Resignation of the Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj would have major consequences on Serbia as it would postpone continuation of Belgrade-Pristina dialogue for at least 90 days, or perhaps even longer given that extraordinary parliamentary elections might take place in Kosovo, Belgrade-based daily Danas writes today. The daily added regular elections are to take place in Serbia at the beginning of next year.
It is expected that Ramush Haradinaj's resignation would unblock Belgrade-Pristina negotiations, and the tariffs would be suspended temporarily, Belgrade-based daily Blic reports.
According to the daily, all powerful centers had suggested to Haradinaj to suspend imposed tariffs, and the problem was in the fact that he was an explicit opponent of any border corrections or reaching any compromise between Belgrade and Pristina.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic spoke in a press conference on Saturday regarding Ramush Haradinaj's resignation and its potential implications, B92 reports.
"I understand rejoice, in a way a kind of satisfaction due to the fact that Ramush Haradinaj was summoned by the court. However, there is no reason to get excited about it. We will assess all the facts and consequences of this act, in particular with regards to the relations between Serbs and Albanians, and the attitude of the international community towards Serbia and its people on Kosovo and Metohija," Vucic said.
Summoning of Ramush Haradinaj to The Hague Special Court for war crimes is a political decision of Kosovo independence promoters, the opposition Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) has said, Danas daily reports.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic received on Friday credentials from the newly appointed Russian Ambassador to Serbia Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko, B92 reports.
Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko who is a Balkan expert, spoke to Vucic in the Serbian language and said that he was honored to be able to deliver letters of credit to the Serbian President. He pointed out that he wants to work on further improvement of cooperation between Serbia and Russia, which is already at an extraordinary level.
Serbian Foreign Affairs Minister Ivica Dacic said in a Ministerial Conference on Religious Freedom in Washington that members of the Serbian people, Church and Christian cultural and historic heritage in Kosovo and Metohija are the victims of a nationalistic ideology to create a homogeneous ethnic, cultural and religious area, RTS reports.
Resolving the Kosovo issue primarily depends upon the leaders in Belgrade and Pristina, and not US administration, current and former American diplomats dealing with the Balkans assessed during the conference on the US and Central Europe relations that took place at the Atlantic Council in Washington, RTS reports.
Supreme Allied Forces Command in Europe gave a statement to the Voice of America regarding not quite precise allegations of some media on the content of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and NATO General Tod Wolters talks held earlier in Belgrade, B92 reports.
The Voice of America said, referring to the sources in the Supreme Allied Forces Command in Europe, that during the meeting between General Tod Wolters and President Aleksandar Vucic there were talks on the need to preserve and improve existing channels of communications with KFOR.
French President Emmanuel Macron plans to appoint a special envoy for the Western Balkans, who would have an active role in resolving the Kosovo issue, Belgrade-based Blic daily reports today.
According to unofficial findings, President Macron has informed Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic about the plan during his visit to Serbia. The daily further continues Macron intents to actively engage in this region.
French Ambassador to Serbia Frederic Mondoloni said President Emmanuel Macron wants that France plays greater role in Serbia and the region, B92 reports.
According to Mondoloni media allegations on the future appointment of a special French envoy for the Balkans should be viewed in that context.
“President Macron wants that France plays its full role in the region and in Serbia (…). And for two years already he is very much engaged that France gets the place it belongs to it in the region, and in particular in friendly Serbia,” Mondoloni said in a press conference.