Kosovo-Serbia talks prevent solution to energy transmission 

• Kosovo-Serbia talks prevent solution to energy transmission (Koha)
• Kosovo, priority of Albania’s presidency of CoE (Express)
• Fitou wants more work and less words for the north (dailies)
• Limaj: PDK should stop trend of rewarding with posts (dailies)
• Zero effect of anti-corruption (Zëri)
• Survive with corruption (Express)
• Beqiri: Protesters were not delegates (Epoka e Re)
• Pacolli advertises businesses on the government’s webpage (Kosova Sot)

Kosovo Media Highlights

Kosovo-Serbia talks prevent solution to energy transmission (Koha)
Talks between Kosovo and Serbia have not helped resolve the dispute between the two countries on energy transmission lines, writes the paper. Instead, talks are preventing a possible solution to the problem that costs Kosovo millions of Euros. The Energy Community Secretariat (ECS) had ruled that Serbia was breaching the regulations of the community and asked it to act in accordance to the rules within two months but this was not the case. However, despite the lack of progress prior in the talks between Serbia and Kosovo on this issue the Secretariat expects the issue to be discussed anew. Dirk Buschle, a legal advisor with ECS, said the dispute between Kosovo and Serbia is not closed. “The Secretariat is currently trying to bring the disputing parties together to conduct a dialogue that would result in concrete progress. We believe that after elections in Serbia, such a dialogue can resume quickly,” said Buschle.

Kosovo, priority of Albania’s presidency of CoE (Express)
The Republic of Albania is expected to take over the presidency of the Council of Europe on 23 May. During its presidency it will make Kosovo’s integration to the organization one of its key priorities during the six-month presidency. In an interview for Radio Kosova, Albanian Foreign Minister Edmond Haxhinasto said all possibilities for Kosovo to integrate into the Council of Europe will be reviewed and concrete steps to achieve this will be taken. “I think the most important argument for this objective is to realize that Kosovo’s integration processes are irreversible. Kosovo has already embarked on the path to Europe, its institutions, political organizations, and security organizations and it is only a matter of time before it becomes part of them,” said Haxhinasto.

Fitou wants more work and less words for the north (dailies)
Papers report that the French Ambassador in Kosovo, Jean Francois Fitou, said that more needs to be done and less talked about when it comes to the north. Fitou said this Sunday while visiting a voting center in Gracanica, where Serb citizens were casting their ballot in the Serbian presidential run-off. “I think that the more we talk, the more we risk continuing to talk. What the EU said is very important, Kosovo needs to have a vision for the north”, said Fitou. The newspaper reported days before that in September the Kosovo Government will use the presence of the representatives of 25 countries members of International Steering Group to present the plan for the dialogue on the north of Kosovo. A few days later it is expected to start the dialogue, sources of Koha Ditore said.

Limaj: PDK should stop trend of rewarding with posts (dailies)
During a discussion in Prizren, PDK deputy leader Fatmir Limaj commented that changes in this political party are necessary, at least in the manner of distributing political posts. When asked about a break in relations between himself and the head of the PDK, the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi, he did not comment nor on his interest in taking over the leadership of the party.

In a separate box within the article under the headline Every move beyond the Ahtisaari Package marks the end of Kosovo, Koha Ditore writes that Limaj said every move to go beyond the Ahtisaari Package in the north damages it as the only solution, and marks the end of Kosovo as a state. He said that the proposal of the former UN mediator for Kosovo’s status represented an extreme compromise for Kosovo, which gave up its identity to create a citizens state, only for the sake of independence. According to him, different ideas such as ‘special status or ‘autonomy for the north’ are fatal because the functionality of the state of Kosovo itself would be in question.

Zero effect of anti-corruption (Zëri)
Zëri reports on the front page that the politics of thievery are growing every day despite the continuous creation of mechanisms and institutions to combat corruption. The paper quotes some analysts as saying that corruption has already penetrated all pores of the state and that the establishment of a large number of anti-corruption mechanisms is done intentionally to remove the responsibility from everyone.

Betim Musliu, member of the Kosovo Justice Institute, criticized the large number of anti-corruption mechanisms and added that his organization has suggested the revision of all these mechanisms, “to see whether they need to continue operating or not”.

“The Government has turned into the main motivator of corruption in Kosovo. This was shown in our polls according to which public funds distributed to companies close to the government have reached the amount of hundreds of millions of Euros,” said Avni Zogiani, director of the anti-corruption non-governmental organization “Çohu”.

