Headlines - 28.06.2017

• Thaci congratulates Vucic, agree to resume dialogue (media)
• Three approaches on Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (Koha)
• Haziri: There will be no LDK-PAN coalition (RTK)
• U.S. expects implementation of all Brussels agreements (Koha)
• Special court ready for first indictments starting from next week (Zeri)
• “Kosovo has stepped up efforts to eliminate human trafficking” (media)
• Dacic: Kosovo is afraid to apply for membership in UNESCO (media)

Thaci congratulates Vucic, agree to resume dialogue (media)

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci has congratulated Aleksandar Vucic for taking up the post of President of Serbia, most print and electronic media report. In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Thaci said he telephoned Vucic to congratulate him on the new post. “We discussed and agreed to continue dialogue for the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia and to work together on resolving all issues of mutual interest,” Thaci said.

Three approaches on Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (Koha)

The paper reports on its front page that Kosovo’s President Hashim Thaci supports a policy on dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia which goes against the positions of two Prime Minister candidates, Ramush Haradinaj and Albin Kurti. Thaci wants dialogue with Belgrade to continue and for it to be held at the level of presidents, while Haradinaj wants certain conditions to be met before dialogue can resume at the level of prime ministers. Kurti on the other hand is adamant that the process should be redesigned and has presented a nine-point platform for the process.

Haziri: There will be no LDK-PAN coalition (RTK)

Lutfi Haziri, deputy leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), told RTK on Tuesday that his party would not enter a coalition with the PDK-AAK-Nisma coalition. Haziri ruled out any possible cooperation between the LDK and PDK. “They have misused our kindness and they won’t be able to convince us to change our mind … The PDK broke its deal,” Haziri said.

U.S. expects implementation of all Brussels agreements (Koha)

The United States Ambassador to Belgrade, Kyle Scott, said on Tuesday that the U.S. expects the new government in Kosovo to fully implement all agreements reached in Brussels and that they expect the same from Belgrade. “I don’t know who will be the new prime minister of Kosovo, but the U.S. expects that whoever takes up the post will implement all enterprises in dialogue and we expect the Serbian side to do the same,” Scott told the Radio Television of Vojvodina.

Special court ready for first indictments starting from next week (Zeri)

The Special Court, which will address war crimes allegations in Kosovo, can receive the first indictments starting from next week if the Constitutional Court of Kosovo approves a decision on the constitutionality of the procedures of the court. Avis Benes, spokeswoman for the specialized chambers, confirmed to the paper on Tuesday that if the court ruling is positive the regulation will enter into force in seven days. Benes also said that the specialized chambers will be ready to receive the first indictments immediately after the regulation goes into force.

“Kosovo has stepped up efforts to eliminate human trafficking” (media)

The Kosovo government does not fully meet the minimal standards to eliminate human trafficking but it is making important efforts in this respect, the U.S. State Department notes in its annual report on human trafficking. According to the report, the Kosovo government, compared to the previous reporting period, has identified more victims and has prosecuted and sentenced more traffickers.

Dacic: Kosovo is afraid to apply for membership in UNESCO (media)

Ivica Dacic, acting Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Serbia, said on Tuesday that Serbia will not stand by and do nothing as far as Kosovo’s possible membership in the UNESCO is concerned. According to Dacic, Kosovo has not even applied for membership “because it fears it will be rejected again”. “I don’t want to say which countries have promised me they will not vote in favor of Kosovo’s bid, but this is a topic of discussion in every meeting,” Dacic told reporters in Belgrade.