Cooper expected to meet Thaçi and Tahiri

• Cooper expected to meet Thaçi and Tahiri (Koha Ditore)
• Krasniqi: Dialogue for technical issues is over (dailies)
• NATO remains committed (Zëri)
• Jahjaga ready to meet Nikolic (dailies)
• Administrative office in the north to be headed by a Bosniak (Koha Ditore)
• Ivanovic predicts “a hot summer” in Kosovo (Epoka e Re)
• Ymeri: Jahjaga has a five-year but unconstitutional mandate (Epoka e Re)
• Thaçi: Death of Dino Asanaj to be investigated (dailies)
• Veseli testifies over SHIK organization (dailies)


Kosovo Media Highlights


Cooper expected to meet Thaçi and Tahiri (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore reports that EU facilitator in the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Robert Cooper, has met in Belgrade with the advisors of the new Serbian President, Tomislav Nikolic and told them what they need to do to implement achieved agreements in Brussels.

Cooper met in Belgrade with Marko Djuric, advisor to the president and though, as usual, the dialogue facilitator did not give any statements to the media, the cabinet of President of Serbia said in a press release that authorities in Belgrade expressed readiness of Serbia to continue not only the technical but also the political dialogue. According to this press release, the facilitator has hailed the readiness of Serbia to implement agreements and to continue with the dialogue.

Cooper is expected on Thursday to stay in Pristina where, according to the sources of the newspaper, apart from meeting the head of Kosovo negotiating team, Edita Tahiri, he is also expected to meet Prime Minister, Hashim Thaçi.

Krasniqi: Dialogue for technical issues is over (dailies)
Dailies report that Kosovo Assembly Speaker Jakup Krasniqi, stated in an interview for the Voice of America, that the dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade on technical issues is over. He added that now is the time for the Government of Kosovo to start dialogue with the Serb citizens in the north. “We value the role of the United States and the European Union in the discussions with Belgrade. We are convinced that Serbia should implement reached agreements and Brussels should also request this as a supervisor of the reached agreements,” said Krasniqi.

NATO remains committed (Zëri)
President of Kosovo Atifete Jahjaga met NATO Supreme Commander for Europe James Stavridis and said that the main challenge for Kosovo institutions is the north of the country. She also expressed strong support for NATO actions in removing barricades in the north and enabling free movement of citizens and goods throughout the territory of Kosovo. She urged NATO to remain alert especially during the opening of the Kosovo Government office in north Mitrovica.

Admiral Stavridis on his part assured Jahjaga that NATO remains committed in creating a safe and secure environment for all citizens of Kosovo.

Jahjaga ready to meet Nikolic (dailies)
Papers report that the President of Republic of Kosovo, Atifete Jahjaga, is ready to meet the new President of Serbia, Tomislav Nikolic. Spokesman of the Office of the President, Arbër Vllahiu, said the two can meet whenever and wherever, if such a thing would be in the interest of Kosovo. “President of Republic of Kosovo, Mrs. Atifete Jahjaga, upon election to this position has stated that she is ready to meet with anyone, anytime and anywhere if this would be in the interest of the people and of the state of Kosovo,” said Vllahiu.

Administrative office in the north to be headed by a Bosniak (Koha Ditore)
The Government of Kosovo has nominated as the main executive official of the Administrative Office in the north Mitrovica, Adrijana Hodzic. Hodzic was former head of the team which worked on preparation of the new municipality in that part of Mitrovica. The temporary office building, until the creation of the new municipality of Mitrovica in the north, will also be situated in the most southern part of the north, in Bosniak Mahalla, one of the rare neighborhoods where Albanians still live. Computers, offices and every other logistic equipment is ready, and the Government believes that the office will start offering services for citizens in three weeks time.

Ivanovic predicts “a hot summer” in Kosovo (Epoka e Re)
Serbian State Secretary in the Ministry for Kosovo Oliver Ivanovic said he expects a hot summer in Kosovo with sporadic incidents. He said the dialogue will keep the situation under control but added that this can at any given time escalate and turn into an incident which would be in no one’s interest.

Ymeri: Jahjaga has a five-year but unconstitutional mandate (Epoka e Re)
The chief of Vetëvendosje parliamentary group, Visar Ymeri, sated in an interview for Epoka e Re that when the election of the President is concerned, constitutional changes will not have a direct reverse effect. “In the current Constitution of Kosovo, the mandate of the President is five years, and the criteria for her/his dismissal are very clear,” said Ymeri. He insisted that the President of Kosovo derived from an agreement of the three party leaders is in contradiction with the constitution, the republican order, institutional practices as well as the country’s regulations and procedures.

