Kosovo waiting for Ashton to build platform (Koha Ditore – front page)

Kosovo institutions expect EU High Representative Catherine Ashton to officially unveil dialogue topics between the Kosovo and Serbian Prime Ministers during her upcoming visit to Pristina. Only then will the platform be prepared for talks.

According to sources, topics and the way the dialogue will be carried out was also discussed in the first meeting between Kosovo PM Hashim Thaçi and Serbia’s Ivica Dacic. “It is true that topics have been mentioned to us but it is also true that during the upcoming visit there will be something in writing,” said a senior Kosovo Government official. “If we will have a written platform, we will have one only after topics are presented,” added the official further.

Path towards unblocked election reforms (Express – front page)

PDK leader Hashim Thaçi and LDK leader Isa Mustafa decided to unblock election reforms and conclude procedures to amend the election law, the number of zones, and election lists.

According to sources from PDK and LDK, Thaçi and Mustafa briefly discussed in their recent meetings the election reforms. In principle, they agreed to conclude the work of the election reforms committee. “During their meeting, both leaders agreed that reforms should move forward and that the process must not be blocked,” a source from the meeting told the paper.

Hague: Map of Southeast Europe has been defined (dailies)

According to a press release issued by President Atifete Jahjaga’s office following her meeting with British Foreign Secretary William Hague and Ambassador Ian Cliff, it was reported that the officials discussed the latest developments in Kosovo, the democratic processes, and the United Kingdom’s engagement in the Balkan region, particularly in Kosovo.

Noting how Ahtisaari’s package is the best way to integrate the Serb community in Kosovo institutions, Jahjaga said that the plan produced results in most of Kosovo’s territory. She added however that parallel structures in the north continue to represent obstacles for further progress.

Secretary Hague stressed that the UK is a partner and ally of Kosovo and will continue to offer support in the process of consolidating its statehood. He emphasized the need for continuing reforms - particularly electoral and Constitutional - and to fight against corruption and organized crime. Hague said the Balkans’ EU integration is of immense importance for all parties and confirmed that the map of Southeast Europe has already been determined.

Vetëvendosje accuses Police of torturing detained protesters (dailies)

In a press conference following the release of its detained activists during Monday’s protest, Vetëvendosje accused Kosovo Police of having ill-treated its members.

Movement member Boiken Abazi said he was beaten by police and witnessed how other members were kicked and punched as they were brought to the police station. “We are at the moment gathering all evidence, verifying all identification numbers we can remember, faces…and once we collect all evidence [we will] take the next step which will be a lawsuit,” said Abazi.

At the same time, Vetëvendosje’s organizational secretary Dardan Molliqaj said the violence against protesters will not prevent the Movement from staging future protests. He also said that allegations by Kosovo Police that protesters attempted to enter Kosovo institutions are not true. “Our concept in the action was to wait for Prime Minister Thaçi, throw tomatoes and paint at him and place a banner saying ‘Unification with Albania, not deals with Serbia’ and ‘Kosovo is not a pair of jeans to be sold’,” he said.

AI condemns actions of Kosovo Police (dailies)

Amnesty International issued a statement expressing concern over the excessive use of force by Kosovo Police during the Vetëvendosje protest on Monday. AI called on authorities to conduct full, speedy, effective and impartial investigations on allegations against Kosovo Police forces. AI said that based on witness accounts and media reports, excessive use of force was exercised on demonstrators.

LDK, AAK “out” (Zëri – front page)

Leaders of both opposition parties, the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) and the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), seem to be interested in rising to power more than anything. Regardless of the meeting between the Kosovo and Serbia Prime Ministers, LDK and AAK leaders remain silent over possible conditions that Pristina could present before sitting the dialogue.

The paper suggests that if opposition parties were more persistent, some of Pristina’s conditions could be shedding light on the fate of missing persons, compensation of war damages, apology for crimes, and the distancing of current Serbian politicians from Milosevic’s policy.

Political analysts argue that LDK and AAK fear the international community, which favors talks between Serbia and Kosov. “The desire for power and various blackmails are keeping the LDK and AAK from not asking about the terms for talks with Serbia,” political analysts said.

Veseli aims for PDK leaders to start from the bottom (Koha Ditore – page 4)

Kadri Veseli, former head of the Kosovo Intelligence Service, joined the Kosovo Democratic Party as an ordinary member, without agreeing to directly join the leading structures of the party. According to a source from PDK, Veseli will join the PDK branch in Mitrovica in a matter of days, which will then undergo an election in November-December.

“Veseli will get the PDK membership cards in Mitrovica and will enter the election process in the party from the bottom,” the source, who is reportedly a senior PDK official, said. “Veseli does not want to join as others have done. His engagement in the PDK will be a matter of support and not a fight for a position.”

The source added that Veseli will try to introduce a new concept and new people to the party. “Veseli believes that the gap between the electorate and the PDK leadership is too big and that it needs to be reduced,” said the source.

PDK asked to reveal names of MPs ‘with stolen votes’ (Koha Ditore – page 3)

Opposition and civil society representatives have called on the ruling Kosovo Democratic Party (PDK) to reveal the names of MPs with stolen votes from the 2010 parliamentary elections. Ismet Kryeziu, representative of the Kosovo Democratic Institute, during a roundtable on Wednesday said that if investigators and the court have enough arguments and a firm decision on vote theft, the MPs in power because of these votes must be imprisoned and end their mandate. Along with the PDK, other political parties are believed to have MPs due to stolen votes.