• Session for dissolving Kosovo Assembly set for 22 August (media)
• Haradinaj: Kosovo should decide on internal matters on its own (Epoka)
• Mustafa: I am not LDK’s candidate for prime minister (RFE)
• Hoxhaj: PDK does not make compromises for PMs position anymore (Epoka)
• LDK leader Mustafa meets U.S. ambassador Kosnett (media)
• Kosovo leaders react to Serbian army commander’s remarks (Bota Sot)
• Skopje court receives Serbia’s request for Tomorr Morina’s extradition (Epoka)
• O’Connell: Policy makers do not need to force people learn languages (Epoka/Klan)

Kosovo Media Highlights

Session for dissolving Kosovo Assembly set for 22 August (media)

The presidency of the Kosovo Assembly has decided to set 22 August as the date when the MPs are to vote on the dissolving of the Assembly.

Kosovo Assembly Speaker Kadri Veseli said the meeting of the Assembly presidency resulted in consensual agreement to set the date for the dissolving of the Assembly which he said directly paves way for the President of Kosovo to announce new elections. “In times of dilemma, the only solution is elections,” Veseli said. “This country needs determination to move forward,” he added. “Now we know the date when the Assembly and roughly the date for new elections.”

Outgoing Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj hailed the move. “This decision will pave way for the election process in the country as the only and necessary option,” he said.

Head of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) parliamentary group Avdullah Hoti said that there was general agreement to set 22 August as the date when the MPs would vote for the Assembly's dissolution. He also said that parliamentary groups agreed that before actually dissolving the Assembly, they would vote for EU IPA funds.

Ahmet Isufi from the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) said the Assembly of Kosovo decided to set 22 August to dissolve the Assembly and head to early elections while Memli Krasniqi from the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) said there was full agreement between political parties. “We expect all MPs to take part in the session,” said Krasniqi hailing the initiative of Assembly Speaker Kadri Veseli to hold the meeting of the Assembly presidency in an effort to agree on the date for dissolving the Assembly.

Sherif Bilalli from the Social Democratic Initiative (NISMA) agreement on the need to dissolve the Assembly and head to new elections. He said the likeliest time for early elections is late September or early October. Sherifi noted that the reason why 22 August was decided as the time to call the Assembly session is also because of the EU. He said the EU needed more time in order to be able to successfully deploy a mission to Kosovo to monitor elections.

Vetevendosje however opposed the 22 August as the time to vote for Assembly’s dissolution. Albulena Haxhiu said that the session should have been set for sooner because Kosovo needs to head to elections as quickly as possible and that delays can give other parties time to enter into discussions about a possible technical government or a new candidate for prime minister which would mean no elections at all.

Haradinaj: Kosovo should decide on internal matters on its own (Epoka)

The outgoing Prime Minister of Kosovo Ramush Haradinaj said on Monday at a debate in Mitrovica that the time has come for Kosovo to decide on its own on all internal matters. He said Kosovo should conclude its statehood in the internal and external aspect in order to become a hundred percent state. “Strengthening of the rule of law, security, economic development and creation of jobs are important in the internal aspect. Also, Kosovo has not concluded its statehood in the external plan because it is not part of NATO and it has not become a UN and other organisations member. In order to move forward in the external plan, it is understandable that the dialogue has its weight” Haradinaj said. 

Mustafa: I am not LDK’s candidate for prime minister (RFE)

In an interview with Radio Free Europe, leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) Isa Mustafa said he will not be the party’s candidate for the post of prime minister. “I will certainly make efforts to find another candidate within the LDK,” he said adding that the party's leadership will work on choosing a person that would be the right candidate and win the citizens' trust.

Mustafa said that LDK plans to run on its own in general elections but that this will also depend on what the other parties do. “If the others get together, then we will also have to think about an alternative.”

Asked about who he thinks should lead the process of dialogue with Serbia, Mustafa said: “The Court has established that this should be the prime minister, it is the government that has the responsibility in doing that while the president has the advisory role.” He said that LDK is firm in the position that some issues are nonnegotiable. “We will not dialogue on the issue of territory, third level of power, Kosovo statehood.”

As for the tax on Serbian goods, Mustafa said he thought it should stay. “The tariff should remain for as long as Serbia doesn’t change its positions and for as long as it doesn't reflect on all the blockades against Kosovo both in international recognitions and day-to-day issues like free movement of citizens, transport of goods and other issues we discussed in Brussels. Agreements are there but Serbia is not implementing them,” he said.

Hoxhaj: PDK does not make compromises for PMs position anymore (Epoka)

Enver Hoxhaj, deputy leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) told the paper that his political party will win the extraordinary elections. He further said that PDLK will not give in anymore when the position of the Prime Minister is concerned, as did two last times. Hoxhaj said history has proved that Kosovo can conclude major issues only if the government is led by the PDK. 

LDK leader Mustafa meets U.S. ambassador Kosnett (media)

Reelected leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa, had a meeting yesterday with the U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo, Philip Kosnett, and according to a press release issued by the party after the meeting, the two discussed overall developments, particularly recent LDK elections and continuation of dialogue with Serbia.

Mustafa is quoted to have said that LDK considers Kosovo should head to general elections as soon as possible. “LDK has prepared a governing programme for the new government whose priorities will be fighting corruption and organised crime, concluding dialogue with Serbia, speeding up integration processes into Euro-Atlantic structures, unblocking the economic potential by supporting the private sector and so on,” the statement reads.

Kosnett on his part is quoted to have said that Kosovo needs to return to the negotiating table with Serbia as soon as possible while maintaining focus on the rule of law.

Kosovo leaders react to Serbian army commander’s remarks (Bota Sot)

Kosovo leaders have reacted to the statements of Milan Mojsilovic, Chief of General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces, that “Russia as a strategic partner will continue to offer us support for the challenges in Kosovo”. In a visit to Moscow, Mojsilovic also said they have analysed the situation in Kosovo and that “unilateral actions by Pristina are threatening the security situation”.

Outgoing Prime Minister of Kosovo Ramush Haradinaj said: “The new commander of the infamous old army of Serbia, Milan Mojsilovic, has declared they have Russia’s support for challenges in Kosovo. We remind him that Milosevic also thought that way, but he was wrong. They should stop these provocations.”

Deputy Prime Minister Enver Hoxhaj said that Serbia’s threats to Kosovo are increasing. “What do they want? To challenge NATO KFOR soldiers? So much for ‘European’ Serbia,” he wrote on Twitter.

Skopje court receives Serbia’s request for Tomorr Morina’s extradition (Epoka)

North Macedonia’s Ministry of Justice submitted on Monday Serbia’s request for extradition of former KLA member Tomorr Morina at the Skopje 1 Basic Court. The court informed that the Ministry has submitted entire documentation related to the extradition procedure for Tomorr Morina, who was indicted on 25 July. The Court also informed that e delegation of Kosovo Embassy in Skopje was allowed to visit Morina at Skopje prison.

O’Connell: Policy makers do not need to force people learn languages (Epoka/Klan)

The British Ambassador to Kosovo Ruairi O’Connell participated on Monday in a panel session on “The True Importance of Multilingualism and Language Learning”, organised by the British Embassy, IOM, and UNMIK.

The event was held in Prizren, as part of the Dokufest film festival. Speaking at the event, the Ambassador said: “Speaking someone's language helps you understand their perspective, shows good will, gives a sense of belonging and celebrates your shared humanity. It enriches society, it enriches the individual. To be human is to communicate. Policy makers do not need to force people to learn languages but do need to provide opportunities and support."