UNMIK Headlines 24 July
Thaci’s consultative meeting officially announced (Epoka e Re)
The President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, will be meeting on Monday representatives of the political parties to discuss the post-election situation. “We inform you that tomorrow (Monday), at 10:00 hours, the President of the Republic of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, will be holding a consultative meeting with the representatives of the parliamentary parties in order to set the date for the first meeting of the sixth legislature of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo, after the certification of final results of the early elections for the Assembly of Kosovo, held on 11 June 2017,” notes the communique issued by the presidency. Vetevendosje movement, the LAA coalition as well as the Serbian List, assessed this meeting as unnecessary and announced they would not be participating.
Thaci’s criteria for PM nominee “provoke instability”, analysts say (Koha)
The paper reports on its front page that President Hashim Thaci has summoned political parties to a meeting on Monday to decide on the date of the constitutive session of the new Assembly. However, it is not known which parties will attend the meeting. Ardian Arifaj, political advisor to President Thaci, told the paper that they have not received confirmations from any political party. “We have received no official confirmation. We have invited all political parties that have won seats in the Assembly based on the election results certified by the Central Election Commission,” Arifaj said. Belul Beqaj, Pristina-based political analyst, predicts the situation to unravel after LDK-AKR-Alternativa and the Vetevendosje Movement said they would not attend the meeting. Beqaj criticized a recent statement by President Thaci who said that for the Prime Minister nominee he “would set prevailing criteria and that people that used violence to achieve their political goals cannot represent the institutions of Kosovo”. According to Beqaj, Thaci “still thinks he can save himself by provoking instability”.
Hoxhaj: PDK prefers Kadri Veseli for Assembly President (Epoka e Re)
Deputy leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Enver Hoxhaj, told the paper that his party prefers Kadri Veseli for the post of Assembly President. Speaking about the constitution of the government, Hoxhaj said the names of the MPs who support Ramush Haradinaj for Prime Minister, will be announced before the constitutive session of the Assembly of Kosovo. He added that during the last week, Haradinaj has received support of some MPs who are not members of PAN coalition.
Pacolli: Kosovo has not applied for UNESCO membership (Epoka e Re)
Leader of the New Kosovo Alliance (AKR), Behgjet Pacolli, said Kosovo has not applied for UNESCO membership ahead of organization’s upcoming conference. In a Facebook post, Pacolli asked the outgoing Foreign Minister Enver Hoxhaj as to why he misled the public by declaring Kosovo has secured votes for membership to UNESCO and Interpol. “I regret to inform you but Kosovo has not applied in the next conference and its membership will not even be discussed”, wrote Pacolli adding that he feared the same situation will be repeated in September with Kosovo’s Interpol bid. Hoxhaj however said there is plenty of time for Kosovo to apply to both organisations and that Kosovo institutions’ practice was to keep applications for membership to different mechanisms confidential.
Djuric: Dialogue with Albanians in Serbia’s interest (media)
Marko Djuric, head of the Serbian government’s office for Kosovo, said on Sunday that it was “natural for Kosovo Serbs to consult with Belgrade for the formation of Kosovo institutions”. Djuric said dialogue with Kosovo Albanians is in Serbia’s interest and that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has called for internal dialogue on relations between Serbs and Albanians.