Headlines - 05.01.2013 Negotiations for SAA not before autumn (Koha Ditore) Sources told the paper that negotiations on the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between EU and Kosovo are not likely to start before autumn. “Negotiations will not begin by that time either if Kosovo fails to do its homework,” the source said. The paper writes that the Kosovo Government has received official information that negotiations for SAA cannot begin before autumn of 2013 while the Feasibility Study stipulates that in order for Kosovo to begin SAA talks, it has to continue implementing all agreements reached with Serbia in the dialogue. Solution according to Lady Ashton (Express) With the next round of dialogue between prime ministers of Kosovo and Serbia set to take place on the 17th of this month, the paper quotes sources saying that the EU High Representative Catherine Ashton may put a proposal on the table for the dialogue in an effort to find a solution for northern Kosovo. The proposal is said to have been prepared by an EU diplomat who is directly engaged in Kosovo-Serbia talks and foresees the possibility of the northern municipalities gaining membership in specific European mechanisms that promote municipal and regional cooperation. Furthermore, the proposal does not exceed rights granted by the Ahtisaari plan and also demands dissolving Serb parallel structures, protection of religious and cultural heritage, and preserving the special connection between the Serbs in Kosovo and the state of Serbia. Government wants Vushtrri to be part of fund for the north (Koha Ditore) Prime Minister of Kosovo Hashim Thaçi is expected to request that the southern part of Mitrovica and Vushtrri be part of the development fund for the north of Kosovo in the dialogue. Senior Government officials said Kosovo aims for the fund to be managed by the EU and Government in Pristina, and to include the entire region of Mitrovica, leaving only the Skenderaj municipality out. “The goal is to ensure the whole Mitrovica region benefits from the fund. Skenderaj may be left out but Vushtrri should be included. That region was always an artery of economic development but due to political events it remained in a bad position,” said the unidentified official. Vetëvendosje demands Serbia’s officials not allowed entry in Kosovo (dailies) Leaders of the Vetëvendosje Movement called on the Government of Kosovo not to allow Serbia’s officials to enter Kosovo for Orthodox Christmas celebrations. Vetëvendosje’s Dardan Molliqaj said in a press conference that the movement will oppose such visits. “Any visit of Serbia’s representatives to Kosovo for us is unacceptable and naturally we will strongly oppose such a thing,” said Molliqaj. He said religious holidays should not be used by any government to make political appeals. On the possibility of a peace treaty being signed by presidents of Kosovo and Serbia, Vetëvendosje officials said that there can be no peace for as long as Serbia doesn’t apologise for crimes it committed in Kosovo. Kuçi: We refused Nikolic’s visit (Epoka e Re) Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuçi confirmed that the request of the Serbia’s President Tomislav Nikolic to visit Kosovo on the eve of Orthodox Christmas has been rejected by authorities in Kosovo on grounds of reciprocity. Kuçi told public broadcaster RTK that the decision has been taken in consultations with international partners. Pack: Haradinaj to be more modest (Zëri) German MEP Doris Pack in an interview for Radio Dukagjini said that the readiness of the AAK leadership to take on government posts doesn’t make sense considering the votes the party received in last elections. Pack said AAK should be more patient. “Haradinaj’s case caused a great deal of trouble but ended for good. I think he should be more patient. He shouldn’t believe he is the greatest and the best Kosovar to be prime minister immediately after release from prison,” said Pack. Veseli considered Thaçi’s successor (Epoka e Re) After Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi's announcement that he does not intend to run in another mandate, former head of SHIK Kadri Veseli is now seen as the main contender for being PDK’s candidate for prime minister in the next national elections. In a recent interview for the paper, neither Thaçi nor Veseli dismissed the possibility. PDK’s head of parliamentary group Adem Grabovci said it is too soon to speak about such a thing, adding that Veseli is a valuable asset not only for the party but the entire political spectrum of Kosovo.