Headlines - 14.11.2014

The bloc to review coalition agreement (Kosova Sot)

General Secretary of Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Ismet Beqiri, said that after the latest decision from the bloc to withdraw from the post of assembly speaker, post-election coalition partners will sit down and decide how to move further. “The leaders are competent to either reach a new agreement or terminate the old agreement and make a new one. They have the authorization from our parties and they will surely do this,” said Beqiri. 

PDK offers Haradinaj the post of Prime Minister (Bota Sot)

Blic newspaper learns from its sources that few associates of Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) leader, Ramush Haradinaj, and Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA) leader, Fatmir Limaj, who have decided to either “stay together” with the bloc or join the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) if the bloc breaks up, have already reestablished contacts with PDK officials. “PDK and Thaci are ready to give everything, including the post of prime minister if we go with them,” said an unnamed official from AAK. 

Vetevendosje, outside the dialogue (Zeri)

Apart from the request of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) to have its leader, Isa Mustafa, become candidate for prime minister, the post-election coalition bloc is also expected to discuss changing the agreement in the part saying that the dialogue with Belgrade will be led by Vetevendosje representatives. In an interview for the paper yesterday, the British ambassador, Ian Cliff, said he is against the idea of Vetevendosje leading the dialogue while Kosovo political analysts believe the bloc’s parties are going to face an increased pressure to change the coalition agreement.

Germany sends Reichel to help resolve Kosovo stalemate (Tribuna)

Former German ambassador to Kosovo and currently special envoy for South-Eastern Europe, Turkey and the EFTA states, Ernst Reichel, has arrived in Kosovo to assist political parties in resolving the institutional stalemate, the paper reports quoting Express. The German Embassy in Pristina confirmed Reichel’s arrival and said he is here to get informed about the situation.

Jablanovic requests intervention of internationals (Kosova Sot, Tribuna)

Serbian List leader, Aleksandar Jablanovic, said that the EU and the US should discipline representatives of Kosovo and that early elections in Kosovo are unnecessary. Jablanovic said he believed the number of votes won in the elections will not change if the new elections take place again. Speaking about Serbian List’s conditions to join the new Kosovo Government, Jablanovic said they include return of displaced Serbs and protection of property of the members of the Serb community and the Serb Orthodox Church. He emphasized that they will not need to lead the ministry for returns and communities, whose budget will be smaller by three million compared to that of last year.

Constitutional Court refuses Ombudsperson’s request (Bota Sot)

Kosovo Constitutional Court has rejected the request of Ombudsperson in connection with the legality of the decree of Kosovo President, Atifete Jahjaga, to extend the mandate of international judges in the Constitutional Court of Kosovo. President Jahjaga on 31 August this year decreed confirmation of the mandate of Constitutional Court judges based on the international agreement ratified in the Kosovo Assembly after the exchange of letters with the EU High Representative for Foreign Policy and Security, Catherine Ashton.