UNMIK Headlines 22 August
AKR starts negotiations with Haradinaj’s government (Koha Ditore)
The Alliance for New Kosovo (AKR) has already started negotiations for co-governance with the PAN coalition. They held separate meetings with the leadership of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and those of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK). Officials from PAN confirmed to the paper that “they discussed division of the departments,” however, being that the agreement has not reached the final form yet, they did not decide what will be the part of the AKR in the government. Agim Veliu, from the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), considered AKR’s decision is autonomous. Speaking about the ten-day ultimatum that AKR gave to LDK and Vetevendosje to reach an agreement in written, he said that they cannot force LDK to start discussions with anyone.
AKR accuses LDK for breach of agreement and biased decisions (media)
Fatmir Matoshi, chairman of the assembly of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AKR), told KTV that the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) has violated the agreement reached between the two parties before the 11 June elections. According to him, the first violation was Avdullah Hoti’s nomination as head of the parliamentary group without consulting AKR, the second was lack of cooperation for local elections, despite the agreement to work closely. “We are seeing LDK nominating candidates for municipal mayors without discussing if we are going as coalition in local elections,” he said. Matoshi’s third remark was eventual nominee of the LDK-AKR-Alternativa for deputy president of the Assembly. “We have seen the third decision for Kujtim Shala to become deputy president of the Assembly, again, without consulting AKR,” Matoshi said.
“This has made AKR’s staying in this coalition unsustainable and unnecessary,” he concluded.
In an interview for Epoka e Re, Matoshi however said his party requested from their leader, Behxhet Pacolli, to find a solution beyond the LAA coalition, in order to induce cooperation between LDK and Vetevendosje. He assessed that if parties do not move from their decisions, then the international factor should interfere to resolve the problem.
Tahiri: Serbia requests reconciliation without apologizing (Kallxo.com)
Kosovo’s outgoing Minister for Dialogue, Edita Tahiri, said that she suspects seriousness of the initiative of the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic for an internal dialogue on Kosovo. “What I can see from the debate so far, neither the President of Serbia nor the Foreign Minister and other governing factors are mentioning war, genocide and apology,” Tahiri said. She added that if they do not consider these matters, then they are not capable of a dialogue within Serbia that would lead to a permanent solution. She added that this is more an idea to create a new image for Serbia in front of the western world, while at the same time they announced that they will receive armament from its main political ally, Russia. “This is concerning not only for Kosovo and the region, but it is especially a message to the Euro-Atlantic factor,” Tahiri said.
Kosovo believes to have the votes for Interpol membership (RFE)
Authorities in Pristina hope that Kosovo will become member of Interpol this year. Kosovo’s Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs, Emanuel Demaj, told Radio Free Europe that they have been lobbying to all the influential countries and added that they have not received any information from Interpol that voting on Kosovo’s membership would be delayed. “However, we have some unofficial requests from some friendly countries to postpone the voting. If the voting is postponed for another year, then this postponement will be valid also for Palestine and Solomon Islands,” Demaj said.
Limaj confirms discussions with AKR (TV Dukagjini)
The leader of the Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA), Fatmir Limaj, said that he believes Kosovo will have its institutions until the next week. “We are discussing with AKR and other political groups,” Limaj said. He added that time was wasted unnecessarily. “I support election of the Assembly President by those who have majority of votes. I do not understand why constitution of the Assembly should be blocked,” Limaj said.
President Thaci declares Tuesday a day of mourning in Kosovo (media)
The President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi, has declared Tuesday, 22 August, 2017, a day of mourning in Kosovo, in honour of former Prime Minister of Kosovo, Bajram Rexhepi, who passed away on Monday in Turkey after serious illness.
“In a sign of state and civic respect, Tuesday, August 22, 2017, is declared a day of state mourning in the Republic of Kosovo, after the death of Dr. Bajram Rexhepi, a KLA veteran, former Mayor of the Municipality of Mitrovica, former Kosovo Prime Minister, former Minister of Internal Affairs, former MP of the Republic of Kosovo and surgeon,” it is said among other things in the decision of President Thaçi.