Headlines - 07.09.2017

• PAN-AKR reach power sharing deal with Serbian List (dailies)
• Hoti: This “doomed” government will not last long (Kosova Sot)
• Korab Sejdiu resigns from AKR (Epoka)
• Apostolova: New institutions to be formed as quickly as possible (Zeri)
• Nitaj: No one will be able to condition Haradinaj (Epoka)
• FYROM should be pro Kosovo’s membership at UNESCO (RTK)
• Kosovo’s path to Interpol made more difficult (Koha Ditore) 

Kosovo Media Highlights

PAN-AKR reach power sharing deal with Serbian List (dailies)

Papers report that after lengthy talks yesterday, the officials from PAN and New Kosovo Alliance (AKR) reached a coalition agreement with Serbian List paving way for the forming of new institutions of Kosovo. According to the deal, Serbian List will run three ministries, leaving AKR with four instead of five as agreed few days ago with PAN. Most papers report that apart from the Ministry for Communities and Returns and the Ministry of Local Government and Administration, Serbian List is also expected to take over leadership of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development. However, Koha Ditore notes that the last night’s coalition agreement not yet been made public and it is unclear whether the Serbian List will also get to appoint one of Kosovo’s deputy prime ministers. Soon after the agreement was reached, PANA, as it is now referred to by the media, asked the chairman of the Kosovo Assembly’s constitutive session to call a meeting. As a result, Kosovo Assembly is expected to convene today at 11 to elect speaker and pave way for the new government of Kosovo to be formed.

Hoti: This “doomed” government will not last long (Kosova Sot)

Candidate for prime minister from the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Avdullah Hoti, said that a future government of Kosovo consisting of PAN, AKR and Serbian List will not be able to take a simple decision. “If they have 62 MPs, 61 will be required to be present at all times to pass a law. This is a doomed government for the citizens of Kosovo,” Hoti said adding that this arrangement will not last long and soon the people of Kosovo will be heading to the polls again.

Korab Sejdiu resigns from AKR (Epoka)

Kosovo Assembly MP from the New Kosovo Alliance (AKR,) Korab Sejdiu, resigned from his political party and decided to continue his mandate as an independent MP. Sejdiu took to Facebook to write that he is dissatisfied with the decision of his party to join the PAN coalition. “I have continuously been consistent with the position that a government with Albanian minority and conditioned by the Serbian List, is in contradiction with the interests of the state, because it remains hostage to Belgrade regime,” Sejdiu wrote.

Apostolova: New institutions to be formed as quickly as possible (Zeri)

Head of the EU Office in Kosovo and Special Representative, Nataliya Apostolova, urged Kosovo parties to form new institutions as quickly as possible. Apostolova said the current political situation in Kosovo hinders its European integration process. The EU Special Representative made the comments at a signing of an MoU with Central Election Commission for deployment of the EU observation mission for local elections in October.

Nitaj: No one will be able to condition Haradinaj (Epoka)

Member of the leadership of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), Muharrem Nitaj, told the paper that no one political group, be it Albanian or Serb will be able to condition Ramush Haradinaj while carrying the position of  Prime Minister of Kosovo. He said that Haradinaj’s intention is not to become a Prime Minister that can be conditioned. He added that any minister that would not perform well or act against the law will be dismissed from the government. Nitaj informed that Haradinaj had a meeting with the Serbian List, and according to him, creation of the government is a matter of days, perhaps during this week.

FYROM should be pro Kosovo’s membership at UNESCO (RTK)

FYROM President of the Parliament, Talat Xhaferi, told RTK that FYROM should vote for Kosovo’s membership at UNESCO. “There is no other alternative for Kosovo in UNESCO, because Macedonia has recognized the state of the Republic of Kosovo, and there is no reason to behave differently, in the sense of international relations, despite Serbia’s threats for reciprocal measures with regards to the name.” Xhaferi said.

Kosovo’s path to Interpol made more difficult (Koha Ditore)

The paper reports that new Interpol membership criteria that will be voted at the General Assembly on 26 September could make Kosovo’s bid more  difficult as one of them stipulates that it would be an important element if applicants are either members of the UN or have an observer status. Analysts say that although the provision does not explicitly say the applicants need to be part of the UN, it could be used as an argument against Kosovo joining Interpol.