Headlines - 21.02.2017

• Fajon: Vote against demarcation to delay visa liberalisation (Koha Ditore)
• The only geographer at State Commission for Demarcation resigns (dailies)
• Haxhiu warns of tensions if demarcation is resubmitted to Assembly (Koha)
• AAK: Government behavior, dangerous (Epoka e Re)
• “Demarcation unjustly imposed as condition for visa liberalisation” (Epoka)
• MEP Fajon meets Serbian List leader Simic (Zeri)
• Hoxhaj: Croatia, important partner for Kosovo (dailies) 

Kosovo Media Highlights 

Fajon: Vote against demarcation to delay visa liberalisation (Koha Ditore)

European Parliament’s Rapporteur on visa liberalisation for Kosovo, Tanja Fajon, said in an interview with KTV that the failure of the Kosovo Assembly MPs to ratify border demarcation agreement with Montenegro would delay the visa liberalisation process for several years. “I have encouraged Kosovo politicians to do what’s in their hands, I called on all politicians not to keep this process captive because ultimately, the citizens benefit from it,” Fajon said. She added that the government of Kosovo has agreed to include border demarcation among visa liberalisation criteria and “I have no influence over it. Demarcation needs to be finished.”

The only geographer at State Commission for Demarcation resigns (dailies)

Fitim Humolli, the only geographer at Kosovo’s Commission for Demarcation, has resigned on Monday, a day before the findings of this Commission were to be made public. “Several different procedural and technical violations have been committed, including interruption, biased perceptions and cadastral measuring. I was dissatisfied with all these and as a result I decided to resign today,” Humolli said. Asked about the border demarcation agreement between Kosovo and Montenegro, Humolli said, “Of course it is harmful. It is a biased agreement based only on cadastral findings. I have expertise both in cadastral work and cartography for more than eight years at the Cadastral Agency of Kosovo, and my experience made me understand that we do not have coverage for that territorial part of Kosovo,” Humolli said.  

Haxhiu warns of tensions if demarcation is resubmitted to Assembly (Koha)

Kosovo Assembly MP from the Vetevendosje movement, Albulena Haxhiu, has warned that there are going to be tensions if the agreement for the border demarcation is resubmitted at the Assembly. “Voices for resubmitting the demarcation at the Assembly during March have increased, just as the pressures on the MPs who are against giving away the territory. Considering the bitter experiences with MPs (selling of votes) it remains for us to be consistent and do utmost for the agreement not to pass. If the government seriously intends to resurrect a dead agreement, it should be made clear to them that tensions will increase and they will be held responsible for this,” Haxhiu wrote on Facebook. She added that liberalization of visas will happen only when “we remove this subjugating and corrupted government, and not by giving away territory.” 

AAK: Government behavior, dangerous (Epoka e Re)

The Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), issued a press release which notes that the government has failed to pass the agreement on demarcation for more than a year, not only due to the objection of the opposition, but also because it failed to convince quite a big group of MPs from the parliamentary majority. “Prime Minister’s recent invention to establish a Commission that would measure the territory is unheard and completely unacceptable, therefore we hail resignation of some members and we encourage the others to leave this artificial Commission,” reads the press release which warns that the government will face powerful political and civic objection. 

“Demarcation unjustly imposed as condition for visa liberalisation” (Epoka e Re)

The head of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) parliamentary group, Pal Lekaj, said that the border demarcation is an unjust condition for granting visa liberalisation. At the summit of European countries Foreign Affairs Parliamentary Committees taking place in Pristina, Lekaj said: “While we are being asked to ratify demarcation, there are countries that have not finished it at all,” and asked the European Parliament Rapporteur on visa liberalisation for Kosovo, Tanja Fajon, whether her country, Slovenia, has concluded border demarcation with its neighbour and also EU member, Croatia. Fajon said that the two countries have not settled the border demarcation process but that the EU has learnt the lesson from such cases. 

MEP Fajon meets Serbian List leader Simic (Zeri)

European Parliament member and Rapportuer on visa liberalisation for Kosovo, Tanja Fajon, met yesterday in Pristina the leader of the Serbian List, Slavko Simic. Fajon and Simic are reported to have agreed on the need for the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina to continue and focus on maintaining security and stability. 

Hoxhaj: Croatia, important partner for Kosovo (dailies)

Kosovo’s Foreign Minister Enver Hoxhaj met separately yesterday in Zagreb Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitanovic, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic and Foreign Minister Davor Ivo Stier. In all the meetings, Hoxhaj expressed the need for deepening of relations between Kosovo and Croatia and opening of a new chapter of cooperation in the field of economy, trade, security and Euro-Atlantic integrations.