Kosovo expects to receive very soon the recommendation for visa liberalization as government officials in Pristina claim all criteria required by the European Union have already been met. Fisnik Rexhepi, senior advisor to Kosovo’s Minister for European Integration Bekim Collaku, told the news portal that Kosovo too is in the EU’s agenda for visa liberalization. “We have met the criteria required by EU institutions through an unprecedented rigorous roadmap. EU institutions are reviewing the Kosovo case.

Brussels-based correspondent Augustin Palokaj argues in an opinion piece that the main condition for Kosovo to obtain visa liberalization is the sentencing of senior officials in cases of corruption and organized crime. “The European Union wants proof of this. There is no more room for politicians because it seems that visa liberalization is now in the hands of Kosovo’s courts.

The European Commission is reported to have postponed the publishing of the report on implementation of the visa liberalization roadmap by Kosovo institutions. Sources inside the EU Office in Kosovo had said that the report would be published on 17 December but according to fresh information Telegrafi claims to have secured, the new date is now either 24 December or even January. The report meanwhile could go back for discussion at the technical and political levels of the European Union.

Citing unnamed international sources, the news site reports that the Constitutional Court will soon announce its ruling on the constitutionality of the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities. “In a matter of days, the Constitutional Court could announce its ruling on the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities. Maybe even next week,” the source said. The source also added that the court will announce the ruling before the eventual recommendation by the European Commission for visa liberalization for Kosovo.

All media sites report on the European Commission’s 2015 Progress Report on Kosovo. The Report notes as successful steps the signing of the Stabilization/Association Agreement between Kosovo and the European Union, the constitutional amendments for the formation of the Special Court and the agreements reached with Serbia in Brussels. The report also criticizes the actions of the opposition in the Assembly, suggesting that a solution must be found in order to unblock the work of the Assembly.

An annual package of European Commission (EC) progress reports on countries candidates for membership of the European Union has been postponed until next week and will be presented in the second half of October, the EC said in a release on Monday.

The progress report on the candidates, including Serbia, which was supposed to be released on October 14, will be presented in Brussels a week later, as an EU summit, dealing primarily with the migrant crisis, will be held on that day.

Municipality of Gjakova/Djakovica, in cooperation with the European Commission and UNHCR, will start construction of 12 houses for displaced persons from the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities. The municipality has already allocated land for construction of a total of 48 houses whereas 12 will be constructed in the project’s first stage. Municipality of Gjakova/Djakovica is one of the first municipalities in Kosovo to successfully carry out the process of return of the displaced persons.

The government of Kosovo in the next few weeks will sign a financial agreement IPA 2014 with the European Commission in value of 70 million €, which would be programmed by the Ministry of European Integration. This agreement, according to the representatives of the government, Kosovo would benefit from this agreement in many developmental sectors.  European Integration Minister Bekim Collaku said that through this agreement, Kosovo would benefit the European Union best practices in improving services and increasing capacities in different sectors.

The Kosovo-based think tank, Group for Legal and Political Studies, presented a study today into the visa liberalization process. The study found that there is a significant difference between the European Commission’s visa liberalization roadmap for Kosovo and those for other Western Balkans countries. According to the Group, Kosovo has had 50 more requirements than the regional countries.

A Kosovo delegation led by Minister for Dialogue Edita Tahiri has participated at the second meeting on irregular migration held in Brussels under the auspices of the European Commission. A press release issued by the Office of the Prime Minister of Kosovo notes that European Commission representatives said Kosovo authorities displayed efficient engagement in preventing irregular migration and that Pristina is involved in international and bilateral cooperation for the repatriation and reintegration of returnees.