites report that Kadri Veseli, leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), said in a video message to the people of Kosovo that the Mustafa-led government did not lead Kosovo forward in the proper pace and that this resulted in stagnant economic development and slow steps toward EU and NATO integration. “As partner of the coalition for all these years, I tried to give my full support to Prime Minister Mustafa to move forward the agenda of Euro-Atlantic integration. But this didn’t happen. Kosovo citizens and I personally have lost faith in Isa Mustafa’s leadership, and this is the reason why we are going to new elections. We can do more and we should do more for our country and citizens,” Veseli said. Several media report that the biggest opposition party, the Vetevendosje Movement, wrote on its Facebook page that “change is coming in Kosovo. It is time for Self-determination. Congratulations Kosovo.”

CEC ready for elections (Zeri)

Officials at the Central Elections Commission (CEC) told the paper that they are ready to organise early elections. CEC spokesperson, Valmir Elezi, said the CEC is mobilized to carry out tasks entrusted to it by the Constitution of Kosovo. Elezi said however that the duration of the election campaign is something that is yet to be decided but the paper notes that the CEC is entitled to shorten the campaign timespan in cases of extraordinary elections as is the case at present.

Mustafa: My government attacked crime and corruption (media)

Kosovo’s outgoing Prime Minister Isa Mustafa posted on his Facebook account on Wednesday that his government attacked crime, corruption and the seizure of the state. “I was aware that the PDK [Democratic Party of Kosovo] and their corrupt clientele would not accept this. We have prevented the degradation of the state and we will liberate it from the claws of crime,” Mustafa wrote.

International reactions to decision for early elections in Kosovo (dailies)

The U.S. Embassy in Pristina issued a statement following the decision of Kosovo institutions to head to early elections. “The Assembly has spoken.  As the transition proceeds and the country gears up for early elections we call on all officials who remain in government to re-commit themselves to serve Kosovo’s citizens – all of them – who are their employers.  We continue in our steadfast support for Kosovo, its citizens, and its path to full Euro-Atlantic integration,” the statement reads. At the same time, the EU foreign policy spokesperson Maja Kocijancic said in a statement that the voting took place at a critical time for Kosovo and urged political leaders and institutions to continue work on rule of law and economic development, dialogue with Belgrade and visa liberalisation. Similarly, the EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy & Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn, wrote on Twitter he regretted the no-confidence vote for the government of Kosovo and stressed that this should not distract Kosovo leaders from challenges Kosovo faces while the head of the EU Office in Kosovo, Nataliya Apostolova, told RTV21 that yesterday’s developments at the Kosovo Assembly have further delayed visa liberalisation.

Haradinaj: AAK with red lines for PDK and LDK (Zeri)

Leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), Ramush Haradinaj, said in a press conference shortly after the motion of no confidence against the government was passed that his party would under no circumstances cooperate with the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) as, according to him, these two are responsible for bringing the Kosovo to the current situation. “The Alliance has red lines for these parties,” Haradinaj said adding however that they remain open to opposition parties and representatives of the civil society. Haradinaj said the upcoming elections need to be free and fair and called on the U.S. and the EU to help in ensuring a regular voting process.

Albanian President to visit Kosovo today (media)

Most news websites report that Albanian President, Bujar Nishani, will visit Kosovo today. During his stay in Pristina, Nishani is scheduled to meet his Kosovo counterpart Hashim Thaci and outgoing-Prime Minister Isa Mustafa.