Kosovo reopens debate on stalled border deal with Montenegro | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
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Kosovo reopens debate on stalled border deal with Montenegro

Original Publication Date December 04, 2017 - 6:26 AM

PRISTINA, Kosovo - Kosovo's government has decided to reopen the parliamentary debate on a border demarcation deal with Montenegro.

A government statement issued on Monday said the Cabinet decided to seek ratification of the border deal in Parliament, where it lacked sufficient support for approval earlier this year and led to a no-confidence vote for the coalition leading the country at the time.

The statement said that a report from a new government commission covering border issues will be sent to the parliament after it had found that a report of its predecessor had "many shortcomings."

The opposition had claimed the deal signed in 2015 would cost Kosovo territory. The previous Cabinet, international experts and Western backers of the agreement disputed the claim.

The party of current Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj had been part of the opposition at the time.

On his Facebook page, Haradinaj said he considered the report of the new commission to be "credible," adding that the previous version "damaged its territorial integrity."

But it is not clear how the government will proceed if the Parliament turns down the signed deal, as expected.

The former opposition used tear gas at the parliament hall to protest the deal while its supporters outside clashed with police.

The European Union insists Kosovo must approve the border demarcation deal before its citizens can enjoy visa-free travel within the Schengen zone.

Montenegro, a NATO member and a country that has launched membership talks with the European Union, has said it considers the deal closed and expects Pristina to approve it.

Montenegro has recognized Kosovo's 2008 declaration of independence from Serbia, which Serbia vehemently opposes.

News from © The Associated Press, 2017
The Associated Press

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