• LDK doesn’t want confrontation with Vetevendosje (Koha Ditore)
• Haradinaj: We will lift the tariff only for recognition (RTK)
• Hoxhaj: We will not enter pre-election coalition with any parliamentary party (KP)
• Constitutional Court to decide this week on Haradinaj’s competencies (media)
• Kosovo MFA requests arrest warrant be issued for Dacic’s associate (media)
• Pacolli reacts to his statement’s interpretation (Klan Kosova)
• Trajkovic: Opposing Serbian List and Vucic, condition for coalition (RTK)
• Justice Party joins NISMA-AKR coalition (Epoka)
• Kukan expects the land swap idea to resurface (Koha)
• KFOR to conduct drills across Kosovo (media)

Kosovo Media Highlights

LDK doesn’t want confrontation with Vetevendosje (Koha Ditore)

The Democratic League of Kosovo and Vetevendosje Movement have not yet finalised consultations over a possible pre-election coalition as both insist on keeping the post of prime minister, the paper reports on the front page. It adds that while the distance between the two parties has grown in the recent days so have the mutual accusations. 30 August is the final time when the parties can register their pre-election coalitions with the Central Election Commission (CEC).

LDK leader Isa Mustafa reiterated on Wednesday interest to enter a coalition with Vetevendosje but said the post of prime minister should belong to LDK. “I consider cooperation a process of mutual respect. I have swallowed the past because I put the interest of the country above myself,” he said in a Facebook post.

“We have many good things we can address to one another regarding our cooperation but we also have bad things. This is not the way to try and win votes. I prefer a united front, pre or post electoral, to prevent PAN and their supporters continuing to destroy the country,” Mustafa wrote.

Haradinaj: We will lift the tariff only for recognition (RTK)

The resigned Prime Minister of Kosovo Ramush Haradinaj took to Facebook to inform about his meeting with Mitrovica people on Wednesday. “We saved united Kosovo and Mitrovica. With the creation of the army, our right to defend the territory and sovereignty as well as national resources such as Trepca, was recognized. With the tariff, we defended our market and we will lift it only for recognition. Mitrovica citizens have endured and suffered a lot, however, during these two years, we allocated over €121 million on major projects of this municipality. Mitrovica has strong reason to support our concept for 100 percent state, which guarantees continuation on making Mitrovica together a hundred percent Kosovo,” Haradinaj wrote.

Hoxhaj: We will not enter pre-election coalition with any parliamentary party (KP)

In an interview with Kosovapress, deputy leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) Enver Hoxhaj said the party will not enter a pre-election coalition with any of parliamentary parties and that polls indicate that PDK is the leading party in Kosovo.

“Pre-election coalitions have confirmed only one thing: that everyone is afraid of the Democratic Party of Kosovo,” he said. “We will head to these elections under the PDK logo, the slogan of PDK as the largest political entity but small non-parliamentary parties are welcomed.”

Constitutional Court to decide this week on Haradinaj’s competencies (media)

The Constitutional Court is expected to decide this week on competencies of the government after Ramush Haradinaj’s resignation. Indeksonline sources indicated that the decision will limit the scope of activities to Haradinaj’s government and decision-making.

From now on, the government of Kosovo will be able to act only with administrative decisions, but it will not be allowed to make any planned capital expenditure of the budget, the sources claimed.

Kosovo MFA requests arrest warrant be issued for Dacic’s associate (media)

Kosovo’s Foreign Affairs Ministry has called on the prosecution to issue an international arrest warrant for Vladimir Cizelj, associate of Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic, said Jetlir Zyberaj, advisor to acting Foreign Minister Behgjet Pacolli.

Zyberaj said Cizelj has committed criminal acts against Kosovo’s sovereignty. “This criminal, linked to international organised crime networks and involved in corruption affairs around the world, has tried on behalf of Ivica Dacic to cause damage to Kosovo,” Zyberaj said.

Meanwhile, Koha put a question to Zyberaj on how can Kosovo issue an international arrest warrant being that it is not a member of Interpol to which he replied that this can be done through UNMIK. “Kosovo interacts with Interpol. There is within the Kosovo Police the directorate for cooperation with Interpol that performs these tasks, more specifically there is cooperation through the UN Office. For as long as we are not part of Interpol, the international arrest warrant is issued through UNMIK,” he said.

Pacolli reacts to his statement’s interpretation (Klan Kosova)

Leader of the New Kosovo Alliance (AKR) has reacted to the way his statement about the import tax on Serbia was interpreted. “Someone that is not permitted by the court to slander my name, should without hesitation and immediately apologise and correct the story. Whoever has a problem of understanding my interviews can ask for help from someone else who is wiser and not frustrated,” Pacolli wrote.

“New elections will provide a government that will immediately conclude the mutual Kosovo-Serbia agreement and bring the focus to economic development and employment,” Pacolli said.

Yesterday, media quoted Pacolli as saying in an interview that Kosovo leaders who claim they will not lift the tariff on Serbian goods are lying and that nothing has been done to establish Kosovo army.

Trajkovic: Opposing Serbian List and Vucic, condition for coalition (RTK)

Nenad Rasic from Progressive Democratic Party, Rada Trajkovic from Serb European Movement, Dragisa Miric from New Party of Kosovo and Branislav Markovic signed on Wednesday in Gracanica an agreement for pre-election coalition for the early parliamentary elections that will be held on 6 October.

The leader of the Serb European Movement Rada Trajkovic said her only condition with Kosovo Serb political parties is opposing the Serbian List and policy of the Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. She explained that so far, no political party from Kosovo north has joined their pre-coalition however she added that negotiations are ongoing and that she believes the new coalition enjoys the trust of Serb people in the north.

Justice Party joins NISMA-AKR coalition (Epoka)

The Justice Party (PD) informed through a press release that after comprehensive discussions with the leader of the New Kosovo Alliance (AKR) Behgjet Pacolli and based on the long cooperation with his political party, they have decided to sign a coalition.

“This pre-election coalition will strengthen substantially the already reached coalition between AKR and NISMA political parties and will present a reliable and visionary alternative for the citizens of the Republic of Kosovo at the extremely sensitive period for the future of the country,” stresses the press release.

Kukan expects the land swap idea to resurface (Koha)

Balkans expert and former foreign minister of Slovakia, Eduard Kukan, said he expects the territorial exchange issue between Kosovo and Serbia to resurface warning that this could destabilise Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Kukan also criticised the former EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini for not showing enough leadership in facilitating dialogue. In a statement to Slovakia’s Foreign Policy Association, Kukan said: “The moment Kosovo imposed taxes on Serbia, Mogherini should have travelled there and slam the table.”

KFOR to conduct drills across Kosovo (media)

KFOR has announced it will carry out drills across Kosovo in the coming days: “KFOR continues exercising to be ready and guarantee safety and security to all people in Kosovo. In the next days there will be some movements of KFOR troops in different parts of Kosovo. It is just a normal rehearsal of deployment and procedures. The situation remains under control with no sign of possible threats.”