Headlines - 27.09.2016

• Courts in the north, far from becoming functional (Koha Ditore)
• U.S. to veto Jeremić’s candidacy for top UN post (Koha Ditore)
• Government will not delay demarcation issue (Zëri)
• Vetëvendosje calls the Prime Minister for a motion (Epoka e Re)
• Pajaziti: Opposition’s cause has degraded (Epoka e Re)
• Hoxhaj: Germany’s support for visa liberalization, vital  (Epoka e Re)

 Courts in the north, far from becoming functional (Koha Ditore)

Courts in the northern part of Kosovo will not become functional even after  Serb judges and prosecutors are appointed, the paper writes on its front page. Officials at the Kosovo Judicial Council said that they are preparing a new list of judges after the previous one was not decreed by President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi. At the same time, they seemed to imply that even with the new judges being sworn in, the opening of courts could be addressed in the Pristina-Belgrade dialogue.

U.S. to veto Jeremić’s candidacy for top UN post (Koha Ditore)

The U.S. will most certainly veto the candidacy of the former Serbian foreign minister, Vuk Jeremić for the post of the UN Secretary-General, The Guardian quoted diplomats as saying. “Washington has not forgiven Jeremić for his opposition to Kosovan independence, amid its perception that he used his time as president of the General Assembly as a platform for nationalist rhetoric,” the British paper writes.

Government will not delay demarcation issue (Zëri)

Faton Abdullahu, advisor to Kosovo Prime Minister Isa Mustafa, told the paper on Monday that the government will not delay the demarcation issue. “The request to return the demarcation agreement to point zero is zero contribution for this issue. The government will not make any unjustifiable delays to resubmit this bill to the Assembly. Kosovo government’s position continues to be constructive in terms of trying to move the demarcation process forward with a view that we consider is to the benefit of European integration and visa liberalisation processes,” he said. The requirements to have a different approach to the demarcation, Abdullahu calls  unhelpful and unconstructive. 

Vetëvendosje calls the Prime Minister for a motion (Epoka e Re)

Thursday’s Assembly session is not expected to be an easy one for the Prime Minister of Kosovo Isa Mustafa, being that he will have to answer to two motions called by  Vetëvendosje MPs. The first one is related to the telephone prefix for Kosovo and the second motion is related to the current political situation in the north of Kosovo.

Pajaziti: Opposition’s cause has degraded (Epoka e Re)

Zenun Pajaziti, head of the Parliamentary Group of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), said in an interview for the paper that the political cause of the opposition parties has degraded. He stressed that the opposition’s approach is seriously harming interests of Kosovo. He said that he does not see a single reason for new elections. Speaking about Albin Kurti’s statement on possible war with Montenegro, Pajaziti said that such statements lead Kosovo to a dead-end and that they can cause long term consequences. He said that PDK is working on finding a solution for demarcation with Montenegro. He added that sending the matter for an international arbitrage requires consent of both countries, therefore this issue should be treated carefully.

Hoxhaj: Germany’s support for visa liberalization, vital  (Epoka e Re)

Enver Hoxhaj, Foreign Minister of Kosovo, met at the margins of the UN General Assembly German Foreign Minister Walter Steinmeier and  Foreign Minister of the Thailand, Don Pramudwinai. “I had a very good meeting with the German Foreign Minister, Steinmeier, who is a great supporter of Kosovo. During the following weeks, his and Germany’s support is vital for a positive decision on liberalization of visas,” Hoxhaj said.