The government of Kosovo in its routine meeting today approved a regulation on reintegration of repatriated persons and management of the reintegration program. The regulation is part of the visa liberalization roadmap and is aimed at supporting sustainable reintegration of the persons repatriated in Kosovo. It also identified the relevant decision-making, implementing, and coordinating authorities and determined the criteria for benefits and assistance that the repatriated persons are entitled to.

A European Commission (EC) evaluation team will come to Kosovo in March to assess the fulfillment of criteria for visa liberalization. Citing unidentified sources within the government, the news site reports that the EC evaluation team will come to Kosovo on 15 March. The source said the government believes the team's evaluation will be a positive one and the recommendation for visa liberalization will be made during 2016.

Kosovo European Integration Minister, Bekim Collaku, said today that the European Commission was very clear when they said the report on Kosovo published in December 2015 will be the last one. “We don’t expect any other reports but we are waiting for the European Commission to acknowledge the progress in fulfilling the visa liberalization requirements,” Collaku said. According to him, Kosovo is now ready to receive positive news on visa liberalization. “This is a decision of the European Union institutions and the member states.

Today, Kosovo’s Minister for European Integration, Bekim Collaku, criticized the actions of opposition parties saying that they are seriously damaging Kosovo’s prospect of European integration. Collaku said he regrets that the opposition is doing nothing to help Kosovo meet the visa liberalization requirements. “The actions of the opposition are against not only the visa liberalization requirements but also against our strategic orientation for Euro-Atlantic integration,” Collaku said.

The government of Kosovo has allocated additional 420 thousand euros for the institution of the Ombudsperson in Kosovo. During the government meeting today, European Integration Minister Bekim Collaku said the allocation of these funds was one of the remaining eight criteria for the visa liberalization. According to him, the government has almost met all the criteria for visa liberalization.

Kosovo’s Minister of European Integration, Bekim Collaku, announced today that the recommendation of the European Commission for providing the facility and budgetary independence for the Ombudsperson was fulfilled today. “Today we have found a solution for establishing this institution in a new location, in the former building of the Bank of Ljubljana. This will ensure smooth and full capacity of this institution.

Kosovo’s Minister for European integration, Bekim Collaku, said today that Kosovo has fulfilled six of the remaining eight criteria for visa liberalization. According to Collaku, the unmet criteria are the ratification of the agreement on border-demarcation with Montenegro and premises for the office of the Ombudsperson.

Kosovo’s Minister for European Integration, Bekim Collaku, met with ambassadors of EU member states today and briefed them on the implementation of the eight outstanding requirements on the visa liberalization road map and the steps Kosovo institutions will take in the coming weeks. EU ambassadors are reported to have acknowledged the commitment of Kosovo institutions to the process and reaffirmed the support of their respective countries.

Kosovo’s Constitutional Court continues to refuse to free its current office space for the Ombudsperson Institution as per the decision of the Ministry of Local Government and Administration of 2012. The allocation of adequate premises for the Ombudsperson is one of the European Commission's conditions laid out in Kosovo's visa liberalization road map.

Kosovo’s Minister for European Integration, Bekim Collaku, has requested from the European Union countries to treat Kosovo in an equal manner as its neighboring countries.