Headlines - 27.04.2018

• European Council President Tusk calls for political consensus in Kosovo (media)
• EU calls on Pristina to urgently establish Association/Community (RTK)
• President Thaci to meet German Chancellor Merkel on May 9 (Zeri)
• Thaci and Tusk at Brdo-Brioni Summit (RTK)
• Now chance for Kosovo deal, says Serbian president – but at what cost? (media)
• Vucic: Agreement for Kosovo within six months or a year (media)
• Brnabic: For good of Serbs, I would sign Kosovo’s membership at UN (RTK)
• Rasic: 22,000 Serbs to lose their jobs as a result of Association/Community (Zeri)
• One of six Turkish nationals was deported by mistake (Koha)
• Correction of border demarcation has not started yet (Zeri)
• Valdete Daka to serve another mandate as Election Commission head (Koha)
• Serb charged with committing war crimes in Krusha e Vogel (media)

European Council President Tusk calls for political consensus in Kosovo (media)

All media cover European Council President Donald Tusk’s visit to Kosovo on Thursday. Most media highlight that Tusk called for political consensus in order for Kosovo to advance toward the European Union. The European Council issued a press release quoting Tusk as saying that his visit to Pristina is a part of a round trip in the region to prepare for our EU-Western Balkans Summit in Sofia on 17th May. Tusk said: “during the summit, the EU should first and foremost reaffirm its unequivocal support for the European perspective of the region. Just like I expect, the EU will welcome the Western Balkan partners’ strategic choice and shared commitment to European principles, values and unity. The European Union is and will continue to be the most reliable partner for the entire region. This is also why our summit, in concrete terms, should improve connections with and within the region - in the area of transport, energy or digital. As well as human exchanges such as Erasmus+. Likewise, we will also use the summit to discuss how to tackle some of our common security challenges, such as migrant smuggling, terrorism and organised crime. Now let me turn to Kosovo more specifically. I want to congratulate you on the recent ratification of the border demarcation agreement with Montenegro. It put Kosovo one step closer to visa free travel to European Union. It was also proof that cross-party cooperation is possible on issues of vital interest to all Kosovars. I know for a fact that you will not give up but continue the reform process, fully respecting your international commitments. In the best interest of your country. Fighting organised crime and corruption to be effective, also needs political consensus in Kosovo. We also discussed the state of the dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade. Without a comprehensive normalisation of relations with Serbia and full implementation of the agreements. I do not see how a breakthrough in relations with the EU could be achieved. I know it’s going to be hard but I am still a cautious optimist. Let me use this opportunity to thank President Thaci, just as I thanked President Vucic yesterday, for the personal capital he has invested in the dialogue. I know this is a difficult and emotionally charged issue for both sides. But there is no viable alternative to normalisation. In fact, it comes down to a strategic choice that I am 100% convinced will pay off in the long run”. President Thaci said they discussed with Tusk Kosovo’s membership of the EU. “In this respect, I revealed to him our efforts for the start of reforms on our European agenda. EU and Balkans region, including Kosovo, have never been closer to each other than today,” Thaci said. “Under any circumstances, I consider Sofia Summit to be an achievement where we will have the opportunity to reflect in front of each other about our achievements and challenges. This will be a momentum for reflection of strategic importance of our integration. It is clear that Kosovo has an urgent need to accelerate its steps toward EU. Kosovo reflects a support of the citizens in relation with the EU, however, Kosovo needs concretization of European ambition. We aim to achieve the right for EU membership in a short period of time,” Thaci said. “We will give our contribution in the agenda of this summit. We will address joint challenges such as smuggling, terrorism and war against organized crime and corruption,” Thaci said.

EU calls on Pristina to urgently establish Association/Community (RTK)

The European Union has requested from Pristina to urgently and without any delay implement the agreement on establishment of the Association of Serb-majority Municipalities. EU Spokesperson, Maja Kocijancic assessed as positive the fact that the work on drafting the statute of the Association has started and said that Kosovo authorities have one month to completely implement this agreement. “We expect results. It is required to implement this agreement, just as all the others,” Kocijancic said. Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo, Enver Hoxhaj, told Radio Free Europe on Wednesday that establishment of Association should happen at the same time as Kosovo’s membership at the UN.

President Thaci to meet German Chancellor Merkel on May 9 (Zeri)

Kosovo President, Hashim Thaci, said on Thursday that Kosovo remains committed to improving relations with Serbia and that he will discuss the issue with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on May 9, the Europe Day. “Kosovo is interested not only to continue dialogue with Serbia, but also to achieve sustainable peace in the region. Dialogue on the normalization of relations will be among the issues I will discuss with Chancellor Merkel in Berlin on May 9, Europe Day,” Thaci said.

