Albanian Language Media:

• Hoti: LDK remains committed to the creation of stable institutions (RTK)
• Haxhiu: Assembly Speaker belongs to the winning political party (RTK)
• Kosnett: Kosovo and Serbia must return to table of talks (RTK)
• Source: Visa liberalisation for Kosovo not in this year’s agenda (G. Express)
• Analysts, if there is no LVV-LDK agreement, a transitory government is required (RTK) 

Serbian Language Media:

• Serbian List reacts to statements of Pristina officials (RTS)
• Raska-Prizren Eparchy Bishop Teodosije on Todosijevic’s verdict (KoSSev, Raska-Prizren Eparchy)
• Belgrade – Pristina dialogue a topic of the Berlin conference (Kosovo Online, RTK)
• Vucic spoke with Merkel: Revocation of tariffs, then dialogue (Tanjug, Radio KIM)
• Director of the Ibar HE Gazivode: Pristina’s move would not jeopardize the power supply of Serbs in the north (Vecernje Novosti)
• Vuletic: Solution to the issue of Kosovo through compromise (Kosovo Online, RTS)
• Silvana Arsovic: I am not responsible, I have suffered enough (Vecernje Novosti, Blic)
• Vlajic: Indictment in Ivanovic’s case result of public pressure and legal deadlines (KoSSev)

International:

• Serbia Exploring Possibility of Purchasing Russian MC – 21 (Sputnik) 
• Kosovo Court Jails Ex-Serb Minister for Ethnic Hatred (AP/NYT)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Green Politics for the Western Balkans? (Balkan Insight)
• Life in a Kosovo village in the 1970s (Prishtina Insight)

Albanian Language Media

Hoti: LDK remains committed to the creation of stable institutions (RTK)

Member of the leadership of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) Avdullah Hoti, took to Facebook to inform about the details of the meeting of the Parliamentary Group of his political party. “We discussed the recent developments. LDK remains committed to creation of exclusively stable institutions, in accordance with the Constitution, which would execute the accorded governing program,” Hoti wrote. 

Haxhiu: Assembly Speaker belongs to the winning political party (RTK)

Albulena Haxhiu, elected MP from the Vetevendosje Movement (LVV), said the post of the Assembly Speaker belongs to the winning political party. Speaking about the stumbling on the reach of coalition for co-governance with the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), she said that except for the post of the Prime Minister, they will be leading with the legislative as well. 

Haxhiu explained that they did not agree with LDK to include the post of the President in the agreement.  

Kosnett: Kosovo and Serbia must return to table of talks (RTK)

The United States Ambassador to Kosovo, Philip Kosnett, said in an interview to RTK today that the time has come for political representatives in Kosovo to distance themselves from traditional policies and start thinking about how to build a state of peace, justice and prosperity for future generations.

Kosnett said the Serbian List is a political reality in Kosovo and that the rights of all communities need to be respected.

Kosnett said Kosovo and Serbia must return to the table of talks, because through the normalisation of relations both countries would attract more foreign investments.

Kosnett said the United States would consider any agreement between Kosovo and Serbia, including the adjustment of territories, but only if it is supported by both sides.

Source: Visa liberalisation for Kosovo not in this year’s agenda (G. Express)

An unnamed European Union official told Gazeta Express that visa liberalisation for Kosovo is not expected to be in the agenda of the European Council by the end of the year. 

“Discussions on visa liberalisation for Kosovo are at the technical level within the Council. I cannot speculate when this will reach the ministerial level or when a decision can be taken,” the source added. 

Gazeta Express says that the issue doesn’t seem to be a priority for Finland either, which currently presides over the EU. 

Virpi Kankare from the Finnish Foreign Ministry said there is no additional information except to confirm that visa liberalisation criteria need to be fulfilled and that the decision is with the Council.

Analysts, if there is no LVV-LDK agreement, a transitory government is required (RTK) 

Despite their agreement on the governing program, Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) and the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) do not find it easy to divide the political posts. 

Political experts assess that lack of agreement on the distribution of posts is disappointing for the electorate of both political parties. They consider that if these two political entities do not reach an agreement soon, a transitory government would save Kosovo from the political stalemate. 

Despite their promises that they will make their governing coalition official immediately after the certification of elections, officials from both political parties do not manage to reach an agreement even a week after the certification. 

The main obstacle is disagreement on division of political posts. 

Political analyst Blerim Burjani considers that LVV and LDK’s disagreement for division of the political posts is disappointing for the electorate of both parties. According to him, if these two entities do not manage to reach an agreement to co-govern, a transitory government would be the right solution, in order to complete some tasks which according to him, cannot wait. “Perhaps the best solution, to avoid extraordinary elections, would be creation of a transitory government, so a government that would be reforming and would have the vote of the current parliament, which means the MPs who won the mandate, and respect the mandate of a transitory government of a one year period or at least nine months,” Burjani said. 

Expert of the Constitution of Kosovo Mazllum Baraliu said the two political parties should reach agreement and start governing as soon as possible.

“The two political parties should speak to the voice of reason and agree without major and anti-constitutional demands. They should reach coalition and start governing, as many obligations are left in half from the previous government and there are many problems related to the budget, which has a legal deadline,” Baraliu said. 

“Electorate of these two political parties did not give them the mandate or trust to make political calculations and political trade to make irrational and undeserved demands, which in no way should have entered calculations of this agreement,” Baraliu said. 

