Headlines - 11.12.2018

• Mogherini doesn’t rule out border change option (dailies)
• Haradinaj: Kosovo’s army will serve peace in the world (AP)
• KSF Commander: Consensus in NATO, impossible (Klan Kosova)
• Hahn: Delays on lifting import tax, unacceptable (Klan Kosova)
• Haradinaj says he cannot talk about “possible measures against Serbia” (Koha)
• Government considering applying full reciprocity measures to Serbia (RFE/Zeri)
• Shala to Serbia: We set the tax, not UNMIK (RTK)
• Sarovic: We will ask for Kosovo’s suspension from CEFTA and SAA (media)
• Sokol Dobruna invited by Specialist Chambers (Bota Sot/T7)
• Kosnett: Officials in Kosovo working for personal interests (Zeri)
• German Ambassador to Serbia: Parties must resume talks (media)
• “President’s involvement in dialogue should be seen as advantage” (Epoka)
• “Serb criminals, mercenaries prepared to destabilize Kosovo north” (Insajderi)

Mogherini doesn’t rule out border change option (dailies)

The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, told reporters yesterday in Brussels following the meeting of the EU Council that it is up to Pristina and Belgrade to define the terms of the agreement for normalisation of relations but noted that “whatever arrangements the parties agree in the future, the result should not be ethnic cleansing of places” and that Kosovo and Serbia should remain multiethnic. Mogherini also called on Kosovo government to lift the tax on imports from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina saying it goes against the spirit of regional cooperation and hinders dialogue process.

Haradinaj: Kosovo’s army will serve peace in the world (AP)

The Prime Minister of Kosovo Ramush Haradinaj said the Army of Kosovo which will be created soon, will be a modesty contributor to the peace in the world. Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj said that the transformation would make Kosovo a provider, not only a beneficiary, of peace. “You cannot be safe and secure, you can’t help peace and stability of the world without being in peace yourself, having your own army,” Haradinaj told The Associated Press.

KSF Commander: Consensus in NATO, impossible (Klan Kosova)

In an interview with Klan Kosova, Commander of the Kosovo Security Force Lieutenant General Rrahman Rama said the KSF transformation is an ongoing process that has began in cooperation with international partners. “We said many times that it was normal to be happy with this process, with the KSF laws. I was part of all transitions and I can safely say we are a product of NATO. In 2009 we transformed from the KPC (Kosovo Protection Corps) into KSF and were under NATO responsibility. We are, so to speak, NATO’s baby,” Rama said. Speaking about the statement of the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg that this was not the right time for Kosovo to form its army, Rama said: “We have been waiting for the right time for twenty years and I honestly asked for a concrete timeframe as to when this would happen. I received no reply.” He added that consensus in NATO is impossible. “If we speak about NATO member states there is for instance Spain which has not recognised us with KSF let alone after transformation,” Rama underlined.

Hahn: Delays on lifting import tax, unacceptable (Klan Kosova)

European Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn expressed concern at Kosovo’s failure to lift the import tax on products from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Speaking to reporters at the EU-Serbia Ministerial Accession Conference, Hahn said the 100-percent tax is against the principles of free trade. “This is why I believe we need to remove obstacles to free trade and seek a fast solution because this will be in the interest of all,” Hahn said adding that any delays in this regard are “unacceptable”.

Haradinaj says he cannot talk today about “possible measures against Serbia” (Koha)

Following the 100-percent tax on goods from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo’s Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj has implied that the Kosovo government could introduce additional measures against Serbia. Asked by KTV on these measures, Haradinaj said he cannot talk about them today. “I cannot discuss them today. The government will meet tomorrow and I will talk about this and other topics,” Haradinaj was quoted as saying.

Government considering applying full reciprocity measures to Serbia (RFE/Zeri)

The paper reports that the government of Kosovo is looking into the possibility of introducing new measures towards Serbia including full reciprocity. Although the future course of action has not yet been decided, government officials said reciprocity is one of the likely options. This would entail banning vehicles with Serbian license plates from entering Kosovo along the same principle that Serbia applies in relation to Kosovo license plates as well as not recognising documents issued by Serbian authorities on product quality. Haki Shatri, economy advisor to Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj, told Radio Free Europe that there is no decision yet but that the above measures have been discussed by the government.

