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24 October 2012
Rohan: Ahtisaari Plan already offers substantial autonomy (Koha Ditore)
Zbogar: EU does not have a plan for northern Kosovo (dailies)
Internationals make the platform! (Zeri)
Thaci ignores Krasniqi (Zeri)
Surroi: Kosovo has already crossed the red lines (Koha Ditore)
Davenport calls for removal of Serb illegal structures (Kosova Sot)
Limaj: MPs with stolen votes should have their immunity stripped (dailies)
Rohan: Ahtisaari Plan already offers substantial autonomy (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore runs as the leading story an interview with Austrian diplomat and former
mediator for Kosovo's status, Albert Rohan, highlighting his remarks that the Ahtisaari Plan
already offers substantial autonomy to municipalities in Kosovo and the possibility to
cooperate with one another, as well as with institutions in Serbia, and this suffices for the
municipalities in northern Kosovo.
Rohan also said he does not understand those who oppose dialogue with Serbia, "because
Kosovo should not fear talks with Belgrade representatives, and dialogue does not constitute
any risk but rather creates opportunities for Pristina".
Rohan also said that the German-German model would have positive effects for Kosovo, as it
would remove obstacles to Kosovo's membership in international organizations, especially in
the United Nations.
Zbogar: EU does not have a plan for northern Kosovo (dailies)
During a debate in Gracanica on "The government's approach in northern Kosovo and
possible scenarios of negotiations for northern Kosovo", the European Union's Representative
in Pristina, Samuel Zbogar, ruled out every possibility that the European Union could impose
a solution for the northern part of Mitrovica. Zbogar said the EU would not put on the table
something that represents an "Ahtisaari plus or minus".
Zbogar said the start of talks at the level of prime ministers between Kosovo and Serbia is a
sign that dialogue will not only serve to normalize relations between the two countries but
will also return the situation in northern Kosovo back to normal.
"The EU thinks tensions are not sustainable and for this reason Catherine Ashton together
with Secretary Clinton have offered support for both parties to sit down and discuss real
issues and normalize relations between Serbia and Kosovo. As a result of this, the situation in
the north will return to normal," Zbogar said. "This was the basic goal of dialogue that
happened on Friday and we hope it will not go on for years. This is a process that should
produce results in the not-so-distant future."
Internationals make the platform! (Zeri)
Zeri reports on the front page that internationals have managed to interfere in Kosovo's
internal preparations for political talks with Serbia. The request by the opposition and civil
society for the Government to prepare a platform on topics of discussion with Belgrade,
received a response from Brussels who told the Thaci government not to waste time on such
matters because ultimately the EU and US decide the topics of discussion. Unnamed
diplomatic sources from Brussels told the paper that Brussels and the US set the topics of
discussion in dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, therefore a platform by Pristina would be
useless.
Thaci ignores Krasniqi (Zeri)
Zeri reports on the front page that Prime Minister Hashim Thaci has ignored Assembly
Speaker Jakup Krasniqi by "forgetting" to inform him about the meeting he had in Brussels
with Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic. Thaci met President Jahjaga, opposition leader Isa
Mustafa and AAK deputy leader Blerim Shala, but he did not show the same "generosity"
with Krasniqi, a party colleague.
"Thaci intentionally ignored Krasniqi, because the Assembly is causing problems for the
prime minister. Thaci knows well that he cannot have any problems with the president
because she has no political position. The Assembly, on the other hand, is constantly causing
problems to the prime minister and that's why he ignored Krasniqi," political analyst Avni
Zogiani remarked.
Surroi: Kosovo has already crossed the red lines (Koha Ditore)
Veton Surroi, chairman of the board of the Pristina-based Foreign Policy Club, told KTV that
Kosovo has already crossed the red lines by accepting the footnote and accepting that the
issue of its sovereignty is an unfinished matter.
"Cadastral records are an issue of sovereignty. Kosovo admitted back then that it will discuss
internal affairs and its sovereignty," Surroi said in reference to the government's approach to
technical talks. "Kosovo should have projected its own agenda, instead of leaving it to others
to project its agenda."
Surroi criticized Prime Minister Hashim Thaci for entering in negotiations without listening
to other opinions and without consulting anyone.
Surroi also said Serbia was interested to initiate the process with Kosovo and keep it going
for the next ten years. "Serbia's tactics is to initiate the process and then keep it for the next
ten years, because it suits Serbia for Kosovo to deal with itself for all these years, while
Serbia undergoes reforms and gets closer to the European Union," he added.
Davenport calls for removal of Serb illegal structures (Kosova Sot)
Kosova Sot reports on page four that British Ambassador to Belgrade, Michael Davenport,
said progress in relations between Belgrade and Pristina, as a condition for Serbia's
advancement toward the European Union, implies the implementation of existing agreements.
Davenport said Serbia must resolve the problem of illegal structures in the northern part of
Kosovo. The British Ambassador hailed the recent meeting between Kosovo and Serbia
prime ministers, as the first positive and encouraging step that can lead to normalization of
relations between Belgrade and Pristina and the start of talks for Serbia's membership in the
European Union.
Limaj: MPs with stolen votes should have their immunity stripped (dailies)
During a roundtable organized by the Kosovo Justice Institute on "organized crime in
elections", PDK MP Fatmir Limaj said it is enough to sit opposite members of the Kosovo
Parliament to see that something is wrong and he called on judicial bodies to strip the
mandate of all MPs with stolen votes. "I want to know what judicial bodies will do to strip
the mandate of members of the Kosovo Parliament with stolen votes, if there are such," Limaj
was quoted as saying. Commenting on 2010 parliamentary elections, Limaj said, "what
happened in the 2010 elections damaged Kosovo's image and democracy in this country."
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imply endorsement by UNMIK.