• Candidates for prime minister pledge to take charge of dialogue with Serbia (Epoka)
• Race between the great powers in the Kosovo – Serbia dialogue (Koha)
• Vetevendosje leader Albin Kurti debate on T7
• CEC receives 42,000 voting requests from Diaspora (media)
• Kurti wants dialogue with Kosovo Serbs (media)
• Palmer and Vucic discuss Kosovo (media)
• Kosovo government considering retracting Interpol membership bid (Zeri)
• Enver Sekiraqa sentenced to 30 years in prison for murder of KP officer (media)
• Apostolova: High-level pollution, a problem for foreign investments (Koha)

Candidates for prime minister pledge to take charge of dialogue with Serbia (Epoka)

Candidates running for the post of Kosovo prime minister have pledged that if elected they would take lead of the dialogue with Serbia.

Candidate from the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) Vjosa Osmani said the president of Kosovo’s role in the dialogue will be to decree the Kosovo-Serbia agreement once it is reached. “As far as the dialogue with Serbia is concerned, it will be led by the Government, but not only by myself. I have more extensive experience in negotiations than any other candidate for Prime Minister. Others have watched the talks on TV, whereas I was directly involved,” Osmani said at the “Fol Hapur” debate.

Vetevendosje leader Albin Kurti meanwhile spoke about dialogue with Serbia in a meeting with Italian Ambassador Piero Cristoforo Sardi. In a statement following the meeting, Vetevendosje said dialogue needs to be preceded by the strengthening of the state of Kosovo and “led by the prime minister of the country.”

Earlier, candidate for prime minister from the coalition between the Social Democratic Initiative (NISMA) and New Kosovo Alliance (AKR), Fatmir Limaj, called on all political parties to contribute to the conclusion of the dialogue with Serbia saying that the interest of Kosovo should be placed above any other.

Race between the great powers in the Kosovo – Serbia dialogue (Koha)

The paper reports on its front page that the final phase of the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia could result in a race between the great powers, the paper reports on its front page. After the United States appointed its envoy for the Western Balkans, Germany too wants to have a special envoy for the dialogue. Serbia does not mind expanding the table of negotiations with anyone that can help mediate the lifting of the import tariff. Dialogue with Serbia is the main topic that the new government will have to address after the October 6 parliamentary elections. The German Embassy in Pristina did not comment on Monday on media reports that Berlin too wants to have an envoy for dialogue. The paper recalls that Germany is a strong opponent to the initiative for eventual border changes between Kosovo and Serbia.

Vetevendosje leader Albin Kurti debate on T7

Vetevendosje leader and candidate for Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, said in a debate on T7, on Monday evening, that the wish of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) to enter a pre-election coalition with Vetevendosje was overshadowed by “their fear” from the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK). “I was optimistic to go forward [with the pre-election coalition], but their wish to join forces with us was overshadowed by their fear from the PDK,” he said.

Kurti pledged that if elected Prime Minister, his government would help initiate a vetting process in the police and judiciary.

Asked to comment on the other candidates for Prime Minister, Kurti said LDK’s Vjosa Osmani will become President of the Kosovo Assembly after the elections. On PDK leader Kadri Veseli, he argued that he made a mistake by entering politics. “It is wrong for agents to enter politics,” he said. On AAK leader and outgoing Prime Minister, Ramush Haradinaj, Kurti said “his greed is greater than his anger”.

Kurti said he was confident that Vetevendosje will win a quarter million of votes in the upcoming elections.

On the Kosovo flag, symbols and anthem, Kurti said that if he is elected Prime Minister, he will respect the state symbols. “I want the anthem to have a text too and this should be done in line with our Constitution,” he added.

Asked to comment on the idea for the unification of Kosovo and Albania, Kurti said the issue is complex. “We are not capable of unification now. This does depend on us, it depends on Albania too. As a political party, we believe the primary issue is the survival of the state of Kosovo,” Kurti said.

CEC receives 42,000 voting requests from Diaspora (media)

The Central Election Commission (CEC) announced it has received 42,000 requests for voting from members of the Kosovo Diaspora. However, the exact number of those eligible to vote from outside Kosovo will be decided once all applications are reviewed.

The CEC also announced it has disqualified four candidates from the election race. Three of the disqualified candidates are from the Euro-Atlantic party and according to CEC they personally requested to be removed from running. The fourth candidate, from Fjala, has also requested not to be certified.

Kurti wants dialogue with Kosovo Serbs (media)

Vetevendosje leader and candidate for Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, said on Monday that if he is elected Prime Minister, in the first week in office, he will initiate a dialogue with Kosovo Serbs. “It is necessary to have an institutional and state dialogue from the bottom up, but which is promoted and planned from above,” Kurti said. He added that in this dialogue, Kosovo Serbs will be treated as citizens of Kosovo with equal rights and freedoms. He also said that he will not allow Belgrade to speak on behalf of Kosovo Serbs. “I want to hear directly from them what they want,” he said.

Palmer and Vucic discuss Kosovo (media)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic had a phone conversation on Monday with the U.S. Special Envoy for the Western Balkans, Matthew Palmer, several news websites report. Vucic reportedly told the U.S. official that Serbia will engage for a real and sustainable compromise on the Kosovo issue and that such compromise must protect the national interests of Serbs and Serbia. Palmer and Vucic also talked about the overall situation in the region, agreeing that peace and stability in the Western Balkans are crucial for the region’s political and economic advancement.

Kosovo government considering retracting Interpol membership bid (Zeri)

The paper reports that the Kosovo caretaker government has signaled it could retract application for Interpol membership of fear it would not get sufficient support.

Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs meanwhile said they will suspend the voting if circumstances are considered unfavourable for Kosovo. Deputy Foreign Minister Anton Berisha said he believes it would be best for the voting to be postponed. “I believe the decision will lean towards suspension as under these circumstances it is more than reasonable to postpone the vote,” he said.

Enver Sekiraqa sentenced to 30 years in prison for murder of KP officer (media)

The Basic Court in Pristina has sentenced Enver Sekiraqa to 30 years in prison for his involvement in the murder of the Kosovo Police officer, Triumf Rizaj, in 2007. Sekiraqa was initially convicted to 37 years in prison in 2016 but the case went to retrial. Earlier, the court convicted Arben Berisha, as author of the murder, to 35 years prison time.

Apostolova: High-level pollution, a problem for foreign investments (Koha)

EU Head of Office in Kosovo, Nataliya Apostolova, said on Monday that the high level of pollution in Kosovo presents not only a health scare for the people but also creates instability for foreign investors. “The EU has published the 2019 progress report on Kosovo a couple of months ago and the report notes that pollution and climatic conditions in the country remain a concern. The EU remains concerned with Kosovo’s slow progress for a cleaner environment. Kosovo’s natural resources are limited, and they are not being used in sustainable fashion,” Apostolova said at a conference on environmental protection in Pristina.