• Vetevendosje to lead technical dialogue with Serbia (Koha Ditore)
• Strategy against Kosovo’s UN membership (Zeri)
• US releases a statement about developments in Kosovo (Lajm)
• Jacobson: Kosovo to move forward and not backwards (dailies)
• EU officials meet Serb representatives (Lajm)

 

Vetevendosje to lead technical dialogue with Serbia (Koha Ditore)

Officials of the post-election coalition announced yesterday that two agreements in principle have been reached, one with Vetevendosje and the other with the Serb List, the paper reports on the front page. Agreement with Vetevendosje, set to be signed today, stipulates that agreements reached so far during the Pristina-Belgrade dialogue will be sent to the Venice Commission to assess whether they are in accordance to the Constitution of Kosovo. At the same time, the new government will appoint an official from Vetevendosje to lead the technical part of the dialogue with Belgrade. With regards to privatization, the parties have agreed to set up a parliamentary commission that will review the process. The coalition bloc’s candidate for prime minister and leader of Alliance for Future of Kosovo (AAK), Ramush Haradinaj, said that Vetevendosje will be an important partner in building new Kosovo institutions. Haradinaj also spoke about the meeting with representatives of the Serb List saying that they have secured the support of their nine MPs. “We will go together in the session”, said Haradinaj. Meanwhile, the paper reports that the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) has nominated Arsim Bajrami as candidate for the post of Assembly Speaker. In a statement to the media, PDK said the party presidency unanimously decided to support Bajrami’s candidacy.

Strategy against Kosovo’s UN membership (Zeri)

The paper quotes reports from Belgrade-based daily Novosti saying that Serbia has launched an intensive diplomatic activity to “counteract” Kosovo’s plans to gain new recognitions. Serbia’s lobbying is focused on three fronts, the paper reported, and it involves lobbying of Serbia’s embassies across the world, use of Serbian officials’ contacts with international officials and strengthening of diplomatic activity in the more influential countries.

US releases a statement about developments in Kosovo (Lajm)

The US government has issued a statement hailing the progress in Kosovo in different fields, including organizing of elections, increasing of international recognitions as well as efforts in fighting terrorism. The US also expects establishment of new institutions in accordance with the law and Constitution of Kosovo. 

Jacobson: Kosovo to move forward and not backwards (dailies)

US Ambassador Tracey Ann Jacobson took to Twitter to state that two of the biggest successes since her arrival to Kosovo have been the dialogue and elections. “Kosovo should be committed to going forward, not backward,” wrote Jacobson. Yesterday, while speaking about Kosovo Assembly’s upcoming session during a school inauguration in Mitrovica, Jacobson said that it does not belong to the international community or the United States to interfere in an internal political process. Jacobson emphasized that everybody is expecting that in the Friday’s session, the MPs will reflect positively and move things forward

EU officials meet Serb representatives (Lajm)

EU Special Representative to Kosovo, Samuel Zbogar, together with the acting head of EULEX, Joelle Vachter, met yesterday the mayor of Mitrovica North Goran Rakic, Mayor of Leposaviq/Leposavic Dragan Jablanovic, mayor of Zveqan/Zvecan Vucina Jankovic, the head of the Assembly of Zubin Potok Nemanja Jaksic and the head of the steering team for the Association of Serb municipalities Ljubomir Maric. In the meeting they discussed issues of concern to the rule of law in the north of Kosovo and the EU representatives used the opportunity to recall to participants the closely synchronized EU presence in Kosovo. “EULEX is part of the biggest family in the EU in Kosovo and it represents the main pillar of EU’s comprehensive policy in Kosovo,” stated Vachter.