Kosovo institutions have prepared a plan to integrate 760 Serbs, who used to work for Serbia’s parallel structures in northern Kosovo, to Kosovo institutions. These Serbs used to work for the Civil Protection, a Serbian paramilitary structure operating in Kosovo. As Kosovo does not have a similar military structure, these Serbs who were commanded by the mayors of Serb illegal municipalities in the north, will be employed as prison guardians, firefighters, guardians of Serb churches and other institutions.

Kosovo Prime Minister, Hashim Thaci, commented on today’s arrests of supporters of ISIS and Al-Nusra in Kosovo. “As I announced last week, state mechanisms have launched a wide-scale operation against people suspected of participating in the war in Syria and Iraq. 40 people were arrested on suspicion of having participated in foreign wars by threatening our national security and constitutional order. We are determined to stop this evil and we will not stop.

In an interview for Express, Behxhet Pacolli, leader of the New Kosovo Alliance (AKR), says that overcoming the current political crisis would be easy if politicians would put interests of the state ahead of their private interests. Pacolli said the AKR, which failed to cross the election threshold in the last national elections, was consolidating its ranks and that a total reconfiguration would take place in September.

According to Imer Mushkolaj, claims of the prosecutor Clint Williamson do not represent news for Kosovo population. Such claims were made earlier however this time, they come “wrapped” in a special report and they are expected to be proved at a court. “Immediately after the publication of the report, individuals, organizations and institutions found comfort on the fact that the prosecutor did not find facts for organ trafficking, despite the fact that he stated that there were such cases and investigations will continue.

EULEX chief, Bernd Borchardt, said in an interview for KTV that with regards to investigations involving “big fish”, everything depends on the evidence but that he never gave instructions not to arrest someone. “I never said to someone: do not investigate this person. It would kill me if this would be the case. It would be the end of my career. I never want to do such a thing. Everything depends on the evidence”, said Borchardt.

Kosovo delegation was unified and insisted on the removal of all barricades in Mitrovica as soon as possible as they are placed in violation to the Kosovo laws and agreements reached in Brussels, reads a press release issued by Mitrovica municipality upon return of its mayor, Agim Bahtiri, from Brussels as part of the Kosovo delegation.

Isa Mustafa, who was elected yesterday as Speaker of the Assembly, has yet to receive congratulations from local and international officials in Pristina. President Atifete Jahjaga was present at the constitutive session of the Assembly on Thursday but left the room before Mustafa was elected Speaker in a procedure that has been contested by the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK). Western embassies in Pristina, which often issue joint statements after important ceremonies, have yet to congratulate Mustafa on the post.

Isa Mustafa, leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), was elected as the new Assembly Speaker of Kosovo. 65 deputies (out of 82 present) voted for him at the session. His election took place despite the absence of deputies from the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), who had left the session in an attempt to make the election impossible. However, LDK deputies, as well as those from the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA), Vetevendosje movement, and parties representing ethnic minorities, were present.

Ramush Haradinaj, leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), told reporters in Pristina that an agreement between the opposition coalition and the Vetevendosje Movement has not been reached yet. Haradinaj said this after the opposition bloc met with representatives of non-Serb minorities. Haradinaj, the opposition’s candidate for the post of prime minister, said Vetevendosje representatives on Monday presented an additional annex to the draft agreement that sent the whole process to the beginning.

Dardan Gashi, outgoing Minister for Environment and Spatial Planning, told Gazeta Express today that the government is committed to removing the illegal park on Iber/Ibar bridge in Mitrovica. “Our inspectors are there, with bulldozers, and we are determined to remove the illegal construction. We are waiting for them to remove it as we have agreed, but if they don’t, we will intervene. According to my information, the situation there is not very quiet. EULEX members are also there on stand-by,” Gashi was quoted as saying.