Headlines - 21.03.2018

• Assembly to vote on border demarcation deal today at 11:00 (media)
• Haradinaj to MPs: Please help me correct the border delineation (media)
• Mogherini: EU doors are open, Kosovo must meet the criteria (media)
• Pacolli: Dialogue to conclude with binding agreement (Epoka)
• Pacolli: No asylum seekers from Kosovo after visa liberalization (media)
• Thaci’s advisor: Association/Community will be formed (media)
• Haradinaj promises to resolve energy dispute with Serbia (Koha)
• Delawie: It’s a shame there are only two female ministers (Kosova Sot)

Assembly to vote on border demarcation deal today at 11:00 (media)

Most online media report that after a nine-hour debate on Tuesday, the Kosovo Assembly concluded discussions on the border demarcation agreement with Montenegro. Assembly President Kadri Veseli said the voting on the border deal should take place today at 11:00.

Haradinaj to MPs: Please help me correct the border delineation (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj told the Kosovo Assembly on Tuesday that many difficult tasks await Kosovo and that therefore MPs must work together. Haradinaj said the Bulliqi report on the border delineation with Montenegro was not aimed at causing contradictions but to enable the correction of the process. Haradinaj said no one would be hurt by the correction of the delineation process. “Please help us and allow us the opportunity to seek the correction of the process,” Haradinaj said.

Mogherini: EU doors are open, Kosovo must meet the criteria (media)

The EU High Commissioner for Foreign Policy, Frederica Mogherini, said that European Union has presented all its objectives for the six Balkans countries and their membership at EU. In an interview for the public broadcaster, Mogherini said Kosovo is part of the EU strategy and that what is on the table for the others, is possible for Kosovo too. “The strategy says that all partners have a EU perspective. This is a clear message. I am conveying this message especially to the youth, because I am aware how important this perspective is for them. But Kosovo has to do a few things, prior to having a European perspective,” Mogherini said. “Kosovo should continue with dialogue. I see interest of leaders on this matter; therefore it has to move forward. This matter requires courage. Kosovo has to implement SAA agreement and other international agreements, such as agreement on the Special Court. Reforms in Kosovo are not being requested only by EU but by citizens as well,” she said. Our focus should be on the lives of citizens of Kosovo, I saw the will of the citizens to be part of the train which leads to Brussels,” Mogherini added. She said Kosovo does not stand at point zero. “Leadership is aware that some concrete steps should be undertaken. The door is open, we want you in, let us work together to reach this aim,” Mogherini said. “SAA should be implemented. If I was a Kosovo leader, I would focus on implementation of this agreement, and other international agreements. Demarcation can lead to visa liberalization. On the other hand, Thaci and Vucic pledged on the next phase of the dialogue. It is a historic chance that should be used. EU and I personally are interested to support Kosovo,” Mogherini concluded.

Pacolli: Dialogue to conclude with binding agreement (Epoka)

The paper reports in one of the front-page stories that during his visit to Brussels, Kosovo’s Foreign Minister Behgjet Pacolli said that dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia must conclude with a binding agreement or a peace contract through which Serbia would accept the reality of an independent and sovereign Kosovo.

Pacolli: No asylum seekers from Kosovo after visa liberalization (media)

Several media cover a debate that was held in the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament on Kosovo on Tuesday. Among the main concerns raised at the meeting were visa liberalization for Kosovo, Kosovo’s cooperation with the specialist chambers and the fight against organized crime and corruption. Kosovo’s Foreign Minister Behgjet Pacolli said at the debate that Kosovo is fully committed to implementing all parts of the agreement, including the formation of the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities in line with the ruling of the Constitutional Court. Pacolli also said that after visa liberalization, there would be no asylum seekers from Kosovo.

Thaci’s advisor: Association/Community will be formed (media)

Blerim Shala, advisor to Kosovo President Hashim Thaci, said during a debate in Belgrade on Tuesday that the formation of the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities is an obligation that Pristina must meet and “we must not run away from it”. “I hope that we will very soon have a working group and together with the management group, which consists of four Serbs, and with the OSCE, we will start working on the statute of the Association/Community. The final say will be in Brussels, because this is a political matter,” Shala was quoted as saying.

Haradinaj promises to resolve energy dispute with Serbia (Koha)

The Kosovo government will undertake any action to resolve the current energy dispute with Serbia which is causing problems for the entire European energy market, Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj said on Tuesday at a forum about investments in the energy infrastructure. Haradinaj said the energy issue between Kosovo and Serbia is an emergency and that if it is not resolved it will impact other agreements between the two countries. U.S. Ambassador Greg Delawie also told the forum that Kosovo must control its energy borders and not allow for any interventions from outside.

Delawie: It’s a shame there are only two female ministers (Kosova Sot)

The U.S. Ambassador in Kosovo, Greg Delawie said on the second day of the edition “Women’s Week” that only increased transparency and accountability can produce results in the fight against corruption. Delawie also said that it is a shame that the Kosovo government has only two female ministers and no mayors.