Headlines - 28.05.2014 UN Security Council discusses situation in Kosovo (dailies) Most daily newspapers and news websites have covered the session of the United Nations Security Council on Kosovo. Media are focusing on the presentation of Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga, who represented Kosovo for the first time at the Council. Koha Ditore highlights Jahjaga’s call to all communities in Kosovo to take part in the 8 June parliamentary elections. Jahjaga said she hoped the Government of Serbia would respect the agreements reached in Brussels. She welcomed Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic’s commitment to normalize relations between Belgrade and Pristina and added that, despite differences, it is important that the reality of Kosovo’s independence has been acknowledged. Jahjaga also said that Serbs in the northern part of Kosovo were continuing to build barricades and carrying out attacks, “and they are blocking themselves”. Tribuna highlights the call that Members of the Security Council made to Kosovo Serbs to participate in upcoming elections in Kosovo. The Member States also urged the parties to engage in the dialogue which will help in normalizing relations. The paper says that the novelty of this Security Council session was that Kosovo and Serbia were represented at the level of presidents. RTK reports that dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade, the transformation of the Kosovo Security Force into the Armed Forces, and support for the establishment of the special court, dominated the Security Council session. Participants also discussed the participation of Kosovars in the Syrian conflict and the need to have fewer meetings on Kosovo in the Council. President Jahjaga is quoted as saying in Indeksonline, “Kosovo is a stable and democratic state that respects the values of its citizens. The period of animosity between Kosovo and Serbia is over and we are on the path of dialogue. Dialogue is the only way to find solutions for problems we have inherited from the past. The state of Kosovo is ready to assume its international obligations.” Kosovapress quotes Jahjaga as saying that Serbia is not telling the truth about 1,700 missing Albanians abducted by Serbian forces during the Kosovo conflict. Jahjaga offered her condolences to her Serbian counterpart and all the people of Serbia for the recent floods. Gazeta Express reports that, in his opening remarks, SRSG Farid Zarif said that, after parliamentary elections and the establishment of new institutions, dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade would resume without delay and that work would be done towards establishing the association of Serb municipalities. Commenting on agreements between Pristina and Belgrade, the UNMIK chief said parties have reduced their great differences, especially with regards to judicial staff in the northern part of Kosovo. “Over 30 percent of the staff has been integrated in the north; this includes experts from both sides,” he added. Under the headline “Kosovar jihadists at the Security Council”, Zeri reports that some Members of the Security Council used the participation of some Kosovar youths in the Syrian conflict to accuse Kosovo of instability. The paper notes that UNMIK chief Farid Zarif portrayed Serbs as “victims” of Albanians. “The participation of some Albanians in foreign conflicts is condemnable and this is concerning for us,” Zarif said. He also mentioned a suicide attack by a 22 year-old Kosovar. LDK will repeal resolution 1244 (Zeri) Isa Mustafa, a candidate for prime minister from the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), said that if his party gets to lead the future government, in cooperation with Kosovo’s strategic partners, it will succeed in repealing UN Security Council resolution 1244 and open the path to finalizing recognitions for Kosovo and its membership in international institutions. CEC with directive for reserved seats (Tribuna) The Central Election Commission (CEC) is expected to solve the dilemma over the distribution of reserved assembly seats for members of minority communities. There has been a debate recently on whether minority communities can have more than the twenty seats guaranteed for their representatives at the Kosovo Assembly. The CEC has therefore set up a working group that will draft a directive on the distribution of assembly seats following the voting process. Votes will be verified several times (Koha Ditore) The paper reports on the front page that, in order prevent election fraud, the Central Election Commission (CEC) plans to include in its operations the verification and recount of votes of political parties and candidates at the Counts and Results Center. The request was made by the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) and the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK). Their representatives at the CEC said this would increase transparency in the election process. Vetevendosje’s representative, Adnan Rrustemi, said he was against the initiative, “because in this way members of the assembly will be elected at the Counts and Results Center and not through a free vote”. CEC bans posters (Epoka e Re) The Central Election Commission (CEC) has banned posters of candidates for deputies and political parties during the election campaign. Those who put posters during the campaign will be fined. According to the CEC, this will prevent pollution of the environment as well as problems among the parties regarding space for their posters. This request was signed by a group of CEC members. Hoxhaj discusses elections with Quint ambassadors (Epoka e Re) Kosovo Foreign Minister Enver Hoxhaj met in Pristina with diplomatic representatives of the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Austria and Germany. Hoxhaj informed representatives of these countries about political developments in Kosovo and European integration related to the Stabilization and Association Agreement. “I expressed the commitment of the Kosovo government to do everything within its legal and constitutional framework to organize democratic elections up to European standards. We also discussed the European agenda of Kosovo and Sunday’s elections in the European Union", Hoxhaj said after the meeting. Shkullaku: PDK-LDK coalition not a surprise (Epoka e Re) An Albanian political analyst for Kosovo, Armand Shkullaku, said that the political rhetoric during the election campaign might become harsher, especially where the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) is concerned. Speaking about election day, Shkullaku said that surprises should be expected. “Elections in Kosovo have become like the football league in Spain; there is a strong competition.” He stated that the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) might keep its higher position vis-à-vis LDK. Shkullaku did not exclude a coalition between PDK and LDK. He added that the Alliance for the Future of Ksovo (AAK) also has a chance to become part of the future government, be it with PDK leader Hashim Thaçi or LDK leader Isa Mustafa. More human remains recovered from Rudnica mass grave (Botapress) Officials of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Geneva stated that 17 bodies have been recovered from the mass grave in Rudnica, Raska. They are thought to be the bodies of Albanians missing during the conflict in Kosovo. Exhumations in this mass grave resumed on 23 April but because of floods the work was interrupted. ICRC officials said the floods would help in finding human remains. A number of human remains previously exhumed from the site are presently undergoing identification procedures.