Headlines - 24.04.2017

• Border demarcation, “pretext” for bringing the government down (Koha)
• Mustafa: Elections now mean avoiding responsibility (RTK)
• Hoti: LDK is waiting for PDK to proceed with demarcation (VOA)
• NISMA’s Krasniqi and PDK’s Grabovci meet in Albania (Klan Kosova)
• Gecaj excludes possibility of LDK-Vetevendosje coalition (Lajmi)
• Vetevendosje applies for political party status (Koha)
• U.S. Embassy: We alarmed citizens, due to the terrorists (Gazeta Express)
• Bajrami: Association cannot deal with higher education issues (Koha Ditore) 

Kosovo Media Highlights 

Border demarcation, “pretext” for bringing the government down (Koha)

The paper reports on the front page that although the Kosovo Assembly President and leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) Kadri Veseli pledged that border demarcation with Montenegro will be put to vote this week, the issue depends on Prime Minister Isa Mustafa who has to first submit the document to the Assembly. Sources, however, said that this is unlikely to happen this week since PM Mustafa will be staying in Brussels in a bid to secure conditional visa liberalisation for Kosovo. Sources also said that the border demarcation issue is being used by the PDK as “pretext” to bring down the current government and head to early elections. However, Mustafa seems determined not to submit the agreement to the Assembly until he secures 80 votes necessary to ratify it.

Mustafa: Elections now mean avoiding responsibility (RTK)

Prime Minister of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa, in a Facebook post reiterated his opposition to the prospect of early elections. Mustafa said he was not afraid of challenges but that heading to elections at a time when the Kosovo army is not formed yet and visa liberalisation is not finalized would mean avoiding responsibility. “I am aware that it is more difficult to work and deliver on promises made before citizens than going for the elections, but as prime minister I do not shy away from challenges and promises as we agreed in this ruling coalition,” Mustafa wrote.  

Hoti: LDK is waiting for PDK to proceed with demarcation (VOA)

Member of the leadership of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Avdullah Hoti, said that they are only waiting for the decision of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) on support of demarcation of the border with Montenegro, in order to proceed at the Assembly. “As LDK, we have already come up with the decision at the General Council of the Party, prior to supporting ratification of the demarcation. We are waiting for the other partner of the coalition, PDK, to move to the same direction and to move with the matter at the Assembly during the next days or weeks. We have exhausted all the possibilities,” Hoti said. 

NISMA’s Krasniqi and PDK’s Grabovci meet in Albania (Klan Kosova)

Web portal Ferizajpress has published photos showing the head of Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA) national council, Jakup Krasniqi, having coffee with former head of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) parliamentary group, Adem Grabovci. Some media speculate that in the meeting, Krasniqi asked Grabovci to support NISMA’s initiative for no-confidence motion against the government. According to Ferizajpress, NISMA leader Fatmir Limaj was also present at the meeting although he is not shown in any of the pictures circulating in online media.

Gecaj excludes possibility of LDK-Vetevendosje coalition (Lajmi)

Bajram Gecaj, Deputy Minister of Local Government Administration and adviser to the Prime Minister of Kosovo, has excluded the possibility of a coalition of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) with the Vetevendosje movement, due to “the means and methods” used by the latter. “I see the possibility of a coalition with Vetevendosje as very difficult, considering the methods that they use,” Gecaj said. He said that LDK is ready for elections and has its program and platform ready. 

Vetevendosje applies for political party status (Koha)

Vetevendosje has applied with the Central Elections Commission to be registered as a political party, not to be a civic initiative as it appeared until now. The move, according to analysts, is a strategic one as it enables Vetevendosje to reach pre-election coalitions.

U.S. Embassy: We alarmed citizens, due to the terrorists (Gazeta Express)

The Spokesperson of the U.S. Embassy to Kosovo, Michelle Schohn, said that the alarm to avoid public places is made by all U.S. embassies in the world, when needed. According to her, the announcement of the U.S. Embassy during Easter holidays, was made to encourage its citizens to be careful. “Terrorists in the region have tried also in the past to attack soft targets, and that is why we had to encourage our citizens to show increased caution during these times,” Schohn said.

Bajrami: Association cannot deal with higher education issues (Koha Ditore)

Kosovo’s Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Arsim Bajrami, said that the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities can deal with local policies but not central-level issues such as the higher education. Bajrami admitted that delays in the draft law on higher education are caused by the Serbian representatives who insist the University of Mitrovica North not be integrated into the Kosovo public university system. He said, however, that although the municipalities are set to take on broader powers, higher education will not be one of the issues that can be decided at a local level.