Thaçi briefs LDK and AAK, ignores Vetëvendosje (dailies)

Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi met leaders of both opposition parties, LDK and AAK, yesterday to brief them on his last meeting with Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic. He did not invite anyone from Vetëvendosje to the meeting.

During the government meeting, Thaçi informed LDK’s leader Isa Mustafa and AAK’s principal deputy leader Blerim Shala on the dialogue in Brussels and that “the other political opposition spectrum represented at the Parliament was invited but gave no positive response.” Vetëvendosje’s Erzen Vraniqi responded that “Vetëvendosje did not receive any invitation from Thaçi; he continues to deceive the public.”

Meanwhile, a press release issued by Thaçi’s office said that Thaçi informed Mustafa and Shala that the issue of missing persons was at the centre of the last meeting with Dacic. He also said he pressed for implementation of agreements reached so far but also the necessity of transparent funding for different sectors in Kosovo by the Serb state, particularly the parallel structures in the north.   

Kosovo, Serbia technical teams meet for IBM (Koha Ditore – front page)

Technical teams from Kosovo andSerbiatasked with making final preparations for the start of implementation of Integrated Border Management agreement met yesterday.

Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuçi said the meeting was also attended by representatives of the EU rule of law mission in Kosovo. He said there will be other meetings as well in the coming period “so that implementation begins early December on four border crossing points withSerbia,” he said.

Serbia moving towards recognition of Kosovo (Epoka e Re – front page)

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Enver Hoxhaj, said thatSerbiais moving towards recognition of Kosovo. According to him, Serbia, through concrete steps, has accepted the reality of an independent Kosovo.

He added that during the dialogue in Brussels, Serbia has several preconditions to fulfill, including removing parallel and illegal structures of security. “This is the first precondition, while the last one is recognition of Kosovo and establishment of the diplomatic relations,” said Hoxhaj. 

Serwer: North part of dialogue (Koha Ditore – front page)

The north is the main problem between Kosovo and Serbia and as such, dialogue is the only solution. American professor and expert of Balkan issues, Daniel Serwer, said that dialogue between Prime Ministers Hashim Thaçi and Ivica Dacic is the only solution for the north. Serwer added that the process with the Croats in the area known today as Herceg - Bosna, should serve as a model for what will happen in the north. 

Guarding of churches, beyond Ahtisaari  (Zëri – front page)

The last meeting between Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi and Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic, besides the Integrated Border Management considered a victory in Pristina, also brought victory to Belgrade. According to the opposition, Kosovo’s failure at this meeting is PM Thaçi’s acceptance to open Ahtisaari’s Package by enabling the Serbian party, respectively Belgrade, to have complete independence over Serbs of orthodox heritage. The Government of Kosovo said that during the second meeting in Brussels, there is a possibility to provide “a new status” to the Serb monuments. Thaçi informed the Quint Representatives on this while “additional measures for protection of heritage, churches and monasteries in Kosovo” were mentioned by Thaçi.  

Government passed organ transplant draft law passed (Koha Ditore – page 3)

Government of Kosovo approved a draft law yesterday on organ transplants, which regulates the extraction and transplantation of organs from a living or deceased person. The aim of the law is to prevent and sanction misuse of human organs and protect the dignity, privacy, and health of the donor and receiver.

Velijaj: €1.4 million for bribe (Koha Ditore – front page)

German citizen, Natali Velijaj, requested protection on Wednesday so that she could inform where she transferred €1.4 million. The German businesswoman requested to be given the status of a cooperating witness to reveal “the crime to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.” 

Jovic scandal (Epoka e Re – page 5)

Serb leader of northern Kosovo, Marko Jaksic, told Radio Free Europe that Slavoljub Jovic was arrested by the Serb Gendarmerie, a unit in the framework of Ministry of Internal Affairs of Serbia. “The birds know that the uniformed Serb Gendarmerie came in the vicinity of the hospital where they arrested Slavoljub Jovic. We believe that the arrest has been done with knowledge of authorities in Pristina, EULEX, and KFOR. We think that there was an agreement.” 

Ministry: Conference postponed due to EU’s office (Koha Ditore – page 4)

Ministry of Economic Development shifted the blame on the EU Office in Kosovo for failure to hold donors’ conference in November when the office was not technically ready for it. According to a statement issued by the Ministry: “MED is surprised at the statement of the EU Office official for informing that it was they who were not ready and technically prepared to hold the conference this year.” It claims that the conference was postponed due to the fact that the EU and World Bank did not receive sufficient guarantees from the Kosovo Government are fasle.