Belgrade refuses meeting with Thaçi

• Belgrade refuses meeting with Thaçi (Koha Ditore)
• Agreements before meetings (Zëri)
• Despite divisions, dialogue gets PDK closer to opposition (Koha Ditore)
• Don’t hurry political dialogue! (Epoka e Re, Zëri)
• Institutional crisis ‘looms’ over Kosovo (Zëri)
• Beqiri: We were and are against dialogue (Epoka e Re)
• Jahjaga will not resign (Koha Ditore)
• Arbën Xhaferi, philosopher, politicians and publicist passes away (dailies)

Kosovo Media Highlights

Belgrade refuses meeting with Thaçi (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore reported that the head for the office for Kosovo in the Government of Serbia, Aleksandar Vulin, said that Ivica Dacic refuses to meet Hashim Thaçi. In an interview for Serb news agency Beta, Vulin said that no one from the Government of Serbia will meet and talk to the Prime Minister of Kosovo, “until are not fully investigated claims according to which he participated in the organ trade and other crimes against Serbs and other Kosovo citizens.”

According to Vulin, “Belgrade cannot talk with the person who in more than a half of EU countries has been forbidden entry.” However, Vulin said that Belgrade is ready to continue the dialogue with Pristina but “Serbia cannot accept blackmail and violence which are coming from other side.” Furthermore, he said that the United Nations should be included in the dialogue but Serbia would participate whether the United Nations are involved or not.

Agreements before meetings (Zëri)
Daniel Serwer, US analyst on the Balkans, said that the most important thing that needs to be done for the Pristina-Belgrade dialogue is to ensure broad support in countries involved in the process: Kosovo and Serbia. Serwer noted that agreements will nevertheless be reached before the parties actually begin talks.

“My belief is that Americans and Europeans will make efforts to put pressure for reaching agreements on several issues without getting the sides together. A meeting of prime ministers or presidents would of course be important but much more for the symbolic value rather than some substantial discussion. I expect substantial issues to be resolved before such meetings take place,” said Serwer.

Marko Prelec, from the International Crisis Group, also said that Kosovo should not fear the dialogue as no one can force Pristina to enter into an agreement that would damage Kosovo. “Serbia spends hundreds of millions of Euros in its structures in Kosovo and has little benefit from it. Kosovo has many practical problems caused by Serbia. Both sides can improve the lives of one another without losing anything,” said Prelec.

Despite divisions, dialogue gets PDK closer to opposition (Koha Ditore)
Political party officials began efforts to find a consensus before the dialogue with Serbia occurs. The only alternatives, according to the newspaper’s sources, are the creation of a mechanism, a parliamentary mechanism, and the governing coalition.

Officials close to this process explained that they are reviewing names which could represent the governing cabinet of the PDK-AAK coalition; LDK’s consent is to be achieved in another way. According to the sources, LDK will be presented with the option to have Atifete Jahjaga leave her post as President, which would be part of the agreement between Isa Mustafa and Hashim Thaçi.

High international officials told Koha Ditore that Kosovo does not have the luxury in this phase, until normalizing relations with Serbia is finalized and the President is elected during general elections.

Don’t hurry political dialogue! (Epoka e Re, Zëri)
Epoka e Re reported that AAK will never take part in a team for the political dialogue with Serbia. At present, there is no room for such a dialogue as Serbia did not fulfill its obligation towards the state of Kosovo.

AAK deputy leader Ahmet Isufi said that entering into a political dialogue with Serbia is dangerous because they would have to deal with the government in Belgrade, which include individuals who have been directly involved in crimes and damages caused to Kosovo. Isufi added that such a dialogue can happen only after apologies are made and Serbia recognizes Kosovo.

However, Zëri quotes AAK secretary Burim Ramadani saying that when it comes to important issues for Kosovo, such as the north, AAK will not remain a spectator but will become part of the solution to the problem, even if this means taking part in talks with Belgrade.

Institutional crisis ‘looms’ over Kosovo (Zëri)
The paper reported that the opposition bloc has accused Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi of leading Kosovo into an institutional crisis through his political “adventures”. Leading opposition party LDK threatened that it would not only refuse to vote on the amendments about the President, but on the entire package of election and constitutional reform.

Beqiri: We were and are against dialogue (Epoka e Re)
Representatives of LDK said that their party will not change its opinion regarding the start of the political dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade. LDK General Secretary Ismet Beqiri stated in a press conference that they are against this dialogue and the creation of so-called unity team.

“The aim of LDK remains the same. I don’t have to repeat what we have continuously said. We have been and we are against these talks, and creation of bodies which would replace state institutions. Since this government praises itself, which came into the power with stolen votes, request the answer from them, but without LDK. Well, there is nothing new to be said,” said Ismet Beqiri.

