Headlines - 19.12.2016

• PDK’s Lladrovci wins run-off mayor elections in Drenas/Glogovac (media)
• Delawie praises flow of elections in Drenas/Glogovac (Epoka)
• Lumezi: No legal violations in Drenas/Glogovac elections (Zeri)
• Monitors report a number of irregularities during elections (Zeri)
• Government not concerned with Serbian List’s “threats” (Koha)
• Haradinaj: The political scene has become dirty (Epoka)
• Russian oil company accused of usurping petrol stations in the north (Zeri)

PDK’s Lladrovci wins run-off mayor elections in Drenas/Glogovac (media)

All media report that the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) candidate, Ramiz Lladrovci, has won the run-off elections for the mayor of Drenas/Glogovac municipality. In the second round of elections, Lladrovci won five hundred thousand votes more than his counter-candidate, NISMA’s Isa Xhemajlaj. According to the preliminary results of the Central Election Commission (CEC), Lladrovci won 62 percent of the votes, while Xhemajlaj won 37 percent. PDK leader Kadri Veseli posted on his Facebook page that “the citizens, with their free will and in an excellent election process, confirmed that Drenica and the PDK are inseparable”.

Delawie praises flow of elections in Drenas/Glogovac (Epoka)

The Ambasador of the United States of America to Kosovo, Greg Delawie, went to Drenas/Glogovac on Sunday and followed municipality’s mayoral election closely. He said that he saw devoted people involved in the elections. “I am here to observe the local elections in Drenas. I see committed commissioners and observers from the political parties and non-governmental organizations. I think that this is wonderful,” Delawie said.

Lumezi: No legal violations in Drenas/Glogovac elections (Zeri)

Kosovo’s chief prosecutor, Aleksander Lumezi, said that the prosecutors following the second round of elections in the municipality of Drenas/Glogovac found no legal violations regarding the right to vote.

Monitors report a number of irregularities during elections (Zeri)

Democracy in Action, coalition of NGOs that monitored elections in Drenas/Glogovac, reported on a number of irregularities they noted during the run-off vote in the municipality on Sunday. The monitors identified 67 cases when citizens were unable to find their names on the voters’ lists and 54 cases of family voting. Furthermore, they also observed minibuses carrying voters in an organised manner.

Government not concerned with Serbian List’s “threats” (Koha)

The Kosovo government is not concerned about the Serbian List’s threats that there will be consequences after the dismissal of Local Government Minister Ljubomir Maric, the paper reports on page three. The Office of Prime Minister Isa Mustafa said Maric was dismissed in consultation with the Serbian List, but representatives of the latter denied this. Bajram Gecaj, Deputy Minister for Local Government and advisor to Prime Minister Mustafa, said the ruling coalition is not at risk because Maric was dismissed in consultation with the Serbian List. “I don’t think the coalition will be at risk. I believe we will clarify all matters in the next couple of weeks,” Gecaj said. Deputy Prime Minister Branimir Stojanovic meanwhile told Serbian media in the north that Serbs that were part of the decision to dismiss Maric will be faced with political consequences. Stojanovic further argued that the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) and Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) “are trying to create chaos and clashes between Kosovo Serb political representatives”.

Haradinaj: The political scene has become dirty (Epoka)

The leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), Ramush Haradinaj, said in a rally in Pristina on Saturday that with the current politicians Kosovo cannot become part of the EU or get visa liberalisation. According to Haradinaj, “criminalised and corrupt politicians” are to be blame for this. “This government is reaching even to your pockets. They are threatening the country,” he said. Haradinaj also argued that “the political scene in Kosovo has become too dirty”.

Russian oil company accused of usurping petrol stations in the north (Zeri)

The paper reports that three petrol stations in the north, under the management of the Privatisation Agency of Kosovo (PAK), have recently been usurped by “Nis Petrol”, a company which is co-owned by Russian oil company “Gazprom” and the Government of Serbia. Kosovo’s Minister for Dialogue, Edita Tahiri, urged the EU to stop the activity of these petrol stations while PAK officials confirmed that “Nis Petrol” has no contract for use of these stations. “Any use without prior agreement with PAK is considered to be unlawful,” said PAK spokesperson Ylli Kaloshi.