The process of settling the status of Kosovo, which recently received an unexpected turn after the murder of one of the leaders of Kosovo Serbs Oliver Ivanović, is entering the final phase. This, according to experts, became even more obvious after the interview of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić given to the Serbian state television channel RTS on January 14. In it, Vučić for the first time expressed concern that a decision on the Kosovo and Metohija issue cannot be made within the framework of the existing constitution of Serbia.

Serbian Government Office for Kosovo Director, Marko Djuric said the result of Serbian President Vucic’s visit to Kosovo is that Serbia is getting united aiming to help our people in a southern province, as the Serbs in Kosovo are also getting united in a wish to strive for their survival jointly, supported by the state, RTS reported.

Djuric also said, the visit provides a crucial contribution to overcome a difficult challenge and a great anguish, and he is convinced this is the right way, RTS reported.

President Aleksandar Vucic says that it was "not easy and pleasant" but that he is satisfied with his visit to Kosovo and Metohija.

Vucic, who was there during the weekend, said he was satisfied because he has done "an extremely important job" on uniting the people in the province.

He also stressed that he had invited all his political opponents to Mitrovica and talked with them.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic tomorrow in Kosovo, announced the Serbian Presidency on its web site, KIM radio reports.

President Vucic first will visit monastery of Banjska, after which he will meet with representatives of Serbs in Kosovo in the building of the Technical Faculty in North Mitrovica.

At about 5 pm, President Vucic will talk to locals at the Culture Center in Laplje Selo.

EU Commissioner Johannes Hahn says 2025 is "a realistic goal for a new wave of (EU) enlargement.)

Serbia and Montenegro have currently "progressed the farthest" toward that goal - but that does not mean that the two countries will definitely be the first to "cross the finish line," Hahn told Austria's APA agency.

"There is still much to do," he said.

Serbia
Progress in human rights protection was limited in 2016. Asylum seekers and migrant arrivals decreased, but the asylum system remains flawed with inadequate protections for unaccompanied children. Attacks and threats against journalists remain a problem. War crimes prosecutions progress remains slow. The Roma minority continue to face housing discrimination and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) activists are subject to threats and attacks.

Belgrade-based daily Vecernje Novosti today writes that it is no novelty that there is a strong will in Belgrade to protect its people in the event of escalation of violence in Kosovo, adding that the military top of Serbia regularly informed all previous KFOR commanders of their determination to ensure the security of their citizens.

The editor-in-chief of the Pristina daily Koha Ditore Agron Bajrami told Belgrade based daily Danas that the murder of Ivanovic is a terrible crime that will have a profound effect not only on the situation between the Kosovo Serbs in the North, but throughout Kosovo.

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic says that her government will provide any possible assistance in investigating the murder of Oliver Ivanovic, B92 reports.

In an interview for Radio Free Europe in the wake of the killing of the Serb politician in Kosovo, Brnabic pointed out that if Serbia was not allowed to participate in the investigation, it would launch one of its own.

Chairperson of the Serbian Assembly Committee for Kosovo and Metohija, Milovan Drecun said the investigation of Oliver Ivanovic’s murder should go in two directions, toward Kardi Veseli and Washington, Serbian media widely covered.

Drecun said the current investigation shows it is about a well-planned and unfortunately efficiently carried out brutal murder of Oliver Ivanovic, and according to him professionals were involved.