Headlines - 21.05.2018

• Haradinaj: Association in line with Kosovo Constitution (RTK)
• Government awaiting approval of dialogue platform (Zeri)
• “Serbian List imposes demands on final Kosovo-Serbia agreement” (Koha)
• Hoti: We will use any constitutional method to bring down government (Zeri/EO)
• Vetevendosje to seek early elections in upcoming roundtable (Zeri)
• Delawie disappointed with the Assembly of Kosovo (Epoka)
• Opposition MPs, analysts, blame Veseli for Assembly’s “degradation” (Zeri)
• Serbian media: Sarkozy’s former adviser lobbying for Kosovo at UN (RTK)
• Fabrici: Kosovo is the main conditions for Serbia’s membership at EU (RTK)
• Vulin: EU should not be thinking only about Kosovo (RTK)

Kosovo Media Highlights

Haradinaj: Association in line with Kosovo Constitution (RTK)

Prime Minister of Kosovo, Ramush Haradinaj, said in an interview to the public broadcaster RTK that the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities will be established in line with Kosovo legislation. “We have heard even EU officials saying that Association should be in accordance to Kosovo laws,” Haradinaj said. He added that Association/Community and recognition from Serbia are two separate issues. “The Association is Kosovo’s action in line with the Constitution of Kosovo and Kosovo legislation which is also what the agreement stipulates,” Haradinaj said. Meanwhile, “mutual recognition is a bilateral issue in this case,” he added.

Government awaiting approval of dialogue platform (Zeri)

The government of Kosovo is waiting for the Assembly of Kosovo to endorse the platform for dialogue with Serbia as a way of legitimizing the process but if the Assembly fails to do so, government officials say the government and political parties should sit down and together decide on the way forward. Avni Arifi, Kosovo’s chief negotiator, told the paper that the final stage of the dialogue for normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia needs to be inclusive. “The goal of the platform is to have as inclusive a character as possible but this is now up to political parties,” Arifi said. Opposition parties meanwhile have rejected the platform saying it is flawed and does not represent Kosovo’s interests.

“Serbian List imposes demands on final Kosovo-Serbia agreement” (Koha Ditore)

On the front page the paper lists Kosovo Serb officials who, despite holding posts in the government of Kosovo, continue to perform functions entrusted to them by the Serbian authorities which Kosovo has declared illegal. Such is the case with Kosovo’s Minister for Local Government and Administration, Ivan Todosijevic, who also holds the post of parallel mayor of Zvecan municipality. According to former minister from the Serb community and leader of the Democratic Progressive Party, Nenad Rasic, the Serbian List is intentionally keeping Serbian-government sponsored posts to use them as leverage in the final Kosovo-Serbia agreement. “The latest developments are part of the scenario whereby the Serbian List wants to make the political scene difficult by any means necessary. It is using the threat of leaving the [Kosovo] government to push for conditions as part of the final agreement for Kosovo,” Rasic said.

Hoti: We will use any constitutional method to bring down government (Zeri/EO)

Head of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) parliamentary group, Avdullah Hoti, said the party will pursue any constitutional method to bring down the current government led by Ramush Haradinaj. In an interview for Ekonomia Online news website, Hoti said they are currently seeing no readiness from other stakeholders to agree on a date for early elections and reiterated that the ruling coalition has lost parliamentary majority. “Kosovo is founded as a parliamentary democracy which implies the government always having the majority at the Assembly. Once it loses it, the prime minister should initiate a no-confidence motion,” Hoti remarked.

Vetevendosje to seek early elections in upcoming roundtable (Zeri)

Vetevendosje Movement has issued a statement ahead of the next roundtable between representatives of political parties saying that the topic of discussion will involve the prospect of early elections as “a democratic solution that would enable the creation of a legitimate majority government to push forward necessary political and economic processes”.

Delawie disappointed with the Assembly of Kosovo  (Epoka)

The U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo, Greg Delawie, has welcomed election of two Constitutional Court judges from the non-majority communities, Radomir Laban and Bajram Ljatifi, on 18 of May. He however expressed disappointment that none of the candidates from Albanian community, despite the repletion of the voting, did not manage to gain the required votes to be nominated as judge of the Constitutional Court. “Welcome two new Constitutional Court judges. Disappointed Assembly failed to finish its work. Safeguard Kosovo’s justice system and restart process as soon as possible,” Delawie wrote on his Twitter account.

Opposition MPs, analysts, blame Veseli for Assembly’s “degradation” (Zeri)

MPs from opposition parties and analysts are blaming Assembly Speaker, Kadri Veseli, for, as they say, degradation of this institution. They claim that ever since Veseli came to this post two years ago, the Assembly has been characterized by irregular or lengthy sessions, verbal and almost physical clashes between MPs, such as the latest incident between the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) MP Arben Gashi and Assembly’s Deputy Speaker, Xhavit Haliti, from the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK). LDK MP Haxhi Avdyli said there have been instances when the Assembly has gone out of control and the speaker is often absent from the sessions, leaving his deputy Haliti in charge who, according to Avdyli, “chairs the sessions angrily and irresponsibly”.

Serbian media: Sarkozy’s former adviser lobbying for Kosovo at UN (RTK)

Media in Serbia continue to write about Kosovo’s aim to become a UN member. Serbian daily Vecernje Novosti, reported on Sunday that former adviser of the former French president, Jean-David Levitte, is lobbying for Kosovo to become a member of the United Nations. This daily also writes about Levitte’s meetings with Kosovo’s senior officials in the past and stresses that he had requested recognition of Kosovo by the five EU countries who have not recognized it yet.

Fabrici: Kosovo is the main conditions for Serbia’s membership at EU (RTK)

Head of the EU delegation in Serbia, Sam Fabrici, said that Kosovo is the key element for Serbia’s membership at the EU. “Normalization of the relations with Pristina and prosperity in the field of democratization and rule of law, are the two main factors for Serbia’s membership at EU. Of course, Kosovo is the key element,” Fabrici said.

Vulin: EU should not be thinking only about Kosovo (RTK)

Serbia’s Minister of Defense, Aleksandar Vulin, said that if EU considers that only relations with Kosovo are important, and if it sets conditions that it is aware that cannot be met, and seeks justification for Serbia not to become its part, then Serbia should consider change of priorities in foreign policy. I do not know on whose behalf does Gabrici speak, on behalf of EU countries that have recognized Kosovo or those who have not. If despite our economy, democracy, management of migration crisis, our policy of peace and stability, which are cause of the prosperity in the region, for the EU is important treating of Kosovo problem, in which EU is actively involved, then it is time to consider change of priorities of our foreign policy,” Vulin said.