Headlines - 26.09.2018

• Kosovo FM Pacolli has handshake moment with Serbian PM Brnabic (Klan K.)
• Croatian President Grabar-Kitarovic recalls Badinter principles (media)
• Thaci meets King Abdullah II of Jordan (Epoka e Re)
• PM Haradinaj visited Military Academy ‘West Point’ (Epoka)
• Hahn: Kosovo close to visa liberalisation (Zeri)
• Moroccan PM rejects discussing bilateral relations with Kosovo (Telegrafi)
• ECFR: Change of borders cannot be free of violence (Koha Ditore)
• LDK and Vetevendosje coordinate steps to bring down government (Koha)
• Hoti: LDK is coordinating opposition activity (RTK) 

Kosovo Media Highlights

Kosovo FM Pacolli has handshake moment with Serbian PM Brnabic (Klan Kosova)

Klan Kosova has published a video clip showing Foreign Minister of Kosovo Behgjet Pacolli briefly meeting Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic at the UN HQ in New York. The meeting happened when Pacolli approached Brnabic as she was addressing the media and she asked Pacolli who gave him permission to enter the UN building to which he replied in Serbian: “I got it from you.” Brbanic responded: “If I were to be asked…” Pacolli then went on to tell the media that Serbian Prime Minister is a “lady for whom we have a lot of respect.”

Croatian President Grabar-Kitarovic recalls Badinter principles (media)

In a meeting with President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci on the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York, President of Croatia Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic is reported to have recalled the principles of the Badinter Committee on territorial borders of former Yugoslavia which she said should remain “set in stone.” Meanwhile, a press release issued by the cabinet of Kosovo President Hashim Thaci said the meeting focused on bilateral relations between Kosovo and Croatia and the ways to increase trade exchange and support for Kosovo’s Euro-Atlantic integrations as well as the final stage of dialogue for normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia.

Thaci meets King Abdullah II of Jordan (Epoka e Re)

The President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi, who is heading the Kosovo delegation at the UN General Assembly’s annual session in New York, met on Tuesday with King Abdullah II of Jordan. On this occasion, Thaçi expressed his gratitude to Jordan for the continued support for strengthening Kosovo’s statehood through increasing the number of recognitions and membership into international organizations. President Thaçi and King Abdullah II of Jordan also talked about the possibility of increasing economic cooperation, trade exchange, cooperation in the security field and increasing cooperation in other areas as well. “Kosovo needs Jordan’s support to accomplish membership into Interpol, but also to lobby in various countries to increase the number of recognitions for Kosovo”, said President Thaçi.

PM Haradinaj visited Military Academy ‘West Point’ (Epoka)

The Prime Minister of Kosovo Ramush Haradinaj visited on Tuesday the military academy West Point, where he met with Lieutenant General Darryl A. Williams. Haradinaj expressed appreciation for the support of this academy on increase of Kosovo Security Force capacities, through offering education for KSF cadets. “Our country appreciates the U.S. contribution both during the war and during peace. We are forever grateful to have a powerful ally such as the United States of America,” Haradinaj said. Speaking in front of the representatives of this academy, Haradinaj said Kosovo is ready to have its own army and contribute to peace and security.

Hahn: Kosovo close to visa liberalisation (Zeri)

The European Union Commissioner for Enlargement Johannes Hahn said during his meeting with the Foreign Minister of Kosovo Behgjet Pacolli that he is engaged for progress in the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia. “Stressed importance of moving forward in dialogue with Serbian Government. Comprehensive, binding solution will be good for entire region. Kosovo's also close to visa liberalisation, after EU Commission’s green light. Keep the eye on the ball,” Hahn wrote on his Twitter account.

Moroccan PM rejects discussing bilateral relations with Kosovo (Telegrafi)

Prime Minister of Morocco Saadeddine Othmani, in New York for the UN General Assembly session, explained on Twitter that he did not discuss bilateral relations with Kosovo officials. He said that during a break with his delegation, “a gentleman from Kosovo imposed his presence”. “We have not discussed bilateral relations neither establishing contacts. Morocco’s position is constant. Morocco does not recognize Kosovo and has no relation with it,” Othmani wrote in response to an earlier post on social media by Kosovo Foreign Minister Behgjet Pacolli who said he had a “meaningful meeting” with Prime Minister of Morocco, Saadeddine Othmani.

ECFR: Change of borders cannot be free of violence (Koha Ditore)

A report prepared by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) which the paper claims to have a copy of has warned that change of borders between Kosovo and Serbia cannot be free of violence. The report notes that President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci has begun to lose support of foreign observers in Kosovo while opponents to his idea of “border correction” also include Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj and Assembly Speaker Kadri Veseli. The three-page report has been authored by Norbert Roettegen, current chairman of Bundestag foreign affairs committee and Robert Cooper, former facilitator of Pristina-Belgrade dialogue. “Despite all differences in countries’ positions on the idea of territorial exchange, European ambassadors whom we spoke to in Pristina agree that there is no way for border change to happen peacefully and that this would incite Serbs leaving southern Kosovo,” the report notes. According to the paper, the report closes with assessment that two ideas related to the EU are “dead” in Kosovo: Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities and visa liberalisation.

LDK and Vetevendosje coordinate steps to bring down government (Koha)

The paper reports that opposition parties – Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) and Vetevendosje – are on the path to unifying their actions aimed at bringing down the current government of Kosovo through a motion of no confidence. According to the paper, this was result of yesterday’s meeting between leaders of the two parties, LDK’s Isa Mustafa and Vetevendosje’s Albin Kurti. Mustafa wrote in Facebook after the meeting that they expressed readiness to step up cooperation and that they agreed that Kosovo needs changes “more than ever before”. The same views were also expressed by Kurti who said Vetevendosje was ready to coordinate opposition’s cooperation to prevent “degradation of governance and territorial threats”.

Hoti: LDK is coordinating opposition activity (RTK)

Avdullah Hoti, caucus of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) wrote that political party is coordinating opposition activity in order to stop degrading of Kosovo. “LDK is coordinating opposition activity to stop degrading the Kosovo state and enable free and democratic elections that will result with new government, accountable and professional representatives of citizens. It is the momentum for all forces which love Kosovo to unite in order to rescue institutions from the chaotic and degrading position,” Hoti wrote on his Facebook account.