Kosovo Assembly President Kadri Veseli said today that Montenegro will soon address the European Union regarding the border demarcation agreement with Montenegro. According to Veseli, Montenegro will do this because it does not want the citizens of Kosovo to remain isolated because of this issue. “We talked with Montenegrin officials, who have confirmed to us that they would approach the European Union with an official letter which will require that citizens of Kosovo should not remain isolated because of demarcation,” Veseli said.

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci participated today in the launch of OSCE’s information campaign on package of laws on human rights. Thaci said that the rights and fundamental freedoms are indivisible, inalienable and inviolable and are the basis of the legal order guaranteed by the Constitution of Kosovo. According to him, the legal framework regulating the field of human rights is significantly advanced with the adoption of a package of laws on human rights, including the Law on Protection from Discrimination, the Law on Gender Equality and Law on Ombudsman.

Head of the dialogue among the political parties, Naim Rashiti, informed that the efforts to reach a consensus on Demarcation, will continue. However, the date for the next meeting of the leaders is not set yet. The governing coalition claims to be waiting for the reach of a consensus, while the opposition expects from the government to accept reconsidering of the agreement.

Kosovo’s Constitutional Court today rejected the request of the Serbian List for review of the constitutionality of the Trepca Law which was approved by Kosovo Assembly a few weeks ago. In conclusion, the Court finds that the Applicants did not substantiate their allegations on constitutional grounds and did not provide evidence indicating how and why the challenged Trepca Law violated the Constitution of Kosovo. Therefore, the Court states that the Law no. 05 / L-120 for Trepca is in compliance with the Constitution, meaning that it is constitutional.

Kosovo’s Prime Minister, Isa Mustafa, during a visit to Mitrovica today said that there will be no elections in Kosovo prior to 2018. According to him, the government is stable and is working continuously. “New elections will be held in 2018, while local elections will be held next year. We are working with commitment on other areas,” Mustafa said.

Assembly of Kosovo Vice President, Xhavit Haliti, said today that Serb Kosovo Police officers in the north also receive salaried from Serbia’s budget. In addition, they are also in possession of two different police uniforms, one of Kosovo and the second, which they keep at home, of Serbia. In a meeting with a delegation from the Danish European Movement which is visiting Kosovo, Haliti is also reported to have admitted that Kosovo institutions have no control over the north. “It is true that Kosovo doesn’t control the northern part of Mitrovica, especially beyond the River Iber.

The paper reports that the government commission in charge to verify the victims of sexual violence has not been established yet. This commission was supposed to start functioning as of November last year. However, the application deadline for members of this commission has been officially closed on Thursday. The government commission to verify the victims of sexual violence will have nine members composed of four independent members and five others from government institutions.

The head of the European Union Office in Kosovo, Nataliya Apostolova, has invited the political leaders in Kosovo to overcome their differences and work together for Kosovo’s future towards the EU. “I call on political leaders to overcome their differences and work together for the future of Kosovo in the EU.  We want to see democracy in Kosovo. We want progress, but also rule of law and fighting corruption and organized crime. Rule of law is the biggest challenge for Kosovo currently.

Political analyst, Shkelzen Maliqi, said in an interview for the paper that the Kosovo Government did not properly manage the issue of the border demarcation with Montenegro. Maliqi also said that contrary to claims made by opposition parties, the demarcation agreement is not dead. Maliqi further said that two sovereign countries can openly discuss the logical correction of the border. He denied that the opposition was a factor in the withdrawal of the demarcation bill from the Assembly last week.

Kosovo’s Minister for European Integration Bekim Çollaku said in an interview for zëri that the decision of EU Committee LIBE opens way to visa liberalization for Kosovo. However this will be done in condition that Kosovo ratifies the agreement on border demarcation with Montenegro as soon as possible. He said that ratification is a necessary condition where the EU will not compromise, and that it was made clear on Tuesday that the European Parliament will not put report on Kosovo in the agenda if this remaining criterion is not fulfilled.