• Thaci meets Reeker and Palmer, discuss Kosovo’s Euro-Atlantic future (RTK)
• Cakaj: Albania to lobby for Kosovo recognitions at UN GA (Telegrafi)
• At UN, Croatia lobbies against Kosovo-Serbia border changes (Gazeta Express)
• Thaci: Vucic’s claims are ridiculous (RTK)
• EP confirms support for visa liberalisation for Kosovo (Koha Ditore)
• Pacolli: Kosovo to play active role in promoting regional cooperation (media)
• EU calls for peaceful, transparent, inclusive elections (media)
• Veseli: New government will be smaller, support for PDK overwhelming (Koha)
• PDK accused of using internet images election campaign (Koha)
• Nenad Rasic warns he might be killed (RTK)
• Zubin Potok mayor: With or without a sign, this is Serbia (Zeri)
• KSF takes part in international drill in Germany (media)

Kosovo Media Highlights

Thaci meets Reeker and Palmer, discuss Kosovo’s Euro-Atlantic future (RTK)

The President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, met on Tuesday in New York with the U.S. Assistant Secretary Philip Reeker and U.S. Special Envoy for the Western Balkans, Mathew Palmer, with whom he discussed about the recent political developments in Kosovo.

Thaci said that political parties, the institutions of Kosovo, will be committed to form the new Government as soon as possible and to address the urgent needs and challenges of Kosovo.

“We have built a tradition of free, fair and democratic elections, so I expect this to be the case again”, Thaci said.

On the other hand, Assistant Secretary of State Reeker stated that the USA remains interested and committed to a Western Balkans in peace and stability, with a clear European perspective.

Thaci welcomed the appointment of Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Mathew Palmer as U.S. Special Envoy for the Western Balkans.

“This is a sign that Washington remains committed to peace and progress in the Western Balkans. This gives us a guarantee and confidence in the process of the dialogue with Serbia and in the Euro-Atlantic future of our country and region”, he said.

During the day, Thaçi held numerous meetings with leaders of different states of the world, a press release issued by the Office of the President informs.

Cakaj: Albania to lobby for Kosovo recognitions at UN GA (Telegrafi)

Albania's Foreign Minister, Gent Cakaj, said they will lobby for recognition of Kosovo's independence during the UN General Assembly session. "In many meetings in New York, we will particularly work in the service of Republic of Kosovo's recognitions," Cakaj is quoted. 

At UN, Croatia lobbies against Kosovo-Serbia border changes (Gazeta Express)

The Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic is participating at the 74th UN General Assembly meeting in New York.

On Monday, she met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and discussed with him the situation in Western Balkans. She raised her concerns about the efforts to trade the borders saying that it would be a very bad idea that would open up Pandora's box and lead to various demands for territorial swaps in the entire territory of former Yugoslavia, Croatian media reported.

Thaci: Vucic’s claims are ridiculous (RTK)

The President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci said claims of the President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic, that Thaci is more walking in hallways than having significant meetings at the works of the UN General Assembly, are ridiculous.

“I am pleased that Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic, has entered UN doors through Kosovo people, while on the other hand, I want to stress that everything that Vucic is saying is ridiculous, because we have continuous meetings within the UN Headquarters,” Thaci said. “While it is another matter if he entered the UN HQ through the ceiling, we enter through the main gate,” he added.

EP confirms support for visa liberalisation for Kosovo (Koha Ditore)

European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) has voted in favor of visa liberalisation for Kosovo, thus confirming the previous legislature's position.

The paper recalls that the same committee has already voted twice on the matter but not with this new composition of members. It also notes that the previous rapporteur for visa liberalisation for Kosovo, Tanja Fajon, is expected to remain in the same capacity this mandate as well.

Pacolli: Kosovo to play active role in promoting regional cooperation (media)

Acting Foreign Minister of Kosovo, Behgjet Pacolli, took part in the meeting of the Regional Cooperation Council, Western Balkans leaders and the EU.

"We exchanged ideas on how to further strengthen regional cooperation and promote projects that get our economies, societies and youth closer. Kosovo will play an active role in promoting cooperation," Pacolli wrote on social media.

EU calls for peaceful, transparent, inclusive elections (media)

The heads of EU Mission in Kosovo issued a press statement on early parliamentary elections scheduled for 6 October 2019 saying elections are one of the fundamental elements of a democracy and an opportunity for people to exercise their right to vote and elect leaders.

