• Haziri: LVV-LDK agreement, a matter of days (Telegrafi/Klan)
• LVV and LDK indicate renewed talks following mutual accusations (Koha)
• Nagavci: LVV gave proposals and stands committed to an agreement (media)
• Bahtiri: New elections rather than giving up Interior Ministry (Epoka)
• Haradinaj: I am not in contact with LVV and LDK, AAK is in opposition (RTK)
• Heldt meets Mustafa, discusses coalition negotiations (media)
• Thaci: Serbian genocidal policies must be denounced (media)
• Haradinaj: Vucic’s hatred for Albanians shown in his Recak remarks (media)
• Citaku: Vucic’s denial of Recak massacre, utter madness (Zeri/Bota Sot)
• Law on salaries ends up at Constitutional Court (Zeri)

Haziri: LVV-LDK agreement, a matter of days (Telegrafi/Klan)

Deputy leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) Lutfi Haziri said in an interview with RTV Dukagjini that the coalition agreement with Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) is a matter of days.

Asked to comment whether the Ministry of Internal Affairs is the point where the two parties disagreed, Haziri said: "Only God is witness to the face-to-face meeting between Mustafa and Kurti" and added that every other report is a speculation.

He said however that meetings between LDK and LVV will continue as soon as LVV leader Albin Kurti returns from a trip abroad.

In another interview with Klan Kosova, Haziri said it was important for the post of Kosovo president to be clarified before a coalition deal is signed. "LVV will be convinced that there is no stable government if all issues of interest to this country are not clarified," he said.

Haziri also stated that the winning party should make compromises. "The first party ought to be more generous. The bigger one has to make compromises," he argued.

LVV and LDK indicate renewed talks following mutual accusations (Koha)

The paper reports on its front page that following mutual accusations about the reasons why a coalition agreement was not reached, Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) representatives are now saying they are waiting for an invitation from the Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) to resume talks aimed at reaching a coalition agreement. LVV representatives meanwhile argue that dialogue cannot be held with conditions. The paper notes that the key difference between the two parties is the post of Kosovo President, with the LDK adamant to get the post and LVV refusing this.

LDK deputy leader Vjosa Osmani said that before the LVV invites the LDK to return to the table of talks, “the lynching campaign must stop”. “We are optimistic that in a spirit of cooperation and mutual respect we can reach a good agreement, where both parties would feel appreciated according to the support they received from the citizens of Kosovo,” Osmani said on Thursday. “Therefore, it is up to the parties to create an atmosphere where debate is held in a spirit of mutual respect. It is also necessary to stop the lynching campaigns because they don’t help anyone, and they derail us from the path that should lead to an agreement. This path should be maintained and respected throughout the four-year mandate.”

The paper recalls that the LDK wants the post of Kosovo President after 2021, the post of Assembly President, the post of Deputy Prime Minister and five ministries.

Nagavci: LVV gave proposals and stands committed to an agreement (media)

Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) MP, Arberie Nagavci, took to Facebook to comment on a statement by LDK deputy leader Vjosa Osmani that her party is willing to reach a coalition agreement but that they are waiting for the LVV to call the next meeting.

“It is very good that Osmani said that the LDK is willing to reach a coalition agreement. I fully agree that it is in our interest to have an environment of cooperation, and this is why Vetevendosje continuously gave proposals and was committed to conclude an agreement, by showing readiness to nominate the LDK candidate for the post of Assembly President even though according to the Constitution this post belongs to Vetevendosje, as winner of the elections. Successful cooperation requires mutual engagement, proposals, fairness and principles, without anti-constitutional demands and hits below the belt,” Nagavci said.

Bahtiri: New elections rather than giving up Interior Ministry (Epoka)

Agim Bahtiri, member of the Vetevendosje Movement’s (LVV) general council, told the paper that their political party will in no case give the Ministry of Interior to the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK). He added that LVV would rather repeat the elections than give this ministry up. According to him, this ministry is related to their main promises during the election campaign for law and order. He added that Ministry of Interior is the main point of changing the situation in Kosovo.

Speaking about the post of the President of Kosovo, Bahtiri said it is not the time to discuss this matter. Bahtiri however belives that that the governing coalition between LVV and LDK will be reached, because “there is no other alternative.”

Haradinaj: I am not in contact with LVV and LDK, AAK is in opposition (RTK)

Ramush Haradinaj, leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) denied possibility of his political party’s coalition with the Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) and the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK). “We are not in communication neither with LVV nor with LDK. If they seek any consultation, we are open, but we are in opposition. We do not have a cause, we do not know why we would participate in a government created by that party,” Haradinaj said.  He said new institutions should establish. “it is not good to prolong this situation, and acting government hast its limits,” Haradinaj said.

Heldt meets Mustafa, discusses coalition negotiations (media)

German Ambassador to Kosovo Christian Heldt met leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) Isa Mustafa yesterday and according to a press release issued by the party, coalition negotiations with the Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) were also discussed.

Mustafa is said to have thanked the German ambassador for the support his country has provided to Kosovo throughout different periods and also briefed him on the discussions with LVV on forming the new government of Kosovo.

Thaci: Serbian genocidal policies must be denounced (media)

President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci has reacted to statements from Serbian officials denying the Recak massacre.

“I see officials from Serbia denying some of the worst crimes against civilians that happened in Europe, confirmed by ICTY, like Recak. Serbian genocidal policies cannot be defended. They must be denounced. Peace, reconciliation, justice cannot be built based on denying crimes,” Thaci wrote on Twitter.

The reactions come after the Basic Court in Pristina sentenced former Minister of Local Government and Administration Ivan Todosijevic to two years in prison on charges of inciting ethnic hatred after he stated that the Recak massacre was a fabrication.

Haradinaj: Vucic’s hatred for Albanians shown in his Recak remarks (media)

Acting Prime Minister of Kosovo Ramush Haradinaj has slammed the statement of the Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Recak massacre saying it showed “Vucic’s pathologic hatred against Albanians.”

“This position clearly proved that even in the institutional level Serbia unashamedly maintains criminal mindset from Milosevic’s time. Republic of Kosovo is a multiethnic society, consisting of Albanians and other communities and hatred against any ethnicity is a legally sanctioned act,” Haradinaj wrote on Facebook.

He added that Serbia’s denial of crimes in Kosovo diminishes chances for peace and reconciliation in the region.

Citaku: Vucic’s denial of Recak massacre, utter madness (Zeri/Bota Sot)

Kosovo’s Ambassador to the U.S., Vlora Citaku, has reacted to the statement of the Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic that the Recak massacre was fabricated.

Citaku wrote on Twitter: “This is utter madness! Recak was a tragedy which unfolded before the eyes of the world & revealed the true cruelty of the Serbian regime in Kosovo. Denial is unconscionable. Shame on Serbia!”

Law on salaries ends up at Constitutional Court (Zeri)

The paper reports that six days after the Law on Salaries entered into force, the Kosovo Ombudsperson sent the act to the Constitutional Court to assess its legality after 35 complaints were filed by unions and other groups claiming certain articles of the law are not in line with the Constitution of Kosovo.

The Ombudsperson also considers that the law in question is not in accordance to the principles of the rule of law as it lacks clarity and accuracy. The Ombudsperson has also requested the application of the law is suspended pending the ruling of the Constitutional Court.