Kosovo’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Hashim Thaci, said today that he was disappointed with the EU’s delay in granting visa liberalization to Kosovo. “This is a direct insult against the people of Kosovo. We have worked for so many years in meeting the criteria and standards so that we can enjoy all rights as citizens of Europe. I am disappointed with the EU’s delay with visa liberalization. This is a serious provocation and a result of the inability of the EU. The people of Kosovo must know the truth. We have met all the criteria required for visa liberalization.

Several news sites report that Samuel Zbogar, the head of the European Union Office in Kosovo, has commented on a statement by First Deputy Prime Minister Hashim Thaci who said on Wednesday that in the event of a negative report on visa liberalization the people of Kosovo should protest in front of EU offices in Pristina. Zbogar said the idea to protest is not good and that Kosovo should wait for the final report by the European Union on visa liberalization.

Prime Minister of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa, said there is no reason why the EU would not give a positive recommendation for visa liberalization as Kosovo has met all the necessary criteria. “We expect to be able to travel without visas next year,” said Mustafa at the meeting of his cabinet. He added however that the visa liberalization decision is political. Mustafa told his ministers that he met with the EU Special Representative for Kosovo Samuel Zbogar and was informed by him that there is no definite decision regarding the visa liberalization for the people of Kosovo.

Kosovo’s First Deputy Prime Minister, Hashim Thaci, said today in Pristina that “if the visa liberalization report for Kosovo is negative, we can all protest in front of EU offices. The people should not feel disappointed but insulted”. “This time it is not our fault. We must call on the EU leadership to make the right decision for Kosovo, the same as it is doing with other countries. Kosovo must be optimistic about the light at the end of the tunnel,” he said.

Citing unnamed international sources, the news site reports that the Constitutional Court will soon announce its ruling on the constitutionality of the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities. “In a matter of days, the Constitutional Court could announce its ruling on the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities. Maybe even next week,” the source said. The source also added that the court will announce the ruling before the eventual recommendation by the European Commission for visa liberalization for Kosovo.

Kosovo Prime Minister Isa Mustafa and European integration Minister, Bekim Collaku, today met with the ambassadors of the EU member states to Kosovo to discuss the visa liberalization process. Mustafa and Collaku informed the ambassadors that Kosovo fully met the technical criteria for visa liberalization and Kosovo expect the EU to make the promised political decision which would recommend that next year Kosovo citizens would be able to travel without visas to EU countries.

In a visit to Brussels, Prime Minister of Kosovo Isa Mustafa accompanied by Foreign Minister Hashim Thaci and European Integration Minister Bekim Collaku met President of European Parliament Martin Schulz and expressed appreciation of the government and the people of Kosovo for special support EP has provided to Kosovo. PM Mustafa stressed the importance of the signing of Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) and the hope that the European Parliament would soon ratify the agreement.

Several news sites report that Kosovo’s Prime Minister, Isa Mustafa, has travelled to Brussels where he will meet with leaders of the European Union.

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”.

The President of the Kosovo Assembly, Kadri Veseli, met today with the European Parliament Vice President and Rapporteur for Kosovo, Ulrike Lunacek, to discuss current developments in Kosovo and the region, dialogue and Kosovo’s challenges in the path toward European integration. Veseli said: “We are at a point where dialogue and understanding between the government and the opposition is key for moving forward with our European integration agenda.