Headlines - 27.09.2017

• Montenegro waiting for Kosovo’s official stance on border demarcation (Zeri)
• Haradinaj: Not enough votes to ratify current border agreement (Telegrafi)
• Delawie: KSF transformation through constitutional changes (Koha Ditore)
• Berisha: KSF’s transformation into an armed force, Kosovo’s priority (Epoka)
• Government does not rule out arbitration on border demarcation (Lajmi)
• Haradinaj to visit Albania today (media)
• Government considers Russian NGO to be Serbia’s issue (Koha Ditore)

 Kosovo Media Highlights

Montenegro waiting for Kosovo’s official stance on border demarcation (Zeri)

Montenegro will wait Kosovo government’s official stance on the present border demarcation agreement, said in Podgorica yesterday Montenegro’s Deputy Prime Minister, Zoran Pazin, after meeting Kosovo’s Foreign Minister, Behgjet Pacolli. Pazin said he hoped Kosovo would find a way to address this issue while Pacolli said he believed the border demarcation would be overcome in the most appropriate way and not damage relations between Kosovo and Montenegro. Yesterday in Podgorica, Pacolli also met Foreign Minister Srdjan Darmanovic, President Filip Vujanovic, head of parliament Ivan Brajovic, and representatives of Albanian political parties in Montenegro.

Haradinaj: Not enough votes to ratify current border agreement (Telegrafi)

Prime Minister of Kosovo and leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo said in an election rally in Peja/Pec that there can be no valid border demarcation agreement between Kosovo and Montenegro if both don’t ratify it. “Kosovo does not have two-thirds of the votes for this version [of the agreement], nor my vote,” Haradinaj said.

Delawie: KSF transformation through constitutional changes (Koha Ditore)

In a front-page interview, the U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo, Greg Delawie, said he supports a “gradual, professional, and transparent” transformation of the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) into a future multiethnic army that would reflect all communities in Kosovo. “I clearly support the option of this issue being treated by changing the Constitution of Kosovo,” Delawie said.  Asked about the border demarcation agreement between Kosovo and Montenegro, Delawie said this is a bilateral issue but “we believe the agreement reached in 2015 accurately reflects border that have existed between Kosovo and Montenegro from at least since 1974.”

Berisha: KSF’s transformation into an armed force, Kosovo’s priority (Epoka)

Kosovo’s Minister for Security Forces, Rrustem Berisha, met in Tirana with Albania’s Minister of Defense, Olta Xhacka. “The character of the visit was more introductory and it intends to increase cooperation between the Kosovo Security Force Ministry and (Albania’s) Ministry of Defense, based on the regional cooperation of all countries,’ Berisha said. “I informed the Minister that the Government of Kosovo has as its priority strengthening of the security institutions. This includes transformation of the Security Force into Kosovo’s Armed Forces,” Berisha said.

Government does not rule out arbitration on border demarcation (Lajmi)

Head of Kosovo Government’s Office for Communication, Halil Matoshi, said they still believe there is room for talks with the Montenegrin side on the border demarcation agreement but do not rule out the possibility of the current agreement being sent to arbitration. Matoshi said the government of Kosovo is waiting to see the report of the new commission on border demarcation before deciding future course of action.

Haradinaj to visit Albania today (media)

The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Ramush Haradinaj, will visit today the Republic of Albania. During his visit, Haradinaj is expected to meet separately with Albania’ President, Ilir Meta, Assembly President, Gramos Ruci, the Prime Minister, Edi Rama and the leader of the Democratic Party of Albania, Lulezim Basha. This is Haradinaj’s first visit outside Kosovo as Prime Minister.

Government considers Russian NGO to be Serbia’s issue (Koha Ditore)

The government of Kosovo in a written response to the paper said that the activity of the Russian NGO, “Russian Humanitarian Mission”, does not constitute a concern for Kosovo. “It is a matter for the Republic of Serbia and its institutions to decide on whom it signs memorandums with regarding humanitarian missions,” the government said.