Jahjaga will not resign (Koha Ditore)
The office of the Kosovo President yesterday refuted statements by political parties calling President Atifete Jahjaga to step down and pave the way for a direct presidential election. Jahjaga’s spokesperson Arbër Vllahiu ruled out the possibility of Jahjaga’s resignation: “There is no need for her to voluntary ‘step down’. Procedures are clear and the laws and Constitution should be upheld as in any other case.”

Arbën Xhaferi, philosopher, politicians and publicist passes away (dailies)
Papers reported that Arbën Xhaferi, the Albanian politician from Macedonia, passed away in Skopje yesterday after having spent his last days in a coma. Zëri writes that Xhaferi was one of few Albanian politicians who led a modern and successful policy in difficult times.

Xhaferi was the founder of the Albanian Democratic Party in Macedonia and was one of the signatories to the Ohrid Agreement. He withdrew from the political scene in 2007 after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

Kosovo leaders have expressed their condolences to the Xhaferi family. President Atifete Jahjaga said Xhaferi has given a valuable contribution in the Albanian political scene while Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi said Xhaferi left a deep mark in the movement for liberation of Albanians.

Kosovo Press Headlines

Koha Ditore

Front page
• Arbën Xhaferi, European spirit of Albanian politics
• Message to Sekiraça: No playing around with the police
• Despite divisions, dialogue gets PDK closer to parts of opposition
• President Jahjaga will not step down

Other headlines
• Belgrade refuses meeting with Thaçi (2)
• LDK promises solution for the north when it comes to power (4)
• Serbia to take part in meetings alongside Kosovo without footnote (4)
• 15 days of detention for Bulatovic (4)
• Kosovo Police breaches Law on Procurement (5)
• Director of RTK channel in Serbian, hostage to non-completion of board (6)

Zëri

Front page
• Agreements, before talks
• Leader of policymaking, Arbën Xhaferi, passes away
• Institutional crisis ‘looms’
• Beqaj asks for accountability from PTK director
• Kosovo Prisons are secure

Other headlines
• International presence even after supervision (2)
• Vetëvendosje: SHIK, structure of PDK (2)
• New US ambassador assumes duty (2)
• Vulin: Belgrade will not fall on Pristina’s trap (2)
• Agani receives promises of recognition (4)
• Serbia, support for Jeremic (4)
• AAK ready for political talks (5)
• KEK brings back fierce restrictions (6)

Kosova Sot

Front page
• Kelmendi: Constitution and KJC violated by the president of Supreme Court
• Tolaj’s preferred companies breached contracts
• Companies for former Secretary Albright and General Clarke welcomed
• Editorial: Violated justice

Other headlines
• Barricades forgotten (2)
• Vetëvendosje accuses SHIK of keeping the state hostage (2)
• Albanians blocked in the north (2)
• Former PSHDK leader Arbën Xhaferi passes away (3)
• Serwer: Serbia to recognize Kosovo’s sovereignty (3)
• Belgrade considers participation of Kosovo without footnote (3)

Epoka e Re

Front page
• Ahmet Isufi: Don’t hurry with political dialogue
• Jacobson starts her work today
• Demaçi: Thank you Hashim, I don’t want to be a “puppet President”

Other headlines
• Serbia accepts Kosovo without footnote? (2)
• Serwer: Belgrade to accept Kosovo borders (2)
• Serbia wants inclusion of UN in talks (2)
• Agani receives promises from Islamic countries (2)
• Beqiri: We were and are against the dialogue (5)
• Electricity cuts for category B and C (9)

Express

Front page
• Chief is coming
• A Beautiful Mind

Other headlines
• Kuçi in USA (4)
• Recognitions promised to Agani (4)
• Vetëvendosje: SHIK organization of PDK (5)
• Kosovo Serbs want a share in the dialogue (5)
• Vulin does not accept the state of Kosovo (6)
• Serwer scenario (6) 13 years of electricity cuts (10)
• Inflation in Kosovo raised (11)

Bota Sot

Front page
• New America Ambassador today starts her mission in Kosovo?
• PDK does not go without Thaçi, AAK “dissolves” without Ramush!
• LDK: We will not be accomplice of north in damage of Kosovo

Other headlines
• Serbs want representation in dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade (2)
• KIPRED: Initiative of Serbia not welcome with optimism (2)
• International presence after end of supervised monitoring (3)
• Agani receives new promises for quick recognitions of Kosovo (3)
• Serbia will accept Kosovo without footnote (4)
• Vetëvendosje says SHIK is structure of PDK (4)
• Arbën Xhaferi died (6)
• Confirmation of charges for Serbs postponed for September (8)
• Serwer: Serbia to accept territorial sovergenity of Kosovo (11)