Headlines - 05.03.2018

• Pressure on Belgrade over border demarcation with Montenegro (Koha)
• Demarcation vote may not take place this week (Zeri)
• Demarcation session on Thursday (Lajmi)
• Veseli: Demarcation will be voted this week (Epoka)
• MP Balje rejects ties between demarcation vote and new municipality (Koha)
• Mogherini: Western Balkans to collectively join EU (Zeri)
• Hahn: No accession without a Kosovo-Serbia legally binding agreement (Zeri)
• Vetevendosje: Haradinaj to report on recent power restrictions (Zeri)
• Seven students arrested for protesting against Thaci’s wife appointment (media)

 Kosovo Media Highlights

Pressure on Belgrade over border demarcation with Montenegro (Koha)

The ruling coalition parties hope to be able to secure the votes to ratify the border demarcation agreement with Montenegro this week, the paper reports on the front page. Sources said there is international pressure on Belgrade to instruct the Serbian List to support the agreement and that there could be positive movement during the week. Serbian List continues to insist on the establishment of the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities.

Demarcation vote may not take place this week (Zeri)

The paper quotes Kosovo Assembly chairmanship officials saying that the vote on border demarcation agreement with Montenegro may not take place this week as efforts by coalition parties are still underway to secure the required votes. Assembly’s Vice President, Xhavit Haliti, told the paper that the session will be called as soon as votes are secured. He said he had no information whether the Serbian List plans to support the agreement or not.

Demarcation session on Thursday (Lajmi)

The Assembly Session for demarcation of the border with Montenegro might not be held on Wednesday, as planned. Sources within the government told Lajmi that the Serbian List might not participate at Wednesday’s session due to the announced ceremonial session for the 7 March Epopee of Kosovo Liberation Army.  “Therefore Thursday is the ideal day to vote demarcation, being that local elections in Serbia also conclude,” said the source. Serbian List gave clear indications during the meeting with the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, that they would vote demarcation during this week.

Veseli: Demarcation will be voted this week (Epoka)

The President of the Assembly of Kosovo, Kadri Veseli, said he will invite for a meeting this week representatives of the political parties, in order to reconfirm consensus on the demarcation issue. He added that there should be no more delays, and the session for ratification of the agreement on demarcation of the border with Montenegro should be held as soon as possible. “I will start intensive meetings with colleagues of the political parties from Monday, in order to hold the session during the next week,” Veseli said.

MP Balje rejects ties between demarcation vote and new municipality (Koha)

Vakat coalition MP, Duda Balje, has rejected reports that their pro-vote for border demarcation is tied to demands for establishment of a new municipality of Gora. Balje said new municipalities will be created in Kosovo but that this will be done only in line with Kosovo legislation and its constitution.

Mogherini: Western Balkans to collectively join EU (Zeri)

Following the visit to the Western Balkans, the EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini wrote on her personal blog that the region is part of Europe geographically and collectively it can become part of the European Union. “It is time to close the wounds of the past, and take new steps to guarantee stability to the region and the whole of Europe,” Mogherini wrote adding this this was discussed in with President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci, Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj, Assembly President Kadri Veseli, as well as with a group of young people and civil society representatives in a debate last week in Pristina.

Hahn: No accession without a Kosovo-Serbia legally binding agreement (Zeri)

European Commissioner for Enlargement, Johannes Hahn, said in a letter to Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister Enver Hoxhaj that the EU-facilitated dialogue is crucial for normalisation of relations between Pristina and Belgrade enabling both parties to advance their European integration process. “This has also been made clear in the Strategy which states that the dialogue needs to conclude in a legally binding agreement,” Hahn wrote. His comments come after Hoxhaj sought clarifications on Kosovo’s position in the latest EU enlargement strategy.

Vetevendosje: Haradinaj to report on recent power restrictions (Zeri)

Vetevendosje has called on the Government of Kosovo, namely Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj, to report to the Assembly regarding the recent power restrictions. In a press conference, MP Albulena Haxhiu said Kosovo is facing an energy crisis and that they will request Haradinaj clarify the situation at the Assembly this week.

Seven students arrested for protesting against Thaci’s wife appointment (media)

The police arrested on Saturday seven students who were protesting in Mitrovica over the recent appointment of President Hashim Thaci’s wife, Lumnije, to the post of deputy dean in “Isa Boletini” University in Mitrovica. The media report that the police used teargas against the protesters as they were placing placards and according to the organisers of the protest, the police also used force against the students. Police have denied allegations.