The President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, said that establishment of Kosovo’s army is already a necessity. “I have undertaken the legal initiative for KSF being convinced that all the possibilities to create it through the Constitution were exhausted. This also came as a need being that Kosovo cannot be part of NATO without an army. The common denominator is that Kosovo institutions, parliamentary parties as well as the civil society and the citizens are for the army,” Thaci said at a debate organized by FOL Movement.

Publicist Veton Surroi posted on his Facebook account today that Aleksandar Vucic was Minister of Information in the Serbian government when “Serbia was killing two-year old children in Kosovo”. Surroi writes: “On April 2, 2017, Aleksandar Vucic was elected President of Serbia. On April 2, 1999, Aleksandar Vucic was Minister for Information in the Republic of Serbia.

The Kosovo Police, regional directorate in Peje/Pec, said in a statement that around 25 persons and three vehicles gathered this morning at the village of Padalishte/Padaliste, Istog/Istok municipality to protest against the visit of a Serb delegation to Kosovo. “These persons blocked the road by preventing car traffic.

The government of Kosovo has decided to grant permission to Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic to visit Kosovo but on condition that this last for no more than three hours, said Kosovo’s Foreign Minister Enver Hoxhaj today after meeting Luxembourg’s Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn. Hoxhaj said the decision to allow Vucic’s visit was difficult considering the recent provocations from Belgrade but added that it was taken as a token of good will towards international allies like Germany and the EU.

Koha reports that the special court for Kosovo is now up and running following the adoption of the rules of procedure and evidence by specialist chambers judges today. In a press release issued by the Specialist Chambers, the set or rules are described as aiming to enhance the fairness, expeditiousness, efficiency, integrity and security of the proceedings before the Specialist Chambers, while complying with the Constitution and the highest human rights standards.

Kosovo Assembly MP from the Serbian List, Nenad Rasic said since PDK and LDK did not respect the agreement, the best thing would have been to bring down the government. “Perhaps this was our greatest defeat, because we did not manage to implement this policy in the field. We are now dealing with utopic politics, because we are not producing anything good for the citizens, and if we do it, that is too little and it only brings concern and major dissatisfaction,” Rasic said.

The President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, said at the “Launching Westminster program for democracy in Kosovo” that Kosovo institutions should not have positions for people who are under investigation. “They should not be included in the election lists either,” Thaci said.

Serbia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ivica Dacic, “advises” Kosovo not to apply for UNESCO membership.

“The best thing would have been if Kosovo did not apply for membership at the UN Organization for Education, Science and Culture,” Dacic said to his Italian counterpart, Angelino Alfano, who is visiting Belgrade.

Dacic also is quoted as saying that UNESCO should not be politicized. “There is a syndrome of minor differences and major conflicts in Balkans,” Dacic said.

Mitrovica North citizens protested today in front of the Police Station in the north, due to the replacement of three Police senior officers.

Mayor of Mitrovica North, Goran Rakic, aslo participated at the protest. He said that he will request withdrawal of these decisions.

The paper also learned that Rakic, together with the Director of the Police there, Nenad Djuric, have requested an urgent meeting with the Kosovo Police General Director, Shpend Maxhuni.

Norway’s Foreign Minister, Borge Brende, has urged Kosovo’s authorities to refrain from transformation of the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) into an armed force without a constitutional change and an inclusive political process. “Norway will remain a partner in Kosovo’s efforts for reforms and Euro-Atlantic integration. Regional stability and cooperation is a prerequisite for deeper integration. Normalization of the relations with Serbia will have our full support,” Brende said in a statement.