• Kurti: Agreement for the government, not “a deal of monarchs” (media)
• Mustafa says Kurti’s letter is unofficial (RTK)
• Mustafa: I cannot say if there is going to be a coalition, we are committed (RTK)
• “It’s good that whole society is involved in debate on new government” (media)
• Konjufca calls the first Assembly session (RTK)
• U.S. Embassy calls for Oliver Ivanovic’s murder to be resolved (RTK)
• Thaci hails agreement on single electoral list of Albanian parties in Serbia (media)

Kurti: Agreement for the government, not “a deal of monarchs” (media)

Koha Ditore reports on its front page that Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) leader and candidate for Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, sent a letter to Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) leader Isa Mustafa on Thursday said he regrets that talks between the two parties for a coalition government have stopped and added that Glauk Konjufca’s election as Assembly President is an irreversible process. Kurti called on Mustafa to return to the table of talks and try to reach an agreement on a coalition government.

The paper recalls that without a prior agreement with the LDK, Kurti proposed Konjufca for the post of Assembly President and that LDK MPs then voted in his favour.

“You are entitled to regret your decision and to call on the LDK parliamentary group to undertake an initiative to dismiss the new legitimate and democratic President of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo, Mr. Glauk Konjufca. There was dozen votes against Mr. Konjufca on December 26, 2019. In addition to being entitled, you also stand a chance to dismiss Mr. Konjufca. But I cannot help you in this direction,” Kurti wrote in his letter to Mustafa.

“There is a need to remove corrupt officials from the institutions of the seized state of Kosovo. Mr. Konjufca is not one of them. There is a need to change decisions that were imposed on the Assembly of Kosovo. Mr. Konjufca’s election is not one of them”.

Zeri notes on the front page that “the Vetevendosje Movement will not sacrifice Konjufca”.

Epoka e Re reports on the front page that there are slim chances for an agreement between the Vetevendosje Movement and the Democratic League of Kosovo and that Kosovo could be heading to new parliamentary elections.

Bota Sot reports that “the doors of a The Coalition of Hope are being closed”.

Mustafa says Kurti’s letter is unofficial (RTK)

Isa Mustafa, leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) said he does not consider official the Vetevendosje Movement’s letter which rejects the proposal of his political party.

“I do not consider this to be official, that it is an official response. It is a letter, with no very official specifications,” Mustafa said. “What I can say is that we are interested to conclude this process, find way for agreement, in order for the institutions to form and not to continue with this agony”.

Mustafa: I cannot say if there is going to be a coalition, we are committed (RTK)

Isa Mustafa, leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo said in a political debate in RTK that his political entity did not request additional ministries from the Vetevendosje Movement (LVV). “I do not see a reason to give up principals. LVV should not give up the post of the Prime Minister and LDK should have a senior post,” he said.

Asked why LDK voted for Glauk Konjufca as Assembly Speaker, Mustafa said his political party was not informed that LVV would propose Konjufca for the post. ‘We decided to support him, to open way to the constitution of the Assembly. We considered that if he was proposed for the Assembly Speaker, then LVV has given up the partnership.”

“I can assure you that LDK was interested in the post of the Assembly Speaker because LDK was based on the principal that LDK should have a representative post until the post of the President comes,” Mustafa said. “Where does the right to have all the posts with 28 MP come from? It does not function like this even in monism. Neither us nor LVV should allow such appetites stop the agreement.

Mustafa was not able to say if there is going to be a coalition agreement with LVV. “I cannot say, I cannot say today if there is going to be or not. We are committed for an agreement, both parties. I expect and hope that we can do it and we will do it,” he said.

According to Mustafa, it is a mistake to make public details of the negotiations.

“It’s good that whole society is involved in debate on new government” (media)

Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) spokesman Arlind Manxhuka argued in a Facebook post that it is good that the whole society in Kosovo is involved in a public debate about the new government.

“For the first time, the whole society is involved in a public and political debate about the new government, unlike previous coalitions when analysis and criticism were always made post festum,” Manxhuka writes. “From the Privatisation Agency of Kosovo to the Sovereign Fund, from the Ministry of Interior Affairs to the President, from the Assembly President to the additional ministries, we are all involved in the debate. From super quick coalitions that divided boards and agencies, now we have reached a point where even the smallest move is being debated. The Vetevendosje Movement would not have been different if it did not have a different approach. Cynics that want to portray the Vetevendosje as incapable of taking on power are in fact speaking more about themselves.”

Konjufca calls the first Assembly session (RTK)

Kosovo Assembly President Glauk Konjufca called the first meeting of the Assembly’s chairmanship of the seventh legislature for Monday 20 January.

The agenda foresees discussions for nomination of the Kosovo delegations for the Parliamentary Assembly of the South-East Europe Cooperation Process (SEECP) and for the representation at the Parliamentary Assembly of the European Council, as well as other proposals and requests.

Konjufca was elected Assembly President on December 26 last year, while the government is not formed yet.

U.S. Embassy calls for Oliver Ivanovic’s murder to be resolved (RTK)

The Embassy of the United States of America in Kosovo has requested from the institutions of Kosovo to shed light on the case of the murder of the Serb politician Oliver Ivanovic.

“Two years after Oliver Ivanovic’s murder, we call on the institutions of Kosovo to continue their hard work on holding accountable the responsible individuals,” reads a statement of this Embassy.

Thaci hails agreement on single electoral list of Albanian parties in Serbia (media)

Several news outlets report that Kosovo President Hashim Thaci hailed on Thursday the agreement for the creation of a unified list of Albanian parties in Presevo Valley for the upcoming elections in Serbia. Thaci tweeted: “I welcome the agreement for creation of a unified electoral list of Albanian parties in #Presheva valley. Important tool for political empowerment & protection of national interests. I also congratulate Acting Foreign Minister of #Albania @CakajGent for supporting this process.”