Headlines - 22.02.2017

• General Scaparrotti: KSF transformation, Kosovo’s internal issue (dailies)
• Haley: Kosovo deserves to be UN member (Epoka e Re)
• Border demarcation could be put to vote on Thursday (Klan Kosova)
• Veseli: Demarcation to be endorsed as soon as possible (Lajmi)
• Government hails findings of commission for territory measurement (RTK)
• Mogherini to visit Kosovo on 3 March (Koha)
• Serbia seeks Greece’s help against Kosovo’s UNESCO membership (Koha) 

Kosovo Media Highlights 

General Scaparrotti: KSF transformation, Kosovo’s internal issue (dailies)

In a visit to Kosovo, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander for Europe (SACEUR), General Curtis M. Scaparrotti, said that transformation of the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) into an armed force remains an internal issue of Kosovo authorities. “The Kosovo Security Force is a professional organization that works under its mandate and this is the best way to guarantee there is security here and it is operating very well in the environment secured by KFOR,” said the U.S. General Scaparrotti. He added that the biggest threat to Kosovo is if it derails from UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and stops dialogue with Serbia. Scaparrotti also said that KFOR will remain in Kosovo for as long as necessary.

Haley: Kosovo deserves to be UN member (Epoka e Re)

The recently appointed U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said that Kosovo deserves to become member of the UN. The UN Security Council is discussing peace and security in Kosovo at the initiative of Ukraine. The U.S. Ambassador Haley said that Kosovo should become member of the UN. “Progress in Kosovo should be acknowledged. Kosovo should become member of the UN and equal member of international community,” she said.

Border demarcation could be put to vote on Thursday (Klan Kosova)

The agreement on border demarcation with Montenegro could be presented to the Assembly members for ratification this Thursday, sources told Klan Kosova. The decision to resubmit the agreement for voting is said to have been taken following the conclusions of the commission for measuring of Kosovo territory that the border demarcation agreement does not take away land from Kosovo.

Veseli: Demarcation to be endorsed as soon as possible (Lajmi)

The President of the Assembly of Kosovo, Kadri Veseli, said to Top Channel that it is in the interest of Kosovo to mark the border with Montenegro, being that this agreement would open way to the consolidation of statehood and visa liberalization for Kosovo people. He said that lack of the endorsement of the Agreement would leave Kosovo behind on integration processes and it would cool down relations with allies that helped Kosovo’s state building process. According to Veseli, Kosovo does not lose a single meter of its territory with the Agreement. 

Government hails findings of commission for territory measurement (RTK)

The government of Kosovo has hailed the findings of the commission for measuring of Kosovo territory that concluded that the agreement on border demarcation with Montenegro doesn’t affect the territory of Kosovo. The government expressed its determination to close the border demarcation process and called on all political parties to contribute to this goal.

Mogherini to visit Kosovo on 3 March (Koha)

High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, will be visiting Western Balkans, respectively the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Kosovo, and Serbia, next week. On the 3 March, Friday, she will be participating at the inauguration of the Iber River Bridge in Mitrovica and go on to have separate meetings in Pristina with President Hashim Thaci and Prime Minister Isa Mustafa. Mogherini will also participate at a lunch organized by Assembly President, Kadri Veseli, and where the leaders of all political parties are invited.  The meeting will take place a day after the verdict on Ramush Haradinaj, and discussions on Assembly’s approval of the Agreement for demarcation of the border with Montenegro will be the main subject of the discussions.  

Serbia seeks Greece’s help against Kosovo’s UNESCO membership (Koha)

Serbia’s Minister of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Policy, Aleksandar Vulin, expressed to the Greek Ambassador to Serbia, Ilias Iliadis, appreciation for “the principled position of Greece with regards to Kosovo issue, as an integral part of Serbia,” and requested once again support against Kosovo’s membership at UNESCO. According to Belgrade news agency FoNet, Iliadis stressed that Greece does not recognize Kosovo based on the international law. They also discussed the joint meeting of the two governments which will be held in spring, in Thessaloniki.