Thaci

The pre-trial judge at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers, Nicolas Guillou, extended detention for Hashim Thaci ahead of his trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed during the 1998-99 conflict in Kosovo.

Judge Guillou turned down a defence request for the release of Thaci, who was one of the wartime leaders of the guerrilla Kosovo Liberation Army, KLA.

Prime Minister Albin Kurti on Wednesday dismissed Interior Minister Agim Veliu amid a dispute over whether to impose a state of emergency which has pitted the country's top political leaders against each other.

"They are and will remain part of Kosovo. This is a closed issue for me," the Kosovo president has told Tirana based News24 broadcaster

Thaci also recalled a meeting with Swedish official Carl Bildt who "presented to him the option of Kosovo's partition."

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said on Tuesday during an official visit to Kosovo that Vienna will support any agreement that is reached between Pristina and Belgrade, even if it includes what Kosovo President Hashim Thaci has described as a 'border correction'.

Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj said on Friday that no one should question the competences of the assembly after Kosovo President Hashim Thaci asked the Constitutional Court whether an international agreement signed by him would be considered ratified.

As he said, he will do his best and fight to make it happen.

"I want to believe that Serbia will have enough strength in the upcoming period, if there is a willingness to compromise on the other side, to come up with a solution that will be acceptable to its citizens, as far as Kosovo and Metohija is concerned."

And Thaci ordered the head of the Serbian Government's Office for Kosovo and Metohija dragged through the streets, in order to humiliate him, Albanian language website gazetaexpress.com writes on Tuesday, citing "domestic and international sources."

"I think that 2018 is a crucial year and should be a decisive one. Otherwise, we will drag on for decades," Thaci said.