President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, expressed concern over reports of voter intimidation in the northern part of Kosovo in a meeting he had today with the chief observer of the EU Election Observation Mission in Kosovo, Alojz Peterle.

The EU Rapporteur for Kosovo, Urlike Lunacek, said that the new elected government should vote demarcation of the border with Montenegro. “I hope that those elected after the 11 June would act with responsibility and vote demarcation of the border with Montenegro and seriously fight corruption – the two main conditions for liberalization of visas,” Lunacek said through a video message for Kosovo, regional and international students who held a simulating meeting in Kosovo, and discussed visa liberalization among other issues.

The Heads of the EU Office in Kosovo/EU Special Representative, the EULEX and the EU Missions in Kosovo welcome the statement issued yesterday by the Chief Observer of the EU Election Observation Mission, Mr Alojz Peterle.

In addition, the Heads of the EU Office in Kosovo/EU Special Representative, the EULEX and the EU Missions in Kosovo express concern over reported incidents of intimidation and pressure, such as those witnessed over the past days in the north and elsewhere in Kosovo.

Deputy leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Enver Hoxhaj, said in an interview aired on Klan Kosova that he believed visa liberalisation will happen in 2018. “I don’t wish to mention dates but I believe that in January of 2018 citizens will be able to travel without visas,” Hoxhaj said.

Officials from the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) reacted to the news that the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) signed a pre-election coalition with the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) and the Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA) by saying the move was foreseeable. LDK spokesperson Arban Abrashi said to Klan Kosova that PDK signed the coalition as a reaction to the “fear” from the LDK earlier reaching an agreement with the New Kosovo Alliance (AKR) and Alternative.

The Prime Minister of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, met today in Belgrade with the head of the Serb Civic Initiative (SDP) Oliver Ivanovic, to discuss the establishment of the Association of Serb-majority Municipalities, political situation in Kosovo, the future of Brussels dialogue and the procedure against Ivanovic initiated by Kosovo authorities during 2016.

President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, said today in Pristina after meeting Albanian President, Bujar Nishani, that talk about unification of Kosovo and Albania through the creation of a so-called Greater Albania is a propaganda used by Belgrade. “They use Greater Albania [notion] to justify their destabilizing efforts in the Western Balkans,” Thaci said.

Vetevendosje leader, Visar Ymeri, said in press conference today that the government of Kosovo had “no courage” to send the border demarcation agreement to the Assembly today. “The government also knows it to be damaging for the country,” he told reporters. He said that Vetevendosje would continue to oppose the border demarcation agreement by employing “all forms of protest.”

The President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, said that he has not mentioned a Greater Albania in any of his statements. He also said that EU’s lack of leadership and vision opened way for other ideologies and impacts in the region, such as nationalism, extremism and political radicalism.

He accused “Serbia’s bad spirit which aims legitimizing a greater Serbia, acting under the nose of the EU and international community.”

Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Jan Braathu, said that the dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade which is being held in Brussels is part of the regional stabilization process. Therefore, he said, it is communication which resolves the daily problems of the citizens is necessary.

Braathu assessed the statements for unification of Albanians as a message to the European Union and added that is required to accelerate the process of integration in the union’s zone.

Baarthu said that the Brussels dialogue is much more discussions between Pristina and Belgrade.