Headlines - 08.03.2013 Jacobson: Association in harmony with Constitution (dailies) US Ambassador to Kosovo Tracey Ann Jacobson expressed full support to the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue and noted that association of municipalities with Serb majority will be in accordance to the Constitution of Kosovo. “We have heard quite clearly what the Government and the Prime Minister of Kosovo said. It will not have executive powers or direct elections,” Jacobson told Radio Free Europe. Zbogar does not expect long-term solution from the dialogue (Koha Ditore) EU Special Representative in Kosovo Samuel Zbogar has evaluated on Thursday that the process of the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia taking place in Brussels has another primary aim, apart from improvement of relations between Albanians and Serbs. He identified this goal as being membership of both countries in European Union. “Dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia is continuing and its primary aim is the possibility of membership of Serbia and Kosovo in European Union. However, there will not be a long-term prosperity until Kosovo deals with all of its citizens based on laws, standards and same daily procedures, until we reach normalization of relations between Serbs and Albanians,” Zbogar told the paper. Ahtisaari “Plus” starts with five additional seats for Serbs (Tribuna) The paper reports that an Ahtisaari Plus will start with possible implementation of increasing the number of seats for Serb community in Kosovo Assembly, said international sources close to the process of Kosovo-Serbia dialogue. This proposal insists on adding five more seats for Serbs in the Assembly. While taking into the account sensitivity of this proposal, sources said that the creator of this idea advised Kosovar leadership to include in the package five seats for Albanian diaspora. This was an initial proposal according to which the Assembly in the future would have 130 seats and not 120 as it has at the present. Borchardt: I was a critic of EULEX (Tribuna) EULEX chief Bernd Borchardt said in an interview for the paper that he was a critic of the mission but “I began to change my stance when I started working deeper into the mission”. He said that the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia is an extraordinary opportunity for Kosovo to close a chapter that used up a lot of energy. “There are fields where Kosovo should now focus its energy and close these issues. We should focus on the rule of law and economic development,” Borchardt said. EULEX announces gradual withdrawal (Koha Ditore) EULEX is doing its job while focusing on increasing cooperation which would reflect in building of local capacities and gradual withdrawal of EULEX. To achieve this however, there is a need for commitment from the Government of Kosovo enabling the prosecutors and judges to work without fear. The comments were made at a joint press conference of the heads of EULEX and Kosovo Government after the regular meeting of Coordinative Joint Board for the Rule of law. The head of EULEX, Bernd Borchardt, expressed commitment for the gradual hand-over of competencies from EULEX to the local institutions. Baroness in the field (Express) The mediator of the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, Baroness Catherine Ashton, is expected to visit Kosovo in a week, and meet Kosovo leadership and representatives of the opposition. Sources said Ashton will stay in Pristina on 13 and 14 March, five days before the seventh round of the dialogue with Serbia. However, this was not confirmed by Ashton’s Office. “While we are in regular contact with both parties, I have nothing to make public,” said Ashton’s Spokesperson, Maja Kociajancic. However, Ashton’s visit was confirmed by Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi: “The next meeting will be held on 20 March, while I expect Baroness Ashton to visit Kosovo in the following days and we will have other discussions here in Pristina, as Institutions of the Republic of Kosovo, as Kosovo leadership,” said Thaçi. Hyseni: No guarantees that Kosovo joins UN after the dialogue (Koha Ditore) Former foreign minister of Kosovo, Skender Hyseni said that the failure to achieve at least 100 recognitions of independence of Kosovo five years on happened because this process continues to be very complicated. Hyseni, who was quoted in the media a few days ago as saying that Kosovo is buying recognitions, stated that the strategies of MFA are not effective. He warns that it should not promise investments in exchange of recognition of independence, as such strategies would only damage the recognition process and the states continue to hold indifferent stances towards independence of Kosovo. “I don’t know about the buying of recognitions. I know about the reports of the media who have reported for the different attempts, promises for investments. I don’t believe the recognitions can be bought, because it does not work that way, however, it should be careful when the request of recognition not to be made with unsupported promises, because, they may turn against Kosovo as a boomerang,” said Kosovo former foreign minister, Skënder Hyseni. Ministry of Foreign Affairs refuses Vetëvendosje (Koha Ditore) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not see it as reasonable to call the Macedonian Ambassador in Kosovo to explain the latest situation in this country, according to Vetëvendosje’s request. Deputy Minister of Kosovo Ministry of Foreign Affairs Petrit Selimi said MFA insists that “Kosovo and Macedonia do not have open issues [...] Understand Kosovo signed a record number of over two dozen of bilateral agreements in all fields with Macedonia,” said Selimi.  Vulin: Gora in Association (Express) The Director of the Office for Kosovo in the Government of Serbia, Aleksandar Vulin, who is visiting Serbs in Kosovo, said that Serbia will never give up regarding Gora. He visited Vranishtë in Dragash, where he said that the issue of including Gora in the Association of Serb municipalities was also discussed in Brussels. “Gorans want to be there where they have always been, in Gora; they never left, even under difficult circumstances. We have raised the issue of Gora in Brussels, not as a problem, but as a position. Association of Serb municipalities want Gora to be its part and Gora wants this as well,” reports Radio KiM.  Deçan residents protest again (Zëri) Residents of Deçan protested for the fourth time against the decision of the Supreme Court special chamber to grant “socially-owned” property to the Orthodox Monastery. “We once again informed all local and international institutions that decisions taken to the detriment of our citizens are unacceptable,” said Adem Lushaj, one of the organizers of the protest. Lushaj announced further protests until the court decision is overturned.  Islamic movement “Bashkohu” registered as political party (Koha Ditore) “Bashkohu” movement, which aims to protect Islamic values of Albanians of Kosovo, now entered in politics, while it has been accepted as such also form Kosovo Central Election Commission CEC. Even though they say they are not an extremist party and against violence, they are not denying involvement in the incident in December 2012, where members of this movement were apparently against the promotion of a magazine, which wrote about sex taboos.