“The EU calls for the electoral process to be conducted in a peaceful, transparent and inclusive manner, in line with international standards and the Rule of Law. All political parties and leaders should ensure a respectful campaign focused on concrete programmes in the interest of Kosovo people,” the statement reads.

The EU underlined the importance of strengthening the electoral process and called on all parties to take seriously the efforts the Assembly Ad Hoc Committee and work towards implementing recommendations of the EU Observer Mission.

Veseli: New government will be smaller, support for PDK overwhelming (Koha)

Leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) Kadri Veseli said in an interview with KTV last night that if elected, he would reduce the size of the government of Kosovo, making it more efficient.

"I have a team but I will not speak of names and numbers. There will be a mix of ministries and redesign. It will be much smaller, more efficient," he said adding that their focus will be on the youth, innovation, technology and businesses.

He said that what he is seeing on the ground is huge support for the PDK. "There is an overwhelming support we did not expect. It is exceeding party's limits. People not of the party have stopped me expressing support," Veseli said.

Speaking about red lines, Veseli said PDK has only red lines towards Serbia and corrupt people. "I have correct relations with the Serbian List and I am a guardian of Serb rights but they have to recognise the flag of the Republic of Kosovo."

with regards to dialogue with Serbia, Veseli said Kosovo's position will be in coordination with the U.S. "My position is that of the U.S. We will sit down with them, talks transparently. I will go to the dialogue, I will not hide." Veseli said the issues of demarcation and tax are "amateur emotional acts."

He said if elected there would be full reciprocity with Serbia and that the border issue should not be touched. "However, if Serbia cannot handle our Albanians, we will take them."

PDK accused of using internet images election campaign (Koha)

The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) is being accused of not using genunine pictures of Kosovo in their election campaign. One of the pictures showing four youths under the PDK's slogan "We build the future - for our youth" is thought to not have been taken in Kosovo and can easily be found on the web through search engines. KTV reports that there are at least four more such pictures that PDK uses in its campaign which are not authentic.

In reference to one of the pictures posted on PDK Facebook page showing a hospital hallway, Vetevendosje MP Fitore Pacolli said the PDK was deceiving the public by posting pictures alleging they were taken at the Clinical Centre in Pristina.

At the same time, no PDK official was available to comment on the pictures.

Nenad Rasic warns he might be killed (RTK)

Nenad Rasic, candidate for Prime Minister of the Freedom Coalition said during an interview that officials of the coalition that he leads are under major pressure from legal and illegal mechanisms lead by Belgrade, in order to harm and intimidate them. He said his coalition is competing to offer Kosovo Serbs another perspective in Kosovo. According to him, this is the momentum for Kosovo Serbs to take fate in their own hands. “The threats, the lynching, the insult, rhetorics without culture is continuing,” he said.

“It will be difficult for us to go to Zubin Potok, Zvecan and other places. I fear the worst might happen. You know that Ivanovic was killed because of politics, two candidates of northern municipality were killed. This the methodology that was used and we have to be careful. I personally did not receive threats. Moral values should be one of the first principals of every politician. We are in the list because we believe that Serbs deserve better than Serbian List, who did not work or offer any project,” he said.

Zubin Potok mayor: With or without a sign, this is Serbia (Zeri)

Mayor of Zubin Potok, Srdjan Vulovic, has reacted to Kosovo authorities removing the welcome sign at the entrance of the municipality reading “Republic of Serbia”. Vulovic called on members of the Serb community not to fall for provocations noting: “With or without signs, this is Serbia.”

Following media reports yesterday that there is a sign in Zubin Potok representing the municipality as part of Serbia, acting Prime Minister of Kosovo Ramush Haradinaj took to Facebook to say the sign was removed. “Dear citizens, the Zubin Potok street sign reported yesterday in the media was removed last night by the bodies of implementation of the rule of law of the Republic of Kosovo,” he wrote.

KSF takes part in international drill in Germany (media)

A contingent from the Kosovo Security Force is taking part in a three-day international drill in Germany at the U.S. Army base in Hohenfels alongside 5,400 troops from different countries including Armenia, Azerbeijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Georgia, Italy, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Poland, Turkey, Ukraine.