The news site reports that the search operation carried out today by EULEX and Kosovo Police has not spared the prisoners in Dubrava prison. The cells of two inmates, Shaban Syla – cousin of PDK MP Azem Syla, and Shpresim Uka – convicted in the case known as Bllaca 2, were raided by police today. The news was confirmed by the general director of Kosovo Correctional Service, Sokol Zogaj. Kosovapress news site reports that the two prisoners were visited by police because their names were on the list of suspects related to today’s police action.

President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci said today at a meeting with the head of the Kosovo anti-corruption agency Hasan Preteni that Kosovo has made progress in the fight against corruption and that this is why it expects good news from Brussels on visa liberalization. “Perception of corruption and the reality of it in Kosovo are two different worlds. The country’s institutions are gaining power and trust to face challenges,” said Thaci adding that more effort is needed to fight corruption.

The UK-based charity Save the Children launched a three-year campaign called “Every Last Child” to ensure 15 million children around the world will have equal opportunities to survive and have access to healthcare, education and food. Save the Children in Kosovo is also part of this global campaign and focuses mostly on securing equal access to quality and inclusive basic services for children with disabilities. In Kosovo, 150,000 people are estimated to have a disability and half are thought to be children.

Member of the Kosovo Assembly, Ilir Deda, in a press conference today announced he was officially leaving the Vetevendosje Movement. He said the decision came due to conceptual differences with Vetevendosje over the last nine months. According to Telegrafi, Deda plans to form a new political party which is expected to gather a number of public personalities.

The EU Office/EU Special Representative in Kosovo announced it would allocate 4.2 million euro to support seven new projects to be implemented by civil society organisations in Kosovo. The funding is aimed at helping the civil society address issues such as protection of victims of violence, non-formal education and employment, promotion of fundamental and human rights of vulnerable groups.

Kosovo Prime Minister Isa Mustafa said on Wednesday that the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with the European Union paves the way for a fundamental reform process in Kosovo. While speaking at a round-table on SAA"s implementation, Mustafa said the ratification of this agreement confirmed the will of the citizens of Kosovo for European integration. “I must inform you that the Government of the Republic of Kosovo has prepared and approved the National Programme for the Implementation of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement.

The President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi, has received today the chairman of the Assembly of Kosovo, Kadri Veseli, as part of the meetings with the representatives of various Kosovo institutions.

They discussed the intensification of cooperation between the Presidency and the Assembly in all areas, especially in the areas of rule of law and European integration.

“The Presidency and the Assembly will continue to coordinate their work to ensure the efficient functioning of our institutions. We need to accelerate our path into NATO and the EU”, President Thaçi said.

One of the most serious problems with human rights in Kosovo during 2015 was the obstruction, at times violent, of the parliament by opposition deputies during the October-December period, states the annual US State Department report on human rights. This obstruction, according to the report, blocked free debate and the passage of legislation. Furthermore, endemic corruption in the government and the private sector as well as the lack of punishment for corrupt acts remained an important human rights problem.

Leader of the Movement for Unification (LB), part of the ruling coalition, Valon Murati presented in a press conference today a plan aimed at overcoming the current political deadlock in Kosovo. LB noted that the crisis requires a long-term solution and in order to achieve this, it proposed a two-point plan where all political stakeholders will be able to contribute. The first step, said Murati, is to establish dialogue between parties on election reform as the current law is susceptible to vote fraud and quality decline.

The new conditions of travelling only with ID cards between Kosovo and Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia will become effective on Sunday, 17 April 2016. Kosovo’s Ministry of Internal Affairs announced a ceremony at the border point between Hani i Elezit and Blace. The condition to cross the border for the population of Kosovo is to possess biometric IDs. For several years now, Kosovo population can cross the borders only with IDs while traveling to Albania and Montenegro.