• Aim of Thaci-Vucic meeting was to move dialogue from Brussels to Washington (Koha)
• Kurti invites Thaci to a meeting (media)
• Kurti spoke on the phone to Grenell and O'Brien (Kallxo)
• “President leads Kosovo’s foreign policy” (Zeri)
• Engel: The main problem for Kosovo is Serbia not the tariff (Epoka e Re)
• Konjufca requests relieving seven ambassadors of duty (media)
• Citaku expresses readiness to leave ambassadorial post to U.S. (media)
• Reka: No visa liberalisation without results in corruption fight (KP/Telegrafi)

Kosovo Media Highlights

Aim of Thaci-Vucic meeting was to move dialogue from Brussels to Washington (Koha)

The aim of the recent meeting between the President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci and President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic at the White House was agreement to move the dialogue process from Brussels to Washington, the paper reports quoting sources.

An unnamed member of the president of Kosovo’s office told the paper that the meeting was not prearranged and that Thaci was invited to it at short notice. “President Thaci was in New York when he got a call on Saturday about the meeting,” the source said. “A new dynamic was required which would guarantee a quick agreement,” the source added.

The source also said that the U.S. special envoy Richard Grenell, who mediated the Thaci-Vucic meeting, presented an offer to the parties if they reach a quick agreement. “The main incentive of Mr. Grenell is investment. We are talking about billions of euros. And they are all ready,” the source said.

Kurti invites Thaci to a meeting (media)

Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti has sent a letter to President Hashim Thaci asking to meet today in an effort to coordinate joint steps in the foreign policy field.

"Representation of Kosovo in the international arena should be dignified and we can achieve this by being harmonised in our positions which, apart from success, would also guarantee economic development and state and national security," Kurti wrote.

Kurti said that Kosovo’s representation needs to be unified and that internal differences should not impact the way it is represented outside.

Kurti spoke on the phone to Grenell and O'Brien (Kallxo)

Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti is reported to have had telephone conversations with the U.S. Special Envoy Richard Grenell and the National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien.

No details about what was discussed were made available.

“President leads Kosovo’s foreign policy” (Zeri)

The Office of Kosovo President responded to statements that the government of Kosovo is the instance that has the authority to lead Kosovo’s foreign policy, namely the dialogue with Serbia process.

“The President of the Republic of Kosovo is the highest constitutional institution which leads foreign policy,” the president’s office said.

Engel: The main problem for Kosovo is Serbia not the tariff (Epoka e Re)

The U.S. Congressman who is also Chairman on the House Foreign Affairs Committee said that the main problem for Kosovo is not the tariff but Serbia and that no one is pointing a finger at Serbia to say it cannot continue acting as it is.

“If Serbia were to change approach, the tariff would not be necessary. But this is not happening and Kosovo is not promised what it deserves. The EU then cannot blame anyone else but itself for this.

Konjufca requests relieving seven ambassadors of duty (media)

Kosovo’s Foreign Minister Glauk Konjufca has requested to relieve of duty seven ambassadors who he said were politically appointed and whose mandate has expired.

“At the outset of the mandate I pledged to establish law and order in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora,” Konjufca said. “One of the future steps is the request to recall political ambassadors whose 4-year mandate has ended as set out by the applicable laws of the Republic of Kosovo.”

The ambassadors asked to be relieved include Vlora Citaku, Edon Cana, Lirim Grejcevci, Shpend Kallaba, Mimoza Ahmetaj, Ylber Hysa, and Ramadan Avdiu.

Koha Ditore highlights that based on the Constitution of Kosovo, ambassadors can be recalled only with president’s approval.

Citaku expresses readiness to leave ambassadorial post to U.S. (media)

Vlora Citaku, Kosovo’s Ambassador to the U.S., has expressed readiness to leave her current post following the request made by Foreign Minister Glauk Konjufca who said that politically appointed ambassadors whose 4-year term has run through should be relieved of duty.

“Although I am aware that legally only the President of Kosovo has the right to appoint and dismiss Ambassadors of the Republic of Kosovo, the already widely known fact that I am not wanted is enough for me. Nevertheless, I believe I deserved a prior consultation regarding the request at hand,” Citaku said.

Reka: No visa liberalisation without results in corruption fight (KP/Telegrafi)

Kosovo's Minister for European Integration Blerim Reka reported to the Assembly committee and said that his priorities will be visa liberalisation for Kosovo.

He however underlined that this will not happen until Kosovo provides concrete results in the fight against corruption and prosecution of high-profile cases.

"Of 61 targeted high-profile cases, none has been concluded so it should not come as a surprise why the visa liberalisation is stalling. There are around €400,000 unused funds from IPA (Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance). We are trying to overcome this delay in the European integration process," he said.