Survive with corruption (Express)
A financial report of the US Embassy in Kosovo, entitled “Various models of (ab)use of public funds,” has found many irregularities in tenders in Kosovo. This report shows that Kosovo companies are currently surviving in the market only by working for public tenders, which links them to the Government and political parties. As a consequence, there is space for corruption and control by party officials. “Therefore, public tendering often represents the main issue when companies become sensitive towards party control and thus politicize; by impeding seriously trade opportunities and self-regulating growth of the private sector,” say this report.

Beqiri: Protesters were not delegates (Epoka e Re)
Epoka e Re reports that thr elections at the Convention of the Youth Forum of the Democratic League of Kosovo, have once again brought the dissatisfactions of the supporters of the former leader of this party, Fatmir Sejdiu, to the surface. His supporters from Podujvë and Gjakovë protested on Saturday and requested the resignation of LDK’s current leader Isa Mustafa. However LDK’s Secretary General Ismet Beqiri, stated that “there are no clashes within the LDK. Those who protested on Saturday were not delegates; therefore they could not enter and take part in the convention.” He added that both these cities had their legitimate delegates at the convention.

Pacolli advertises businesses on the government’s webpage (Kosova Sot)
Kosova Sot reports on the front page that Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister and AKR leader Behxhet Pacolli is using the official webpage of the Office of Prime Minister to advertise his own private businesses. This has triggered reactions from many political analysts in Kosovo who argue that the AKR millionaire is using his position in the government for his own benefit.

Analysts also added that Pacolli’s promotion of private businesses is in opposition with the Law against conflict of interest and in opposition to the code of ethics of a politician.

Former AKR deputy leader Riza Smaka said: “Politicians like Pacolli should be removed from the political landscape and legal measures should be launched against them”.

Kosovo Press Headlines

Koha Ditore

Front page
• Political earthquake in Serbia, Nikolic beats Tadic
• Jahjaga in Janjevo confirms Croat community as part of the Constitution
• Limaj: PDK should stop rewarding with posts
• Kosovo-Serbia talks impede energy transmission dispute

Other headlines
• Bildt: Serbia wants to convince us that it wants Europe (3)
• Nikolic’s victory celebrated in northern Kosovo (3)
• Fitou wants more work and fewer words on the north (3)
• Palokaj: NATO has unfinished business in Kosovo and the Balkans (10)

Zëri

Front page
• Nikolic’s surprising victory
• Feith annuls competition of boards
• Constitutional Court, a political court
• Cufaj: Nikolic – a chance for Kosovo?
• The zero effect of anti-corruption

Other headlines
• Limaj wants a different kind of governance (2)
• Fitou: Vision, not words, for the north (2)
• Croats will be represented at the Assembly (5)

Kosova Sot

Front page
• Pacolli advertises his businesses on Government’s webpage
• Editorial: A prime minister with a clear vision to develop Kosovo’s economy
• ISKP: Constitutional Court is politicized
• Demaçi: I didn’t fall from the sky
• Assassinator: Do not campaign on my behalf

Other headlines
• Llap youth: We are not thugs (2)
• Croats to have a representative in Kosovo Assembly (4)
• Fitou: Vision for the north, not only words (4)

Epoka e Re

Front page
• The state is becoming economically strong
• Demaçi: Albanians will not sit cross handed
• Fitou: Not words for the north
• Limaj: I want PDK strong

Other headlines
• Nikolic leads, proclaims victory (2)
• Tomislav Nikolic, an eternal ultranationalist (2)
• Haxhinasto: Kosovo a priority at the Council of Europe (3)
• Croatian community a constitutional category (4)
• Beqiri: Protesters were not delegates (5)

Express

Front page
• Serbia “advances”
• Messages from PDK
• They stay alive with corruption

Other headlines
• Shkëlzen Maliqi: Joint offer for the north (2)
• The multiple isolation of Kosovo (3)
• Fitou: Vision not talks (4)
• Without coordinator for the north (5)
• Kosovo a priority (5)
• Croatians with a place in Parliament (6)
• Journalist in the north, unprotected (8)
• Kosovo far away from integrations (10)

Bota Sot

Front page
• Fatmir Limaj: The changes in PDK are necessary
• Obama: It is being achieved consensus for the reforms in Euro zone
• Members of MUP ensure the voting process in the north
• The President promises one place in the Parliament to the Croatians, before her visit in Croatia
• What will happen if the President says: “I don’t want to resign!”

Other headlines
• Berisha: The Albanians where ever they are should feel as one nation (2)
• Haxhinasto: Kosovo , priority of Albania in while presiding over the Council of Europe (2)
• Discussions on Kosovo at NATO summit in Chicago (3)
• The north remains without coordinator (3)
• Fitou: vision needed for the north (6)
• Kosovo far away from Economic integration (9)
(sg/shqiptarja.com)