Vice-President of the European Parliament Urlike Lunacek, and the EU Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighborhood Policy Johannes Hahn, have offered to help on relaxing the relations between the opposition parties and the government of Kosovo.

Oliver Ivanovic, former leader of the Serbian Initiative (SDP) was convicted of war crimes at the Basic Court in Mitrovica on Thursday and sentenced to nine years in prison for ordering the murder of nine ethnic Albanians in Mitrovica on April 14, 1999. However, he was not found guilty on the charges of committing crimes in 2000.

The Assembly of Kosovo and GIZ signed a Memorandum of Understanding today to support the European integration process in Kosovo. The signing of the memorandum is part of efforts to continue supporting Kosovo institutions in the European integration process, especially to support the effective implementation of requirements deriving from the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA).

Senior member of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), Ardian Gjini, argues in an opinion piece that Kosovo has only three options to overcome the current crisis.“The first option is the continuation of this government until it fails to elect new President and thus Kosovo going to new elections. In the meantime there would be more protests.  The second option is the continuation of this government and the election of new President from the current coalition. In this case, the presidency would become a sub-institution of the government.

 The Council of Europe in cooperation with the Constitutional Court of Kosovo, organized an international conference in Pristina on the “Interpretation and implementation of the European Convention for human rights by the Constitutional Courts in Western Balkans.” In addition to the judges of the Constitutional Court of Kosovo, those of the Constitutional Courts of Croatia, Albania and Montenegro also participated in the conference, whilst Serbian representatives failed to attend.

Kosovo’s Prime Minister, Isa Mustafa, told Klan Kosova the protest organized by the opposition does not ensure the organization of new elections, regardless of the number of citizens that participated in the protest.  He added that all citizens' requests will be considered.  “We are very responsive to citizens in fulfillment of our promises. It is the right of the opposition to protest and also the citizens should know why are they protesting, but protests cannot justify new elections,” Mustafa said.

President of the New Democratic Party of Kosovo Aleksandar Grujic denied the statement published by TV Klan Kosova, that he will recognize Kosovo's independence if his party will become part of the Kosovo parliament, which has been published today by some media in Serbian language.

In a meeting with youth, opposition leaders said called on the people of Kosovo to join the anti-government protest on 9 January adding that the violators of the constitution needs to step down. The leaders reiterated their demands for annulment of agreements with Serbia and Montenegro while Vetevendosje leader Visar Ymeri said the new year will begin on 9 January. The leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) Ramush Haradinaj said they will not allow anything being taken away from Kosovo.

Kosovo’s President, Atifete Jahjaga, yesterday welcomed the government’s approval of the Regulation on recognition and verification of the status of victims of sexual violence during the 1999 conflict in Kosovo. “The approval of this regulation marks an important step ahead towards offering institutional support and realization of rights for the survivors of sexual violence during the war, thus paving the way to the recognition and verification process,” Jahajga said.

Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hashim Thaci, said today during the meeting of the government that the ruling of the Constitutional Court on the constitutionality of the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities, will be respected. “We will respect the decision of the Constitutional Court. As foreseen, we will send again the statute and amendments to the Constitutional Court.” He also said that this issue should not be politicized.