In the last two days the Office of the Language Commissioner has received nineteen complaints from journalists regarding violations of the law on the use of languages. In his communiqué, Language Commissioner, Slavisa Mladenovic, criticized central Kosovo institutions which failed to meet their legal obligations with regard to the use of official languages, and reminded that institutions are due to inform the public timely and in official languages.

The trial to Olvier Ivanovic and four other Serbs, charged for crimes against Kosovo Albanians in 1999 and 2000, will resume on 21 January with the testimonies of prosecution’s witnesses. Lawyers of the accused Oliver Ivanovic, Dragoljub Delibasic, Aleksandar Lazovic, Ilija and Nebojsa Vujacic said in their opening statements that their defendants didn’t commit crimes they are charged with.

The head of Kosovo delegation in talks with Belgrade on vehicle insurance taxes, Rahim Pacolli, said that two delegations didn’t manage to reach an agreement over the Green Card at the last meeting in Brussels.

Creation of the Association/Community of Serb municipalities (A/CSM) should not lead to closure of provisional bodies, instead an adequate solution should be found for  around 800 employees in order that they are not laid off, said president of the provisional body of Kosovska Mitrovica municipality (Serbia-run administration), Aleksandar Spiric, to RTK2. Spiric further said that priority of the provisional body is to retain existing and open new jobs for the young.

Trial to the leader of the Civic Initiative SDP Olvier Ivanovic, and fourth other Serbs, charged with committing serious crimes in Kosovo during 1999 and 2000, will start tomorrow. Lawyer Nebojsa Vlajic said to Tanjug that Ivanovic’s defense is ready for a months-long trial and that human rights of Serbs, who are in detention for almost a year now, have been violated. “When it comes to us, we would like the trial to last as short as possible, but it is not in our hands, it is up to a prosecutor,” said Vlajic and added that number of witnesses of the defense wi

Nomination of Branimir Stojanovic at the post of the Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo has left the post of the Mayor of Gračanica/Graçanicë vacant. Dr Nebojsa Milovanovic, so far deputy Mayor, will carry out the duty of the Acting Mayor of Gračanica/Graçanicë until mayoral elections.. Elections are due to take place in not less than 30 and not more than 45 days, from the date of Stojanovic’s resignation.

Civic Initiative SDP – Oliver Ivanovic has condemned the statement of the British Ambassador to Pristina, Ian Cliff, that Serbs have recognized Kosovo’s independence by being part of the Kosovo government, and communicated that Serbs decided to be part of those institutions in order to improve relations with Albanians. “Kosovo Serbs would never participate in elections that would mean recognition of the so-called Republic of Kosovo, nor would SDP nominate its candidates for it, and we are sure that members of the CI Srpska wouldn’t do it either.

British Ambassador to Pristina, Ian Cliff, says the role of Serbs and other non-majority communities is of the key importance for Kosovo’s progress and that all who participate in the work of the parliament and government are de facto recognizing Kosovo’s independence.