Albanian Foreign Minister, Ditmir Bushari, in his address to the 23rd OSCE Ministerial Council taking place in Hamburg spoke about regional cooperation and Kosovo. “We have made good progress in regional cooperation with Western Balkans countries. There are six countries in this format and we look forward to Kosovo having a seat at this table as a participating state,” said Bushati. He encouraged the upcoming Austrian chairmanship of the OSCE to “explore ways of ensuring that this organisation does not discuss about Kosovo, without Kosovo.”

Former Enlargement Commissioner Štefan Füle told an audience today (7 December) that if the EU distances itself from the Western Balkans, other geopolitical players will immediately seize the opportunity to assert their influence over the region.

The ex-Commissioner, who now works as a special envoy to the Balkans for the Czech ministry of foreign affairs, spoke to the BALKANS – boosting connections on the road to the EU conference, organised by the Friends of Europe, a Brussels think tank.

The Council of the European Union and the European Parliament have come to terms over the mechanism that would allow to suspend visa-free agreements which needed to be done before Ukraine, Georgia and Kosovo could be granted visa-free travel rights, a source in the EU Council told TASS.

"Yes, during inter-institutional consultations a compromise has been reached on a mechanism to suspend visa-free accords," the source said. Now this decision needs to be approved at a European Parliament session.

Kosovo’s Foreign Minister Enver Hoxhaj hailed today in a press conference a letter the government of Kosovo received from NATO Secretary General saying it opens a new stage in Kosovo’s relations with the alliance. Hoxhaj said strengthening of interaction with NATO will contribute to stability and security in Kosovo. This, according to Hoxhaj, will also prepare Kosovo for meeting all preconditions for joining NATO’s Partnership for Peace programme.

Kosovo’s Minister of Internal Affairs, Skender Hyseni, hosted a meeting with the Jordan Minister of Internal  Affairs, Salameh Hammad. Hyseni requested intensification of the cooperation especially in exchange of information on foreign fighters.

Hyseni informed the guest on the progress reached in Kosovo, work of security and rule of law institutions, regional and international cooperation against organized crime and terrorism.

Experts estimate for daily Danas that the election of the new president of the United States, Donald Trump, unlikely leads to a radical change in foreign policy of Russia, including changing attitudes of Kremlin towards Serbia.

Commenting on the recent statements of some Ukrainian officials that it is possible that Russia will recognize the independence of Kosovo in talks with the United States in order to maintain its power in the Crimea, the familiar with the situation say that such a scenario is unrealistic.

The Special Prosecution of Kosovo is investigating “Kumanovo” case, however it is waiting for the paperwork of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) authorities in order to proceed with further investigation.

The case has been under investigation by the prosecutor of the Special Prosecution Ali Rexha, for two years now. “I am waiting for the paperwork which concerns the investigation that I have requested from FYROM,” Rexha said.

The Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Kosovo, Ruairi O’Connell, said during his speech at the opening of the Anti-corruption Week in Kosovo that corruption and nepotism in Kosovo should be fought. He said that no one should be employed based on family connections.

Vice President of the Socialist Party of Serbia Branko Ružić told Austrian Presse that Serbia doesn't have to recognize the independence of Kosovo, but it will become a full member of the EU "with exclusion of the territory of Kosovo". He notes that since Slovakia and Spain are not recognizing Kosovo then Serbia does not have to also, when it joins the EU.

Bosnia and Herzegovina during the mandate of this government cannot and will not recognize Kosovo's independence, said today the Minister of Foreign Affairs Igor Crnadak, but expressed willingness to talk with Pristina about simplification of visa procedures and mutual recognition of documents.

"Our decision is that we cannot and will not recognize Kosovo within the mandate of this government on the BiH level, but life must go on in a normal way as much as possible," said Crnadak for Anadolu news agency.