Dragan Đukanović from the Center for Foreign Policy, ahead of the visit of the US vice-president Joseph Biden, says that new conditions should not be expected, however the US will insist in acceleration of the implementation of the so far reached agreements in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina.

The leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) Ramush Haradinaj, spoke about the visit of the U.S. Vice-President Joe Biden to Kosovo. He did not see a problem on the fact that Biden would not meet the opposition parties. “The visit of the U.S. Vice-President, Joe Biden is an honor for Kosovo, while the Institutions of Kosovo are the discussing party. This visit is also an honor for the opposition,” Haradinaj said.

A commemoration to murdered Ivan Jovović (19) and Pantelija Dakić (12), who were killed by unknown perpetrators on 13 August 2003, while bathing at Bistrica River, will be held tomorrow at the local church in the village Goraždevac, Peć municipality. Four other children were severely wounded too, however no one is held responsible for this crime until today. Following its deployment to Kosovo EULEX took over the case from UNMIK, hence the investigation was later closed due to the lack of evidence.

The last step (of Serbia) on its path to the EU has to be full normalization of relations with Kosovo, which to certain extend implies recognition, said Shkelzen Maliqi, the advisor to the Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama.

Statement of the Serbian prime minister designate, Aleksandar Vučić, that “recognition of Kosovo would cut the Gordian knot, however it won’t be done”, Maliqi interprets actually as announcement that recognition could take place in the end.

The vice-president of the Serbian Radical Party (SRS), Milorad Mirčić, today said that radicals fear for Serbia’s future because of the growing pressure on Belgrade to recognize Kosovo as soon as possible, distant itself from the Republic of Srpska and amend its Constitution.

“The fear is bigger in the eve of the announced visit of the US vice-president Joseph Biden, and whenever Biden visits Serbia it is conditioned with giving up some parts of our territory,” said Mirčić to journalists in the Serbian Assembly.

The European Union Office in Kosovo has expressed concern over the recent return of violent actions in Kosovo such as the attack on Kosovo Assembly building last week. “Violence has no place in a democratic society and as such is not acceptable for the EU,” said the EU in a statement.

In a recent article, the US-based magazine Power Engineering International wrote that Kosovo is in urgent need of replacing the old Kosova A power plant that causes a high level of pollution with a new plant that would also eliminate ongoing energy problems. Kosovo government has expressed confidence that the New Kosovo coal-fired power plant will win final approval for funding from the World Bank.

Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic and Patriarch Irinej of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) met on Wednesday in Belgrade.

They discussed "current social topics and agreed that coordination was necessary in joint activities aimed at protecting national interests."

U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden will visit Belgrade and Pristina at the beginning of next week, the White House announced on Tuesday.

During an August 15-17 tour of the Balkans, Biden will hold meetings with the president and the prime minister of Serbia and speak with the Kosovo authorities, Reuters has reported, quoting a White House statement.

The statement "did not say what subjects would be discussed," the agency noted.

Strengthening the institutional organization of Serbs in Kosovo is a key priority of the new government of Serbia, which this fall will begin the process of better organization of public services in Kosovo, said the head of the Serbian Government Office for Kosovo and Metohija Marko Đurić.