Fuele: Everything ready for the roadmap

•Fuele: Everything ready for the roadmap (Koha Ditore)
• Thaçi: On 2 July, the decision for the finalization of monitoring (Koha Ditore)
• Fitou: The roadmap for Kosovo has many criteria (Koha Ditore)
• For a new format (Express)
• UNMIK doesn’t know what to do with its administration (Koha Ditore)
• The footnote only strengthened UNMIK (Zëri)
• Nikolic: I will never recognize the independence of Kosovo (Zëri)
• Surroi to join AAK soon (Bota Sot)
• EULEX seeks help from Police (dailies)
• Almhofer: Humanitarian transport to be improved (Epoka e Re)

Kosovo Media Highlights

Fuele: Everything ready for the roadmap (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore reports that another dialogue started on Wednesday in Brussels, including representatives of the Kosovo Government and the European Commission. This “structured dialogue” is on the rule of law. This dialogue was scheduled since last year. EU Enlargement Commissioner, Stefan Fuele and the EU Internal Affairs, Cecilia Malstrom, discussed with the Deputy Prime Minister, Hajredin Kuçi, Interior Minister, Bajram Rexhepi and the Minister for European Integrations, Vlora Çitaku. “Today was a big day for relations between Kosovo and the European Union and a big day for Kosovo. We started the dialogue on the rule of law and at the same time in the presence of my colleague Cecilia Malstrom, we discussed the guide for visas. Everything is ready now for Cecilia to present it later during the month of June”, said Fuele.

Thaçi: On 2 July, the decision for the finalization of monitoring (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore reports that Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi said Wednesday that the decision on the finalization supervised independence of Kosovo will be in July. “On 2 July the International Steering Group, as well as the friends of Kosovo, will meet in Vienna to decide on the finalization of independence monitoring”, said Thaçi in the Government meeting. “This demonstrates that the state of Kosovo during this period has successfully passed the state building phase…” he added.

Fitou: The roadmap for Kosovo has many criteria (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore reports that the French Ambassador in Kosovo, Jean Francois Fitou, gave good news to the students of the University of Pristina. Before beginning a lecture at the Faculty of Law, the ambassador had a telephone call, which kept the students waiting but upon his return he said: “It was an important telephone call. I was just told me that in Brussels approved the guide for visas for Kosovo.” “The Government and the people of Kosovo should know that the challenge will be long and difficult. The Government should be able to fulfill all the criteria, in order for the country to be able to enter into the Schengen agreement and for citizens to travel without visas. This will not be easy, I am repeating once more”, said Fitou.

No talks without implementation of agreements (Zëri)
Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi reaffirmed his position that talks with Belgrade will not start until the agreements reached so far are implemented, in particular those regarding regional representation and integrated border management. Thaçi said that the international community also supports this position. “We have given another reply, to avoid misinterpretation, that the official position of Pristina is very clear and enjoys international support,” said Thaçi.

For a new format (Express)
The issue of the interruption of the dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade pushed the Foreign Minister of Slovakia, Miroslav Lajcak, to return once again to his idea that the time has come to request a new format for the dialogue, which according to him should be political. According to Lajcak, it is essential for the dialogue to continue, since the EU is the only viable option for both parties. “A form or a structure of dialogue could be refined in order to become more regular, to include more senior political representations, but the essence is clear – discussions should continue and they should result with agreements and their implementation,” said Lajcak. He made these comments after his visit to Belgrade, where he met with the recently elected President of Serbia, Tomislav Nikolic.

UNMIK doesn’t know what to do with its administration (Koha Ditore)
The UN mission in Kosovo has not yet decided what to do with its administrative presence in Mitrovica, reports the paper. Countries supporting Kosovo’s independence and the Government in Pristina have asked UNMIK to cease operations in the north and transfer all relevant documents to the Kosovo Government administrative office expected to be set up in a matter of weeks.

“It is too early to reply. We are waiting for contacts with Kosovo authorities and other actors,” UNMIK Spokesperson Olivier Salgado reiterated.

Sources close to the Government told the paper that the possibility being looked at includes a gradual closing of UAM and transfer of competencies to the administrative office but it is considered that such a scenario would slow down the functioning of Kosovo’s office.

However, the paper reports that UNMIK chief Farid Zarif is consulting decision makers regarding further action while French Ambassador Jean Francois Fitou said he expects UNMIK’s cooperation on the issue. “The time has come for new services to be offered to the citizens in the north and UNMIK has no reason to do such a thing alone. It has to cooperate with ICO and us, the EU. As far as I know, UNMIK is cooperating and I view this as a several-stage development,” said Fitou.

The footnote only strengthened UNMIK (Zëri)
The paper writes that the agreement on Kosovo’s regional representation has brought no major change and has even failed to change the way Kosovo is represented in regional initiatives. Though Kosovo institutional leaders hailed the agreement as putting an end to Kosovo being represented by UNMIK, the paper says that three months later, Kosovo continues to be represented by the UN mission and not the footnote agreed upon with Serbia.

Deputy chair of the Assembly’s commission on economy Teuta Sahatçia said officials from different agencies regularly report to the commission and when asked how they are being represented in regional meetings, they replied that this is being done by the UNMIK name tag. LDK’s Sahatçia said she has raised the issue with the Assembly.

