Headlines - 23.09.2017

• Thaci: No one can block Kosovo’s right to an army (RTV21)
• Pacolli to Vucic: Better get used to Kosovo at the UN (Telegrafi)
• Serbian President Vucic and UN SG Guterres discuss Kosovo (Koha)
• “Haradinaj could soon visit Montenegro” (Zeri/Klan Kosova)
• Pacolli: Sudan considering recognition of Kosovo (dailies)

 Kosovo Media Highlights

Thaci: No one can block Kosovo’s right to an army (RTV21)

In an interview to RTV21 from New York, President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci said no one can block Kosovo’s right to establish an army. He said all institutions of Kosovo are involved in efforts to form Kosovo armed forces. “We will fulfill all obligations towards the international community to achieve this through constitutional changes,” Thaci said adding however that “we will not allow anyone to put a veto in this direction.” Asked to comment on what would happen if the Serbian List blocks transformation of the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) into an army, Thaci said no one will be able to block the process. “I like to hope and I believe that there will be a process in line with Plan A but we also have Plan B. Either way, Kosovo will have its own army by year’s end,” Thaci underlined.

Pacolli to Vucic: Better get used to Kosovo at the UN (Telegrafi)

Kosovo’s Foreign Minister, Behgjet Pacolli, is reported to have had a chance encounter with Serbian President, Aleksandar Vucic, at the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York. In this brief exchange, Pacolli told Vucic that Kosovo will very soon become part of the UN and that Serbia better get used to it.

Serbian President Vucic and UN SG Guterres discuss Kosovo (Koha)

President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, met in New York the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, and discussed dialogue with Kosovo, the situation in the region, and Serbia’s European integration process. Vucic said Serbia considers the UN to be the leading international organization and this importance will be even greater during the tenure of Guterres. The UN SG on his part said he was following Serbia’s progress and commended Vucic for his initiative of launching an internal dialogue in Serbia on the issue of Kosovo.

“Haradinaj could soon visit Montenegro” (Zeri/Klan Kosova)

Prime Minister of Kosovo, Ramush Haradinaj could soon visit Montenegro in an effort to resolve the border demarcation issue, Zeri reports. This would be Haradinaj’s first visit abroad since taking on the post of prime minister. However, Halil Matoshi from Prime Minister’s press office, said to Klan Kosova that Haradinaj could visit Montenegro in the future but that there are no plans for such an undertaking for the time being.

Pacolli: Sudan considering recognition of Kosovo (dailies)

Kosovo’s Foreign Minister, Behgjet Pacolli, had a meeting with his counterpart from Sudan, Ibrahim Ghandour, in the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. In a Facebook post, Pacolli said he received assurances that Sudan was considering recognition of Kosovo’s independence. “Awaiting good news from this country,” Pacolli wrote.