Headlines - 20.10.2016

• Pristina and Belgrade agree on the use of registration plates (dailies)
• Thaçi: There is no Rama-Vucic agreement for Durres-Nis motorway (RTK)
• Albania can speak and convey Kosovo’s voice (Epoka)
• Analysts divided on the impact of Albania-Serbia protocol (Zeri)
• Government’s request for Trepca could be declared unacceptable (Koha)
• Stojanovic lobbying in Europe against Trepca law (RTK/Lajmi)
• “Thaci was close to secret services and has information about killings” (Express)
• “Kosovo not threatened by Russia but from Vetëvendosje and Serbs” (RTK)

Pristina and Belgrade agree on the use of registration plates (dailies)

Under the EU facilitation, delegations from Pristina and Belgrade discussed yesterday in Brussels implementation of agreement on the use of registration plates for vehicles travelling to and from Kosovo and Serbia. Both parties are reported to have expressed readiness to begin implementation stage of the agreement while the EU suggested that the stickers to be put up on the cars be issued free of charge, namely that the cost for their printing would be covered by the institutions of Kosovo and Serbia.

Thaçi: There is no Rama-Vucic agreement for Durres-Nis motorway (RTK)

Kosovo’s President, Hashim Thaci, said on Wednesday that the media uproar over Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama’s frequent meetings with Serbian leaders, does not have any importance “as long as Rama’s statements and positions vis-à-vis Kosovo are just”. In an interview for Tirana-based Klan TV,President Thaci said Rama has the right to speak about Kosovo, but not on its behalf. “Our institutions decide about Kosovo,” Thaci said adding that Albania and Kosovo are not in a competition. Asked about the signing of a bilateral agreement between Albania and Serbia for the Durres-Nis motorway, without Kosovo’s consent, Thaci said that he is not aware for existence of such agreement. Thaci said he does not comment the analysts’ opinions saying that “we live in democracy, pluralism and diversity of ideas, positions. I respect every position on any matter that appears and that it is debated. But I repeat this debate is artificial and vain and it could be harmful”. Thaci further said that he does not comment statements of Ministers or opinion-makers but those of the state of Kosovo, President of Kosovo, its institutions and the will of the people of Kosovo.

Albania can speak and convey Kosovo’s voice (Epoka)

The President of the Assembly of Kosovo, Kadri Veseli said on Wednesday that it is in Kosovo’s interest for Albania to speak and convey Kosovo’s voice, wherever Kosovo cannot have an institutional representation. Prime Minister Mustafa on the other hand did not want to comment the recent discussions on Kosovo-Albanian relations, after the announcements of the Prime Minister of Albania in Belgrade. He only said that both states are showing good results of cooperation.

Analysts divided on the impact of Albania-Serbia protocol (Zeri)

Political analysts are divided when it comes to the impact of the cooperation protocol reached between the governments of Albania and Serbia on the construction of highways and railway lines that pass through the territory of Kosovo without its consent, reports the paper on the front page. While some consider the protocol to be meaningless, others think it beneficial for Kosovo. Haki Abazi from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund said the connection of the region through road infrastructure is positive and the fact that Kosovo was not consulted does not present a problem. “I think these are agreements already discussed in the Berlin Process,” he said. At the same time, analyst Imer Mushkolaj said the projects cannot be implemented if Kosovo is bypassed.

Government’s request for Trepca could be declared unacceptable (Koha)

The paper reports on its front page that the Kosovo Government has submitted to the Constitutional Court a request to suspend all procedures related to the liquidation of the socially-owned enterprise Trepca. Legal experts meanwhile have argued that such a request could be declared unacceptable because based on the Constitution of Kosovo, the Government is not authorised to make such requests. Meanwhile, constitutional experts and government representatives have said that the Court can announce this measure ex officio based on legal provisions that envisage such an action in order to avoid risks or irreparable damages.

Stojanovic lobbying in Europe against Trepca law (RTK/Lajmi)

Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister Branimir Stojanovic met on Wednesday in Brussels with Eduard Kukan, chairman of the European Parliament’s Committee for Cooperation with Serbia, and presented to him what he called damages from the Trepca law. “We have planned a series of meetings for tomorrow. These meetings will not take place only in Brussels but in several centres across Europe where we will show the damages from the Trepca law and the threat it poses to the security and interests of the Serb people in Kosovo. We will also explain how this will obstruct the process of dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia and relations between the two countries,” Stojanovic added.

“Thaci was close to secret services and has information about killings” (Express)

Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) MP Anton Quni, in an interview with Rrokum TV on Wednesday, commented on the four letters that President Hashim Thaci recently sent to the prosecution calling for the resolution of numerous unresolved cases. Quni focused on Thaci’s letter that calls for the resolution of post-war killings, including the assassinations of many LDK members. “He [Thaci] must provide all facts and arguments. I am confident he has them … Thaci played an important role in the army and in politics too. He was close to several intelligence services and there is no doubt that he has information. In addition to the request he has made, he can also provide evidence and be a witness and give information that he has for every case to the prosecution,” Quni was quoted as saying.

“Kosovo not threatened by Russia but from Vetëvendosje and Serbs” (RTK)

The U.S. Balkans analyst, Daniel Serwer told RTK on Wednesday that Kosovo is immune towards Moscow and its attempts to cause turbulences in Balkans and that the Serbs and Vetëvendosje are causing problems in Kosovo by not accepting its territorial integrity. “Kosovo has continuous problems of territorial integrity and its sovereignty. Both of them are being endangered in one hand by Serbs who do not accept Kosovo’s independence and sovereignty and on the other hand by Albanians themselves, from Vetëvendosje that does not accept Kosovo’s territorial integrity and sovereignty,” Serwer said. “Authorities in Kosovo would rightfully want to conclude the issue with Montenegro and Association and move towards more important matters such as creation of jobs and economy. I am on the side of the politicians who want to finish these major political issues and pass on to details, economic issues of Kosovo in essence to move forward,” Serwer said. He added that it is very difficult to work on something else while there are territorial and integrity problems.