Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) MP, Shukri Buja, said in an interview with Tribuna Channel that spring next year is the ideal time for early local and national elections. Buja is adamant that the PDK should break up its coalition with the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), “because this coalition was not right since the beginning”. Buja also said he voted against sending the 2017 draft budget to the Assembly, “because it contains many mistakes”.

Kosovo’s Deputy Minister for Local Government, Bajram Gecaj, said in an interview for the news website that December is the final time for ratifying the border demarcation agreement between Kosovo and Montenegro. “In 2017, many EU member states will go to elections and the attention on Kosovo could be lost. This is why December is the final time when we can do something about this issue,” he said. Asked if the ruling coalition has secured the required number of votes in Parliament to ratify the border deal, Gecaj said, “we still don’t have 80 votes.

At the Rising Global Peace Forum, former President of Kosovo, Atifete Jahjaga, has called for justice for victims of sexual violence. “I emphasized that without serving justice and ensuring peace for the victims of sexual violence during the war in our country and across the world, our societies will not be able to fully enjoy their freedom,” Jahjaga wrote on her Facebook page.

Kosovo Assembly President, Kadri Veseli, said today that the people of Kosovo should not remain isolated due to the border demarcation with Montenegro. “We have talked with Montenegrin officials and they confirmed that they will send an official note to the European Union asking for the people of Kosovo not to remain isolated due to the border demarcation,” Veseli said. He also commented on the telephone code for Kosovo, saying that Kosovo’s independence and sovereignty cannot be reversed. “Kosovo will no longer have the 00-381 telephone code.

Kosovo’s Justice Minister, Dhurata Hoxha, met today in Pristina the European Parliament Rapporteur for Kosovo, Ulrike Lunacek. Hoxha and Lunacek discussed the Progress Report on Kosovo which highlights the positive steps of Kosovo but also the criteria still to be met for the decision on visa liberalisation. Hoxha said that one of the criteria is strengthening the rule of law, expressing the commitment of implementing rule of law reforms, consolidation of good governance but also economic reforms.

The autopsy of the Vetevendosje activist, Astrit Dehari, who died on Saturday whilst in the Prizren detention centre, will be carried out today and EULEX experts as well as those appointed by the deceased’s family will take part. Justice Minister, Dhurata Hoxha, said the process will be transparent and that the Inspectorate of the Kosovo’s Correctional Service is also engaged in looking into circumstances of Dehari’s death. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Isa Mustafa expressed his condolences on the death of Vetevendosje activist calling for independent investigations.

Kallxo.com reports that an EULEX judge from the Kosovo’s Supreme Court Special Chamber has claimed that the law on Trepca mining complex is unconstitutional for two reasons, both relating to the fundamental right to property. The judge has addressed the Constitutional Court asking it to once again review the legality of the Trepca Law and annul it. The judge maintained that the economic goal of the Trepca Law was to take over the assets from the socially-owned enterprise to the newly-created shareholders association but the latter takes over no obligations.

Kosovo’s Justice Minister, Dhurata Hoxha, met today the head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Jan Braathu with whom she discussed the common agenda in the field of rule of law, with particular emphasis on justice reforms. Hoxha during the meeting thanked Braathu for OSCE’s contribution in the field of justice.

Kosovo’s Minister of Security Force, Haki Demolli, today while reporting to the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs stressed that the Ahtisaari package foresees Kosovo to have its own army in the future. “The government has on its agenda as a priority the transformation of the KSF in Kosovo Armed Force,” Demolli said. “We have drafted the constitutional amendments that aim to change the status of the KSF into Armed Force, and we submitted these amendments to the Constitutional Court. The Court gave us the green light,” he said.

President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, called today a meeting of the National Council for European Integration and said that special effort need to be made to finalise the visa liberalization process as quickly as possible. He said that the current situation regarding the inability of the people of Kosovo to travel freely to European countries is “unjustifiable”.