• Vetevendosje leader Kurti claims majority to form new government (media)
• Limaj: We are part of the Assembly (RTK)
• Berisha: PDK ready to vote Kurti’s government (media)
• Haradinaj: Visa liberalisation can happen this year (RTK)
• Godfrey: U.S. intention is to encourage Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (RTK)
• Ragmi Mustafa: Presevo Valley seeks unification with Kosovo (RTK)
• Palokaj: Recognitions and derecognitions (Koha)
• Charges raised against Spasojevic and Rosic in Ivanovic assassination case (Zeri)
• Mlambo-Ngcuka: End rape—an intolerable cost to society (Koha)

Vetevendosje leader Kurti claims majority to form new government (media)

Koha Ditore reports on its leading front-page story that a dispute over the last package of votes from the diaspora could postpone the certification of the October 6 parliamentary election results, even though the Central Election Commission (CEC) completed on Sunday the recount of votes requested by political parties. The Limaj-led Social Democratic Initiative (NISMA) has called on the Constitutional Court to annul the diaspora votes, whereas the Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) has yet to decide if it will call on the Supreme Court to include the last package of votes from the diaspora.

Meanwhile, LVV leader and candidate for Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, said during a visit to Prizren on Sunday that he has secured the required majority to form a new government. Kurti made the announcement after he received the support of three MPs from non-majority communities.

“The leaders of three non-majority parties, and future MPs, Rasim Demiri, Fikrim Damka and Albert Kinolli, will vote for our government and for me as Prime Minister, without conditions. October 6, 2019 is the day when the future began,” Kurti wrote in a Facebook post.

The paper also recalls that Kurti earlier said that he will not count on the votes of the Serbian List, which will have 10 MPs in the new Assembly, but he pledged to meet the constitutional obligation for a nominee by the Serbian List to be a minister in his government.

RTK too reports in its coverage that Kurti met on Sunday with Demiri, Damka and Kinolli.

Bota Sot reports on its front page that “Albin Kurti has secured the majority to form a government with the LDK, without NISMA and the New Kosovo Alliance”.

Limaj: We are part of the Assembly (RTK)

Fatmir Limaj, leader of the Social-Democratic Initiative (NISMA), said NISMA-AKR-PD coalition is definitely part of the Assembly of Kosovo.

“We can already talk about a regular official result. On this occasion, I express appreciation to the members, supporters and voters of our coalition for their support in this election competition. As we pointed out from the beginning, NISMA and our coalition will be part of the Assembly of Kosovo thank to the vote and support of 42 thousand voters,” Limaj wrote.

Berisha: PDK ready to vote Kurti’s government (media)

Hysen Berisha, MP candidate form the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) said delays on the creation of the government are harmful for Kosovo and stressed that his political party wants creation of new institutions as soon as possible. He added that if Vetvendosje Movement and the Democratic League of Kosovo need the votes of his political party, they are ready to support them.

“We as entity have our own position, if it comes to a stalemate due to a symbolic number of votes, the leader of the PDK has stated that he would support them, just establish institutions,” he said adding that they will try to be a constructive opposition, support political process and all open issues for Kosovo.

Berisha said they will stand stoic on respecting the Constitution of Kosovo and that they will only support an eventual agreement with Serbia which guarantees borders of Kosovo recognized by more than 100 countries.

Haradinaj: Visa liberalisation can happen this year (RTK)

Kosovo’s outgoing Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj told KosovaPress on Sunday that it is possible that Kosovo will get visa liberalisation this year. Haradinaj said that although he is outgoing Prime Minister, he continues to work for Kosovo getting the positive news for visa liberalisation this year.

Haradinaj said he is against the idea of a mini-Schengen in the Balkans, arguing that the initiative is dangerous for Kosovo. He added that this could be a good idea for the movement of citizens and goods, however, he said without mutual recognition between Kosovo and Serbia, this would be harmful. He also added that if Kosovo joins the initiative, it could threaten its chances for visa liberalisation.

Godfrey: U.S. intention is to encourage Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (RTK)

The U.S. Ambassador to Serbia Anthony Godfrey, said Washington’s interest is for Western Balkans to be a region of stability and prosperity.

