by Shirley Cloyes DioGuardi/

The Association of the displaced people in Montenegro has called citizens to respond in a great number to the protest against the visit of Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister Hashim Thaci, on 15 and 16 January. On the other hand, the Association of Montenegrins in Kosovo, has hailed this visit.

Kosovo Assembly Speaker, Kadri Veseli, said after a meeting with President of Kosovo, Atifete Jahjaga, that four draft laws will very soon be presented to the Assembly for approval. These laws include the establishment of the Special Court and Electronic Surveillance. “The meeting was about the need of inter-institutional cooperation, and taking of very important decisions for the citizens”, said Veseli.

German police announced that it has arrested last Friday three Hungarian nationals who were transporting 11 illegal immigrants from Kosovo, four of whom children. According to the German authorities, persons from Kosovo have submitted asylum requests.

Lutfi Haziri, member of the chairmanship of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) and Mayor of Gjilan, is one of the top candidates for the post of LDK leader, according to a high-ranking source within the LDK. The same source said that LDK leader and Kosovo Prime Minister, Isa Mustafa, will most probably run again for the post of LDK chief. “But if Mustafa withdraws from the race, Agim Veliu [senior LDK official] has great ambitions for the post,” the source added.

Head of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) parliamentary group, Donika Kada-Bujupi said the decision of the Kosovo Assembly to go on a winter break until 20 January is unacceptable. She said it is absurd for the MPs to go on holidays at the most challenging period for Kosovo. “At the beginning of this year, there is a need for a much more serious approach from all institutions”, said Kada-Bujupi. She further said that the decision to go on a break was taken “arbitrarily” and “unilaterally” by the Assembly Speaker, Kadri Veseli.

The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa, justified in an interview for Bota press the decision for coalition with the Democratic Party of Kosovo, calling it “a coalition for the benefit of Kosovo and the only solution that functions within the current constitutional order which offers prosperity and stability.” Speaking about the trade unioninsts' announcements for protests,  Mustafa said that he does not see reasons for protests. “Because I do not see any results from protests.

Transformation of the Kosovo Security Force into the Armed Forces of Kosovo (AFK,) will require political coordination between Pristina, Brussels and Belgrade.

Journalist Petrit Musolli in an opinion piece for Zeri writes that the continuous mass escape of Kosovo people towards the EU countries and threats for protests, will create a negative atmosphere against this government and the leadership in general.

After the approval of the draft law for the budget for 2015, representatives of the trade unions in Kosovo initiated meetings with parliamentary groups, seeking support for the amendment of the draft law. The became even more enthusiastic after the statement of the former Prime Minister of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, that the increase of salaries should have been included in the budget and that the salaries could also increase with a special decision of the government.