Agreement of the “Troika” breached

• Agreement of the “Troika” breached (Koha Ditore)
• Parties clash over “secret” meetings with Serbian officials (dailies)
• Kuçi: Force, the last solution in the north (Epoka e Re)
• Self-restraint in the north (Express)
• Fitou: Elections held by OSCE, with a political agreement (Koha Ditore)
• EULEX conditions visas (Zëri)
• Local elections not to be recognized (Kosova Sot)
• EULEX excludes responsibility (Express)
• Delays in the election reform (Express)

Kosovo Media Highlights

Agreement of the “Troika” breached (Koha Ditore)
The paper reports that PDK leader Hashim Thaçi has decided to break the agreement for early presidential and parliamentary elections signed a year ago with the LDK leader Isa Mustafa and AKR leader Behgjet Pacolli and mediated by the US Ambassador Christopher Dell.

During Assembly session yesterday, Thaçi said next elections will take place in 2014. “Government and the ruling coalition will have an encounter with opposition at the end of 2014,” said Thaçi. The postponing of elections has also been confirmed by a senior ruling coalition official who said that this is also being supported by certain international circles. “Parliamentary elections will be held in 2014 while presidential ones next year. This is a stance that is being backed by international allies too or else Thaçi would not have given this announcement,” said the unnamed official.

Parties clash over “secret” meetings with Serbian officials (dailies)
All dailies report on yesterday’s session of the Kosovo Assembly characterized by clashes between parliamentary parties on “secret” meetings with senior Serbian officials. Koha Ditore notes that Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi did not deny having met with senior officials of Serbia, but called on other party leaders to admit that they have done the same and that their representatives have already had similar meetings.

“If you accuse me of treason over a public meeting in Brussels, I will tell you that your MPs meet in international conferences with ministers of the Serbian Government and with mayors of parallel municipalities in the north, and also with advisors of Serbian authorities. I am talking here about the LDK, PDK, Vetëvendosje and AAK,” Thaçi was quoted as saying.

On the other hand, Sabri Hamiti, deputy speaker of the Assembly, said with such references the political forces are creating opportunities for Serbia to have enemies and patriots among Albanians whenever it needs this.

Kuçi: Force, the last solution in the north (Epoka e Re)
In a front-page interview for Epoka e Re, Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuçi called on representatives of opposition parties to be more mature when the issue of northern Kosovo is concerned. He said force would the last tool of the Kosovo Government to resolve the issue of the north. “Force would be the last resort and if necessary we will act,” Kuçi said. “The north requires unity of action from locals and internationals. We are aware that the key to solving problems in the north is honest cooperation with KFOR, EULEX and Serb citizens. This cooperation guarantees successes and concrete results in the north.”

Self-restraint in the north (Express)
Maja Kocijancic, Spokeswoman of the EU High Representative Catherine Ashton, stated that EU is taking very seriously the recent events in the north of Kosovo. Asked by Tirana’s Top Channel on what is the explanation for Brussels’ lack of statements and positions regarding the murder and incidents during the recent weeks in the north of Kosovo, Kocijancic said that there were some statements. “We have commented from different levels, from here and in the field. You know that we have our special representative, and the head of the EU Mission, as well as EULEX there, who have been very active and made our position very clear,” said Kocijancic.

Fitou: Elections held by OSCE, with a political agreement (Koha Ditore)
Organizing Serbia’s presidential and parliamentarian elections in Kosovo is a political act therefore, according to the French Ambassador in Kosovo Jean François Fitou, organizing should have a political agreement. In an interview for this daily, Fitou said that allowing participation of citizens with dual citizenship in Serbia’s presidential and parliamentarian elections is an obligation of Kosovo even though it is complicated to implement this in legal basis.

Asked whether he considers that OSCE should help, Fitou said, “I want and I hope that this will happen. The sooner this agreement is reached, the better. OSCE is a legitimate player in this country and as such it can find a way to facilitate citizens with dual citizenship.”

EULEX conditions visas (Zëri)
Zëri reports on the front-page story that EULEX was created by Europeans to help Kosovo, but its executive powers are turning out to be a serious problem for another project launched by Brussels – visa liberalization. The list of conditions for visa liberalization – the roadmap – which will be presented to Kosovo in the coming weeks will include the assessment that the end of EULEX’s executive mandate will be essential for visa dialogue. This means that Kosovo must be ready to combat on its own corruption, organized crime and many other sensitive issues.

Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuçi told the paper that the government has already sent a plan to Brussels for the transfer of competencies. “We have asked for competencies to be transferred as soon as possible, but it seems that this process will commence in June this year and the transition will end by 2014. This includes all competencies, with the exception of competencies for proceeding war crimes cases,” Kuçi said.

Local elections not to be recognized (Kosova Sot)
Kosova Sot quotes the State Secretary for Kosovo in the Serb Government Oliver Ivanovic as saying that organizing local elections of Serbia in Kosovo is not possible without the support of international community. He emphasized that if any municipality in the north holds elections, their results will not be recognized. “If the representatives in Zvecan and Zubin Potok decide to hold elections, they will not be recognized. To recognize them, Republican Election Commission would release other guidelines”, transmit Serb media the statement of Ivanovic. He stated that Kosovo Serbs should not worsen the relations with Belgrade.

EULEX excludes responsibility (Express)
A day after officials of the Government accused international institutions for not preventing arrival of Serb leader Vojislav Kostunica in the north, EULEX claims that there are no official border points at the alternative roads to prevent entrance of Serbia’s officials in the northern part. KFOR on the other hand stresses that it is not obliged to undertake police duties.

Delays in the election reform (Express)
The timeframe set for completion of the election reform is expected to soon end but without anticipated results. The process is set to end on 22 April but political parties have not yet agreed on how many election zones will Kosovo have in the future as well as what kind of voting lists will be used. These delays have triggered a reaction from the EU office in Pristina which issued a statement suggesting that the mandate of the election reform commission is extended. EU also considers there has been no substantive progress on the issue.

Kosovo Press Headlines

Koha Ditore

Front page
• Agreement of “troika” on elections is violated
• Fitou: Holding of elections by OSCE, with political agreement
• Bills of “treason” for meetings with Serbian state officials
• Policemen arrested by Serbian gendarmerie will no longer patrol at the border

Other headlines
• Topi: Evil interpretations by Serbia (4)
• Macedonia has not set a visa regime (4)
• Assembly rejects Government’s anti-corruption strategy (5)

Zëri

Front page
• EULEX conditions visas
• Thaçi attacks the opposition
• The Prime Minister’s “tactical” withdrawal
• Kuçi: Schools and roads in the Valley
• Tensions pave way to divisions
• Budget at risk

Other headlines
• Cenaj: Game of borders and my father’s friend (2)
• Serbia is encouraging hatred (2)
• Austria supports Kosovo’s integration (2)
• U.S. troops deploy in Albania (2)

Kosova Sot

Front page
• Government becomes owner of the press palace
• Editorial: Delays of a reform
• Thaçi: All Kosovo parties meet with Serbian officials
• Nazmi Mustafi involves four senior justice officials in corruption

Other headlines
• Kosovo calls (2)
• Local elections will not be recognized (4)
• KFOR and EULEX distance themselves from illegal visits (4)
• OSCE doesn’t declare on organization of Serbian elections in Kosovo (4)
• Switzerland promises support for repatriation of Kosovars (4)

Epoka e Re

Front page
• Power, the last solution in the north
• Accusations and counteraccusations at the Assembly
• PDK strengthens

Other headlines
• U.S. Marines disembarked in Durrës (2)
• EU takes recent events in the north seriously (2)
• Belgrade requests disarmament of Albanians in the north (2)
• Deputy Prime Minister Petrovic in Monaco (2)
• Ivanovic: Local elections will not be held (2)
• Dissatisfied (3)
• Dell and Hoxhaj discuss bilateral agreements (3)
• EU five gathers them (4)
• Against foreign elements in Kosovo (6)
• Switzerland offers support for the repatriated (6)
• Thaçi: Everyone is meeting with Serbia’s Ministers (7)

Express

Front page
• No money for helicopters
• Commission did not finish its duty
• They clash abut meetings

Other headlines
• Restraint in the north (5)
• They reject responsibility (6)
• Double standards for journalists (6)
• They agree for cooperation (6)
• Border problems (7)

Bota Sot

Front page
• Say who ate “the wrong dinner” with Tadic’s ministers?
• Thaçi: See you in 2014; Opposition: Prime Minister dreaming!
• Serbs are afraid too, they request KFOR’s presence

Other headlines
• 700 US troops disembark in Tirana, tensions in the Balkans grow (2)
• USA and Kosovo strengthen inter-state relations (4)
• EU disappointed with the progress of election reform in Kosovo (7)
• Release of unionist Hasan Abazi demanded (7)
• Austria supports Kosovo in European path (7)
• “Kosovo calls” for new recognitions (8)
• Kosovo citizens will travel without visas to Macedonia (11)
• Armed Albanians in the north being investigated (11)