Political analysts told Radio Free Europe that Kosovo political and institutional leaders showed they have no understanding towards the positions of the international community on sensitive issues. Ramush Tahiri said recent events give the impression that Kosovo leaders are not conscientious to international obligations Kosovo has taken on. “It is a fact that we are a sovereign and independent state as is the fact that we follow democratic procedures.

In an interview to Radio Free Europe, publicist and author Veton Surroi said Kosovo’s leading institutions are to a large extent politically controlled while Kosovo ‘is a captured state where crime and politics cohabitate marvelously.”

The World Bank has offered $200 million in loans to promote economic integration in the Western Balkans as leaders of the region vowed to deepen ties and work together toward joining the European Union.

The announcements from the World Bank and Western Balkan leaders came at a high-level conference on December 7 in Sofia at which the leaders said they had agreed on steps toward deeper integration through improving infrastructure and connectivity within the region and with the EU.

Next year Kosovo is expected to chair the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA). Kosovo’s Minister for Trade and Industry, Bajram Hasani, told Radio Free Europe that Kosovo will be presiding only under the name Kosovo, without UNMIK acronym. He added that representatives of the United Nations Mission in Kosovo will not be participating at CEFTA meetings either.

A few weeks ago official Pristina threatened that it would leave CEFTA if presented as UNMIK.

Kosovo Assembly approved in principle draft law on religious freedoms in Kosovo. The new draft law is to replace the present one and recognizes six instead of previous five religious communities. Prime Minister of Kosovo, Ramush Haradinaj, said the legislation has been drafted in line with international conventions and the opinion of the Venice Commission. He also said that this law is one of the conditions for joining UNESCO.

The media report that a scheduled joint press conference between Prime Minister of Kosovo, Ramush Haradinaj, and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, got cancelled at the last minute. While no official explanation behind the decision was made available, agenda issues are being mentioned as reason.

The top judge in the European Union mission that oversees Kosovo's justice system has resigned and is under investigation for unspecified offenses, the EU mission said.

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The Serbian List MP Igor Simic says that it is regrettable that Hashim Thaci, instead of trying to respond to basic remarks of the Serb representatives, he and his associates, by attacking the Serbian list, only confirms that someone does not want to solve the problems of the Serbs, KIM radio reports.

The government of Kosovo and PM Ramush Haradinaj do not withdraw from their pretentions to prove that the agreement on the border demarcation with Montenegro, signed in August 2015, was wrong.

The government did not shake even after the “scolds” of the President Hashim Thaci, the European Union and lately, the U.S. Embassy in Pristina.

 The government of Kosovo, claims that it will request during the next negotiations between Pristina and Belgrade in Brussels, compensation for the power bills not paid by Serb population in four northern municipalities of Kosovo.

This announcement came after publication of facts that the population of northern Kosovo, respectively consumers of Leposavic, Mitrovica North, Zubin Potok and Zvecan, have not paid their electricity bills and that these debts were billed to the rest of the population of Kosovo.