UNMIK Headlines 26 March
Thaçi believes in Serbia’s “good will” (Koha Ditore)
Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi said yesterday he was confident that his Serbian counterpart, Ivica Dacic, would correct the mistake he made in the seventh meeting when he rejected the Kosovo Government’s proposals in the upcoming meeting on 2 April in Brussels. While briefing his government about the meeting with Dacic, Thaçi said he was optimistic that things will move forward on 2 April. “Last Wednesday was a good possibility to move towards finalising or reaching the agreement in order to move from the phase of century-long confrontation between Kosovo and Serbia to a new phase of cooperation and good neighborly relations. I hope Serbia will correct its mistake on 2 April,” Thaçi said.
Thaçi will brief Assembly, before divided opposition (Koha Ditore)
Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi will brief members of Parliament on Thursday about talks with Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic. The opposition meanwhile is divided on whether talks with Serbia on the north constitute a violation of the Constitution and the Parliament’s Resolution. After the meeting of the Parliament chairmanship, Vetëvendosje representatives argued that the government has violated the resolution on negotiations with Serbia when it included the issue of the north in these negotiations. Meanwhile, the rest of the opposition does not share Vetëvendosje’s position.
Brok: No EU without mutual recognition (Epoka e Re)
German deputy in the European Parliament Elmar Brok said that reciprocity recognition between Kosovo and Serbia is the last condition to fulfill both countries in their path to become a member of European Union. Brok is the head of the Commission for Foreign issues, and comes from German Prime Minister Angela Merkel’s party CDU. Brok told News TV that both Serbia and Kosovo have to calm relations gradually and then recognize each other.
Russia wants cantonisation or division of Kosovo (Kosova Sot)
According to State Advisor of Russian Federation, Modest Kolerov, Russia will accept any decision made from Serbia as a result of the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina; Russia could define its particular stance on Kosovo if Serbia invites Russia to be guarantor of the reached agreement. Kolerov said that his state considers cantonisation or the division of Kosovo to be the best solution.
Dialogue, on slippery ground (Epoka e Re)
Albanian–Serb relations expert Azem Vllasi evaluated that the dialogue for normalising relations with Serbia is presently on a slippery ground. Vllasi said that the entire Kosovo political spectrum should be responsible. He suggested to Prime Minister Thaçi that the agreement for the creation of the association of municipalities with a Serb majority not be called ‘agreement’, but “protocol for understanding and reciprocity obligations”. “That result cannot be called agreement between Pristina and Belgrade for the community of municipalities with Serb majority, because we cannot make an agreement with another country, even with Serbia, about an internal issue of our country,” Vllasi said.
Outcome of government reshuffling: Ismaili replaces Beqaj! (Zëri)
After many delays, Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi and Deputy PM Behxhet Pacolli have agreed to make changes in the ruling coalition this week. Sources close to the Thaçi-Pacolli meeting told the paper that the Ministry for Economic Development will be led by Fadil Ismaili, current director of KOSTT. “Besim Beqaj, who currently holds the post of Minister for Economic Development, is expected to take up the vacant post of Minister of Finance,” the source said. It is also reported that Prime Minister Thaçi was not satisfied with Beqaj’s performance. Asked to comment on the possible changes, PDK spokesperson Blerand Stavileci said: “I don’t know. There is nothing official yet. Anything is possible but I don’t have such information.”
Mustafa, Kurti coordinate actions of opposition (dailies)
Isa Mustafa, leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), met with Vetëvendosje leader Albin Kurti on Monday to discuss the ongoing dialogue with Serbia, other political developments in the country, and the possibility of coordinating their actions as opposition parties in Parliament. “Mustafa and Kurti presented their party’s positions on the dialogue. They agreed for parliamentary groups to look into a possible cooperation in Parliament on issues where these parties have positions,” a LDK press release reads.
LDK, LDD “joining”; Mustafa, Daci close to agreement (Bota Sot)
According to sources from LDK and LDD, LDK offered 15 places in the joint elections list, while LDD requested 23. Officials of both parties who participated in the last meeting said that they are very close to an agreement.