Kosovo’s Interior Minister, Skender Hyseni, said on Wednesday that it is unfair that Kosovo continues to be isolated, while many countries like Moldova, Eastern Timor or Mexico move freely without visas in the Schengen area. Hyseni made these comments during the dialogue on Partnership for Migration between Kosovo and Switzerland, where he asked Switzerland to support Kosovo in the field of visa liberalization.
Political dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade will resume in Brussels on 23 June with a meeting of prime ministers, Isa Mustafa and Aleksandar Vucic. The meeting was confirmed by Kosovo government spokesperson Arban Abrashi. According to Abrashi, the topics of the meeting include telecommunications, energy and the removal of the so-called Peace Park in Mitrovica. Sources said that the association/community of Serb municipalities will also be discussed in the meeting.
Kosovo’s Justice Minister, Hajredin Kuci, and State Secretary of the Ministry of Justice of Hungary, Barna Berke will sign today an agreement on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters. This is the first field of international legal cooperation that both parties sign to proceed further with the negotiation of agreements on extradition and transfer of sentenced persons. With this agreement the parties undertake the provision of mutual legal assistance in criminal proceedings that are taking place in Kosovo and Hungary.
Kosovo’s institutions are hesitating to follow up on the government’s recommendation last year to establish the Kosovo Armed Forces (KAF). Meanwhile, security experts and civil society representatives argue that the failure to establish the Armed Forces came as a result of the decision of then-opposition parties not to vote in favour of extended parliamentary seats for minority communities. The latter consequently refused to vote in favour of the Armed Forces.
The main focus during the debate at the Kosovo Assembly today was the EULEX's confidential report regarding the information published few days ago allegedly involving senior PDK officials. The Vetevendosje Movement MP, Albin Kurti, said that this report has just confirmed what was said before about the PDK, “that this party will continue to capture the institutions of Kosovo.” Also the Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA) MPs said that the matter should be thoroughly investigated.
Kosovo on Thursday hosted for the first time the regional meeting of the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA). In the framework of IPA funds for the year 2016 were allocated € 390 million. The meeting is being attended by all the Western Balkans countries, Turkey, representatives of the Regional Cooperation Council and representatives from the European Commission. The European Integration Minister, Bekim Collaku, said that joint projects of the region are good opportunities of cooperation.
Kosovo is part of the Global Coalition to Counter the Islamic State (ISIL). The United States Special Presidential Envoy, General John Allen will visit Kosovo on Thursday for a one-day visit, where he will meet with leaders of the Kosovo institutions to talk about the progress of the Coalition and other regional issues, announced the US State Department.
On the International Children’s Day, Kosovo’s Prime Minister, Isa Mustafa, said that Children's Day is an occasion that also in Kosovo people to raise their voice against child abuse and discrimination. “Children today are being used in armed conflicts, they can be found today on the streets, but they are also suppressed because they belong to different religions, different minority groups and because they are disabled ...
The Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama, posted on his Facebook page the picture where the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa and the Prime Minister of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, are shaking hands. Rama called the picture “Photo of the Day.”
This shaking of hands happened at the Vienna Economic Forum which is being held in Tirana.
The Kosovo Police in Mitrovica arrested three Albanian youths on Wednesday evening. Unidentified sources told the news site that the youths were planning to replace the Serbian flag with an Albanian flag on the Mitrovica castle. Police seized arms and Albanian and Serbian flags from the suspects. A Kosovo Police spokesperson, who confirmed the information, appealed to all citizens, especially to parents of youths, to watch out for any action that can cause tensions or threaten the security situation and people’s lives.