In the coming weeks, Pristina with the support of Brussels will boost pressure on Belgrade, and Serbs in the north of Kosovo and Metohija, to remove the “Peace Park” from the bridge over the Ibar River in Kosovska Mitrovica.
In an interview for Radio Kosova, the Minister of European Integration, Bekim Collaku expressed his confidence that during his mandate, Kosovo will meet the criteria for visa liberalization and will fulfill the obligations towards European integration.
The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa, in an interview for Radio Free Europe, says that the establishment of the special court will not be easy but that Kosovo must overcome this challenge.
Mr. Prime Minister, regarding the statement by EU High Representative Mogherini that you will hold your first meeting with your Serbian counterpart, Aleksandar Vucic, in January. What do you expect from this meeting?
Federica Mogherini, the European Union’s foreign-policy chief, must stay directly involved in talks between Kosovo and Serbia if the dialogue is to succeed, Hashim Thaci, the country’s foreign minister, said Thursday.
To lock in the reconciliation between the two former foes, Kosovo and Serbia should also start work on a second agreement in the new year, Mr. Thaci said in a sit-down with The Wall Street Journal in Brussels. Mr. Thaci, who was Kosovo’s prime minister for seven years until earlier this month, is still widely considered the country’s most powerful politician.
The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa met today with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) and head of the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), Farid Zarif, all media report. Zarif said that UNMIK will cooperate with the new government of Kosovo and will implement a pragmatic and constructive approach.
BRUSSELS - The Council of the European Union commended on Tuesday the progress Serbia made in internal reforms and in the normalization of Belgrade-Pristina relations, noting, however, that there is still work to be done.
“The Council welcomes the progress made by Serbia in the past year, including in public administration reform, judicial reform and the fight against corruption and organized crime,” reads the document adopted on Tuesday at the meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels.
Hashim Thaci, the Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo and Minister for Foreign Affairs, met today with Tracey Ann Jacobson, the United States Ambassador to Kosovo. Thaci and Jacobson discussed the agenda of the new government of Kosovo. Thaci wrote on Facebook that he called on Jacobson to continue supporting Kosovo’s path in Euro-Atlantic integration processes. Thaci assured Jacobson that Kosovo would focus on consolidating its democracy, on the rule of law and on dialogue with Belgrade.
Minister for Dialogue, Edita Tahiri, is set to travel to Brussels today to take part in the upcoming round of dialogue with Belgrade on the issues of energy, vehicle border insurance, licensing of companies in the north and import of pharmaceutical drugs. “Trilateral meetings facilitated by the EU are expected to take place on 16 and 17 December 2014”, reads a statement issued by the Kosovo Government.
Citing sources close to Kosovar publicist Veton Surroi, the news website reports that negotiations are being finalized for Surroi's inclusion in the future government consisting of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) and the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK). According to the same sources, Surroi could take up the post held by Blerim Shala, the coordinator of dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade. Shala has reportedly notified LDK and PDK leaders that his party chief, Ramush Haradinaj, no longer wants to have an active role in the dialogue.
WASHINGTON -- U.S. State Department Office for South Central European Affairs Director Thomas Yazdgerdi says his country is "fully engaged in the Balkans."
This especially applies to "resolving the remaining key issues," he said.
Yazdgerdi, who was recently appointed to the job, told Voice of America that Washington supports the future of the entire region "in the framework of the Euro-Atlantic community."