The Tirana-based TV station Top Channel reports that the Italian Police, in cooperation with the Kosovo Police, launched an anti-terror operation in the city of Brescia. Italian authorities said the operation code-named “Van Damme” resulted in the breakup of a terror group that was using social networks to spread the Jihadi ideology. The mastermind of the group, a Kosovo national, was arrested in Kosovo by local police near Hani i Elezit, while the three other suspects were arrested in Italy.

The Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA), one of the opposition parties, confirmed that police have arrested one of its MPs, Haxhi Shala. “We want to inform the public that Kosovo Police have detained MP Haxhi Shala inside the Assembly premises. The Initiative for Kosovo demands the immediate release of MP Haxhi Shala and all other MPs,” the NISMA press release said. The news site reports that Shala activated a teargas canister inside the Assembly earlier in the day.

Kosovo Police arrested today Vetevendosje MP Fisnik Ismaili as he was entering the premises of the Kosovo Assembly. Police later said Ismaili was arrested because he was found carrying two gas canisters. The Vetevendosje official webpage reported that the prosecution has ordered a 48-hour detention for Ismaili.

The Head of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) mission in Kosovo, Ambassador Jean-Claude Schlumberger has strongly condemned the violence in Pristina yesterday and called on the opposition to abandon violence and engage in dialogue to resolve political issues.

All media cover today’s press conference by the European Parliament Vice President and Rapporteur for Kosovo, Ulrike Lunacek, who is visiting Kosovo. On the agreement for the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities, Koha quotes Lunacek as saying, “if the Constitutional Court finds that the agreement on the general principles for the formation of the Association is in opposition with the Constitution of Kosovo, the agreement must be renegotiated”.

The Kosovo Institute for the Investigation of War Crimes inaugurated in Pristina today three books documenting the crimes committed by Serbian forces during the Kosovo conflict. The three volumes include figures of missing persons, the demolished monuments and killings during that period. Ismet Salihu, head of the Institute for the Investigation of War Crimes, said Serbia’s plan was to carry out genocide in Kosovo and highlighted the massacres in Meha, Likoshan and Recak, as well as mass graves sites.

Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hashim Thaci said that the signing of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement is the most important step Kosovo is making towards EU membership. “Signing of the SAA is proof of the success the state of Kosovo has made and of our commitment to European values. This contractual agreement contains mutual obligations: commitment of Kosovo for reforms and commitment of the EU to assist us much more in this process, until the fulfillment of European perspective,” Thaci wrote on his Facebook profile.

The European Union Commissioner Johannes Hahn met today with Kosovo’s Minister for European Integration Bekim Collaku. Commenting on the recent developments in Kosovo, Hahn said it was normal for people to have disagreements but that it is categorically unacceptable to express disagreements through violence. “This is unacceptable in democracy. It is completely normal and fair to have different opinions, but not to practice violence. Such methods belong to the past,” he said.

Rrahim Pacolli, the head of the Kosovo delegation for talks on vehicle insurance, said today he was confident that the agreement on vehicle insurance with Serbia will start being implemented tomorrow. Pacolli told the news site that the Kosovar side has made all necessary preparations. Asked if Serbia will delay the implementation of the agreement again, Pacolli said, “Any party that will fail to implement the agreement will be penalized by the European Union”.

According to a survey conducted by the Kosovar Institute for Policy Research and Development (KIPRED), the Kosovo Police and Kosovo Security Force (KSF) are the most reliable institutions by the Kosovo citizens. While with lower reliability were listed the President’s Office, Prime Minister and Interior Ministry. KIPRED also presented facts on terrorism threats and armed incident in Kumanovo. KIPRED Executive Director, Lulzim Peci, said that Kosovo has no legal act which determines the level of security threats and risks.