UNMIK Headlines 18 February
Kosovo marks five years from independence (dailies)
All papers cover extensively celebrations across Kosovo on the fifth anniversary of its declaration of independence with the focus firmly being on the parade of the Kosovo Security Force troops and those of the Kosovo Police along the Mother Teresa square in Pristina. Koha Ditore notes that the display was more of a symbolic gesture to show Kosovo’s aspiration of getting its armed forces.
Celebrations were followed by a special session of the Kosovo Assembly but the main attraction, according to most of the papers, remained the NEWBORN monument which was painted with flags of countries that have so far recognized Kosovo as an independent country.
Hoxhaj looking for a Serb ambassador to Croatia (Koha Ditore)
Kosovo institutions are looking for a person to appoint as ambassador to Croatia and this person should be of Serb ethnicity, said Kosovo Foreign Minister, Enver Hoxhaj, in an interview for German public radio. Although Kosovo does not have an embassy in New York, but only a consulate, Kosovo Foreign Minister Hoxhaj said that the deputy ambassadors in New York and in Brussels are Serbs.
“In our Government one deputy prime minister and three ministers come from the Serb minority, they are part of all institutions, including foreign policy, even in the leadership. Deputy ambassadors in Brussels and New York are Serbs, and now I am looking to send a new ambassador from Serb minority to Croatia”, said Hoxhaj.
Serwer: UN membership, after convincing Serbia (Tribuna)
In an interview for the paper, the US Balkans analyst Daniel Serwer said Kosovo will most probably not gain membership in the UN until Serbia realizes that it is better to have clear borders and friendly relations than undefined borders and hostile relations. “I cannot predict when this will happen but that although I expect it will happen sooner rather than later”, he said.
Serwer expressed belief that the north will be integrated with the rest of Kosovo but will have to have the right to keep ties with Belgrade in accordance to Ahtisaari’s Package. “I expect the north to have all privileges offered with Ahtisaari’s Package which are a lot. Perhaps there will be a need for some special way for implementing agreements like the one for integrated border management,” Serwer added further.
Autonomy is not in the table of talks (Kosova Sot)
German Ambassador in Pristina, Peter Blomeyer, says in an interview for Kosova Sot that the leaders in the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue should be trusted to agree on a compromise. He says that it should be clear to the citizens in the north that Kosovo is inseparable, that borders are untouchable and that these citizens in the north belong to Kosovo.
On the other hand, according to him, Kosovo Government should also make it clear to the citizens in the north that this part will not be taken under control by force and that they can go on with their lives independently.