• Thaci: I strongly support border demarcation agreement (RTK)
• Delawie: States should recognize Kosovo, independence irreversible (Epoka)
• The degradation of diplomacy (Koha)
• Pacolli: Kosovo soon member of Global Council for Tolerance and Peace (Lajmi)
• €1 million budget for victims of sexual violence during conflict (Koha)
• Kosovo responds to Serbia on flour tax (Kallxo)

Thaci: I strongly support border demarcation agreement (RTK)

President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, said he stands by the agreement on border demarcation with Montenegro he signed in 2015 and called on the government of Kosovo and the Assembly to approve it as it stands. “There may be different opinions but facts do not change,” Thaci said underlining that there will be no visa liberalisation without ratification of the 2015 border agreement.

Delawie: States should recognize Kosovo, independence irreversible (Epoka)

The U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo, Greg Delawie, told Radio Free Europe that support of the United States for Kosovo is unshakable and unchangeable. “The fact of Kosovo’s independence is irreversible. We appeal to the countries which have not recognized this fact formally, to do so, and make impact on guaranteeing peace and stability in Balkans and to help on keeping a whole Europe, which will be free and in peace. Both Kosovo and Serbia should focus on the final result and reach agreement over what is known as normalization of relations. This requires compromises from both sides,” Delawie said.

The degradation of diplomacy (Koha)

The paper reports on its front page that even after nine years of independence, Kosovo does not know the exact number that have recognized its statehood. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has never confirmed the list of countries that have recognized Kosovo, even though they say that this number is 114. Foreign Minister Behxhet Pacolli has yet to explain the two recognitions presented in February 2012 by Nigeria and Uganda, for which Kosovo has never received the verbal notes of recognition. Vjosa Osmani, LDK MP and chair of the Kosovo Assembly’s Foreign Affairs Committee, told the paper that she has received the issue on several occasions. “I have raised the issue of unconfirmed recognitions for years now, but the Ministry of Foreign Affairs never provided a clear answer. The Ministry should now address the final confirmation of every recognition and above all to make maximal efforts to establish diplomatic relations with every recognizing country,” Osmani said.

Pacolli: Kosovo soon member of Global Council for Tolerance and Peace (Lajmi)

Kosovo’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Behxhet Pacolli, met during his visit to Malta with the President of the Global Council for Tolerance and Peace, Ahmed Al Jarwan, a significant personality in the Arab world, who also leads the Arab Parliament. President Al Jarwan informed Pacolli about the new world organization based in Malta, established by a group of personalities from the entire world, U.S. Senators, decision makers in Arab world, African and European world, which will be focused on inducing initiatives for peace and tolerance in the world. Pacolli hailed the idea of establishment of this organization which started its work on Wednesday in presence of the most senior authorities of Malta: the Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, Foreign Ministers from several countries, parliamentarians, decision makers from many countries of the world. Pacolli told Al Jarwan that Kosovo will play its role within this organization and will open its branch.

€1 million budget for victims of sexual violence during conflict (Koha)

Kosovo’s Minister of Finance, Bedri Hamza, said that the 2018 budget includes €1 million for victims of sexual violence during conflict in Kosovo. Hamza made the statement after a meeting with representatives of non-governmental organisations in Kosovo. He added that if these funds are not enough, there is still possibility of increasing the budget every end-year. Hamza also denied having said at the Assembly of Kosovo that the number of victims of sexual violence is being “inflated”.

Kosovo responds to Serbia on flour tax (Kallxo)

Kosovo’s Minister for Trade and Industry, Bajram Hasani, replied to Serbia’s Minister for Trade and Industry, Rasim Lajic, who requested to remove the tax on flour import. “I want to remind Minister Lajic that Kosovo is a state and it decides based on the Laws of the Republic of Kosovo,” Hasani told the news website.