Foreign Minister of Slovakia Miroslav Lajchak stated today in Belgrade that the normalization of relations with Kosovo is a condition for successful integration of Serbia in the European Union. This does not mean recognition of Kosovo but rather, the implementation of mutual agreements and relations.

 The Council of Europe in cooperation with the Constitutional Court of Kosovo, organized an international conference in Pristina on the “Interpretation and implementation of the European Convention for human rights by the Constitutional Courts in Western Balkans.” In addition to the judges of the Constitutional Court of Kosovo, those of the Constitutional Courts of Croatia, Albania and Montenegro also participated in the conference, whilst Serbian representatives failed to attend.

Mayors of Serb majority municipalities, Novo Brdo/Novobërdë, Ranilug/Ranillug and Parteš–Pasjane/Partesh-Pasjanë, held a meeting yesterday to discuss their concerns regarding the economic, security and other general issues affecting the Kosovo-Morava region.

Drafters of the Law for the specialized chambers and the office of the specialized prosecutor have foreseen the possibility that the President, the Prime Minister and the President of the Assembly could be among the eventual suspects.

Serbia’s general elections are expected to be held also in Kosovo, and OSCE will be most probably requested to offer technical help.

There will be no local elections of Serbia, being that Brussels agreement obliges Kosovo Serbs to hold their elections according to Kosovo’s election system.

Head of the Council for Kosovo at the Serbian Assembly, Milovan Drecun, told Belgrade media that Serbia’s general elections will be held in Kosovo, no matter eventual obstacles by Pristina.

The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) reviewed the implementation of the Stand-By agreement with Kosovo which enables it to disburse €35 million. The decision was taken at the meeting of the IMF Executive Board on 15 January. According to Kosovo Finance Minister, Avdullah Hoti, the funds will be available by next week and that the decision came after fulfillment of the IMF criteria.

The Ambassador of the United Kingdom in Kosovo, Ruairi O’Conell is doing something that no Kosovo politician did, except during the election campaign. Today, he has set the time between 14:00 to 16:00 hours to discuss with Kosovo people on Facebook. The Embassy has invited Kosovo people not to miss the opportunity to make questions. O’Connell speaks fluent Albanian. “Don’t miss the opportunity!

The US Embassy informed that neither the US Ambassador to Serbia Michael Kirby nor any other US official have ever connected recognition of Kosovo or its membership in the UN with Serbia’s membership in the EU.

The Prince of Wales is expected to visit Kosovo this March as part of his tour to several Western Balkans countries. During the Kosovo visit, Prince Charles will meet the most senior local leaders.

“Who would have thought that on an average Kosovar day, eight years after the independence, rightfully or not, one party would see the other as Milosevic’s regime, while the other would see the first one as ISIS force,” writes Lumir Abdixhiku today and adds that clashes in Kosovo have reached very far. He does not see a calm future of Kosovo and considers that clashes among the political parties would not end naturally without an intervention from abroad. “As far as internal intervention is concerned, I have lost all hopes.