• Kosovo leaders going to Berlin with opposing stances (Zeri)
• Wadephul: Mogherini imposed plans for exchange of territories (RTK)
• Haxhiu: We want Lumezi’s resignation, he is not fighting corruption (media)
• Northerners risk not being certified (Koha)
• President Thaci to be interviewed today on Gulenists case (RTK)
• Several women repatriated from Syria under investigation (media)
• Trajkovic: Vucic obstructing investigation into Ivanovic’s murder (Zeri)
• One person dies during demolition of Mitrovica hotel (media)

Kosovo leaders going to Berlin with opposing stances (Zeri)

As the meeting of the Western Balkans leaders in Berlin is approaching, the paper writes that the Kosovo side, namely President Hashim Thaci and Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj, continue to have opposing stances on the dialogue with Serbia and its outcome.

Deputy Prime Minister and deputy leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Enver Hoxhaj, told the paper that the central topic of the upcoming meeting in Berlin will be negotiations between Kosovo and Serbia and how it could resume. “There may well be a European pledge by the two biggest EU countries to conclude the process in 2019,” he said. Hoxhaj said however that he expects no agreement between Kosovo and Serbia to actually come out of the meeting: “This will not be a Kosovo-Serbia bilateral meeting but a multilateral one and in such format there can only be expressions of commitment, timeframes, expression of European Union support but no agreement at the end of it.”

At the same time, Naim Rashiti from the Kosovo-based Balkans Policy Group said he did not believe an agreement between Kosovo and Serbia would be achieved in the meeting in Berlin but there is likely to be a discussion on the import tariff and other modalities.

Wadephul: Mogherini imposed plans for exchange of territories (RTK)

Deputy leader of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group Johann Wadephul told Der Tagesspiegel that EU High Representative Frederica Mogherini imposed plans for territorial exchange between Kosovo and Serbia. In an interview to the German daily on the eve of the Berlin Summit, Wadephul reiterated Germany’s unwavering position against the idea of land swap. “There is absolutely no guarantee that a change of borders or an exchange of territories would be limited only in Serbia and Kosovo,” Wadephul said.

Haxhiu: We want Lumezi’s resignation, he is not fighting corruption (media)

Vetevendosje Movement MP Albulena Haxhiu said on Monday that Kosovo’s Chief State Prosecutor Aleksander Lumezi should leave his position, as according to her, he has not shown results in the fight against crime and corruption.

“The name rabbit suits the chief prosecutor Lumezi as he fears power, if he did the opposite, we would call him a lion, but so far he is a scared rabbit,” she said. According to Haxhiu, the entire crime and corruption is happening in front of Lumezi’s eyes and he is behaving as if he is not seeing them.

Haxhiu criticized the statement of the Chief Prosecutor and Prosecution Council towards MP Rexhep Selimi, saying it is regretful to accuse Selimi of supporting criminal groups.

Northerners risk not being certified (Koha)

The paper reports on page three that the certification of Serbian List candidates for early local elections in the four northern municipalities might run into difficulties, as the Central Election Commission cannot approve their candidacies without one vote from the two representatives of the Vetevendosje Movement. The Vetevendosje Movement, which has continuously accused the Serbian List of following Belgrade’s directives, has said that the certification of the Serbian List must be addressed by the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court of Kosovo. The issue will be discussed in today’s meeting of the Central Election Commission.

President Thaci to be interviewed today on Gulenists case (RTK)

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci is scheduled to appear today before the Kosovo Assembly’s investigation committee for the deportation of six Turkish nationals to Turkey last year. Thaci’s interview has been scheduled for 13:00.

Several women repatriated from Syria under investigation (media)

The papers report that Kosovo authorities have begun interviewing several women part of a group of 110 persons repatriated last week from Syria. The women are being questioned under suspicion of being part of terrorist groups fighting in Syria.

On Saturday, Kosovo authorities, assisted by the United States, repatriated from Syria a group of 110 citizens of whom 74 children, 32 women and four men. The men were arrested upon arrival on suspicion of taking part in foreign fighting.

At the same time, the U.S. military spokesperson Sean Robertson confirmed U.S. assets were used to support the operation for repatriation of 110 citizens to Kosovo but that at no time did the U.S. take custody of the detainees.

Trajkovic: Vucic obstructing investigation into Ivanovic’s murder (Zeri)

Rada Trajkovic, leader of the European Movement for Kosovo, said that obstruction of investigations into the murder of Kosovo Serb political leader Oliver Ivanovic is coming directly from President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic. “If you have a president that comes out and reveals the investigation material to the public as the investigations are ongoing, this sends a message to those that testified or plan to do so,” Trajkovic told regional TV, N1.

Most recently, Vucic is reported to have spoken to reporters about the statement Trajkovic is alleged to have provided to Kosovo authorities in connection to Ivanovic’s murder.

One person dies during demolition of Mitrovica hotel (media)

Media report that one person died after being caught in the rubble of Hotel Adriatik in Mitrovica as it was being demolished. The body of the 27-year-old man was found after six hours of search efforts led by the Kosovo Security Force and firefighters. Mitrovica Mayor Agim Bahtiri declared Tuesday a day of morning as a sign of respect for the deceased man while Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj and Assembly Speaker Kadri Veseli called on relevant institutions to undertake a more rigorous oversight of security of workers in construction sites.