The Ministry of Economic Development and the company Contour Global reached an agreement for building a new power plant in Kosovo. The agreement was reached in the United States. “After a great engagement and the last visit of the Minister of Economic Development, Blerand Stavileci, to the United States, the Ministry of Economic Development (MED) team, World Bank and Contour Global reached an agreement on items that were subject to the negotiations, thus opening way for the execution of the agreement which will award the American company the Preferred Bidder status.

Prime Minister of Kosovo Isa Mustafa met today the head of the EU Office in Kosovo Samuel Zbogar who presented him this year’s European Commission progress report for Kosovo. Mustafa thanked the EU countries for constructive approach towards Kosovo stressing that the spirit of the report is an indicator of the Kosovo’s intensified EU integration process. He also said that the progress report, which comes shortly after the signing of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA), is a sign that Kosovo will be granted visa liberalization within a short period of time.

All media cover today’s press conference by the European Parliament Vice President and Rapporteur for Kosovo, Ulrike Lunacek, who is visiting Kosovo. On the agreement for the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities, Koha quotes Lunacek as saying, “if the Constitutional Court finds that the agreement on the general principles for the formation of the Association is in opposition with the Constitution of Kosovo, the agreement must be renegotiated”.

Pristina Mayor Shpend Ahmeti responded to the statement of Serbia’s Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic regarding the decision of the Constitutional Court to temporarily suspend the agreement on the Association/Community of Serb majority municipalities. Dacic called the decision “scandalous” while Ahmeti said that what is scandalous is the fact that “Milosevic’s right-hand man, Dacic, is today Serbia’s Foreign Minister.” “This dialogue continuing in an unjust way is scandalous,” said Ahmeti further.

The EU Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn, said in a press conference delivered through video link that the goal of the European Union is to have all Western Balkans countries join in but added that the accession pace will depend entirely on the countries themselves.

The EU Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn, said today in Pristina that he believes that by the end of this year the European Commission might recommend that Kosovo has achieved the standards required for visa liberalization. Hahn, in a joint press conference with Kosovo Prime Minister, Isa Mustafa, said that in terms of visa liberalization, the initial findings are that Kosovo has met the criteria, but has yet to engage in other required objectives.

Vetevendosje MPs displayed two banners during today’s session of the Kosovo Assembly when the European Union Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Commissioner was delivering his speech. One of the banners asked “Is ethnic segregation an EU value?” in reference to the formation of the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities. Another banner said “Unjust agreements shall not pass” referring to Vetevendosje’s determination to stop what they consider damaging agreements for Kosovo and its people.

Kosovo Democratic Institute (KDI) today published the report "Assessment of National Integrity System in Kosovo", which says that corruption continues to thrive in Kosovo and Kosovo has seen minimal progress in anti-corruption efforts in the past four years. Weak institutional cooperation and gaps in implementation of the law show that there is a lack of political will and commitment to fight corruption, the report states.

European Parliament vice president and rapporteur for Kosovo, Ulrike Lunacek, told Radio Free Europe that Serbian cultural and religious heritage in Kosovo can best be protected if Kosovo becomes part of UNESCO. According to her, if Kosovo join this organization, UNESCO would supervise Kosovo in fulfilling the promises of preserving cultural heritage. Speaking about the recent political developments in Kosovo, she said that such actions in the Assembly are unacceptable. According to her, dialogue is the only way.

Naser Osmani, head of the Kosovo Assembly's committee on budget and finances, during a meeting held today on the law for public procurement, claimed that Samuel Zbogar, head of the European Union Office in Kosovo, was violating the Constitution of Kosovo. According to Osmani, Zbogar is discriminating local companies by favoring foreign companies, “because it is the sixth time that Zbogar’s office has sent back the law claiming that it does not comply with the requirements of the European Union”.