President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, announced early elections in the municipality of Drenas/Glogovac for 4 December and he also instructed the Central Elections Commission to undertake all necessary steps to organise the voting process.

Kosovo’s Prime Minister, Isa Mustafa, is saying that Kosovo’s budget for 2017 will be €2 billion; however, the issue of the budget could be the reason behind the eventual breakup of the ruling coalition. The Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), led by Kadri Veseli, is not satisfied with the budget lines drafted by the Ministry of Finance led by Avdullah Hoti, a member of the LDK chairmanship.

Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) MP, Arben Gashi, told Klan Kosova today that if the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) decides to go to early parliamentary elections, the LDK will respect the decision of their ruling coalition partner. “I don’t think Kadri Veseli [PDK leader] has indicated early elections yet. There is no final decision. We need to wait and then the LDK will have two options, either find another partner in government or go to early elections. We will respect the decision of the Democratic Party,” Gashi said.

Kosovo’s Prime Minister, Isa Mustafa, during a visit to Mitrovica today said that there will be no elections in Kosovo prior to 2018. According to him, the government is stable and is working continuously. “New elections will be held in 2018, while local elections will be held next year. We are working with commitment on other areas,” Mustafa said.

Citing unnamed sources, the news website reports that six Serbs from Mitrovica North are among the group of 20 people arrested on Saturday in Podgorica, Montenegro, on charges of having planned to carry out terror attacks on election day and kidnapping Montenegro’s Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic. Source said that Stefan Velimirovic (1991), Bojan Kovacevic (1976), Vladimir Bozovic (1995), Goran Kovacevic (1999), Luka Djordjevic (1998) from Mitrovica, and Nikola Djordjevic (1995) from Zubin Potok, are among those arrested.

Over the years, many political parties in Kosovo have failed to make it over the 5 percent election threshold and were dissolved. Representatives of smaller political parties are now calling for a 3 percent election threshold. Gëzim Kelmendi, an independent MP and leader of the political party Fjala, told Infopress that reducing the threshold would be the best way to make room for the smaller parties. “Reducing the threshold to 3 percent and the reform of the election code. This would be much better than having pre-election coalitions.

Out of 24 Kosovo Serbs who were on election lists in the Serbian parliamentary elections, six of them will have the opportunity to represent interests of Kosovo Serbs in the Serbian parliament.

The news site covers a joint press conference held today by Ramush Haradinaj, leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), and Fatmir Limaj, leader of the Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA). Haradinaj said that Serbia’s interference in Kosovo and the bad governance are two of the most pressing issues in Kosovo. Haradinaj and Limaj stated that the Association/Community of Serb-majority Municipalities should be renegotiated after the findings of the Constitutional Court of Kosovo that the agreement is not fully in line with the Constitution.

The President of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, participated today at “Fol hapur” (Speak Openly) forum organized by “FOL”movement.

He stated that dialogue with Serbia in Brussels should take another direction in order not to become a routine. “Kosovo has correct relations with Serbia and dialogue in Brussels should not become routine and these discussions should take another course and conclude with reciprocal recognition,” Thaci said.

Despite constant requests by opposition parties, Kosovo's Prime Minister Isa Mustafa and President Hashim Thaçi have denied the possibility of early parliamentary elections. Assembly President, Kadri Veseli, who was recently elected president of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), said today that there will be no early elections. “Elections will be held in 2018” Veseli was quoted saying.