The OSCE Mission in Kosovo was concerned to learn that a humanitarian match between FC Red Star Belgrade and FC Gračanica has been disallowed by the Kosovo Football Federation, Serbian media reported today.

All efforts should be made for sporting events to take place, as well as for them to be free of politically charged, provocative or offensive slogans. The rules of UEFA and other associations are very clear in this regards and should be fully respected,” the OSCE Mission said.

Members of Management Team for establishing Association/Community of Serb-Majority Municipalities met in Mitrovica North with OSCE Head of Mission, Jan Braathu, Vecernje Novosti reports today.

Coordinator of the Management Team, Vinka Radosavljevic informed Ambassador Braathu on current activities, adding that the Management Team established cooperation with a group of legal professionals, delegated by northern municipalities and Law Faculty of the Pristina University, currently located in Mitrovica North.

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic spoke on Wednesday with OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Desir.

According to the Serbian government, they discussed "the importance of implementing the principles and standards of freedom of the media and expression, as well as protection of journalists."

All diplomatic representatives of Russia have been instructed to express their concern over the recent events in Kosovo.

Daily Vecernje Novosti is reporting this, adding that Russian diplomats have been instructed to point out to the failures of KFOR and EULEX - the NATO and EU missions in Kosovo - as well as to the violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1244 - all with the aim of "reinforcing Belgrade's position."

OSCE Chairman-in-Office Italian FM Angelino Alfano and OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger have called on Belgrade and Pristina to return to dialogue.

"In light of the March 26 events in northern Kosovo and subsequent developments, the OSCE chairmanship-in-office and the OSCE secretary general call on all sides to refrain from provocations and reengage in constructive dialogue," Alfano and Greminger are quoted as stating in a press release.

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic, on behalf of the Serbian Government, would meet today ambassadors accredited in Serbia concerning yesterday’s incidents in Kosovo and Metohija, Serbian media reported.

He would also meet the representatives of the international organizations in Serbia, including the EU, UN, OSCE, NATO and the Office of the EU High Representative for Security and Foreign Policy.

As the Foreign Ministry announced the meeting would start at midday.

Director of the B92 Fund and the President of the Commission for the Investigation of Journalist Murdered in Serbia, Veran Matic, said that in the following months, as a consultant to the OSCE mission in Pristina, he would work on a proposal for the formation of a Commission to deal with the cases of 14 killed and missing journalists in Kosovo in the period from 1998 to 2005, reports the Belgrade based portal Insajder.

Russia expects OSCE to step up its efforts "to counter the radical nationalism among Kosovo Albanians," the ambassador added.

Kosovo Albanians are trying to impose an economic blockade of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the self-proclaimed republic of Kosovo, Russia’s OSCE envoy, Alexander Lukashevich, said on Thursday.

Russia would like to see greater engagement of the OSCE in Kosovo, in order to resolve all remaining issues in line with the UN SC Resolution 1244, Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov said, Sputnik reported.

Lavrov said he has agreed with the Italian Foreign Minister, Angelino Alfano, who is also the Chairperson of the OSCE, to support with joint efforts activities of this international organization in the Balkans, primarily in Kosovo.

Municipal transparency index in the north of Kosovo is low, however a positive change was made comparing to the previous year, Kontakt plus radio reproted.

This is one of the conclusions at a conference held yesterday in Mitrovica north, where municipal assemblies’ members from the four northern municipalities took part.