The United Nations Security Council will discuss today during a morning session in New York the quarterly report of the United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, on the developments in Kosovo. In his report, he expressed concern regarding the emigration of the population and hailed constitution of the Assembly and the government after a six-months’ vacuum and stalemate.
Kosovo Foreign Minister Hashim Thaci, who is visiting Washington, told the "Voice of America" that dismissal of Jablanović should be seen as individual case.
When asked whether meeting the demands of opposition protesters in Pristina presents a negative message to the representatives of the Serbian community, which is willing to participate in Kosovo institutions, Thaci said that the decision was not directed against the Serbian community.
Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hashim Thaçi, said in an interview for Tirana-based television Top Channel that political battles in a democracy need to be fought inside the institutions and not in the streets. He said no one has justified the controversial statement of the Serbian Minister Aleksandar Jablanovic but added that violence against the state is even more unacceptable.
Minister for Communities and Returns in Kosovo Government Aleksandar Jablanović will soon resign, reports the Pristina television KTV quoting "reliable sources". According to these sources Jablanović decided to resign after a request of leaders of LDK and PDK, the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa and Hashim Thaci, who requested him to do so several times.
Lajmi reports that the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting on Kosovo will be held on 6 February. The news portal writes that this meeting will be a forerunner of the Pristina-Belgrade dialogue to be held in Brussels on 9 February. According to Lajmi, Kosovo and Serbia are expected to be represented by their respective Foreign Ministers Hashim Thaci and Ivica Dacic.
Hashim Thaci, Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, is visiting Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, where he initially met with his counterpart, Nikola Poposki. According to the FYROM electronic media, the two ministers discussed the possibilities for further bilateral and regional cooperation. It is also understood that they discussed the possibility for the populations of the two countries to cross the borders only with their identity cards. However, Thaci is quoted as saying that this can be expected only after six months.
Belgrade expects the issues of Kosovo and other property on 9 February before the negotiators in Brussels. "Trepca" not the topic, Pristina says.
Government of Serbia would gladly see "Trepca" on the negotiating table in Brussels on February 9, when the prime ministers would meet for the first time, Aleksandar Vucic and Isa Mustafa.
Prime Minister Vucic said that Serbia managed to fight for the correct interpretation of the international community over "Trepca" and that Pristina wants to finish everything on the property issue before opening of the topic in Brussels.
The Foreign Minister of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, hosted a meeting with his Austrian counterpart, Sebastian Kurz.
Thaci informed on his Facebook profile that they discussed boosting of Austria’s further investments in Kosovo as well as Vienna’s support on the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia.
“Kurz is a big supporter of Kosovo’s integration in the European Union, while he will soon take a concrete role for Kosovo’s membership at the Council of Europe.” wrote Thaci.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Hashim Thaci started his first official visit to Montenegro, where he met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, Igor Luksic. Thaci and Luksic discussed the cooperation between Kosovo and Montenegro, economic and cultural exchange, joint infrastructural projects as well as regional cooperation and building of good neighborly relations. Media report that during his stay in Podgorica, Thaci will meet the Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic, President Filip Vujanovic and Speaker of the Parliament, Ranko Krivokapic.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Hashim Thaci told Podgorica TV channel that Kosovo will amend its Constitution and will recognize the status of the Montenegrin national minority. "It is our will to make constitutional changes, which means that Montenegrin minorities would have a representative in the Assembly, " said Thaci. He said that Kosovo and Montenegro have excellent cooperation, which should be affirmed and that will be a model for other countries in the region.