Headlines - 20.08. 2016

Thaci: Loss of eight thousand hectares is a pure lie (Koha Ditore)

The President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, told VOA that claims for loss of eight thousand hectares, as an argument of the experts who object government’s option of the border demarcation with Montenegro, is a pure lie. “It is simply a pure lie, an inexistent, fake and unsustainable cause for the daily politics to gain points,” he said. “The territory of Peja has not changed. The territory of Kosovo has not changed. It is a gossip and no one in the world, either in politics or a citizen, can confirm based on a document that Kosovo is loosing a single meter or inch of the territory,” Thaci said.

Mustafa: LDK MPs who do not vote demarcation, do not represent interests of the party (dailies)

The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa, told the public broadcaster RTK, that he is convinced that Kosovo Assembly will implement the agreement on demarcation of the border with Montenegro. He also expressed conviction that MPs of the coalition government would vote for the current version of the agreement, adding that the General Council of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), and the leadership of this party decided to fully support the agreement. However, Mustafa added that if any of the MPs from the party that he leads vote against, they do not represent the interests of the party, and LDK bodies will deal with them later.

Thaci speaks about Pronto 2 (Koha Ditore)

The President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, spoke about the “Pronto 2” scandal that reveals some of the tapped conversations of the leaders of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK). “I think that I spoke earlier about this issue, however I think that it is an interest of the society, institutions, justice, of everyone, to have transparency in this entire process. I it good that justice authorities are dealing with this process, therefore, any political comment only harms the it. It is a moral and political responsibility, but also a judicial one if there are elements,” Thaci said.

Ymeri: AAK and NISMA not interested to meet Vetevendosje (Epoka e Re)

The leader of the Vetevendosje movement, Visar Ymeri, said that on 1 September, the citizens would finally stop the current version of the demarcation of the border with Montenegro. He is convinced that demarcation will not pass. He also called on the two opposition parties to cooperate, however he added that they did not show interest to meet or discuss demarcation objection. “I am using this occasion to make the same call again, because fighting demarcation and Association today is more important than calculations who is going to be in the government tomorrow,” Ymeri said.

Gazeta Express reports that the Alliance for the future of Kosovo (AAK), has decided to annul the agreement on demarcation by using their vote at the Assembly, while the Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA) has not decided on the ways of objecting the agreement yet.

Haliti: We do not have the votes for demarcation (Zeri)

Deputy leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Xhavit Haliti, told the paper that based on the current positions of the MPs, the coalition government does not have sufficient votes for ratification of the agreement on demarcation of the border with Montenegro. “If the coalition voted unanimously, then it would pass, however, based on the statements of the MPs, I do not see the coalition having sufficient votes yet. Nevertheless, to me the sufficient number would have been if the coalition government and opposition parties voted this law and if they were sincere to each other and tell the truth about demarcation,” Haliti said.