Kosovo's parliament adopted the first laws of the newly-born Kosovar republic, among them a law on the foundation of Kosovo's foreign ministry, Agence France-Presse (AFP) said, as reported by Dnevnik daily on February 20 2008.

The voting was broadcast live on TV.

Apart from the law on the foundation of Kosovo's foreign ministry, texts on passports and citizenship, on the foundation of a Kosovo police, on the special protection of cultural heritage areas and of Orthodox churches and monasteries and on municipalities' local autonomy and borders were adopted, Dnevnik daily said.

The foreign ministry will be a new institution in Kosovo and will help establish relations with friendly countries and develop economy, Kosovo prime minister Hashim Thaci told Kosovo members of parliament before the voting.