Headlines - 18.06.2016 Kosovo Assembly extends EULEX mandate (media) Kosovo Assembly approved yesterday extending the mandate of the EU rule of law mission (EULEX) for two more years. All 79 MPs at the session voted in favour of the renewing EULEX’s mandate. The international community in Kosovo hailed the move stressing its importance in strengthening the rule of law in Kosovo. The EU Office/EU Special Representative said Kosovo authorities should use the new mandate to continue the transition of competencies from EULEX to Kosovo. “Since this will still take some time, it is important that the change is gradual, so as not to endanger what has been achieved so far for the rule of law. Kosovo has achieved important results on its European road, most visibly with the Stabilisation and Association Agreement, the European Commission's proposal for visa free travel and the normalisation through the Dialogue. EULEX has been and continues to be linked to these processes and the European agenda of Kosovo”, said the EU in a statement. At the same time, the US Embassy in Pristina said the agreement will allow EULEX to continue to provide the justice sector capacities where it is needed and to assist Kosovo in developing its own capabilities.  EULEX to have monitoring and advisory role (Zëri) During his official visit to the Holy See, Kosovo’s President Hashim Thaçi said that EULEX will have a monitoring and advisory role in Kosovo. “We all have to work to ensure EULEX closes successfully its mission because EULEX’s failure does not mean success for Kosovo, but quite the opposite”, Thaçi said.  Thaçi: Delays in visa liberalization feed extremism and nationalism (RTK) President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi, said in an interview for the public broadcaster that any further delays in the visa liberalization process will only feed extremism, radicalism, and nationalism in Kosovo. However, he said he didn’t believe there would be delays on the part of the EU adding they would be utterly unnecessary. Çollaku: Border demarcation not a condition for visa liberalization (RTK) Kosovo’s Minister for European Integration, Bekim Çollaku, for the first time admitted that the ratification of the border demarcation agreement with Montenegro is not a condition for visa liberalization. “The condition was to make efforts to reach an agreement but not to ratify the agreement”, Çollaku is quoted as saying. Following indictment, Agani asks to be relieved of ministerial duty (Zëri) Minister of Environment and Spatial Planning, Ferid Agani, has asked Prime Minister Isa Mustafa to relieve him of his duty following indictment by the Kosovo prosecution for abuse of position. In a letter, Agani maintains he is innocent of the charges but that he is also determined to allow justice to take its course in an unobstructed manner.