Headlines - 23.06.2018

• Haradinaj: Serbian officials want partition through demarcation (Klan K.)
• Liberia reconfirms recognition of Kosovo (media)
• ACSMM draft statute report submitted to government of Kosovo (Koha/RFE)
• Kuci says delays in forming ACSMM could carry consequences (KP/Koha)
• Kosovo women form Coalition for Equality (RTK)
• Members of LGBT community not allowed to donate blood (Telegrafi)

Kosovo Media Highlights

Haradinaj: Serbian officials want partition through demarcation (Klan Kosova)

Prime Minister of Kosovo, Ramush Haradinaj, said yesterday after the meeting of the government that what the Serbian officials mean by demarcation of the border with Kosovo is actually partitioning of Kosovo. Speaking about opposition’s involvement in the dialogue with Serbia, Haradinaj said if the government’s dialogue platform would be endorsed by all parties, this would give the Assembly a bigger role in the process.

Liberia reconfirms recognition of Kosovo (media)

Kosovo’s Foreign Ministry has issued a statement to the press saying that the Government of Liberia has officially refuted reports that it has revoked recognition of Kosovo. Liberia’s Foreign Ministry said that Liberia was one of the first countries to recognise Kosovo’s sovereignty in 2008 and the two countries continue to enjoy mutual confidence and friendship.

ACSMM draft statute report submitted to government of Kosovo (Koha/RFE)

The Ministry of Local Government Administration has submitted to the government of Kosovo the report on the work of the managing team tasked with preparing draft statute for the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities. In a written response, the Ministry of Local Government Administration said the managing team had regular meetings with ministry officials and briefed them on their work. The ministry has then forwarded the work report to the Office of the Prime Minister of Kosovo. Government’s coordinator for dialogue with Serbia, Avni Arifi, confirmed to Radio Free Europe that they have received the report and will come out with a position on it once it is reviewed. He said however that the draft statute will be in line with the Constitution of Kosovo.

Kuci says delays in forming ACSMM could carry consequences (KP/Koha)

Hajredin Kuci from the Democratic Party of Kosovo said in an interview with Kosovapress that the sooner the issue of the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities is resolved, the less consequences for Kosovo. He said the Association/Community is not a third-level government and noted that the Constitution of Kosovo recognizes only two such levels and that any change would have to be in line with this. “We need to convince the international partners on which is the best and acceptable draft but it can under no circumstances be a third-level government,” Kuci said.

Kosovo women form Coalition for Equality (RTK)

Women in politics and the NGO sector came together and as part of the initiative for empowerment of participation of women in politics and decision-making formed Coalition for Equality, supported by the Office of EU Special Representative in Kosovo. The participants pledged to work towards empowering and improving the position of women in politics and achieving gender equality in Kosovo.

Members of LGBT community not allowed to donate blood (Telegrafi)

Members of the LGBT community in Kosovo have not been allowed to donate blood as part of the Blood Donation Week. A questionnaire the potential donors have to fill out beforehand states that donations will not be possible for persons who have had sexual relations with a person of the same gender. Representatives of the LGBT community have reacted to the move saying it is discriminatory while organizers of the campaign say the questionnaire was prepare in line with EU regulations and rests on concerns that persons of the LGBT community are at a higher risk of carrying HIV virus.