Talks on government formula to start this week in Kosovo

The issue of possible changes in the current structure of the coalition government is one of the main topics in today’s daily press. Several daily newspapers are mentioning the possibility of a broad-based government being formed in Kosovo.

In relation to this issue, all dailies are focusing on the upcoming visit by EU High Representative Javier Solana; with one newspaper even quoting unnamed sources as saying that the top EU official favors the idea of a broad-based government under the leadership of PDK and Hashim Thaçi.

Koha Ditore quotes UNMIK spokesman Remi Dourlot as saying that the international administration [UNMIK] will not intervene on the issue of government.

‘The composition of the new government of Kosovo is in the hands of the political representatives of Kosovo, they are the ones that should decide about the composition,’ Dourlot was quoted as saying.

Zëri reports that both the government and opposition believe they will benefit from Solana’s visit to Kosovo: the government hopes it will gain the support to continue with the current coalition government, while the opposition believes there will be an opportunity to form a broad-based government.

Under the front-page headline Week of formulas, Express daily newspaper reports that Ibrahim Rugova is facing a huge dilemma: should he continue the agreement with AAK or listen to the international community?

On page ten, the paper reports that ORA leader Veton Surroi doesn’t believe that the coalition formula that governed Kosovo in the last 100 days will be repeated.

On the other hand, Kosova Sot reports that despite voices for a broad-based government, no changes are expected in the coalition government.

Zëri carries a front page headline Fate of Govt depends first of all on Rugova and Jessen-Petersen and cites unnamed sources close to UNMIK as saying that this week should be crucial in clarifying the mid-term political developments concerning the Kosovo Government after the departure of Ramush Haradinaj.

The paper also reports that UNMIK chief Søren Jessen-Petersen will have intensive consultations with leading Kosovar Albanian politicians and also with EU High Representative Solana and other Western officials in Prishtina. ‘After these meetings, the UNMIK chief will take a position about this highly important issue for political developments in Kosovo.

Zëri however says that similar to October and November last year, the fate of the Kosovo Government is most probably in the hands of two people: President Ibrahim Rugova and SRSG Søren Jessen-Petersen.