Publicist Veton Surroi suggests in an opinion piece that in order to emerge from the current political crisis, the government and the opposition should agree on a “letter with three points”. “First, Kosovo should amend its Constitution and make way for the direct election of the President whenever the time comes for this. Second, the government and opposition should agree on a list of things that need to be done to secure free and democratic elections whenever the time comes for this.

World Bank Vice President for Europe and Central Asia Cyril Muller completed his first visit to Kosovo today, which focused on learning first-hand about Kosovo’s growth opportunities and development challenges. He participated in the discussions related to the Systematic Country Diagnostic for Kosovo, and the recently adopted National Development Strategy for the 2016-2021 period.

Kosovo’s Prime Minister, Isa Mustafa, said today that the opposition parties may freely address the Constitutional Court regarding the process of electing Hashim Thaci as Kosovo president.  He added that he didn’t put pressure on LDK MPs on voting for Thaci after the first round of voting.  “We didn’t put pressure on the MPs. It is their vote and they voted for Thaci,” Mustafa said.

The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and head of UNMIK Zahir Tanin, said at the UN Security Council session on Kosovo that this was a year in which Kosovo will face complex challenges, and then went on to assess key developments emerging from 2015. “In recent months the polarization of the Kosovo political landscape has reached levels where progress is being impeded, despite considerable efforts by the government to pursue an ambitious reform agenda. The extremes of political antagonism have clearly transgressed basic democratic norms.

An opinion piece by Andrea Capussela

Thaci’s election is invalid because it breaches the rules established by the constitutional court in its judgment annulling the election of Pacolli, in 2011. That decision was wrong, and often absurd (see this essay). But according to article 116.1 of Kosovo’s constitution ‘Decisions of the Constitutional Court are binding on the judiciary and all persons and institutions of the Republic of Kosovo’: right or wrong, the court’s decisions must be obeyed.

The United States Ambassador to Kosovo, Greg Delawie, today said he is again disappointed by the opposition parties who continue to interrupt the Assembly sessions by throwing teargas in the Assembly. “The oppistion showed today that there can be a debate in the Assembly. However, they are interrupting a democratic process. The US has faith in Kosovo democracy," Delawie said.

There are great chances that representatives of Serbs at the Assembly of Kosovo will either boycott or request postponement of today’s Assembly session during which the new president of Kosovo is expected to be elected.

The possibility that they may support one of the candidates for president of Kosovo has been almost entirely excluded.

The Movement for Unification (LB), a partner in the ruling coalition, issued a media communiqué today calling on all Kosovo citizens to refrain from putting themselves in dangerous situations on Friday when the Assembly will elect the new President of Kosovo. “The situation can become tense and get out of control on Friday, when the Kosovo Assembly is scheduled to vote for the new President of Kosovo … On the same day and at the same place, the opposition and the PDK [Democratic Party of Kosovo] have announced their activities.

Vetevendosje leader Visar Ymeri said today that the opposition MPs have decided not to take part in the Kosovo Assembly session today. “We decided not to participate in today's session and prepare for the next session. But, if the Assembly decides today on the election of the president, the purpose of our protest will change,” Ymeri said. Today’s session is a continuation of Friday’s session which was interrupted three times by the opposition MPs throwing teargas in the hall.

Koha.net editorial room received an anonymous package with pictures of  graffiti against the three opposition leaders. “This action intends to show the true egos of the three opposition leaders who are destroying everything, including our daily lives, they are blocking holidays and squares only because someone like Hashim Thaci is a candidate for president.