Veseli: LDK to join PDK-AAK coalition (Koha Ditore) – front page

• Veseli: LDK to join PDK-AAK coalition (Koha Ditore – front page)
• No new agreement on President (Zëri – front page)
• They soften on dialogue (Express – front page)
• Thaçi’s appearance at UN SC assessed (Epoka e Re – front page)
• Fitou disappointed with recognitions process (dailies)
• Pack: Gangsters in north to be stopped (Koha Ditore – page 2)
• Kosovo remains single election zone? (Epoka e Re – front page)
• Serbs block EULEX in Zubin Potok (Koha Ditore – page 2)
• Albanian Foreign Minister calls on China to recognize Kosovo (dailies)

Kosovo Media Highlights

Veseli: LDK to join PDK-AAK coalition (Koha Ditore) – front page
Citing a source close to Kadri Veseli, former head of the Kosovo Intelligence Service (SHIK), Koha Ditore reports that Veseli does not only favour a coalition between PDK and AAK but would also like LDK to join a broad-based coalition. According to Veseli, a PDK-AAK coalition would create a negative image.

The paper had earlier reported that AAK is ready to join a coalition with PDK leader Hashim Thaçi under the condition that SHIK does not take over the leadership of the PDK. The source told the paper that the involvement of Veseli and other former SHIK members in the PDK cannot be determined by AAK or any other political party.

“This will be decided by PDK structures in the elections process that should start very soon, in autumn,” said the source, adding that Veseli is hesitant because he would join the PDK only if he can have an impact on positive changes in the party, “which are absolutely necessary if the PDK wants to remain the leading political party.”

The paper noted that it tried to contact Veseli on Wednesday but he was not available for comment.

No new agreement on President (Zëri) – front page
Assembly Speaker Jakup Krasniqi called for a new agreement between political parties on constitutional changes that also affect the mandate of the President of Kosovo. However, LDK maintains that it will not be part of any new arrangement without the implementation of the previous one.

“There is absolutely no need for a new agreement, in fact it would even be incomprehensible for Mustafa, Thaçi and Pacolli to sit down for a new agreement. There is already an agreement but the problem is that there is no readiness and willingness from Mr. Thaçi to respect it,” said head of LDK parliamentary group Ismet Beqiri.

AKR officials also echoed the views of LDK. Deputy leader Ibrahim Makolli told the paper that the original agreement should be respected and that there is no need for a new one. “It is entirely meaningless if an agreement is not respected to ask for a new agreement, which could also end up not being implemented,” said Makolli.

They soften on dialogue (Express) – front page
Express reported that Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi and Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic have shown the first positive signs to resume dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia at a higher political level. In addition to pledging for dialogue, Thaçi and Dacic did not exchange bitter words at the session of the United Nations Security Council.

Pristina-based political analyst Shkelzen Maliqi said the two leaders did not soften their positions but their presentations were more civilized. “Serbia is being careful, because it has problems both in economy and politics. They too are interested for the process to continue. As far as Thaçi is concerned, he had no reason to use bitter tones, therefore, this can be seen as a preparation for another phase of dialogue,” Maliqi added.

Political analyst Azem Vllasi said internationals are preparing the ground to normalize relations between Kosovo and Serbia. “Although they had diametrically opposite ways of presenting their positions, the truth is that Thaçi and Dacic were somewhat softer and this is primarily a result of foreign pressure for dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia to resume,” Vllasi said.

Thaçi’s appearance at UN SC assessed (Epoka e Re) – front page
The paper reported that Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi’s presentation at the UN Security Council session was perceived differently by political analysts in Pristina. Behxhet Shala said Thaçi “did his job” at the session but that he didn’t present anything that was not already known for the public opinion. “America was not discovered by either Prime Minister Thaçi or Prime Minister Dacic. They defended the views of their states,” said Shala.

However, analyst Ardian Arifaj said that the appearance of Thaçi at the Security Council represents a “qualitative increase of representation in this global organization”. He said Thaçi’s presentation was dignified but what was missing in his speech was a solution for the problem of the north in relation to the possible political dialogue with Serbia. “He should have said about the north: There will be no talks with Serbia about the north of Kosovo. This sentence would make us feel more comfortable,” added Arifaj.

Fitou disappointed with recognitions process (dailies)
French Ambassador to Kosovo Jean Francois Fitou told Radio Dukagjini that dialogue with Serbia will not implicate the process of Kosovo’s independence recognition as these are two separate things. “Process of recognitions was a disappointing process in these four years because it was not as speedy as it could have been,” said Fitou, adding that once Kosovo and the EU establish more stable and institutionalized relations, it will be easier for the countries that have not yet recognized Kosovo to do so.

