Headlines - 29.08.2017

• Thaci and Vucic to meet on Thursday (media)
• PAN: Assembly and government in the beginning of September (Zeri)
• Minority MPs might change their votes (Zeri)
• Sources: PAN, AKR reach agreement on new government (Express/RTK)
• Only constitutional amendments can eliminate institutional blockades (Koha)
• Unknown persons assault Minister Blerand Stavileci’s wife (media)
• Kosovo Police arrest Serb war crimes suspect (media)
• Conference on Serb-Albanian relations will be held in Gracanica today (media)

Thaci and Vucic to meet on Thursday (media)

Most media report that the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy will be meeting  President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci and President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic by the end of this week. “This week, I will meet again with President Vucic and President Thaci in order to move forward with the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina,” Mogherini said while addressing  EU ambassadors in Brussels. The meeting is expected to be held on 31 August.

PAN: Assembly and government in the beginning of September (Zeri)

Xhavit Haliti, senior official of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), told the paper that the constitutive session of the Assembly will resume in the beginning of September. According to him, the Assembly will constitute and the government will be voted on the same day. However, despite the fact that PAN’s nominee for Assembly president, Kadri Veseli, does not have the support of the LAA coalition and Vetevendosje, officials from the PAN coalition said that he will continue to be the only candidate.

Minority MPs might change their votes (Zeri)

Veton Berisha, Kosovo Assembly MP from the Liberal Egyptian Party of Kosovo, said that he could support an eventual coalition between the LAA coalition and Vetevendosje, but under the same conditions that they have had for PAN, leading one of the ministries. Etem Arifi who represents the Ashkali Party for Integration at the Assembly, said that they will support PAN for now, as they make the majority at the Assembly. However, if the political situation changes, they will align where their interests lay.

Sources: PAN, AKR reach agreement on new government (Express/RTK)

Citing unnamed sources, Gazeta Express reported on Monday evening that the PDK-AAK-NISMA (PAN) coalition has reached an agreement with New Kosovo Alliance (AKR) leader Behxhet Pacolli to form a new government. The Assembly session where the agreement will be implemented will most probably be held in early September. RTK meanwhile reports that both the Haradinaj-led Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) and the AKR have denied that an agreement was reached.

Only constitutional amendments can eliminate institutional blockades (Koha)

The paper reports on its front page that constitutional amendments are seen as the only way to avoid institutional blockades in the future. Legal experts and officials monitoring the work of the Assembly told the paper on Monday that these amendments should include the definition of the parliamentary group, the coalition, and also norms that refer to the right of an entity to nominate the Assembly President and the Prime Minister. Experts argue that changes should also be made to the timelines for the formation of institutions.

Unknown persons assault Minister Blerand Stavileci’s wife (media)

All media report that unknown persons assaulted the wife of Blerand Stavileci, Minister for Economic Development and member of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), in Pristina on Monday. Police confirmed the incident but did not provide further details. PDK representatives told a press conference after the incident that Stavileci’s wife came under attack because her husband is one of the biggest critics against abuses and lack of work by senior Vetevendosje officials in the municipality of Pristina. Vetevendosje deputy leader, Dardan Sejdiu, said the attack was a cowardly and unacceptable act, but that PDK’s rush to accuse Vetevendosje “casts a ray of doubt over the possible framing of the attack”.

Kosovo Police arrest Serb war crimes suspect (media)

Most media report that Kosovo Police arrested on Monday on the outskirts of Suhareka a Kosovo Serbs suspected of having participated in war crimes. Regional police in Prizren said the suspect was travelling with a group of pilgrims who were visiting the village of Mushtisht. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic reacted after the arrest saying that “Kosovo politics clearly shows that it does not want Serbs to visit their homes, let alone return to Kosovo”. “Our law enforcement authorities have confirmed that this Serb has done nothing wrong,” Vucic said. He also added that the arrest will have an impact on Pristina-Belgrade talks in Brussels.

Conference on Serb-Albanian relations will be held in Gracanica today (media)

Several media report that a conference on relations between Serbs and Albanians will be held in Gracanica today organized by the non-governmental organization “Center for Development of Communities and Kosovo Serbs”. The debate follows Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic’s proposal for an internal dialogue in Serbia on the Kosovo issue.