Headlines - 20.12.2018

• Mogherini meets Western Balkans leaders in Brussels (dailies)
• Thaci: We do not have a more loyal ally than the U.S. (RTK)
• Veseli confident there will be no Kosovo division (media)
• Stoltenberg: NATO to review engagement with KSF (media)
• Uncertainties over Kosovo’s official position on dialogue (Koha)
• Dialogue draft law to be sent to government by 15 January (Epoka)
• LDK will not become part of negotiating team (Epoka)
• Hoxhaj: New dynamics from January, agreement possible at White House (Lajmi)
• Avramopoulos: Kosovo has met all visa liberalization requirements (Zeri)
• Pacolli reports before Assembly committee on foreign affairs (dailies)
• Qalaj: We don’t know if we’ll apply for INTERPOL membership next year (Koha)
• Serbian secret services plan to create incidents in Kosovo (RTK)

Mogherini meets Western Balkans leaders in Brussels (dailies)

The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, met yesterday in Brussels leaders of the Western Balkans and said that now more than ever they need to work together to push forward the common objective of EU integration, to consolidate peace and security and to invest in regional cooperation. “In this respect, Western Balkan leaders expressed the strongest support for the Prespa Agreement and for reaching a comprehensive legally binding agreement in the context of the Pristina Belgrade Dialogue. They also committed to work to further the region's integration in the EU in a spirit of good neighbourly relations and reconciliation, refraining from all actions and statements that are not conducive to the overall interests and strategic objectives of the region,” a statement issued by the EU reads. President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci said the meeting focused on the progress of the region and the vision for the future. “I stressed the great disappointment in Kosovo over the visa liberalisation delay. Kosovo has no other alternative but to move towards NATO and EU,” Thaci said. He added that all Western Balkans leaders expressed support for Kosovo and Serbia efforts to reach a final agreement which he said would provide for mutual recognition. “I hope that a final Kosovo-Serbia agreement will be reached in the coming weeks or months paving way for Kosovo’s membership in the UN. We cannot afford to lose the support of the EU and the U.S.,” Thaci said. Meanwhile President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic is quoted to have said after the meeting that the Belgrade-Pristina agreement is not near, and that Serbia is ready to resume dialogue as soon as Kosovo authorities lift the import tariffs.

Thaci: We do not have a more loyal ally than the U.S. (RTK)

The President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci told the national broadcaster RTK that creation of the army is a done deal and it has gained support of the most powerful countries of the world. He added that Kosovo does not have a more loyal ally than the U.S. therefore it should trust on them as it always did. He reiterated that Kosovo’s army will be in service of all its people no matter ethnicity and added that the focus should now shift on the process of the partnership and integration in NATO. Thaci valued highly the recent letter of the President of the U.S. Donald Trump addressed to him. “The U.S. finally spoke and said it clearly: get closer to each other, reach the agreement as soon as possible in order for the country to move towards a Euro-Atlantic perspective,” Thaci said.

Veseli confident there will be no Kosovo division (media)

Kosovo Assembly Speaker Kadri Veseli said in a press conference today that the Constitution of Kosovo will be the guiding document for resolving any issues and that there will be no partition of Kosovo nor Association of Serb-majority municipalities with executive powers. “The solution is Serbia’s recognition of Kosovo,” Veseli said. He said the failure on the EU to grant visa liberalisation to Kosovo should not be attributed to certain individuals and added that the EU High Representative Federica Mogherini has done an outstanding job. “She is one of the strongest supporters for visa liberalisation, as is the European Commission,” Veseli said. Veseli further thanked the U.S. for the support most recently expressed in President Donald Trump’s letter to Kosovo President Hashim Thaci while with regards to the import tariffs on Serbia, he said the reaction from the EU was unexpected: “We expected a balanced reflection from the EU in this situation in order to lower tensions between the two countries and did not expect to only react against us and this has led the citizens of Kosovo get the impression that European Union is biased.”

Stoltenberg: NATO to review engagement with KSF (media)

In a telephone conversation with Prime Minister of Kosovo Ramush Haradinaj, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the Alliance’s level of commitment to Kosovo will be reviewed in face of Kosovo adopting law on creation of army. Stoltenberg said that North-Atlantic Council has discussed the transformation of the Kosovo Security Force and that it is also reviewing its level of commitment with KSF for next year. He however said NATO will continue its mission to Kosovo in providing a safe and secure environment. Stoltenberg also specified that KFOR operates under the UN mandate and that it will not be impacted by the legal changes pertaining to KSF transformation. Haradinaj took to Facebook to say that he informed the NATO SG on developments surrounding the formation of the Kosovo Army. “I informed Secretary Stoltenberg about the adoption of laws for the Ministry of Defense, the military mandate of the KSF and service in the KSF. I also informed him about the Kosovo government’s concrete action to set up an inter-ministerial committee for integration and membership of NATO, as a concrete development for Kosovo’s approximation with NATO”. Haradinaj said he gave guarantees to Stoltenberg about the transparency of the KSF transformation. “I expressed my vision and the government’s vision to further cooperation with NATO, KFOR, NALT, the Enhanced Opportunities Program and the readiness of KSF troops to contribute to regional and global security,” he said. Haradinaj added that Kosovo will continue to cooperate closely with NATO to meet full operational capacities and for a joint engagement in providing security and defense.

