Headlines - 17.01.2013 Today’s meeting to legalize Serb structures (Koha Ditore) Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi accepted to legalize and transform Serbian structures yesterday for the first time. Thaçi told his cabinet that, when he meets with Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic today, he will insist on only dismissing Serb security structures from the north. “We are aiming within a short period of time to remove all Serbian security structures from northern,” said Prime Minister Thaçi. “Afterwards, existing structures in northern Kosovo related to education, health, and social affairs will be transformed in accordance with President Ahtisaari’s proposal and the Kosovo Constitution, its the applicable laws,” he said. In his cabinet briefing on the upcoming meeting, he discussed international support. “We will present our affirmative offer, our European offer, our integrating offer, an offer which will respect the will of the citizens in the north to elect their representatives to build their future based on advanced criteria for communities,” Thaçi told ministers. “This reached a consensus within the Kosovar political spectrum and has strong support from the EU and the USA,” he concluded.  Quint supports Thaçi (Zëri) Before travelling to Brussels to meet PM Dacic, Thaçi met with Quint representatives behind closed doors in Pristina to discuss the upcoming meeting in Brussels. In a press release, PM Thaçi said that Constitution of Kosovo and the Assembly Resolution for normalizing relations with Serbia will be entirely respected by the Kosovo Government. Quint representatives reportedly support Thaçi’s efforts to implement rule of law throughout the territory of Kosovo. Why don’t you speak about the Valley? (Express) Vetëvendosje member Liburn Aliu said in a press conference that Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi is ignoring the rights of Albanians in Preshevë, Bujanoc and Medvegjë because he is only negotiating on the north during his meeting in Brussels today. Aliu added that Pristina kept Albanians there silent for years for the sake of the north, letting them hope that once the issue is opened, then this would also be their moment. According to Vetëvendosje, readiness to go into negotiations on the north without conditions and especially without conditioning them with reciprocity is concedes to Serbia in the north and violating the rights of Albanians of the Valley.  Kosovo, priority of EU’s Presidency (Express) Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny said his country’s priority during its EU presidency will be EU enlargement, including countries in the Western Balkans. “We expect to congratulate the Croatian population on their full membership on 1 July this year,” stated Kenny. “During Ireland’s presidency, major decisions can be also made for the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, Albania, and Kosovo,” he said.   Freedom House: Kosovo, partly free (dailies) NGO and think tank Freedom House released a report ranking Kosovo as partly free, which was also the case last year. The assessment is on two main pillars, grade 5 for political rights and grade 4 for civilian freedoms, which according to Freedom House determine the freedom of a country. The evaluation from 1 to 2.5 applies to countries considered free, 3 to 5 for the partly free countries, and 5.5 to 7 not free.  Agim Çeku joins PDK (dailies) Minister of the Kosovo Security Force Agim Çeku resigned as head of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and joined the ranks of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK). Çeku continues to keep the minister’s post and the PSD does not consider this problematic. However, the New Kosovo Coalition (KKR), which his now former party belonged to, objects to him remaining minister. “This ministry belonged to KKR according to the coalition agreement reached between Pacolli and Thaçi. To this end, Çeku cannot continue to lead this ministry and be part of PDK,” said head of the KKR parliamentary group Myzejene Selmani. KIPRED calls for EULEX’s departure (Zëri) Pristina-based KIPRED research institute argues that EULEX should leave by the end of 2014 as they are prioritizing dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia over battling organized crime and establishing rule of law. KIPRED researcher Shpend Kursani presented a paper on Wednesday entitled, “A comprehensive analysis of EULEX, what next”, which argued that the EU is prioritizing the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue over fighting organized crime. Kursani said EULEX was constantly criticized for its inability to carry out its objectives and called for the gradual and planned withdrawal of the mission. The paper provides a plan on how EULEX could conclude its activities by the end of 2014.  Kosovo could soon get international prefix (Express) According to the head of Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, Ekrem Hoxha, Kosovo could soon get its own international code, which could be +383 or +384. This would be sponsored by the EU and pending Kosovo’s UN membership. Hoxha added that the possibility of Kosovo using Albania’s code is not ideal. “Albania’s code is a scenario but, economically, technically, and legally as two states in our projected future it is not an ideal solution,” said Hoxha. The contract with Austrians can be terminated today (Koha Ditore) Representatives of the Austrian company OeSD and Ministry of Internal Affairs have given each other a deadline until 11:00 a.m. Thursday to reach an agreement whether they will continue with the printing contract for Kosovo passports or if the contract will undergo changes favouring the producer. Kosovar authorities insist that the original contract should be respected while the Austrians refuse to pay for customs obligations.  Krasniqi: Wait for Limaj, otherwise we leave! (Zëri) Jakup Krasniqi, general secretary of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), sent a letter to Thaçi asking him to postpone the party’s general convention until PDK’s principal deputy leader Fatmir Limaj is released from court proceedings. Krasniqi confirmed on Wednesday the request he sent to Thaçi. Reliable sources told the paper that Krasniqi said Limaj is only interested in being free, participating in party elections, and obtaining the post he deserves. Krasniqi threatened that both he and Limaj could part ways with PDK if the PM does not consider this request. Political analyst Shkelzen Gashi said Thaçi organized party elections to relieve him of any damages from Krasniqi and Limaj. “I am quite sure that Thaçi will not postpone the party’s general convention. […] I don’t believe justice is the main reason why [Limaj] is in prison,” Gashi added.