• Haradinaj: Sunday elections to be peaceful, fair and democratic (media)
• Djuric to try enter Kosovo on Sunday (Koha)
• Limaj calls for Germany’s increased role in Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (media)
• Veseli rejects reports he was interviewed by specialist prosecutors (Telegrafi)
• Prosecution: Brovina admitted the picture was not taken in Kosovo (Koha/Zeri)
• Kosnett: Victims not to be exploited for political gain (media)
• LDK calls on Brovina to resign her MP mandate (media)

 Kosovo Media Highlights

Haradinaj: Sunday elections to be peaceful, fair and democratic (media)

Ahead of extraordinary elections in four northern municipalities of Kosovo on Sunday, Prime Minister of Kosovo Ramush Haradinaj, called for the process to be free, fair and democratic.

“Elections of 19 May 2019 for local government in the northern municipalities of Kosovo, apart from being expression of democratic will of the citizens through free vote, also confirm our efforts for sustainable peace, stability and prosperity of all communities living in our joint household,” Haradinaj wrote on his Facebook account.

Haradinaj further called on the voters to elect representatives who they believe best serve their interests.

Djuric to try enter Kosovo on Sunday (Koha)

Head of the Serbian government’s office for Kosovo, Marko Djuric, told Serbian broadcaster RTS that he will try to enter Kosovo on Sunday when elections in four northern municipalities are set to take place.

Djuric sdaid that last year, he tried 18 times to visit Kosovo but was not allowed to do so by authorities in Pristina. “I will try to enter Kosovo tomorrow,” he announced.

“Our people in Kosovo cannot be scared by anyone and I am convinced tomorrow this people will demonstrate force and harmony,” Djuric added.

Limaj calls for Germany’s increased role in Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (media)

Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister and co-head of the Kosovo negotiating team for dialogue with Serbia, Fatmir Limaj, called for an increased role of Germany in the dialogue process between Kosovo and Serbia.

Speaking from Berlin where he is meeting German officials, Limaj said that he expects a positive conclusion of the visa liberalisation process and said no one should try deny Serbia’s ‘genocide’ in Kosovo.

Yesterday, Limaj had separate meetings with Matthias Luttenberg, advisor to German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Johann Wadephul, chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group and rapporteur for the Balkans.

After the meeting with Wadephul, Limaj stated that “all ideas that do not contribute to the resolution of the problem have been dispelled.”

He also said he believed that visa liberalisation for Kosovo will soon be concluded: “Germany’s engagement on visa liberalisation is crucial for Kosovo. Our friends know how important visa liberalisation is for Kosovo and we expect this issue to be over very soon.”

Veseli rejects reports he was interviewed by specialist prosecutors (Telegrafi)

Kosovo Assembly Speaker Kadri Veseli has rejected reports he was interviewed by the prosecutors from the Specialist Chambers or that he received invitation to be interviewed.

"The moment I receive an invitation I will make it public," Veseli said in an interview with RTV Dukagjini. He said that when reports of his alleged interview first surfaced, he was in a visit to Ljubljana along with Deputy Prime Minister Enver Hoxhaj.

Prosecution: Brovina admitted the picture was not taken in Kosovo (Koha/Zeri)

Kosovo's special prosecutor, Drita Hajdari, held a press conference following her interviewing the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) MP, Flora Brovina, in connection to the authenticity of the picture she presented to the media and the Assembly which she claimed to show an Albanian woman being raped by Serbian military forces.

Hajdari said Brovina admitted that the picture was not actually from the Kosovo conflict but that she was not aware of this.

“Ms. Brovina stated the picture dates back to 2003. She said she received it from some civil society activists who told her it was taken in the region of Gjakova. She told us she does not know the victim in the picture nor the person who telephoned her and told her about the case,” Hajdari said.

Hajdari said further measures will be taken and that Brovina’s interview was only the first step.

Kosnett: Victims not to be exploited for political gain (media)

The U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo, Philip Kosnett, said survivors of atrocities should be treated with respect, dignity and sensitivity.

“Kosovo’s leaders should be helping victims heal, not exploiting them for political gain,” Kosnett wrote on Twitter.

LDK calls on Brovina to resign her MP mandate (media)

The Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) has reacted to the statements by the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) MP, Flora Brovina, that she was given the picture she showed at the Assembly claiming it proved an Albanian woman being raped by Serbian forces by a former LDK MP, Mevlyde Saraci, in 2003.

LDK said in a statement it was unacceptable for Brovina to put the blame for her own lack of professionalism to someone else. “An MP that respects citizens who trusted her with their votes ought to hand over her mandate today and not try to shift the blame for her unprofessionalism by accusing others,” LDK said.