Uncertainties over Kosovo’s official position on dialogue (Koha)

The paper reports on its front page that Kosovo’s state mechanisms are preparing the ground for the final phase of dialogue with Serbia, however, it is uncertain what will be Kosovo’s official position: the position of President Hashim Thaci which does not rule out border correction, or the position of the government and the negotiating team to keep the same borders with which Kosovo declared its independence in 2008. The paper also notes that the government will submit to the Assembly the draft law on dialogue in January and that the document does not challenge President Thaci’s role in the process.

Dialogue draft law to be sent to government by 15 January (Epoka)

Kosovo’s delegation for the dialogue with Serbia held on Wednesday its first meeting, where they discussed the way forwards of this process. Shpend Ahmeti, co-head of the delegation said that they agreed for him and Fatmir Limaj to lead the delegation at the meetings in turns. “We agreed to send the draft law to the government by 15 January. The delegation should represent Kosovo in the dialogue with Serbia in 30 days. Five members will be working on the platform,” Ahmeti said.

LDK will not become part of negotiating team (Epoka)

Isa Mustafa, leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) said at a press conference held on Wednesday evening that his political party will play the role of the opposition at the Assembly, clarifying that the same role will be played when dialogue with Serbia is concerned. He said Kosovo institutions should have legitimacy also in the dialogue process, and this legitimacy according to Mustafa is gained by holding new elections. “This is not escape from responsibility but taking over responsibility for the opposition to contribute to the dialogue or any agreement that would be in interest of the Republic of Kosovo and its citizens,” Mustafa said.

Hoxhaj: New dynamics from January, agreement possible at White House (Lajmi)

Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo Enver Hoxhaj said that from the January of the next year, until the late spring, discussions between Kosovo and Serbia will enter a new dynamic and added that the United States of America will be involved. According to him, ten to fifteen issues will be discussed during that time. “What happened until now was a step by step diplomacy, but from now on, we will reach a comprehensive agreement,” Hoxhaj said. Speaking about the U.S. President Donald Trump’s letter sent to President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci, Hoxhaj said the letter speaks about a new situation that Kosovo is currently in.

Avramopoulos: Kosovo has met all visa liberalization requirements (Zeri)

The EU Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, Dimitris Avramopoulos, said on Wednesday that Kosovo has met all the requirements for visa liberalization, the paper reports on page two. During a conference on “EU visa policies”, Avramopoulos said work remains to be done in the fight against organized crime. “I confirm that Kosovo has met all the criteria for visa liberalization. After the vote at the European Parliament, the issue is now in the hands of member states,” he was quoted as saying.

Pacolli reports before Assembly committee on foreign affairs (dailies)

Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Behgjet Pacolli reported before the members of the Kosovo Assembly Committee on Foreign Affairs and said that only one country has so far officially revoked recognition of Kosovo’s independence and that is the Solomon Islands and that the number of countries that have so far recognised Kosovo stands at 116. “Serbia is using the dialogue issue to put into question Kosovo state relations with countries that have recognised it,” Pacolli said adding: “bags filled with money are given to foreign ministers to make statements allegedly that their countries have revoked recognition of Kosovo.” With regards to the failed Interpol membership bid, Pacolli said Serbia used all the available potential to lobby against Kosovo and had to this end employed about ten attractive women during the Interpol vote.

Qalaj: We don’t know if we’ll apply for INTERPOL membership next year (Koha)

Kosovo Police Director, Rashit Qalaj, said at a press conference in Pristina on Wednesday that a decision has yet to be made if Kosovo will apply for membership to INTERPOL next year. “We are still analyzing whether or not we will apply for membership next year, because the conference will be held in a non-recognizing country. It is a distant country and together with our partners we will discuss if we will apply or not,” Qalaj said.

Serbian secret services plan to create incidents in Kosovo (RTK)

RTK reported on Wednesday evening that Serbian secret services, in cooperation with criminal groups in Mitrovica North, are mobilized to create incidents and then put the blame on Kosovo Albanians. According to RTK, they are trying to use every mean to claim to the international community that Albanians are dangerous for Serbs, especially after the formation of the Kosovo Army. RTK reported that “a pamphlet written in Albanian ‘call for mobilization’ has been distributed in several villages in northern Kosovo. Kosovo’s security mechanisms are aware of the pamphlet and the person that distributed it. The latter lives in Serbia but was recently seen in Mitrovica North and according to our sources he is believed to be one of the closest associates of Milan Radojicic … Immediately after the pamphlet was distributed, Serbian secret services made sure it was published in media that are believed to be close to Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic”.