Shala to Serbia: We set the tax, not UNMIK (RTK)

Kosovo’s Minister of Trade and Industry Endrit Shala, responded to the request of Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina for a CEFTA meeting to discuss the tax of 100 percent set by Kosovo for import of their products. Minister Shala reminded the representatives of these two countries that is not UNMIK but the government of Kosovo that has initiated the decision of the tariff measures. He stressed that the decision was made based on the Constitution of Kosovo which guarantees territorial integrity and sovereignty of Kosovo, which is untouchable, inviolable and defended by all means guaranteed with the Constitution in power. He further writes in his letter that the request made by these states is invalid and unacceptable for the government of Kosovo. He added that Kosovo government will not respond to any request as long as Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina do not address Kosovo by its constitutional name and based on article 42 of the CEFTA agreement.

Sarovic: We will ask for Kosovo’s suspension from CEFTA and SAA (media)

Mirko Sarovic, Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina said on Monday that Bosnia did not implement counter-measures following Kosovo government’s decision to introduce a 100-percent tax on Serbian and Bosnian goods. Sarovic said Bosnia could call for Kosovo to be suspended from the CEFTA agreement and the Stabilization/Association Agreement.

Sokol Dobruna invited by Specialist Chambers (Bota Sot/T7)

Former head of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) military tribunal, Sokol Dobruna, has confirmed to T7 that he has been invited by the Specialist Chambers to report to their offices on 12 December. Dobruna said he did not know at what capacity he was called but said that a “Slovene” official from the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office instructed him to do so. Dobruna said KLA has not committed any crimes but that he would be willing to cooperate with the Specialist Chambers.

Kosnett: Officials in Kosovo working for personal interests (Zeri)

At the opening of the “Anti-Corruption Week” yesterday in Pristina, the U.S. Ambassador Philip Kosnett urged the government of Kosovo to sanction corrupt officials. “There are officials in Kosovo that put the personal interest above the public good. The government needs to demonstrate it is ready to sanction corrupt officials,” Kosnett said.

German Ambassador to Serbia: Parties must resume talks (media)

The German Ambassador to Serbia, Thomas Schieb, said in an interview to Danas on Monday that without reconciliation between the people of the former Yugoslavia there is no future for the region. Commenting on relations between Kosovo and Serbia, Schieb said the current situation is quite tense and that it is very important for the parties to refrain and resume talks. “It seems that dialogue between Presidents Vucic and Thaci is in a stalemate, but I believe that a comprehensive agreement between Serbia and Kosovo is possible. In my opinion, it is very important for the parties to focus again on vital issues that are important to improve the lives of people in Kosovo and Serbia. They need to talk openly and try to find a solution. More important than the pace is for the final agreement to be sustainable and acceptable to all,” Schieb said.

“President’s involvement in dialogue should be seen as advantage” (Epoka)

Zenun Pajaziti, MP from the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) said his political party supports a platform which produces a joint team for the dialogue with Serbia. He said he welcomes the readiness of the Social-Democratic Party for dialogue, however he stressed that any tendency to impede the constitutional role of each person, be it that of the President, will fail. He said President’s involvement should be seen as an advantage and it should not be combated. He added that President Thaci is one of the main protagonists during all the processes Kosovo went through. “If someone calculates on exclusions or tendency to exclude someone through the process, then PDK is not pro this idea. PDK is for inclusion of everyone in the decision-making,” Pajaziti said.

“Serb criminals and mercenaries prepared to destabilize Kosovo north” (Insajderi)

The Pristina-based news website claims to have discovered that there is a criminal group consisting of Serbian criminals and mercenaries that have fought alongside Russian forces in the Crimea war, who are now prepared to destabilize the northern part of Kosovo. Insajderi claims that the group has close ties to senior political and security circles in Serbia and that some of them served as paramilitaries in the Kosovo conflict too. The news website has published the names and pictures of these persons.