President of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) Gjorgi Ivanov has dismissed the country’s ambassador to France and representative to UNESCO, Agron Baxhaku. It is believed that Baxhaku’s dismissal is connected to the support he expressed for Kosovo’s membership in UNESCO during the meeting of the organization’s Executive Board. Baxhaku’s mandate was set to end in December but President Ivanov decided to move it earlier. Kosovo’s membership in UNESCO will be put to vote this November at the general conference and it is not certain which way will FYROM vote go.

The death of a 39-year old woman from Suhareka, who was stabbed to death by her husband, has sparked criticism of the Kosovo institutions’ handling of the case as the victim had several times in the past reported her husband for domestic violence. The husband was several times arrested but released shortly after, said the victim’s sister. The police are convinced they acted within the law with regards to the domestic violence cases filed by the victim since 2002.

“Although until now Kosovo has achieved very good results in many areas, it is still making efforts to have a more sustainable economic development,” it was said on Saturday at a press conference organized by the UN Agencies in Kosovo with the topic “Launching of Global Sustainable Goals in Kosovo”, where were reflected the efforts and achievements of Kosovo institutions in this regard.

Kosovo’s Minister of Finance, Abdullah Hoti, writes in an opinion piece that the highest representatives of the European Union and Prime Minister Isa Mustafa will sign the Stabilization/Association Agreement for Kosovo on Tuesday. Hoti argues that the signing of the agreement represents the most important development for the consolidation of Kosovo’s statehood since the declaration of independence.

Brussels-based correspondent Augustin Palokaj argues in his opinion piece “almost all countries in the Balkans believe that the publication of the European Commission’s Progress Reports has been postponed due to developments in these countries”. “In Kosovo because of the Assembly crisis; in Montenegro due to protests, in Macedonia due to the crisis of implementing the agreement between the political parties, in Albania because of CEZ or ‘decriminalization’, in Serbia because of ‘Chapter 35’ and in Bosnia-Herzegovina due to Republika Srpska’s threat to hold a referendum.

Participants in a debate organised yesterday by NGOs “Syri i Vizionit” and “Save the Children” concluded that relevant institutions in Kosovo have not done enough in protecting children from violence. Kosovo Ombudsperson Hilmi Jashari commended the efforts of the civil society on the issue and also called on government institutions to get more involved and incorporate recommendations from the civil society into their action plans.

The President of Kosovo, Atifete Jahjaga, will send the content of the Agreement between Pristina and Belgrade for the Association/Community of the Serb majority municipalities to the Constitutional Court.

The Council of the European Union today approved the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) between Kosovo and the European Union.  The approval of the SAA opens way for the signing of the SAA on 27 October in Strasbourg.  The SAA foresees the establishment of contractual relations between Kosovo and the EU and represents the first formal step towards the full membership in the EU. Kosovo European Integration Minister, Bekim Collaku, said that the approval of the SAA by the EU Council is a historic moment for Kosovo.

The United States Ambassador to Kosovo, Greg Delwie, met today with Kosovo Assembly Speaker Kadri Veseli. After the meeting, Delawie called on the opposition parties not to make problems during the Assembly session tomorrow, and said that actions of violence in the Assembly are damaging the democracy in Kosovo. He gave his full support to Veseli to proceed with the Assembly session tomorrow.  "Violence in the Assembly is not the best thing for Kosovo.

The United Nations Kosovo Team (UNKT) in partnership with the Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AJK) will award today the “Journalism Poverty Prize”, an annual award for journalists covering poverty and social issues. The prize comes after the marking of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty on 17 October.