Headlines - 21.12.2018

• Haradinaj to Mogherini: EU was not neutral during your leadership (Zeri)
• Veseli calls first meeting between political leaders and negotiating team (Epoka)
• U.S. Adm Foggo supports Kosovo army (Bota Sot)
• Limaj meets Apostolova, discusses dialogue (Bota Sot)
• Serbian, Albanian PMs exchange letters on Kosovo (Koha)
• Tim Judah: No indications for an agreement (Beta/RTK)
• Kosovo man reported killed in Syria (Express/Zeri)

Haradinaj to Mogherini: EU was not neutral during your leadership (Zeri)

In another letter to the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, Prime Minister of Kosovo Ramush Haradinaj said the EU was not neutral in relations between Kosovo and Serbia during her time in office. “We want to have very close relations with European Union. However, under your administration European Union stopped being neutral in its agreements with Kosovo and Serbia. Serbia’s behaviour towards Kosovo, including its continuous refusal to implement Brussels technical agreements have not only been ignored but Serbia even gained financial aid and opened new chapters,” Haradinaj is quoted to have said in the letter. He also said Mogherini’s ‘ambivalence’ on the border change option combined with her ‘insensitivity’ towards damage Serbia was causing to the Kosovo society diminished progress and led to the loss of momentum in the process of dialogue. Haradinaj further said that categorizing the decision on import tariffs to Serbia as “trade provocation” is “deeply offensive”. “My Government will continue to act on its primary constitutional duty to protect the interests of our citizens. Our position in relation to recently imposed tariffs remains as set out in my letter of 15th December,” Haradinaj concluded.

Veseli calls first meeting between political leaders and negotiating team (Epoka)

The President of the Assembly of Kosovo Kadri Veseli, called for next week the first meeting between the key institutional leaders, the negotiating team, Vetevendosje Movement and the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK). He said the Assembly should be a place of unity among political parties, and for discussions on issues related to dialogue with Serbia.

U.S. Adm Foggo supports Kosovo army (Bota Sot)

U.S. Admiral and Commander of the Allied Joint Force Command Naples, James Foggo, in a meeting with the U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo Phillip Kosnett confirmed support for the transition of the Kosovo Security Force (KSF). “This morning Ambassador Kosnett met Admiral Foggo, Commander, Allied Joint Force Command Naples – JFNCP. The Admiral reaffirmed U.S. commitment to the Kosovo Force – KFOR mission,” the U.S. Embassy said in a Facebook post.

Limaj meets Apostolova, discusses dialogue (Bota Sot)

Co-chair of the Kosovo negotiating team for dialogue with Serbia, Fatmir Limaj, met yesterday Head of the EU Office in Kosovo Nataliya Apostolova and informed her about the decisions the team has taken in order to become fully operational. Limaj also briefed Apostolova on the recent meetings the members of the team had with Prime Minister of Kosovo Ramush Haradinaj and Assembly Speaker Kadri Veseli.

Serbian, Albanian PMs exchange letters on Kosovo (Koha)

The paper reports on page three that Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic sent a letter to her Albanian counterpart, Edi Rama, expressing concern that “things in the region are going terribly wrong because of Kosovo” and called on Rama to reconsider his support for Kosovo’s independence. In his response, Rama said he was surprised by Brnabic’s request and reminded her of the suffering that Serbia caused in Kosovo in the last century and Serbia’s obstacles to Kosovo’s efforts to join international organizations. Rama also wrote in his letter that Kosovo’s independence is an irreversible reality. “Albania’s position is that Kosovo is an independent and sovereign country that makes its own decisions, which must be respected by Serbia and the others, as a reflection of the sovereign will of the people of Kosovo through its democratically-elected leaders. In fact, Kosovo is there to stay as an irreversible reality that has brought stability in our corner of the world,” Rama wrote.

Tim Judah: No indications for an agreement (Beta/RTK)

Tim Judah, British journalist and analyst, said on Thursday that he does not see reach of an agreement between Belgrade and Pristina, despite the U.S. claims that the agreement is within reach. “I do not think that much will happen and situation will be more or less the same for one more year,” Judah said. Asked about recent letters of the U.S. President Donald Trump, sent to the Presidents of Kosovo and Serbia, Judah said “Do you remember the article in Mond that Trump cannot distinguish Balkans from Baltic? He does not even know where you are. There are no voices from Balkans, there are not many voices from Diaspora,” Judah said. He added that some people from Trump’s administration were informed with the situation in the region, but that the U.S, in general does not have impact in the region. “Thaci does not have power over Parliament, while the U.S, have nothing to offer to Vucic,” Judah reportedly said.

Kosovo man reported killed in Syria (Express/Zeri)

Express quoted sources saying that a Kosovo man was reported to have been killed in Syria. The family of the man from the municipality of Vushtrri/Vucitrn has been notified of his death. Zeri writes that the number of people from Kosovo that have so far died in fightings in Syria and Iraq reaches 80 while 200 are considered to still be in foreign conflict areas.