Thaçi: Death of Dino Asanaj to be investigated (dailies)
Prime Minster, Hashim Thaçi, has instructed prosecuting authorities on the paths of investigation which need to be pursued in the death Dino Asanaj, head of Privatization Agency of Kosovo. Thaçi is said to have mentioned “pressure” and “public blackmail” in this regard, reports Koha Ditore.

“Every circumstance, factor and inducement that influenced in the violent death of Mr. Asanaj will be reviewed, whether be these subjective or objective actions, also public blackmail from individuals or criminal and mafia groups who do not accept the free market economy,” said Prime Minister Thaçi. “We will not allow in any circumstances that blackmail, intimidation and violence block the economy of free market and competition”.

Veseli testifies over SHIK organization (dailies)
Papers report that the former head of Kosovo Intelligence Service (SHIK) Kadri Veseli testified yesterday in so-called Bllaca case where he categorically denied former KLA commander Azem Syla ever being part of the service. He said SHIK never had more than 92 members, including the technical staff and added that the organization operated based on an internal regulation. Veseli also said that none of the accused in Bllaca case were SHIK members.

“SHIK was an information-research institution and was tasked to analyse and collect information in the interest of protecting national security of the country. SHIK did not have executive powers and functioned based on a draft law,” said Veseli.

Kosovo Press Headlines

Koha Ditore

Front page
• Jahjaga ready to meet Nikolic
• Thaçi: Dino’s public blackmails to be investigated
• 12 suspected trucks of “SharrCem” blocked at customs

Other headlines
• Kadri Veseli does not give names of his agents (2)
• Krasniqi: Kosovo’s independence, a joint project with the US (2)
• Ivanovic foresees a hot summer in Kosovo (2)
• Cooper expected to meet Thaçi and Tahiri (3)
• Feith’s message for Bosniaks to realize their intentions through the Government of Kosovo (3)
• Kusari-Lila: Interruptions on trade policies defend local business (8)
• Kelmendi: Why not Jahjaga? (10)

Zëri

Front page
• One year competition of foreign ministry
• Veseli reveals SHIK organization
• Head of office in the north appointed
• Dino Asanaj’s death to be investigated

Other headlines
• Assembly and Government breach lawmaking procedures (2)
• Nikolic ready to meet Jahjaga (2)
• Tirana condemns attack on KFOR (2)
• Ivanovic: We are in for a hot summer in Kosovo (2)
• NATO remains committed (4)
• Support for Kosovo confirmed (4)
• Albania losing cement market in Kosovo (7)
• US State Department: Women and children trafficked in Kosovo (8)

Kosova Sot

Front page
• “Sharr Cem” suspected of smuggling
• Thaçi promises resolving Asanaj’s death
• Veseli: Azem Syla was never member of SHIK
• Editorial: Increasingly more expensive

Other headlines
• Adriana Hodzic, head of office in the north (2)
• Legislation programme of 2012 completed (4)
• Department for repatriated persons established (4)
• Courts, municipalities and Government refuse access to official documents (4)
• KDI opposes law that changes 21 laws (4)
• Jahjaga and Nikolic ready to meet (5)

Epoka e Re

Front page
• Ymeri: Jahjaga has a five-year but anti-constitutional mandate
• Veseli: Azem Syla was not in SHIK
• They value him for a legend
• Thaçi: Dino’s case to be enlightened
• Hodzic to lead the Administrative Office in the north

Other headlines
• Government of Kosovo should do more for elimination of trafficking (2)
• Cooper requests to restart the dialogue (2)
• Krasniqi continued with his visit in the US (2)
• Ivanovic foresees “a hot summer” in Kosovo (2)
• Krasniqi: The dialogue for technical issues is over (5)
• Stavileci: The time of the political demagogues is over (5)

Express

Front page
• Investigate blackmail
• Manipulations of Sharrcem?
• Veseli sketches out SHIK
• Electricity more expensive

Other headlines
• Feith goes in September (4)
• Ivanovic: “a hot summer” in Kosovo (5)
• Head of the North (5)
• Cooper welcomes readiness of Belgrade (6)
• Krasniqi: Now implementation (6)
• Again awful (9)
• Riza Kuka acquitted (9)

Bota Sot

Front page
• “For national interests” SHIK has cooperated with Serb security
• Prime Minister requests investigation on death circumstances of Dino Asanaj
• Vetëvendosje: Death of Dino Asanaj to be solved

Other headlines
• President Jahjaga met with Admiral James Stavridis (2)
• Adriana Hodzic leads Administrative Office in the north (6)
• Beck, powerful voice in support of perspective of Kosovo (7)
• Jahjaga promises increase of the presentation of woman in the institutions (7)
• Ivanovic announces other incidents in the north (7)
• One law for the protection of consumers (11)