• Haradinaj: PAN has enough votes to form institutions (media)
• EU will accept any government that has majority in Parliament (Koha)
• President’s Office: Certification of results first, then the mandate holder (media)
• AKR leader denies claims he plans to join PAN coalition (media)
• INTERPOL to review Kosovo’s bid in September (media)

Haradinaj: PAN has enough votes to form institutions (media)

Ramush Haradinaj, candidate for Prime Minister from the PDK-AAK-Nisma (PAN) coalition, told RTK on Friday that PAN has secured enough votes to form the new institutions. Haradinaj said he was waiting for the Central Election Commission to certify the election results before he proceeds to form a new government. “We have enough votes to form a new government. What we can do next is to ensure broad support, a solid coalition that will form a new government,” Haradinaj added.

EU will accept any government that has majority in Parliament (Koha)

EU diplomats dealing with the Western Balkans told the paper they are closely following political developments in Kosovo but that they have no preferences on which political party should form a new government, the paper reports. EU diplomats and representatives of EU institutions told the paper they have “no idea” what will happen or who will ultimately form a new government, but that compared to the 2014 elections this time there is very little interest from the EU to be involved in the process of securing a parliamentary majority. “It is not a matter of the EU, but rather of Kosovars to form a new government ... For the EU it is more important what the new government will do rather than who will form it,” EU diplomats told the paper. They also said the EU would ultimately accept any new government that secures a majority of votes in Parliament. “A majority in Parliament is what determines the government, regardless of whether or not someone likes this,” they added.

President’s Office: Certification of results first, then the mandate holder (media)

Kosovo’s President Hashim Thaci is waiting for the certification of the 11 June parliamentary election results and then he will act in line with his constitutional competencies to mandate the formation of a new government, Zeri daily reports. Officials from the President’s Office did not reveal further details if President Thaci will pass the mandate to the second biggest party or coalition if the biggest coalition fails to secure enough votes in Parliament. “The President cannot undertake any action without the certification of election results. Following the certification and within the set timelines, he will act in accordance with his constitutional and legal competencies,” the President’s Office said in a short statement to the paper.

AKR leader denies claims he plans to join PAN coalition (media)

Several media report that Behxhet Pacolli, leader of the New Kosovo Alliance (AKR), has denied claims that his party is planning to join the PDK-AAK-Nisma coalition. Pacolli said in a Facebook post that his party and its coalition partners, the LDK, Alternative and Justice Movement, “are committed to their path for change”. AKR deputy leader, Albena Reshitaj, told Zeri that Pacolli would not be tempted by any government positions to join the PAN coalition. Reshitaj also said that the AKR would make all decisions together with its coalition partners.

INTERPOL to review Kosovo’s bid in September (media)

Kosovo’s outgoing Minister for Interior, Skender Hyseni, has received a letter from INTERPOL General Secretary on Kosovo’s bid to become a full-fledged member of this organization, most media report. “I am happy to inform you that the Executive Committee of INTERPOL in its meeting held on 31 May - 2 June 2017, in Lyon, France, has decided to include Kosovo’s application for membership into INTERPOL into the agenda of the General Assembly which will be held in Beijing of China from 26 - 29 September 2017,” the letter noted.