Kosovo Albanians

If the EU closes the door on Kosovo "all Albanians in the region will live in one unified state in order to proceed with integration into the European family."

This is what Kosovo President Hashim Thaci has told Radio Free Europe.

BELGRADE - Kosovo President Hasim Taci is running one of the largest crime groups in Kosovo-Metohija, Blic reported on Monday, quoting secret documents on the ethnic Albanian mafia in Serbia's southern province.

With opposition to the deal still strong - and a possible lack of MPs' votes to ratify the agreement on demarcation with Montenegro - Kosovo President Hashim Thaci on Wednesday urged the country's parliament and government to pass the deal so that Kosovo can meet the criteria needed for visa liberalization with the EU.

For the second time in a month, Kosovo President Hashim Thaci has taken to Facebook to announce that Serbia would be sued for genocide.

Thaci's latest threat comes after his failed attempt to form an army in Kosovo, and ahead of the raising of the first indictments by the Specialist Court for KLA crimes, expected to happen by the end of the year, Tanjug said in its report on Tuesday.

For the second time in a month, Kosovo President Hashim Thaci has taken to Facebook to announce that Serbia would be sued for genocide.

The Belgrade-based daily Blic has started publishing articles which it says reveal "secret data about the Albanian mafia in Kosovo."

In the first installment of a series of articles, the newspaper writes that Kosovo President Hashim Thaci "heads one of the biggest criminal organizations."

PRISTINA - German Vice Chancellor and FM Sigmar Gabriel, who is visiting Pristina on Thursday, reiterated a call to Belgrade and Pristina to normalise relations and continue dialogue.

Speaking after a meeting with Kosovo PM Isa Mustafa, Gabriel said peaceful relations between Serbia and Kosovo were a precondition for EU membership for both sides, Reuters reported.

PRISTINA - A Kosovo army can only be formed through constitutional change and with consent of all those living in Kosovo, US Senator John McCain said in the Kosovo assembly on Thursday.

Kosovo's long-term security is tied with political relations with the US, NATO and international partners, the RTS quoted McCain as saying.

AP photo, Visar Kryeziu

Kosovo Minister for Dialogue Edita Tahiri says that Belgrade-Pristina negotiations in Brussels could continue "only when Ramush Haradinaj returns to Kosovo."

The ethnic Albanian politician and a former KLA leader, wanted in Serbia on war crimes charges, is currently in France, unable to leave that country pending a decision on Serbia's extradition request.

Initiated by the opposition Initiative for Kosovo, Nisma, Kosovo opposition parties are trying to attract MPs from all parties to support a new no-confidence motion in Isa Mustafa's coalition government.