Kosovo Will Apply For Calling Code Through Albania – Tahiri
http://www.tanjug.rs

 
BRUSSELS – Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister Edita Tahiri on Monday night accused the Belgrade delegation of obstructing the dialogue on telecommunications, electric energy and the judiciary, and said Kosovo will apply for an international calling code through Albania.



Photo from: www.kombetare.al
Unfortunately, we made no progress today, Tahiri said as she left the European External Action Service headquarters in Brussels, where she spent six hours in talks with the Serbian delegation headed by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Telecommunications Rasim Ljajic and Energy Minister Zorana Mihajlovic.

Tahiri said the Belgrade delegation came to the meeting unprepared and withdrew its consent to some already agreed solutions at the last minute.

We have been talking about energy and telecommunications for two years, she said.

She explained the main problem is that Serbia insists on applying for an international calling code on Kosovo’s behalf, while Pristina wants to file for one itself.

We want to apply for the calling code ourselves with the EU’s help, or if another country has to do it for us, we would like it to be Albania, she said.

Another issue is that Serbia is asking for a license for its mobile network operators in northern Kosovo.

This is not possible under Kosovo law. We must publish a tender and everyone can make a bid, and the license will go to the bidder offering the best terms, she said, adding that electric power is also an issue, since under the law, Kosovo can have only one electricity producer and distributor.

Ljajic also said Monday that agreement was not reached, but unlike Tahiri, he said some progress was made and the European facilitators commended the Belgrade team’s creative approach.

Tahiri also accused the Belgrade delegation of boycotting the talks on the judiciary which she says were also supposed to take place Monday.

Belgrade’s working group did not show up and we are very frustrated about this, as is the EU, said Tahiri.

Tanjug was told by a source in Brussels’ diplomatic circles on Monday that the working groups in charge of the judiciary and the police will meet Tuesday, when advisor to the Serbian president Marko Djuric and implementation coordinator Aleksandar Vulin are expected to arrive.

The meeting was set for 10 am Monday, if they could not make it, they should have let us know, said Tahiri, adding she will stay in Brussels and meet with Vulin on Tuesday to discuss the police and organization of local elections in the Serb municipalities in Kosovo.

Despite everything, Tahiri expressed hope the two sides will come to an understanding soon.

We have a couple more days until Thursday and I hope we will find a solution by then, she said.

Serbian and Kosovo prime ministers, Ivica Dacic and Hasim Taci, will meet once again in Brussels on Thursday at a working dinner hosted by EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton.