Kosovo with a fragile security

• Kosovo with a fragile security (Koha Ditore)
• The north, hostage to a plan? (Zëri)
• Lajcak: Pristina-Belgrade dialogue in a different format (dailies)
• We do not speak to you (dailies)

Kosovo Media Highlights

Kosovo with a fragile security (Koha Ditore)
Deputies of the Assembly of Kosovo, as well as international reports, consider that security in Kosovo is fragile. Except for the situation at crucial facilities of state importance, there are other factors mentioned to have impact on such situation, such as the situation in the north inhabited by Serbs, porosity of the borders and transformation of Kosovo into a transit country for smuggling an trafficking. Former Deputy Minister and current PDK deputy at the Assembly and member of the Commission for Internal Affairs and Security, Fatmir Xhelili, said that the reasons for this situation, well known to the public, are inefficiency of EULEX, as a police component responsible for the north. “It is also a little bit devaluation of KFOR, for incapability to eliminate barricades, non-control of the borders, and leaking at the border line with Serbia, where unfortunately, KFOR is responsible,” said Xhelili.

This daily stresses that even the most prestigious newspapers such as the New York Times, have stressed that Kosovo has become a transit country also for stolen artistic pieces. “‘The trade has also expanded at other countries such as Kosovo, where rich Albanians trade with these pieces.” According to Xhelili, Kosovo is not more insecure than the other countries in the region such as Macedonia, Serbia, Bosnia and Montenegro.

The north, hostage to a plan? (Zëri)
Resolution of the situation in the north continues to remain dependable on a new plan for integration of Serbs into Kosovo institutions which is expected to comprise of elements from the Ahtisaari package and socio-economic aspects, reports Zëri. Whilst authorities in Pristina hesitate to speak about the new plan which is thought to come as a result of pressure from the EU, officials in Belgrade tell Pristina counterparts not to bother spending time and money on drafting a plan without including Serbia in the process.

“Regardless of what plan Pristina can make, the distrust towards Albanians is very present at this time and I would advise Pristina not to spend time, energy and money of drafting a plan because it should consider the distrust of Serbs towards Pristina and any plan would be in vain if Serbia were not involved in it,” said Serbia’s State Secretary for Kosovo Oliver Ivanovic.

Lajcak: Pristina-Belgrade dialogue in a different format (dailies)
Slovak Foreign Minister and head of the EU European External Action Service (EEAS) department for relations with the western Balkans, Miroslav Lajcak, said in an interview for Belgrade’s Vecernje Novosti that talks between Kosovo and Serbia will undergo a change of format following the constitution of the new Serbian government.

However, Kosovo Foreign Minister Enver Hoxhaj said the Government of Kosovo considers that solutions to all problems in Kosovo lie within the Ahtisaari package. “The stance of Pristina authorities is clear – it includes implementation of Ahtisaari package and internal dialogue between the Government of Kosovo and its citizens in the north,” Hoxhaj is quoted in Express.

We do not speak to you (dailies)
Even before the start of the dialogue with Serbs in the north of Kosovo, Serb politicians express skepticism regarding the initiative of the Government of Kosovo. According to Dragisa Krstovic, politician from the north, it will be difficult for Pristina’s executive to find a partner among the Serb leaders or politicians in the north of Kosovo. “First of all, a major number of people with political impact, who have unquestionable political capacities, will not accept to discuss on this issue at all. Another number of people will not be ready to accept discussions on this issue for the simple reason of refusing to be someone that would by put on the “wall of shame” and to be proclaimed traitors,” said Krstovic.