“A lasting solution will be the one that both sides come up with, with which both sides can live and that would lead to regional stability. Any solution that is unfair, unbalanced or imposed from abroad will not be long lasting,” Godfrey said in a statement in the interview with RTS.

“As far as we are concerned, and for Serbia as well, the best way to achieve this is following the path to the European Union. So, my goal is to use all my energy and all the resources of the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade to help Serbia achieve the goal it has set itself, and it is EU membership,” Godfrey said.

“My duty is to improve U.S. relations with Serbia, but also to work in interest of my country in the Balkans, and it is America’s interest for the Western Balkans to become a region of stability and prosperity, where democratic values are respected, where countries respect borders and have good relations,” Godfrey said.

Ragmi Mustafa: Presevo Valley seeks unification with Kosovo (RTK)

Ragmi Mustafa, leader of the Albanian Democratic Party in Presevo and former mayor of this city, said he will present the request to fulfill the 22 March 1992 referendum for unification with Kosovo to the conference “Albania’s role in promoting Albanians’ interests in Western Balkans” organized by Albania’s Acting Foreign Minister Gent Cakaj.

“Recently, there are very interesting frustrations in Albanian policy of the Republic of Kosovo, avoiding this request of Albanians from fear that Serbia might request something from Kosovo,” he said and added that the rights that Serbia is requesting for Kosovo Serbs with international guarantees should be also given to Albanians in Presevo Valley.

“Presevo Valley Albanians are in the worst extreme position of realizing their rights and overcoming their most difficult economic situation,” Mustafa said.

Palokaj: Recognitions and derecognitions (Koha)

The paper’s Brussels-based correspondent Augustin Palokaj writes in an opinion piece that “the majority of countries that have recognised Kosovo’s independence have done so in coordination and with persuasion from the key countries that sponsored Kosovo’s independence: the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and France to a certain extent”. “Now that these countries no longer have the enthusiasm they had ten years ago, we are seeing some countries revoking their recognitions. Those politicians from Kosovo who wanted the take the credit for the recognitions, even when they happened as a result of the engagement of allies, have been more damage than good, because they tried to present recognitions as something personal,” Palokaj writes.

Charges raised against Spasojevic and Rosic in Ivanovic assassination case (Zeri)

The paper reports in one of its front-page stories that Kosovo’s Special Prosecutor Syle Hoxha has raised charges against two former members of Kosovo Police, Nedeljko Spasojevic and Marko Rosic, suspected of being involved in the assassination of Kosovo Serb political representative Oliver Ivanovic in 2018. Spasojevic and Rosic are charged with assisting in Ivanovic’s murder following orders from Milan Radojcic. The paper also notes that no charges have been raised against Radojcic yet.

Mlambo-Ngcuka: End rape—an intolerable cost to society (Koha)

The paper covers a statement issued by Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women, on the occasion of International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

“If I could have one wish granted, it might well be a total end to rape. That means a significant weapon of war gone from the arsenal of conflict, the absence of a daily risk assessment for girls and women in public and private spaces, the removal of a violent assertion of power, and a far-reaching shift for our society. Rape isn’t an isolated brief act. It damages flesh and reverberates in memory. It can have life changing, unchosen results—a pregnancy or a transmitted disease. Its long-lasting, devastating effects reach others: family, friends, partners and colleagues. In both conflict and in peace it shapes women’s decisions to move from communities through fear of attack or the stigma for survivors. Women and girls fleeing their homes as refugees also risk unsafe transport and insecure living conditions that can lack locked doors, adequate lighting and proper sanitation facilities. Girls married as children in search of increased security at home or in refugee camps can get caught up in legitimized conditions of rape, with little recourse for those wishing to escape, such as shelter and safe accommodation. In the vast majority of countries, adolescent girls are most at risk of sexual violence from a current or former husband, partner or boyfriend. As we know from our work on other forms of violence, home is not a safe place for millions of women and girls.” Read the full text of the statement at: https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2019/11/statement-ed-phumzile-day-for-the-elimination-of-violence-against-women