• Mustafa calls for free and fair elections in Drenas/Glogovac (Bota Sot)
• Singapore recognises Kosovo’s independence (media)
• Agreement on specialist chambers to enter into force on 1 January (Kosova Sot)
• Agreement on judiciary “ruins” unitary justice system (Koha)
• “Kosovo territory cannot be measured without marking borders” (Zeri)
• Ahmeti: The Union is not an Association (Zeri)
• Parliamentary committee to monitor revitalisation of Ibar Bridge (Insajderi)

Mustafa calls for free and fair elections in Drenas/Glogovac (Bota Sot)

Prime Minister of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa, called on political parties running in Drenas/Glogovac early elections to conduct a democratic campaign and present their vision for the future. Mustafa said he believed elections in Drenas/Glogovac would be free and fair as Kosovo has shown it can manage the election process in a democratic manner.

Singapore recognises Kosovo’s independence (media)

All media reported on Thursday that Singapore has recognised the independence of Kosovo. The news was confirmed by Kosovo’s Foreign Minister Enver Hoxhaj, who is expected to visit Singapore in January next year. Kosovo is now recognised by 113 world countries and Singapore is the fourth member state of the Association of South-East Asian Nations to recognise Kosovo’s independence.

Agreement on specialist chambers to enter into force on 1 January (Kosova Sot)

Agreement that sets out the legal basis for the Kosovo Specialist Chambers to conduct proceedings in the Netherlands is set to enter into force on 1 January 2017. In a statement to the press, the Kosovo Specialist Chambers welcomed the Kingdom of Netherland’s ratification of the Host State Agreement.

Agreement on judiciary “ruins” unitary justice system (Koha)

The paper reports on its front page that some legal experts in Pristina are arguing that the Kosovo-Serbia agreement on the judiciary is discriminatory and falls in opposition with the principle of a unitary justice system. Vjosa Osmani, legal expert and member of the Kosovo Assembly, told the paper on Thursday: “the main problems are related to the establishment of a special appellate unit for the north which in essence ruins the principle of a unitary justice system for all of Kosovo, as foreseen in the Constitution of Kosovo and the Law on Courts … Another problem is the ethnic discrimination, which pre-empts the ethnicity of judges and prosecutors as Serbs or Albanians, by excluding all other communities”. Osmani also expressed her concern over the fact that the agreement notes “both sides” will be represented in the courts, and added that “it is clear that one of the sides is Serbia”.

“Kosovo territory cannot be measured without marking borders” (Zeri)

The paper reports on its front page that Kosovo Prime Minister Isa Mustafa’s idea to measure the territory of Kosovo in order to prove that it doesn’t lose land as a result of the border demarcation agreement with Montenegro is being considered absurd by the opposition and geographers. The latter argue that the territory cannot be measured until there is no clear definition of borders with several countries. The opposition says the territory of Kosovo can be measured only after having carried out the demarcation with three neighboring states: Montenegro, Serbia and Albania. Kosovo’s Deputy Minister of Local Government, Bajram Gecaj, on the other hand, said Kosovo has enough information to measure the territory.

Ahmeti: The Union is not an Association (Zeri)

The Mayor of Pristina, Shpend Ahmeti, during an interview with the paper has denied that the Union of Albanian Municipalities in the Balkans is a reaction to the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities in Kosovo. According to Ahmeti, they are doing only a network of Albanian municipalities, which have no executive powers, unlike the Association/Community. “The Association aims to destruct the state of Kosovo,” Ahmeti said. The mayors of Pristina, Tirana, Presevo, Tetovo and Ulcinj established the union of Albanian Municipalities in the Balkans a few days ago. Speaking about reactions from Serbia, Ahmeti said that state leaders don’t have to react if according to them this is just “kids’ play.”

Parliamentary committee to monitor revitalisation of Ibar Bridge (Insajderi)

The news website reports that the Kosovo Democratic Institute (KDI) and the Kosovo Assembly’s Foreign Affairs Committee will visit Mitrovica today to monitor the works on the revitalisation of the Ibar Bridge. Mitrovica South Mayor, Agim Bahtiri, will accompany the delegation. Following the visit, the KDI and the parliamentary committee will hold a roundtable on “Dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia: the impact on the lives of citizens” aimed at promoting discussions between MPs and civil society representatives and the people about the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia.