Agim Bahtiri, the Mayor of Mitrovica municipality, has reacted today to the decision of the European Union Office in Pristina to allocate a €8.5 million grant for northern Serb-majority municipalities. “I have nothing against the decision of the EU Office to allocate grants for municipalities administered by Serbs in the northern part of the Republic of Kosovo. I support this decision and I think that the development grants will contribute to the consolidation and full integration of Serbs in the system of the Republic of Kosovo.

Valmir Elezi, Spokesperson of the Central Election Commission (CEC,) stated that the legal deadline for the parties to apply for certification on participation of the extraordinary elections for mayor of Gracanica municipality concluded last night.  He informed that four political parties submitted their applications for certification. “One citizens initiative, G.I. Srpska, and three political parties, the Democratic League of Kosovo, New Party of Kosovo and the Progressive Democratic Party applied,” he said.

In an interview for Radio Dukagjini, Syle Hoxha, the Acting State Chief Prosecutor of Kosovo, said several government ministers are being investigated for corruption but that Prime Minister Isa Mustafa is not one of them. “We are not selecting between small or big fish. Every case of this nature is a priority. There is certain information about people that you refer to as big fish and we will certainly not hesitate to do our job,” he said. Hoxha also said that several members of Mustafa’s cabinet while he was Mayor of Pristina are under investigation.

The Kosovo Minister of Communities and Returns, Aleksandar Jablanovic, said that the Association of Serb municipalities will be established soon and that its activity will not be damaging to anyone. In an interview for Radio Kosova, Jablanovic also spoke about the role of Serbian List MPs in the Kosovo Assembly regarding the forming of Kosovo Armed Forces saying that whilst they are open to communication with the Albanian side, they will reach a final position on the issue following consultations with ‘relevant circles’.

President of Kosovo, Atifete Jahjaga, has cancelled her visit to Albania scheduled to take place on 18 December because of a  pressing political commitment in Kosovo. Jahjaga is reported to be constitutionally bound to hold a speech at the Kosovo Assembly on the election of the new government and this prevents her from travelling to Albania.

Beqiri: We have not divided the ministries (

Ismet Beqiri, member of the leadership of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK,) has denied the news published in the media that he will be leading with the Ministry of Culture.

He stressed that no decision on the names of the ministers from LDK was made yet. “These are only speculations,” said Beqiri.

On the occasion of the International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women (25 November), United Nations Development Coordinator in Kosovo, Andrew Russell, officially opened the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence, which is marked annually worldwide with the aim of raising awareness and promoting actions to prevent violence against women.

Pristina Mayor and Vetevendosje deputy leader Shpend Ahmeti criticizes the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) leader Isa Mustafa over his remarks for including the Serbian List in the new government. “Based on what I am reading, it is more important to include Vucic’s Serbian List than Vetevendosje in the new government. After everything that has happened in Kosovo, please do not try to convince us that this is the European path and that this is democracy,” Ahmeti writes on his Facebook account.

Avni Arifi, adviser to the leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK,) said that it is early to say if AAK would make a coalition with the Democratic League of Kosovo (PDK,) if the coalition block does not nominate Ramush Haradinaj for Prime Minister of Kosovo.

Leader of Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Isa Mustafa, took to Facebook to comment on yesterday’s statement of Hashim Thaci, leader of Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) about new elections saying that there is no need for Kosovo to head to elections because it has a parliamentary majority. Mustafa said the PDK has only 36 votes in the Kosovo Assembly out of the total of 120 and it is not in a position to dictate what should happen in Kosovo and when elections should be scheduled.