Headlines - 27.09.2014

Jahjaga receives U.S. support to resolve the political stalemate (Gazeta Express)

The President of Kosovo, Atifete Jahjaga met in New York with the Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs at the United States Department of State, Mrs. Victoria Nuland to discuss the latest developments and the processes under way in Kosovo.

“President Jahjaga noted the efforts under way in Kosovo to form the country’s institutions, including the constitution of Kosovo’s assembly and the creation of the new government and emphasized that so far the institutional consolidation in Kosovo was tightly linked to legal interpretations of the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo, which also proved Kosovo’s political and democratic maturity and the readiness of the political parties to solve contests through institutions mandated to make those rulings and to respect the verdicts of these independent institutions.

President Jahjaga underlined the importance that the resolution of the current political impasse to be found by the MPs of Kosovo’s assembly, who were vested with the authority of the vote of Kosovo’s citizens to move forward the important processes in Kosovo and to carry out responsibly the mission and the tasks that our country has taken upon itself.

President Jahjaga highlighted the start of the consultations with parliamentary political parties of the Republic of Kosovo and underlined that her role in this process as a factor of unity and a guarantor of the democratic functioning of the institutions to facilitate in finding the agreeable political formula that would pave the way to the formation of the institutions.

President Jahjaha said that Kosovo remains firm in its vision to continue to be a strong partner of the US in Southeastern Europe and is committed to move forward toward European integration and membership in EU and NATO. 

Assistant Secretary Nuland assured President Jahjaga that she has the full support of the U.S. government in her efforts with Kosovo’s political party leaders to find a way forward on constituting the Assembly and government formation, in line with Kosovo’s Constitution and decisions of its Constitutional Court.  The United States looks forward to a continued close relationship with a Kosovo committed to the rule of law, the Dialogue with Serbia, and a Euro-Atlantic future,” notes a press release issued by the Office of the President of Kosovo.

Haradinaj: I do not have anyone to hand over the mandate of the Prime Minister (Koha Ditore)

Ramush Haradinaj, leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), said on Friday during a visit to the fair of agricultural products in Bardhosh that there is no one in the coalition block to pass the mandate of the Prime Minister to, because the political parties have signed an agreement and pledged to respect it. “Believe me it is a sustainable agreement and we do not consider these gossips,” said Haradinaj. “We are dealing with something much more serious,” he added. Asked whether there are clashes among the parties in coalition block, Haradinaj said that these rumors have been going on for three months now, however nothing has happened. Haradinaj agreed with the position of President Atifete Jahjaga that there is no need for new elections. He stated that the solution to the political stalemate stands on the will of the two thirds of the Assembly.

Coalition block will wait for PDK’s failure (Koha Ditore)

Sadri Ferati, deputy of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), stated that deputies of his party met on Friday and reconfirmed their unity regarding the agreement for a wider coalition. “In the next session, we will wait for the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), to reflect for its last time, and then the coalition block will do so. So we consider that at this session, PDK and its allies will exhaust all their possibilities,” said Ferati. A press release issued by LDK also stressed the unity of this party, however one of its deputies, Armend Zemaj, stated in an interview for Radio Dukagjini that he would not vote Ramush Haradinaj for Prime Minister.

Sejdiu involved in the solution of the crisis (Tribuna)

Based on its reliable sources, this daily reports that Fatmir Sejdiu, former President of Kosovo is being contacted by diplomatic representatives accredited in Kosovo with the intention of finding a modus for overcoming the political stalemate. Based on the same source, this daily reports that Sejdiu was asked to have a more pro-active role approach, due to his experience both as state official and judicial expert.

Minister of Trade and Industry resignes (Koha Ditore)

The Ministry for Trade and Industry informed through a press release that Minister Bernard Nikaj resigned from his post. The outgoing Prime Minister Hashim Thaci accepted his resignation and nominated Deputy Minister Avni Kastrati as Acting Minister of Trade and Industry. “The reasons for his resignation are personal and related to his further academic advancement. Nikaj will be a guest researcher at the Berkeley University, California, for one semester, supported by Fulbright scholarship,” notes the press release.