UNMIK Headlines 3 October
No list has been negotiated in Brussels (Lajm)
Deputy Prime Minister, Edita Tahiri, has rejected statements of Serb president advisor, Marko Djuric, that the list of Serb voters has been negotiated in Brussels. According to her, no lists have been negotiated between the delegations of Kosovo and Serbia in Brussels. “As it is known the agreement for normalization of relations between Pristina and Belgrade determines clearly that local elections in Kosovo are organized according to the laws of Kosovo, which means that Kosovo institutions are competent for organization of elections processes,” said Tahiri for Telegrafi news portal.
Dacic threatens to interrupt dialogue due to Kosovo’s ban (Koha Ditore)
Serbia’s Prime Minister Ivica Dacic, warned Brussels that he will stop participating at the discussions if Pristina does not allow Serbian officials to visit Kosovo during the election campaign. “I have warned Brussels as well as the ambassadors of Quint countries that Pristina’s decision is scandalous and it represents an attack to the peaceful process,” Dacic is quoted as saying in Belgrade daily, Politika.
Dacic’s reaction comes after the statement of Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister, Hajredin Kuçi, that from Tuesday, when the election campaign starts, until 1 November, no official from Serbia will be allowed to enter Kosovo.
Western Balkans Six discussed in Sarajevo (Tribuna)
The Regional Council for Cooperation (RCC) met recently in Sarajevo, where Kosovo was represented by Deputy Foreign Minister Petrit Selimi. The RCC is the biggest regional organization, where in addition to Balkans countries, other countries are also represented such as the United States of America, Turkey, France, Romania, Norway and Sweden.
Kosovo’s membership in the RCC was enabled after the meeting for regional representation between Kosovo and Serbia. Over 25 senior diplomats discussed the 2020 agenda for cooperation in South-East Europe.
Deputy Minister Selimi said Kosovo needs to become an equal member of the SEECP, especially after the failure of the Ohrid Summit to create equal opportunities for President Jahjaga and Minister Hoxhaj.
The RCC meeting also discussed Montenegro’s initiative to establish a new mechanism for regional cooperation focused on concrete projects also known as the Western Balkans Six. Participants agreed that there should be no overlap of processes in South-East Europe and that there needs to be coordination between all regional organizations at the level of the RCC.
Blomeyer: Construction of Kosovo state is clear to us (Koha Ditore, Kosova Sot)
Germany supports the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia and insists on implementation of achieved agreements in Brussels, said German Ambassador to Kosovo Peter Blomeyer. But he warned all those who may have doubts that for Berlin the construction of the state of Kosovo is clear and he sees the agreements from the dialogue to be in accordance with Kosovo laws, while he does not see possibility for the creation of Serb entity in the north, as it is Republica Srpska in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Blomeyer in an interview with Koha Ditore on the occasion of 23rd anniversary of German unification talked also about the role of his state in the united Europe, which, according to him, could not be as it is were it not for unification of the two Germanys.
Regarding the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, Blomeyer did not want to predict which would be the final result of that process, but he said that it can describe that EU does not want to see: A new Cyprus. Without a solution of the relations between Kosovo and Serbia, Blomeyer says that there cannot be a membership in the EU. Berlin wants to see progress in the implementation of the agreements between Kosovo and Serbia, and the continuation of the dialogue. Also it is important that local elections to be successful. Blomeyer also said that for economy of Kosovo it is important that the privatization process of PTK not to fail.
PTK privatisation under scrutiny of investigation commission (dailies)
Kosovo Assembly is expected to task its investigation commission to look into the privatisation process of the Kosovo Post Telecom (PTK). The move comes after the Assembly Presidency approved the request of 40 MPs to set up an investigation commission for PTK. The motion was initiated by opposition parties, Democratic League of Kosovo and Vetëvendosje.
Local elections campaign begins today (dailies)
Kosovo Central Election Commission CEC has already drafted operational plan for local elections of 3 November. Meantime, tomorrow political subjects start the electoral campaign, which will last until 1 November. CEC has finalized with certification of 103 political subjects and 7,932 candidates have been certified for elections, which will be held on 3 November in the entire territory of Kosovo.
Cliff: EU will not close its eyes to the abuses any longer (Koha Ditore)
Representatives of the Non-Governmental Organizations “Democracy in Action,” have prepared 1,600 observers to monitor the elections, some of whom will be sent in the north of Kosovo. For the first time, a delegation from the European Union will engage in this process as well. The Ambassador of the United Kingdom in Kosovo, Ian Cliff, stated that these are very important elections for Kosovo and its future. “The international community will not close its eyes to the irregularities in elections any longer,” he said.
False alarm for explosive device at Pristina Airport (gazetaexpress.com)
Kosovo Police reported on Wednesday that it found no explosive device at Pristina International Airport. “There were reports about a suspicious explosive device at Pristina International Airport. We confirm that after checkups and verification by all relevant police units and other security agencies, we have found no explosive device, and the airport has resumed its normal operations,” a Kosovo Police press release said.
Sources told Express earlier on Wednesday that police was notified about an explosive device at Easy Jet premises at the airport. “KFOR and Kosovo Police specialized units immediately went to the site,” an airport official, who preferred to remain anonymous, told Express.
Kusari-Lila steps down from Government posts (dailies)
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade and Industry Mimoza Kusari-Lila has resigned the two posts as she will focus her efforts on campaigning for Gjakova mayor as a candidate from the Behgjet Pacolli’s New Kosovo Alliance. “I have not made any sacrifices for Gjakova. I come from that municipality and I believe in victory,” said Kusari-Lila.