UNMIK Headlines 8 December
Mustafa to be Prime Minister, Thaci to be Foreign Minister (Zeri)
The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) are expected to sign their coalition government agreement at noon today. LDK leader Isa Mustafa will take the post of Prime Minister, while PDK leader Hashim Thaci will be Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs. According to the paper, the LDK has promised Thaci that they will support him in becoming President of Kosovo in 2016. Kadri Veseli, former head of the Kosovo Intelligence Service (SHIK), is expected to become Speaker of the Assembly.
Names of ministers in new Kosovo government (Tribuna)
The paper claims to have secured the list of officials that are expected to take on ministerial posts in the new Kosovo government. According to the paper, ministers from the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) will include: Memli Krasniqi (Agriculture), Arsim Bajrami (Education), Besim Beqaj (Environment and Spatial Planning), Bekim Collaku (Integration), and Anila Statovci (Economic Development). Technical dialogue with Belgrade is also expected to be entrusted to a PDK official, namely former Foreign Minister Enver Hoxhaj. Ministers from the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) will include: Abdullah Hoti (Finance), Haki Demolli (Internal Affairs), Anton Cuni (Kosovo Security Force), Teuta Sahatqija (Health), Lutfi Zharku (Infrastructure), and Hikmete Bajrami (Trade and Industry). The agreement between PDK and LDK foresees the Ministries of Returns and Local Government Administration being led by representatives of the Serb community, and the Ministry of Public Administration will be led by representatives of the Turkish community.
Minister of State to lead negotiations with Belgrade (Tribuna)
The new government of Kosovo is expected to have a new ministry without portfolio called the Ministry of State, which will deal exclusively with the Pristina-Belgrade dialogue. The minister without portfolio, rumoured to be either Skender Hyseni or Edita Tahiri, will supersede the negotiations coordinator and chief negotiator.
Haradinaj to give up MP seat (Bota Sot)
Ramush Haradinaj, leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), is expected to give up his MP seat. Haradinaj is the AAK official who got the most votes in the last elections. He now plans to focus more on party affairs.
Serbs ready to discuss Kosovo Armed Forces (Epoka e Re)
Representatives of the Serbian List at the Assembly of Kosovo will not boycott discussions on the transformation of the Kosovo Security Force into the Kosovo Armed Forces. Serbian List leader Aleksandar Jablanovic told Radio Free Europe that he is ready to discuss and listen to every proposal coming from other parties.
March to support Pristina University rector on Tuesday (Koha)
Civil society activists, in cooperation with students of Pristina University, will organize a solidarity march in support of Rector Ramadan Zejnullahu’s position vis-à-vis the admission of children of martyrs and war veterans. War veterans are calling on Zejnullahu to automatically admit 1,000 children of Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) veterans, martyrs or invalids. Zejnullahu has refused to admit any students automatically, but is currently reviewing the veterans’ list. The march will begin at noon on Tuesday at the National Theatre in downtown Pristina.