Headlines - 19.06.2014 One barricade replaces another in Mitrovica (dailies) Koha Ditore reports on the front page that the barricade on the main bridge over the Iber/Ibar River was removed only temporarily. Serbs replaced it with another barricade which they called the Peace Park. Throughout this action, Kosovo Police elite units only served as spectators. Municipal and central authorities all rushed to claim credit for the removal of the barricade, but when another one was built, all remained silent. Zeri reports that only three hours after Mitrovica Mayor Agim Bahtiri claimed the “medal” for the removal of the barricade, northern Serbs reacted by placing concrete pots and planting firs and flowers at the site of the barricade. Mitrovica North Mayor Goran Rakic called on Bahtiri to do the same on the southern part of the bridge. Tribuna quotes Rakic as saying that the building of the Peace Park was done in coordination with Belgrade and said the bridge would be open only for pedestrians and not vehicles. Botapress quotes Bahtiri as saying that he spoke on the phone with Rakic, and agreed that the two should convey messages of peace and stability to the citizens. “We agreed to meet on Thursday and talk about reducing tensions. We also agreed to turn to the economic development of the city on both sides of the river”, said Bahtiri. He said he is hopeful that the Mitrovica bridge will again be open to all traffic. Tahiri: Bridge should be opened for car traffic too (Epoka e Re) Deputy Prime Minister Edita Tahiri opposed the planting of trees on the River Iber/Ibar bridge by members of the Serb community from the north saying that the bridge should be open not only for pedestrians but also cars. She said Kosovo infrastructure laws should be enforced throughout the territory. “I can say there has been a major change of in mindset of the Serbs in the north to think of a park instead of a barricade. We should view this as a positive thing. However, there are laws of the Republic of Kosovo, specifically infrastructure laws”, said Tahiri for the paper. Thaci and Pacolli together again (Zeri) Outgoing Prime Minister Hashim Thaci met on Wednesday with Behxhet Pacolli, leader of the New Kosovo Alliance (AKR), in a restaurant in Pristina. Pacolli was accompanied by his deputy, Mimoza Kusari-Lila. Thaci told reporters after the meeting that “this was a meeting between friends”, while Pacolli called it an ordinary meeting but left open the possibility of a coalition with Thaci’s Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) if the AKR manages to pass the election threshold. “We are optimistic that, after the recount of conditional votes and the votes of people with disabilities, we will cross the election threshold. I have said before that every option is open, but for the time being I cannot speculate,” Pacolli said. He also ruled out a coalition with the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) led by Isa Mustafa, saying that “we have gone our separate ways”. Hoxhaj taking part in OIC session (Botapress) Kosovo’s Foreign Minister, Enver Hoxhaj, is attending the 41st session of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) taking place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. In the two-day session, Hoxhaj is expected to address the participants and call for recognition of Kosovo’s independence. He already met several foreign ministers from countries that have not recognised Kosovo and urged them to do so. “I can confirm that the recognition process is unstoppable and there will only be good news regarding recognition of the Republic of Kosovo”, Hoxhaj said. Excavations at two more Raska sites, 400 bodies believed to be buried (Koha) The paper reports on page two that there are another two sites near the first location in Rudnica, Raska, which will be excavated soon. According to Kosovo authorities, the bodies of around 400 Albanians are believed to be buried in the three locations; meanwhile Serbian authorities have said that there are 300 bodies. Prenk Gjetaj, chairman of the Kosovo government’s missing persons committee, said excavations at the other two sites would commence only after work is concluded at the first site.