UNMIK Headlines 7 June
Elections will not be postponed (dailies)
Papers report that Sunday’s elections will not be postponed and will take place as planned. Speculations on the possibility of elections being postponed grew after the fatal accident in the Kosovo coal plant in Obiliq yesterday and after a meeting later in the day between Kosovo President, Atifete Jahjaga, and head of Central Election Commission, Valdete Daka. However, a press statement issued from Jahjaga’s office after the meeting confirmed that elections will take place as planned on Sunday despite the tragic event which left two people dead. “President Jahjaga stressed early general elections in the country are taking place at a time when the tragedy at the Kosovo Energy Corporation in Obiliq has struck all citizens of the country”, reads the statement. Jahjaga further noted that amidst this great sorrow, the citizens of Kosovo need to show solidarity with the families of those affected by the tragedy.
Jacobson: We will cooperate with any freely elected government (Koha)
US Ambassador to Kosovo Tracey Ann Jacobson in an interview for KTV’s show Rubikon said that the US have no preferences for any political party in Kosovo or any particular leader. She said her country only wants to see free and democratic elections take place on 8 June.
Jacobson also said that the US will cooperate with any future government in Kosovo but noted that “it would have been better to cooperate with a government that gets along and doesn’t come from manipulated vote”.
The US ambassador expressed disappointment that 8 June elections are taking place without the approval of the election reform but said she is hopeful a significant reform will take place during the new legislative mandate.
Ashton: Kosovo has made impressive progress in relations with EU (Lajmi)
EU High Representative for Foreign Policy and Security, Catherine Ashton, said that the European Union wishes to see free, fair and inclusive elections take place on 8 June throughout Kosovo.
“These are the first elections for Kosovo after the successful conclusion of negotiations with the EU and present an important test for the future path of Kosovo toward integration into the EU as well as for the Serbian government which called on Serbs in northern Kosovo to not boycott the vote”, said Ashton adding that Kosovo has made impressive progress in its relations with the EU and in normalising of relations with Serbia.
Kosovo about to make Republika Srpska official (Zeri, Tribuna)
Zeri reports that Kosovo authorities are expected to sign in September an agreement paving way for establishment of a type of Republika Srpska in the north. This new entity is expected to have executive competencies and has been accepted by the outgoing Prime Minister Hashim Thaci. In exchange, Serbia will not prevent Kosovo from gaining membership at the UN. Kosovo government officials however rejected the possibility.
At the same time, Tribuna writes that Serbia is ready to remove from its constitution provisions declaring Kosovo integral part if, in return, Pristina authorities recognize two special territorial units for Kosovo Serbs. Prime Minister of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic is expected to be ready for anything in the future dialogue with Kosovo.