• Veseli: October 6 will mark a turning point for Kosovo (media)
• Haradinaj: When I took on PM post in 2017, there was a dialogue to divide Kosovo (media)
• Candidates with indictments part of election tickets (Zeri)
• Ahmeti: Dialogue with Serbia, priority for new government (Klan Kosova)
• Thaci travels for official visit to Japan (media)
• AAK’s Lulzim Kabashi summoned by Specialist Chambers (Koha)
• Serbia continues lobbying against Kosovo’s membership in Interpol (Zeri)
• Most serious cases in the hands of suspiciously appointed judges (Koha)
• Roundtable on victims of sexual violence to be held in Pristina today (media)

Veseli: October 6 will mark a turning point for Kosovo (media)

Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) leader and candidate for Prime Minister, Kadri Veseli, said at this party’s rally in Pristina on Sunday that October 6 is not only an election day and that it will mark a turning point for Kosovo. Veseli said no one better than the PDK knows the orientation that Kosovo needs to take, highlighting his cause for an uncompromised fight against corruption, a strong economy and alliance with Kosovo’s friends. “We must all know that October 6 is not an ordinary election day. It is a referendum for the future of Kosovo … On October 6, we will not allow others to fail and isolate Kosovo,” Veseli said.

Haradinaj: When I took on PM post in 2017, there was a dialogue to divide Kosovo (media)

Kosovo’s outgoing Prime Minister and leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), Ramush Haradinaj, told supporters in a rally on Saturday that, when he took on the post of Prime Minister in 2017 “there was a dangerous dialogue to divide Kosovo”. “In September 2017, Kosovo was in darkness; it did not have its army, it did not have Trepca, and Kosovo’s wealth was not ours,” he said. Haradinaj also defended the decision to introduce the 100-percent import tariff on Serbian products. “The 100-percent tariff was necessary. It means sovereignty and it should remain in force until Serbia recognises Kosovo’s independence,” Haradinaj said.

Candidates with indictments part of election tickets (Zeri)

The paper reports that political parties running for early parliamentary elections on 6 October have not stuck to the principle of not including candidates with criminal indictments in their tickets although all have vowed to work on decriminalising politics.

Zeri says that list of candidates submitted by political parties to the Central Election Commission (CEC) contain not too few people who have had problems with the law. The coalition between the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) and the Social Democratic Party (PSD) for instance include Pal Lekaj, Rrustem Berisha, Shkumbin Demaliaj and Gani Dreshaj for whom the paper says have been indicted on various charges. The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) meanwhile has not included candidates who have been indicted on corruption charges but does have those that have been convicted on war crimes. The Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) had originally included one person convicted of corruption but the leader Isa Mustafa said those that have problems with the law will be taken off the list. Vetevendosje at the same time has in its ticket Jetmira Vrenezi who is currently under investigation for misuse of authority. As for the Social Democratic Initiative (NISMA) and New Kosovo Alliance (AKR) coalition, their list of candidates includes Endrit Shala who has been convicted of unauthorized possession of weapons.

The paper specifies that according to the Kosovo’s Criminal Procedure Code any person indicted of a criminal act is considered innocent until proven otherwise and quotes legal experts saying that this issue is best regulated by statutes of political parties.

Ahmeti: Dialogue with Serbia, priority for new government (Klan Kosova)

Head of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) Shpend Ahmeti said that dialogue with Serbia will be top priority for the new government of Kosovo.

In an interview with Klan Kosova, Ahmeti said: “The new government, if we listen to continuous statements, is that of dialogue. Whoever says that they will not deal with the dialogue, is either not in tune with the reality or is lying.” He noted that through partnership with the U.S. and the EU, “it is clear that there will be an increased intensity to reach agreement with Serbia.”

On the import tax on Serbia, Ahmeti said that what he has been talking with his coalition partner, leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) Ramush Haradinaj, is that he doesn’t believe the tax is a goal on itself. “The tax is a foreign policy, if we achieve our goals we can discuss it. Our goal is mutual recognition. We have asked in Brussels and Washington that if we have an agreement that recognition is mutual then we can discuss these chapters,” he said.

Thaci travels for official visit to Japan (media)

President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci has travelled for an official visit to Japan where he will be meeting senior official there to advance the agenda of the deepening of bilateral cooperation. “During this visit, President Thaçi will be received by his Highness, the Emperor of Japan. He will also be received by the Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe, with whom he will have a working dinner after the bilateral meeting,” a press statement issued by Thaci’s cabinet says. It adds that the visit is taking place at a time when Kosovo and Japan celebrate ten years of establishing diplomatic relations.

AAK’s Lulzim Kabashi summoned by Specialist Chambers (Koha)

Lulzim Kabashi, candidate for MP from the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) has been summoned by the Specialist Chambers. Kabashi confirmed the news saying he has been invited as a witness to give testimony at The Hague on 24 September and that this will not affect his candidacy. “I will continue the running for MP as I did not have any problems with the law, international or local,” Kabashi told Koha.

Serbia continues lobbying against Kosovo’s membership in Interpol (Zeri)

Serbian officials have continued lobbying against Kosovo joining Interpol, the paper reports. Serbian Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic said that he would be presenting at the meeting of the Interpol General Assembly in October in Chile political and legal arguments against Kosovo’s membership. “We will not allow the Interpol General Assembly pass without our fight. I will lead our delegation and leave earlier to talk to a number of interior ministers who will in essence vote,” Stefanovic told Serbian media.

Most serious cases in the hands of suspiciously appointed judges (Koha)

The paper reports on its front page that “the most serious cases of crime and corruption will be handled by judges with little experience or those close to powerful people in the system”. The paper notes that the Special Department within the Basic Court in Pristina and another department in the Appellate Court will handle the most serious cases of crime and corruption, but “the Judicial Council has appointed judges to these mechanisms in a completely non-transparent process”. According to the paper, one of the judges was even subject by the anti-corruption agency. After it was denied access to the relevant documentation of the process, the Pristina-based Group for Legal and Political Studies has filed a lawsuit against the Kosovo Judicial Council.

Roundtable on victims of sexual violence to be held in Pristina today (media)

Several news websites report that a roundtable on victims of sexual violence will be held in Pristina today. Former Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga will be among the speakers at the conference.