Vetëvendosje’s Visar Ymeri said that the footnote for Kosovo’s representation has only served to strengthen UNMIK. “The footnote did not make UNMIK disappear, it only reinforced it by reinforcing Resolution 1244,” noted Ymeri.

Nikolic: I will never recognize the independence of Kosovo (Zëri)
The new Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic reiterated that he will never recognize the independence of Kosovo even if this means Serbia will have to give up its European path. In an interview for a Montenegrin public broadcaster, Nikolic said there are no circumstances that would make him recognize Kosovo. “There are some things in life that you can never do,” he said.

Surroi to join AAK soon (Bota Sot)
The paper quotes sources as saying that AAK deputy leader Blerim Shala is frequently visiting publicist and founder of Koha Ditore Veton Surroi in a bid to convince him to join the AAK. Sources said Shala’s mission has the support of AAK leader Ramush Haradinaj. Though AAK senior officials refused to comment on the issue, they did not deny the possibility of Surroi joining their party. “I think many things will be seen when the trial against Mr. Haradinaj in The Hague draws to an end,” said Ardian Gjini.

EULEX seeks help from Police (dailies)
An official vehicle with clear a EULEX sign was attacked by stones and strong objects and also sprayed in the center of Zubin Potok, at about 11:20 on Wednesday. EULEX officials reported the case to Kosovo Police. There are no reports of injuries of any EULEX official, only damages caused to the vehicle. There is no report of identification or arrest of the perpetrators while the district prosecutor said the case has been registered as “endangering of international defense persons” of Article 141 of the Kosovo Penal Code.

Almhofer: Humanitarian transport to be improved (Epoka e Re)
Epoka e Re reports that OSCE Ambassador in Pristina, Werner Almhofer, during the presentation of a report of this organization requested representatives of Kosovo institutions to improve humanitarian transport. “I am happy with the achieved progress in the offering of humanitarian bus transport during the last four years, especially with the expansion of 13 lines, and with a slightly reduced number of reported security incidents”, said Ambassador Almhofer. He said that that the communities which live in Kosovo depend on the humanitarian transport. “This has special importance, while our report shows clearly that the affected groups and communities continue to be dependent on humanitarian transport to have access to rights and services such as: education, employment, health care and social care. It is crucial that this service to continue to be offered”, expressed Almhofer.

Kosovo Press Headlines

Koha Ditore

Front page
• Fule: Everything ready for the roadmap
• Decision on conclusion of supervision on July 2nd
• Roadmap for Kosovo has more criteria
• Anti-corruption body readdresses Pacolli case
• Accusation: Smuggling money “cleaned” in construction of apartments

Other headlines
• UNMIK doesn’t know what to do with its administration (4)
• Assembly, with an investigative unit (4)
• Jahjaga: Students must believe in their force to make changes (5)
• Bllaca thought orders he received were legitimate (7)
• World Bank adopts partnership strategy with Kosovo (8)
• Serbs abandon meeting in Tirana due to Kosovo (8)

Zëri

Front page
• European “phobia” is adopted
• The footnote strengthened UNMIK
• Menzies supports Zëri’s work
• Haliti: 15 months later!
• Haliti: NATO messages from Chicago and Talin
• Tali: The Serb autonomous zone in the north!

Other headlines

• Another dialogue between EU and Kosovo (2)
• Nikolic: I will never recognize Kosovo’s independence (2)
• EULEX vehicle attacked in Zubin Potok (4)
• No talks without implementation of agreements (5)

Kosova Sot

Front page
• Five years without a legitimate reply
• Editorial: The AKK’s miss
• Pacolli’s deception
• Kosovo to receive the roadmap on June 14th
• Bllaca: I stayed in Serbia for two years

Other headlines
• Decision on supervised independence on July 2nd (2)
• Fitou: EU has adopted roadmap for Kosovo (4)
• Merkel calls on Nikolic to implement reforms (4)

Epoka e Re

Front page
• Kosovo receives roadmap on June 14th
• Prime Minister Thaçi visits Japan
• Jahjaga: School, a tool to strengthen the state
• Strong support
• PDK aims a victory in Kacanik

Other headlines
• Organized crime and the judiciary are priorities (2)
• Supervision ends on July 2nd (3)
• Dean: Kosovo has the most advanced constitution in the region (7)

Express

Front page
• They keep their promise
• Bllaca’s dance
• They choose the most expensive
• Buzhala: How to implement reforms?

Other headlines
• Thaçi to visit Japan (4)
• Illegal mayors are inaugurated (5)
• Fight crime (5)
• Office for parliamentary investigations (6)
• They expect consensus (6)

Bota Sot

Front page
• Office of Prime Minister is violating Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo
• Veton Surroi soon to officially join the AAK
• Minister Sasa Ristic put me in touch with Finish KFOR
• EU adopts roadmap for Kosovo
• World Bank adopts first partnership strategy with Kosovo

Other headlines
• EULEX vehicle attacked in Zubin Potok (2)
• Thaçi: No talks without implementation of agreements in Brussels (3)
• Jahjaga to students: Believe in yourselves and in your power (3)
• Mess at the committee for election reforms (4)