Pack: Gangsters in north to be stopped (Koha Ditore) – page 2
German MEP Doris Pack told Radio Dukagjini that “crazy gangsters in the north of Kosovo should be stopped.”

“They don’t have much to do with nationalist politics, they know only crime. Everyone knows this and even politicians in Belgrade admit it,” said Pack.

Kosovo remains single election zone? (Epoka e Re) – front page
According to sources, leading political parties are supporting the idea of Kosovo remaining a single election zone despite calls from civil society representatives because setting up more zones could lead to the creation of an ethnic election area in the north.

“The fear that north Mitrovica could be one election zone, an ethnic electoral zone, and the problems that could subsequently surface by those mandates has made the majority of leading parties think that the country – as in previous elections – should remain a single election zone,” a source told the paper.

Serbs block EULEX in Zubin Potok (Koha Ditore) – page 2
Koha Ditore reports that groups of Serbs blocked a convoy of EULEX vehicles in the northern Kosovo region of Zubin Potok on Wednesday afternoon. Sources from the site told the paper that the convoy was blocked after EULEX wanted to increase its presence at the police station in Zubin Potok and at the G31 border crossing point in Bërnjak. After being blocked for two hours, EULEX vehicles had to return to southern Mitrovica while the groups of Serbs dispersed quietly.

Albanian Foreign Minister calls on China to recognize Kosovo (dailies)
Several dailies report that Albanian Foreign Minister Edmond Panariti called on the Chinese government to recognize the independence of Kosovo. Panariti, who is visiting China, said the recognition of Kosovo’s independence would be a righteous decision and contribute to peace and stability in the region.

Kosovo Press Headlines

Koha Ditore

Front page
• Veseli: LDK to join PDK-AAK coalition
• Opposition against dialogue until Serbia apologizes for crimes in Kosovo
• PTK workers will not get 20 percent from privatization

Other headlines
• Pack: Northern gangsters must be stopped (page 2)
• Serbs block EULEX in Zubin Potok (page 2)
• Ten municipalities don’t have funds to pay teachers (page 4)
• Customs terminal in Podujevo under the management of KPA (page 5)

Zëri

Front page
• No new agreement for President
• Haraqija: Dialogue, gifts, no reforms
• Dacic sealed non-entrance in talks
• Diplomacy at standstill
• Bujar Basha escapes

Other headlines
• EU support is important (page 2)
• Panariti: China should recognize Kosovo (page 2)
• Vllasi calls for reciprocity with Presevo Valley (page 2)
• Drews and Dikovic meet (page 4)
• Reeker in Skopje over northern Kosovo (page 5)

Kosova Sot

Front page
• Scandal of tenders at MH
• Editorial: A rotten judicial system
• Government indicates dialogue, opposition divided
• Politics and prosecutor, attorneys of Jona Med

Other headlines
• Reeker in Skopje over northern Kosovo (page 2)
• Fitou: Recognitions process is disappointing (page 3)
• Dialogue with Kosovo postpones EU negotiations for Serbia (page 3)
• NATO to deploy 700 special troops to Kosovo in October (page 3)

Epoka e Re

Front page
• Lajçi: Yes with PDK
• Thaçi’s appearance at UN SC assessed
• China asked to recognize Kosovo
• Kosovo remains single election zone?
• Laughs at Vetëvendosje

Other headlines
• Reeker in Skopje discussed the north of Kosovo? (page 2)
• Volker Halbauer, new KFOR commander (page 2)
• Germany to use a veto against Serbia?! (page 2)
• Fitou not happy with recognitions process (page 3)
• Tmava: Politics involved in Bukoshi-Tolaj case (page 6)
• Kurteshi: Number of citizens’ complaints has increased (page 7)

Express

Front page
• Genes of Albanians: Unique in the Balkans
• They soften on dialogue

Other headlines
• Shkullaku: Haradinaj in Thaçi’s wings (page 2)
• France disappointed with recognitions (page 4)
• Dialogue postpones Serbia’s negotiations with EU (page 5)
• AAK’s counter response (page 5)
• Fairytales of Marija Milosevic (page 6)
• China to recognize Kosovo (page 6)
• Concerned with the north (page 6)
• Kosovo has resources (page 10)
• PAK takes enterprise Fapol with force (page 10)

Bota Sot

Front page
• “Bukoshi’s sins” paid by Bujar
• Opposition to Thaçi: Do not rush Prime Minister
• Vetëvendosje ridiculous and politically immature

Other headlines
• Minister Çeku: KSF enjoys US support for NATO (page 2)
• Fitou: Recognitions, disappointing process (page 2)
• Gangsters of the north should be stopped (page 2)
• Reeker in Skopje about the north of Kosovo? (page 3)
• Panariti asks China to recognize Kosovo (page 3)