• Abbott: We have no red lines on dialogue, but we are against border changes (media)
• EU aims to prevent irregularities in the October 6 elections (Koha)
• U.S. Ambassador sends message to candidates for upcoming elections (media)
• Serbia appoints specialised team to investigate Ivanovic case (Zeri)
• President Thaci attends launch of “Women in Energy” program (media)

Abbott: We have no red lines on dialogue, but we are against border changes (media)

Nicholas Abbott, the new British Ambassador to Kosovo, said in an interview to Kossev on Friday that the United Kingdom is against border changes between Kosovo and Serbia. “We need to be careful. It is not up to the international community to determine the future of Kosovo and Serbia. They need to do this by themselves,” Abbott said. “We have a principle position on the border correction idea. We don’t think this would be the right way forward, but clearly, we need to see negotiations developing within certain parameters”.

EU aims to prevent irregularities in the October 6 elections (Koha)

The paper reports that the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) has begun its mission in Kosovo on Friday and will try to prevent irregularities before and during the October 6 parliamentary elections. Viola von Cramon-Taubadel, a member of the European Parliament from Germany, has been appointed as Chief Observer of the mission. Over the last couple of days, she met with Central Election Commission head Valdete Daka, members of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and leaders and candidates of political parties. During a press conference on Friday, the Chief Observer said the EU pays special importance to the upcoming elections. “As a mission we are not interested in the outcome of elections; we have no interest in seeing a certain candidate or party winning. We honestly hope that our presence will have a positive effect in preventing potential bad practices in the process. We are independent in our conclusions … Until election day, the mission will observe the setting of the campaign, issues related to the funding of campaigns, preparations for elections, the legal framework and the role of civil society in the process,” she said.

U.S. Ambassador sends message to candidates for upcoming elections (media)

The United States Ambassador in Kosovo, Philip S. Kosnett, took to Twitter on Friday to send a message to candidates in the upcoming October 6 parliamentary elections, several news websites report. “Free and fair elections start with you. Fairness derives from candidates following the rules of election rules, and the law,” Kosnett tweeted.

Serbia appoints specialised team to investigate Ivanovic case (Zeri)

The paper reports that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Friday that a specialised team of the Serbian Intelligence Service (BIA) has been assigned to resolve the assassination of Kosovo Serb politician Oliver Ivanovic. The team is reportedly already operating in Kosovo.

President Thaci attends launch of “Women in Energy” program (media)

Several news websites report that Kosovo President Hashim Thaci attended on Friday the launch of the “Women in Energy” program and proclamation of the 2019 / 2020 academic year as the Kosovo Year at the Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC).

Thaci, during the speech at the ceremony held at the DMACC campus in Des Moines, Iowa, expressed his pleasure with the “Women in Energy” program and with the inclusion of 28 girls from Kosovo as students which will specialise in the field of energy. “This program is special in many aspects,” Thaci said, adding that “it initially offers professional training in a sector of great importance to Kosovo, the energy sector. Second, it supports greater inclusion of women in the energy sector thus contributing to the overall empowerment of the women in Kosovar society. Thirdly, it marks the expansion of cooperation between Iowa and Kosovo in an important sector, the energy sector”. Addressing the 28 Kosovar students, Thaci said he wishes them a successful completion of the studies and that they take upon themselves their roles in the society. “I wish that you successfully complete your studies and take on your roles in the industry and within Kosovar society. You will become an inspiration for many other women and girls in Kosovo,” he added.