Kosovo’s Minister for European Integration, Bekim Collaku, has requested from the European Union countries to treat Kosovo in an equal manner as its neighboring countries.

“For the benefit of your country and population, I ask the opposition to avoid violence and engage in a constructive manner on the debate within the Assembly of Kosovo,” was the message of the EU Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighborhood policy, Johannes Hahn, to the Kosovo MPs from the coalition government and opposition parties, members of the Committee for European integration, that he met on Tuesday in Brussels.

Vice-President of the European Parliament Urlike Lunacek, and the EU Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighborhood Policy Johannes Hahn, have offered to help on relaxing the relations between the opposition parties and the government of Kosovo.

The Office of the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, announced today that the Pristina-Belgrade dialogue at the level of Prime Ministers will continue on Wednesday, 27 January in Brussels. The statement said the parties will discuss the implementation of agreements reached so far and the next steps in the dialogue.

Western Balkan countries would be worst hit by the collapse of Schengen, Slovakia's Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak has warned.

Lajcak also believes the conditions have not been met for Bosnia-Herzegovina to become a candidate country for EU membership in February.

He has also called on the authorities in the Republika Srpska (RS) "to stop threatening with a referendum."

Witnesses who will speak about the crimes of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) before a special tribunal are already under the protection programme, and many of them have been relocated around the world, learned Danas. As we were told by diplomatic sources, more than 400 people have already made statements about the KLA crimes, but probably approximately 30 will testify. Furthermore, the software containing all data on the cases to be dealt with by the Special Court is fully protected in Brussels.

 The Serbian Ambassador to Turkey, Danilo Vucetic, said to the Turkish daily Zaman, that that the EU is requesting Serbia to sign a legally binding agreement, which he can only interpret as the EU's attempts to force Serbia to recognize Kosovo.

Vucetic said the Brussels Agreement, which was drawn up between Serbia and Kosovo in 2013 under the auspices of the EU but not signed by either, envisages Serbia's recognition of Kosovo after all negotiating chapters are completed.

Chairman of the Kosovo Assembly Foreign Affairs Committee Enver Hoxhaj said Kosovo aims to apply for EU candidate status within a three-year period. Hoxhaj, former Foreign Minister, made the comment in a press conference following a meeting with a group of Austrian officials. Hoxhaj said Austria is Kosovo’s partner in the visa liberalization process and stressed the importance of this support in pursuing Kosovo’s European integration journey.

Kosovo's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hashim Thaci, said that the voting of the European Parliament for the ratification of the Stabilization Association Agreement with Kosovo, marks a new era for the youngest European state.

“The European Parliament gave a majority vote in favor of the ratification of the Stabilization Association Agreement with Kosovo. This is a historical moment and the first formal contract between Kosovo and the EU,” wrote Thaci on his Facebook profile page.

The EU Commissioner for Enlargement, Johannes Hahn said during the debate at the European Parliament that the Stabilization Association Agreement (SAA) for Kosovo should strengthen regional cooperation. He stressed that based on this Agreement, Kosovo had committed to significant and sustainable improvements of the relations with Serbia.