Headlines - 20.11.2017

• Media coverage on mayoral run-off elections
• CEC: Voter turnout, 38.1 percent (media)
• Haradinaj pledges to cooperate with all new mayors (media)
• Delawie: Elections, sign of Kosovo’s democratic maturity (media)
• EU EOM chief positively assesses election process (Kosovapress)
• Haradinaj to EU: Some countries are being privileged, delays on Kosovo (Epoka)
• S. Congressman Engel meets Assembly President Veseli (Epoka)
• United Kingdom sends note of protest to Suriname (Zeri)
• Government to hold ceremonial meeting in honor of Eliot Engel (media)

Media coverage on mayoral run-off elections

Koha Ditore reports on its front page that the mayoral runoff elections have produced drama in several municipalities, where the winners will be determined only after the count of conditional ballots. “Pristina and Prizren are among the municipalities where the winners will be known after the count of a handful of votes by the end of this week. However, the Sunday mayoral runoff elections showed a major decrease in power for the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), whereas the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), Vetevendosje (VV) and the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) have increased their power in the municipalities. After the preliminary results, the Serbian List has won 10 Serb-majority municipalities, the LDK has eight municipalities, AAK has seven municipalities and PDK has only five municipalities,” the paper reports. Under the leading front-page headline PDK is knocked out in the runoff elections, Zeri reports that PDK is the biggest loser of the runoff elections as it has lost Prizren one of its strongholds. The paper notes that Vetevendosje has managed to win in Pristina and Prizren and that the Haradinaj-led AAK is the biggest winner of the runoff elections. Kosova Sot too reports on the front page that the winners in Pristina and Prizren will be known after the count of conditional ballots. The paper quotes LDK representatives as saying that the conditional ballots will give them the victory in Pristina. Epoka e Re reports on the front page that the Haradinaj-led AAK is the biggest winner of the runoff elections as it has managed to win five municipalities. Bota Sot reports that LDK and Vetevendosje celebrate, while PDK has suffered its biggest defeat so far.

CEC: Voter turnout, 38.1 percent (media)

Kosovo’s Central Election Commission (CEC) said on Sunday that the overall turnout of voters in Sunday’s mayoral runoff elections was 38.1 percent, all media report. Media also quote CEC chair Valdete Daka as saying that the turnout was lower than in the first round of elections held on October 22.

Haradinaj pledges to cooperate with all new mayors (media)

Kosovo’s Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj said on Sunday that the mayoral runoff elections met the democratic standards. “I would like to congratulate everyone, first of all Kosovo citizens, political parties, the Central Election Commission (CEC), and all other authorities that helped organize these elections. The election process proved that Kosovo is a promising democracy and that it meets the standards that make us part of European family.” Haradinaj told a press conference on Sunday. “I congratulate all newly elected mayors from all political parties. As Prime Minister of Kosovo, I am convinced that we will have good cooperation with all of them.”

Delawie: Elections, sign of Kosovo’s democratic maturity (media)

The U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo, Greg Delawie, hailed the flow of local elections runoff held on Sunday throughout municipalities in Kosovo. “Routine elections with minor irregularities are a great sign of Kosovo’s democratic growth. We look forward to working with elected officials to make progress in Kosovo,” Delawie wrote on his Twitter account.

EU EOM chief positively assesses election process (Kosovapress)

The news website reports that Alojz Peterle, Chief Observer of the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM), positively assessed the mayoral runoff elections. Peterle told Kosovapress on Sunday: “we have more than 70 observers in all municipalities. So far they have not reported any particular irregularity. The procedures are smooth and the election atmosphere is positive.”

Haradinaj to EU: Some countries are being privileged, delays on Kosovo (Epoka)

Kosovo Prime Minister, Ramush Haradinaj, valued highly the second meeting of the Stabilization Association Council, between the EU and Kosovo held in Brussels. The meeting, led by Haradinaj and EU High Representative for Foreign Policy and Security Frederica Mogherini, they discussed Kosovo’s perspective and path to the European Union as well as Kosovo’s fulfillment of the criteria deriving from Stabilisation Association Agreement. Haradinaj informed at a press conference that they presented achievements of Kosovo. “It is important to stress that in all these meetings we used the opportunity to report on the works done on 22 priorities of the European Reforms Agenda, as well as identified priorities for 2018 and our positions with regards to important issues, such as regional developments and dialogue,” Haradinaj said. He informed the matter of visa liberalization dominated each of his meetings. “I used the opportunity to express our positions with regards to the creation of a real mismatch in our region, where some countries are being treated in a more privileged manner while there is delay, especially with Kosovo,” Haradinaj said.

U.S. Congressman Engel meets Assembly President Veseli (Epoka)

U.S. Congressman Eliot Engel, met on Sunday with Kosovo’s Assembly President, Kadri Veseli. Engel expressed satisfaction with the achievements of Kosovo in many fields, and confirmed that he will continue to be its friend and supporter. During the meeting, he expressed interest for a range of developments in Kosovo, while Veseli spoke about commitment of Kosovo institutions to move forward the agendas that lead to development of Kosovo and that are in interest of Kosovo people.

United Kingdom sends note of protest to Suriname (Zeri)

The United Kingdom has sent a note of protest to Suriname, as this country withdrew the decision to recognize the independence of Kosovo, the paper reports. The news came from the Serbian Foreign Minister, Ivica Dacic, during a press conference where he was speaking about the reasons why extraordinary parliamentary elections should not be held in Serbia. ‘In light of events in Catalonia, there is increasingly more reflection in the world about the fallout of recognizing the independence of Kosovo. At one point, Taiwan was recognized by 70 countries, and look at their number today. Even Yugoslavia recognized West Sahara and then revoked the recognition,” Dacic said.

Government to hold ceremonial meeting in honor of Eliot Engel (media)

Most media report that the government of Kosovo will hold today a ceremonial meeting in honor of the U.S. Congressman Eliot Engel. The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Ramush Haradinaj and Engel, are expected today to pay homage to the memorial plaque of the Jewish victims in Kosovo.