Headlines - 19.04.2017

• Mustafa: Demarcation at the Assembly after having MPs’ votes (Epoka)
• Mustafa not sure who leader of Serbian List is (Koha)
• Meeting between Kosovo and Albania governments postponed (Klan Kosova)
• Toward elections with “traumatized” political parties (Koha)
• PDK MP: Elections if demarcation is not ratified (Lajmi)
• Serbian List: Government didn’t invite us to vote demarcation (Indeksonline)
• AAK and NISMA aim to win elections, don’t comment on coalitions (Epoka)
• Serbs are not to be convinced about the army (Zeri)

Mustafa: Demarcation at the Assembly after having MPs’ votes (Epoka)

The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa, reiterated on Tuesday that the draft law on the demarcation of the border with Montenegro will be sent at the Assembly in harmony with coalition partners and after assuring sufficient votes at the Assembly. He stressed that demarcation is a responsibility of the MPs in order to stop isolation of Kosovo people. According to him, this obstacle set by some MPs, might be done for different political causes or whims. Asked about breach of the coalition government, Mustafa said that this was not discussed with the governing partner, PDK.

Mustafa not sure who leader of Serbian List is (Koha)

In an interview with KTV, Prime Minister of Kosovo Isa Mustafa said that the ratification of the border demarcation agreement has been postponed due to the absence of the Serbian List MPs from the Assembly. Mustafa said the agreement will be put to vote as soon as they have the sufficient number of MPs and as for the Serbian List, Mustafa said he is not sure who its leader is at the moment. He said he hoped the CEC would soon come out with a decisive stance on the matter and that this would then go towards clarifying the role of the Serbian List and its ministers.

Meeting between Kosovo and Albania governments postponed (Klan Kosova)

The meeting between the governments of Kosovo and Albania, scheduled to take plane on 24 April, has been postponed, Klan Kosova reported quoting sources. Although the reasons for the postponement were not revealed, sources said that this was done on the request of the Kosovo government as on this date Kosovo Assembly is expected to vote on the border demarcation agreement with Montenegro.

Toward elections with “traumatized” political parties (Koha)

The paper reports on its front page that both the ruling parties and the opposition are saying that early parliamentary elections could be held in the first half of this year. The parties have differences about the legal circumstances for elections: the ruling parties want the Assembly to be dissolved, whereas the opposition wants a motion of no confidence against the government. The paper notes that early elections will find the majority of political parties with “internal traumas”: the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) with an untested leader, the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) with a disputed leadership, the Vetevendosje Movement with a new political status, a divided Serbian List and the AAK-NISMA coalition facing uncertainties over the trial of AAK leader Ramush Haradinaj.

PDK MP: Elections if demarcation is not ratified (Lajmi)

Kosovo Assembly MP from the Democratic Party of Kosovo, Xhevahire Izmaku, did not exclude the possibility for early elections, as a possibility to resolve blockade of the demarcation of the border with Montenegro. In an interview for the Voice of America, Ismaku said “we should use democratic instruments, adopt agreements that allow Kosovo people to move freely throughout Europe. It is a fact that we have stagnated on this direction. We are waiting for the development of the process at the Assembly. If it does not pass, other alternatives will be sought, so elections as one of the possibilities,” Izmaku said.

Serbian List: Government didn’t invite us to vote demarcation (Indeksonline)

Kosovo Prime Minister, Isa Mustafa, said on Tuesday that he has not received an answer from the Serbian List with regards to a vote on the border demarcation agreement with Montenegro. Slavko Simic, leader of Serb MPs at the Assembly of Kosovo, said that his party is ready to vote, but that they have not received any invitation so far from the government to discuss the matter. “We are waiting for the invitation to discuss, but the government needs to respect us as a political party. We should wait for the decision and consensus of the two biggest political parties, PDK and LDK. We have not discussed this issue with our coalition partners,” Simic said.  He added that they do not intend to leave the coalition even if the demarcation deal is not adopted. “We will stay in the coalition because we have good cooperation with PDK and LDK. We want the institutions to function,” Simic said. He added that this could be reached by avoiding political disappointments and strengthening communication. “We should be constructive and responsible towards the demands of the people who need stability and undertake reasonable political steps that would avoid unsustainability. We do not have time to lose. We want to do our job, which is in accordance with interests of our people,” Simic said.

AAK and NISMA aim to win elections, don’t comment on coalitions (Epoka)

Ali Berisha, organizational secretary of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), and Jakup Krasniqi, head of the NISMA National Council, said on Tuesday that their coalition aims to win the parliamentary elections. Neither Berisha nor Krasniqi wanted to comment on the statement by PDK MP Shukri Buja about an eventual PDK-AAK-NISMA coalition. They said the new government will be led by the current opposition and that the future coalition will bring new qualities on governance of Kosovo.

Serbs are not to be convinced about the army (Zeri)

The Serbian List remains determined on its position with regards to the creation of Kosovo’s army. Despite President Thaci’s statement to exhaust all possibilities of discussions with the Serbian List, Kosovo analysts are convinced that only the international community could convince them. Marko Djuric, head of the Serbian government’s office for Kosovo, said the government of Kosovo cannot convince the Serbian List to vote for the constitutional changes that would enable creation of Kosovo’s army. Djuric said “no healthy logic could convince Serbs to do such a thing” and added that Thaci’s initiative “is an attempt by Albanian separatists to buy off the Serbs.”