• Kurti-led government with two red lines on dialogue with Serbia (Koha)
• Mustafa: Grenell warned of sanctions towards Kosovo (RTV21/RTK)
• Haradinaj: Government’s approach to tax producing first consequences (media)
• Kosovo calls for release of its citizen detained by Serbia (media)

Kosovo Media Highlights

Kurti-led government with two red lines on dialogue with Serbia (Koha)

The government of Kosovo has drawn two red lines when it comes to the dialogue with Serbia, reports Koha quoting the governing programme approved yesterday.

The topics which according to the government of Kosovo are nonnegotiable include those related to Kosovo’s territorial integrity and sovereignty and issues pertaining to internal order and functionality.

These principles imply opposition to any border correction option and to an association of Serb municipality which Belgrade insists on enjoying executive powers.

“The unitary character of the Republic of Kosovo is inviolable,” the governing programme states. It adds: “Creation of a third-level administrative power for areas with specific ethnic populations is in contradiction to the spirit of the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo and, therefore, will not be supported by the Government of the Republic of Kosovo.”

Mustafa: Grenell warned of sanctions towards Kosovo (RTV21/RTK)

Leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) Isa Mustafa said he had a telephone conversation with the U.S. special envoy Richard Grenell who warned that Kosovo could be faced with sanctions in the way of funds for the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) if it does not fully lift the tariff on Serbia.

"The tariff does not do Kosovo any good, it needs to be lifted because our ally is saying that it should be lifted completely and that reciprocity measures should be put off," Mustafa told RTV21.

Haradinaj: Government’s approach to tax producing first consequences (media)

Leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) Ramush Haradinaj said in a Facebook post that the offer of the Albin Kurti-led government to remove the 100 percent tariff on Serbia without securing in exchange a contract for mutual recognition under the existing borders is producing the first consequences.

“Minister of European Integration Mr. Reka has proposed a “destructive” compromise with Serbia which includes securing it a transit corridor to the Adriatic,” Haradinaj wrote saying that such a scenario brings Kosovo back to Serbia and opens Serbia’s way to enter Albania as well.

“This minister should immediately step down before being asked to do so. These statements and dangerous political actions of the Government of Deceit, first with removal of the tax and now with offer to access Adriatic, produce consequences of submission and political capitulation,” Haradinaj wrote.

Kosovo calls for release of its citizen detained by Serbia (media)

Kosovo’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora has called on the international community, particularly the United States and the European Union, to convince Serbian authorities to stop ill-treatment and ungrounded detention of Kosovo citizens travelling through Serbia.

In particular, the Ministry called for the release of Nezir Mehmetaj detained by Serbian authorities at the Merdare crossing point in January on war crimes allegations.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora said it will remain actively engaged in ensuring Mehmetaj’s release. “Serbia needs to stop persecution and political arrests of Kosovo nationals, respect fundamental human rights, which also include the right to free movement.”