Thaci and Tusk at Brdo-Brioni Summit (RTK)

The President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, will participate at the meeting of the leaders of the region, which will be held in Skopje, as part of the Brdo-Brioni process. The President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, too will be attending the meeting. The main objective of the Brdo-Brioni process is gathering the presidents of the Western Balkan region as well as Slovenia and Croatia, to strengthen political dialogue, raise level of trust and promote solution for unresolved bilateral and regional matters.

Now chance for Kosovo deal, says Serbian president – but at what cost? (media)

Most local media cover an article that was originally published in The Guardian on Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic’s position on the Kosovo issue. The article notes: “When NATO bombed Serbia in 1999, Aleksandar Vucic was information minister, enforcing censorship rules for the country’s president, Slobodan Milosevic, who would later be for war crimes. Nearly two decades later, Vucic himself is Serbia’s president. Claiming to have shed many of his former nationalist views, and brushing off accusations of authoritarianism, he is now seen by the international community as the man who could sign an agreement that would eventually bring reconciliation over Kosovo. The former province of Serbia pulled away from Belgrade under international supervision after the NATO air campaign, and proclaimed independence in 2008. Serbia still considers the territory its own. In an interview with the Guardian in Belgrade this week, Vucic said he believed there is now a brief window of “six months or a year” in which it might be possible to sign a deal”. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/apr/26/now-chance-kosovo-deal-serbian-president-what-cost-aleksandar-vucic

Vucic: Agreement for Kosovo within six months or a year (media)

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, said on Thursday that he believes a final agreement with Kosovo will be reached within six months or a year. “We are ready to discuss any issue. We are ready to take into consideration any proposal which would mean a compromise solution,” Vucic told British newspaper, The Guardian.

Brnabic: For good of Serbs, I would sign Kosovo’s membership at UN (RTK)

Serbian media reported on Thursday that the Prime Minister of Serbia, Ana Brnabic, said while replying to a question at the Parliament that she is ready to sign a legally binding agreement that would give Kosovo a seat at the UN. She reportedly said that “I do not fear or hesitate to sign anything required for Serb citizens to have complete security and guarantee for further prosperity.”

Rasic: 22,000 Serbs to lose their jobs as a result of Association/Community (Zeri)

Nenad Rasic, former Minister for Labor and Social Welfare in the Kosovo government, said on Thursday that Serbs should not insist on the formation of the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities because according to him this will damage the interests of Kosovo Serbs. During a debate in Mitrovica North, Rasic said that once the Association/Community is formed “Serb municipalities will cease existing and 22,000 Serbs will lose their jobs”.

One of six Turkish nationals was deported by mistake (Koha)

The paper reports on its front page that “in the scandal of deporting the six Turkish nationals, Kosovo has not only violated its own laws and the human rights of the six Turks by handing them over to the Turkish Intelligence Service, but also made a terrible mistake: based on documents and evidence secured by the paper, one of the six Turks was arrested and deported by mistake. Following an order by the Kosovo Intelligence Agency (AKI), police wanted to arrest Hasan Huseyin Demir but instead arrested another Turkish national, Hasan Husyein Gunakan. Even though police later said they could have arrested the wrong person, the AKI ordered that he too be deported to Turkey along with the other five Turkish nationals”.

Correction of border demarcation has not started yet (Zeri)

The paper reports on its front page that although over a month has passed since the Kosovo Assembly ratified the border demarcation deal with Montenegro, the Kosovo government has yet to start the process of correcting the demarcation as promised. Avni Arifi, advisor to Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj, told the paper on Thursday that the government is working to set up a joint task force between Kosovo and Montenegro that will correct the disputed points of the agreement.

Valdete Daka to serve another mandate as Election Commission head (Koha)

The paper reports in one of its front-page stories that Valdete Daka will serve another seven years as head of the Kosovo Central Election Commission (CEC). Sources in the Office of President Hashim Thaci told the paper that the latter will not appoint someone else as CEC chief. “Very soon, perhaps even tomorrow, the President will appoint Daka to serve another mandate as head of the CEC. They met yesterday and discussed a number of issues, including her new mandate,” the source said. “The other members of the CEC might not be appointed at the same time because some parties have yet to submit their proposals to the President”.

Serb charged with committing war crimes in Krusha e Vogel (media)

Most online media report that the Special Prosecution of Kosovo filed an indictment against a Serb, D.T., for allegedly committing war crimes in the village of Krusha e Vogel in 1999. An international prosecutor from the Special Prosecution Office filed the indictment which charges the Serb suspect of pillage, wilful destruction and crimes against personal and human dignity.