• COMKFOR: Inciting statements by politicians can lead to incidents (media)
• Osmani: Thaci can put us before a fait accompli with Serbia (Koha)
• “Early elections won’t suit PDK or AAK” (RTK)
• Serbs interested to join Kosovo Army (Lajmi)
• There are no “camouflaged” goods from Serbia in Kosovo markets (media)

COMKFOR: Inciting statements by politicians can lead to incidents (media)

Most news websites cover an interview that COMKFOR Lorenzo D’Addario gave to Politika highlighting his quote that inciting statements by politicians can lead to incidents in Kosovo. “Rhetoric can create a tense atmosphere, and even the smallest incident can turn into a major incident. I call on all sides to avoid harsh rhetoric,” he said. “We understand political statements, and we talk to all sides – to Serb and Albanian representatives. We talk to all structures in Kosovo, from the central and the local level. We have good cooperation with all. We are unbiased because our mandate is to provide security for all”.

Osmani: Thaci can put us before a fait accompli with Serbia (Koha)

Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) MP, Vjosa Osmani, told the paper in an interview, that President Hashim Thaci “lied” when he said that he was inspired by late President Ibrahim Rugova for his border adjustment idea. “This is not the first time that President Thaci mentions this, but this is a pure lie and it can be easily confirmed. The LDK has published a series of documents proving the exact opposite. I have published the oath of President Ibrahim Rugova in 2004, when he swore, he was going to protect Kosovo’s territorial integrity. Rugova said this even in the early 90s, he made it clear that this was an old Serbian idea and that it had Russian support, but that Kosovo continuously rejected it,” she added. Osmani said Kosovo and Serbia Presidents, Thaci and Vucic, are insisting on an agreement to be reached this year, “following secret negotiations for over a year and a half, but this is not supported by the political landscape in Kosovo, the people or the government”. According to Osmani, “now is the right time for the Republic of Kosovo to rush into a bad agreement, it is better not to have any agreement than a damaging agreement that will undermine everything we have achieved so far”. Osmani also warned that President Thaci “can put us before a fait accompli and bring an agreement to the Assembly as he usually does and then put the blame on the MPs”.

“Early elections won’t suit PDK or AAK” (RTK)

Clashes between partners of the ruling coalition in Kosovo have led to ideas for early parliamentary elections or a government reshuffle, the news website reports. Political commentators however argue that there can be early elections “only if the U.S. wants this and if Prime Minister Haradinaj is seen as an obstacle to the U.S. plans to move forward with the Kosovo – Serbia dialogue”. Even the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) which has continuously called for early elections, is now insisting on a broad-based government which would conclude the process of dialogue and make way to new elections.

Serbs interested to join Kosovo Army (Lajmi)

Over 5,000 persons have applied in the vacancy announcement by the Kosovo Ministry of Defense for 650 troops, the news website reports. But are members of the Kosovo Serb community interested to become part of the Kosovo Army? Serbia’s political pressure on Kosovo Serbs who want to integrate in state institutions is proving futile. Kosovo’s Deputy Minister of Defense, Agim Ceku, told the news website that members of all communities in Kosovo, including Serbs, have applied to join the force. The news website recalls that last year 50 out of 137 Serb members of the KSF resigned following pressure from Belgrade.

There are no “camouflaged” goods from Serbia in Kosovo markets (media)

Kosovo Government officials have denied claims made by Serbian Minister of Trade, Rasim Lajic, who said that Serbian goods can be found everywhere in Kosovo and that they are reaching Kosovo’s markers via alternate routes, mainly from Croatia and North Macedonia. It has been three months since the government in Pristina introduced a 100-percent import tariff on Serbian and Bosnian goods. Since then, import from these countries has dropped significantly. Kosovo’s Minister for Trade and Industry, Endrit Shala, told Radio Free Europe that there are no smuggled Serbian goods in Kosovo’s markets.