Headlines - 29.11.2013 Government lacks strategy for UN membership (Koha Ditore) The paper quotes on the front page opposition representatives and political analysts as saying that the Government of Kosovo does not have a strategy on how to become a member state of the United Nations. They criticize the government for failing to deliver on its promise that the agreement for normalization of relations with Belgrade would result in UN membership for Kosovo. Serbian officials meanwhile continue to state that as long as Serbia exists there will not be a seat for Kosovo at the United Nations. Kosovo’s Foreign Affairs Minister Enver Hoxhaj said procedures for Kosovo’s UN membership will be underway next year and that they are studying ways how to apply for membership. The paper tried to contact Minister Hoxhaj on Thursday, but to no avail. Analysts further argue that the government in Pristina should explain why it entered dialogue with Belgrade without the condition that Serbia should remove obstacles for Kosovo’s membership in international organizations. EU: We expect a free and fair second round of elections (Epoka) The European Union’s Special Representative in Kosovo Samuel Zbogar and heads of EU member states’ missions in Pristina, issued a joint statement on Thursday saying that the second round of local elections is a great opportunity for Kosovo and for respective authorities to prove that the first round was only the start of a series of improvements in the elections process. “This can be achieved through a transparent process that will stop any irregularities or deficiencies, with a general atmosphere of faith in democratic procedures … Democracy really functions only when people are free to exercise their democratic right to vote and to express their individual political opinions without intervention or intimidation. This is the best way to help Kosovo to maintain progress in its European path. The European Union and member states present in Kosovo expect the process of municipal elections to end with a free and fair second round throughout Kosovo. We also expect that the next parliamentary elections will be held with an improved voters’ list and an improved legislation that will result from election reforms,” the statement noted. The north determines the future of KFOR (Zëri) U.S. General Philip M. Breedlove, who visited Kosovo on Thursday, said that if Pristina and Belgrade bring peace and order in the northern part of Kosovo, proving that dialogue between them is going well, then NATO will be ready to review its role in Kosovo. Breedlove also said that the further downsizing of peacekeeping troops in Kosovo depends on the security situation in the northern part of the country.  Ahmeti: UNMIK degraded Pristina (Tribuna) At a roundtable organized by the Libertas Institute for the 101 anniversary of the independence of Albania, Vetevendosje’s candidate for Pristina mayor Shpend Ahmeti talked about expectations people had after the liberation of Kosovo, hope and different political aspirations. “In those days there were no laws and as a result not even violation of laws. Citizens cohabited. When UNMIK came this started to break. The first three illegal constructions started at the exact time that UNMIK was managing the municipality of Pristina in cooperation with the local government. KFOR put barbwire around the three illegal constructions with the aim of demolishing them afterwards. UNMIK started removing the barbwire and this is precisely where the degradation of Pristina began,” Ahmeti said. Mrkic: Rugova and Cosic talked about Kosovo partition (Kosova Sot) Serbian Foreign Minister Ivan Mrkic said on Thursday that the first president of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Dobrica Cosic and the leader of Kosovo Albanians Ibrahim Rugova in principle had agreed for Kosovo’s partition, but this was rejected by Slobodan Milosevic. Mrkic also said that with the current relations of forces Kosovo might never be able to join the United Nations.