Serbian Language Media

Serbian List reacts to statements of Pristina officials (RTS)

Serbian people and Serbian List (SL) will always condemn all crimes, regardless of who has committed them and ethnic background of the victims, however, we all feel insulted that those who speak about alleged crimes, at the very moment give statements before the courts about monstrous crimes committed against the Serbs, but also against Albanians and are not punished yet,” Serbian List said in a statement.

It added that “the fake moralists from Pristina by talking about the crimes want to blur the fact that Kosovo judiciary, by unfounded, shameful and dangerous verdict brought back verbal delict for Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija.”

SL also recalled that “Hashim Thaci, Vlora Citaku, Behgjet Pacolli and others never condemned any crime against the Serbs, neither murdered harvesters in Staro Gracko, nor killed Serbian children in (Gorazdevac) and workers of Belacevac mine (Obilic).”

The SL added “(Albanian politicians) speak about reconciliation, while on the other hand did not condemn hate speech and lies that Halit Berani made in 2004, along with the Albanian media, and incited ethnic cleansing of the Serbs in March pogrom.”

Serbian List also reminded that “back in 2017 a group of Serbian non-governmental organizations filed charges against Daut Haradinaj over his statement “there would be no Serbs in Kosovo” however the court did not take any action regarding the charges, let alone made a verdict.”

The court, as Serbian List pointed out, did not undertake a single activity against Flora Brovina either, when she falsely accused the Serbs, speaking at the Kosovo Assembly, about the rapes and used on this occasion photos from a porno movie. SL added that up to date, there is no response as to who is responsible for beating up Serbian MPs, ministries and mayors in Mitrovica North on March 26.

Raska-Prizren Eparchy Bishop Teodosije on Todosijevic’s verdict (KoSSev, Raska-Prizren Eparchy)

Bishop of Raska-Prizren Teodosije was deeply appalled by the verdict of the Basic Court in Pristina against a former minister in the Kosovo government and current deputy, Ivan Todosijevic who was punished with two years of imprisonment for his verbal statement, KoSSev portal reports.

It is “draconian,“ Bishop Teodosije said, stressing that the “verbal delict“ is bringing us back to “the darkest times of the communist dictatorship.”

“With all due respect for all war and post-war victims in Kosovo and Metohija, it is unacceptable for Serbs to be draconianly punished on one hand, while at the same time members the former KLA, who are suspected of numerous crimes against non-Albanians but also their own compatriots, not only remain untouchable, but are treated as heroes, despite the most severe expressions of ethnic and religious intolerance against the Serbian people,” Bishop Teodosije said.

“Not to mention blatantly racist statements against our people and harsh insults of Serbian religious feelings and dignity in certain Kosovo media. Double standards have no place in a legal society anywhere in the world including here. That is why our people see this verdict as one of the forms of pressure and intimidation,” the Bishop wrote in a statement.

“The treatment of Ivan Todosijevic’s statement as a verbal delict unfortunately brings us back to the darkest times of the communist dictatorship and opens the space for further ethnic discrimination. In this respect, we sincerely hope that this verdict will be quashed in appeal process.”

“Once again, in countless occasions, we appeal on everyone to refrain from inflammatory rhetoric and work to build peace and good neighborly cooperation for the benefit of all citizens,” the Bishop Teodosije said.

See at: https://bit.ly/2OS5P38

Belgrade – Pristina dialogue a topic of the Berlin conference (Kosovo Online, RTK)

The office for Kosovo and Metohija announced today that ”Balkan Dialogues” meeting will be held today in Berlin, where the European perspective of the Western Balkans and the possibilities of making positive progress in Belgrade – Pristina relations will be discussed. 

The organizer of the meeting, the East-West Institute of New York together with Belgrade Fund for Political Excellence and the Munich Security Conference will gather many political leaders from the region, as well as influential diplomats from the US, EU, Germany and representatives of the academic community. 

According to the Office for KiM, Kosovo will be the central theme of the conference, to which two of the four plenary sessions will be dedicated, and its director, Marko Djuric, will attend the gathering, as announced. 

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci will be the main panellist at the conference in Berlin with the dialogue being in the spotlight, given that for several months there has been no discussion of continuing dialogue, which is crucial for Euro-Atlantic integration, RTK reports.

Vucic spoke with Merkel: Revocation of tariffs, then dialogue (Tanjug, Radio KIM)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in a phone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel discussed impressions from a recent meeting in Paris and possibilities to continue Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, Tanjug news agency reports.

During the conversation, Vucic said it is important that Germany and Europe maintain stances it is necessary for Pristina authorities to revoke the tariffs on goods from central Serbia, so the dialogue could continue.

He also said Serbia is committed to the dialogue, led under the EU’s mediation, intending to reach a compromise, mutually acceptable solution and ensure stability in the region.

Vucic underlined that Serbia with the same aim – stability of the region, will continue promoting politics of peace and cooperation, Tanjug news agency said.

Director of the Ibar HE Gazivode: Pristina’s move would not jeopardize the power supply of Serbs in the north (Vecernje Novosti)

Kosovo Transmission Network (KOSTT) signed on Tuesday in Tirana an agreement with Transmission System Operator of Albania. 

According to Belgrade based daily Vecernje Novosti this was Pristina’s another gross violation of the Brussels Agreement with the knowledge of the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSOE).

Director of the public company Ibar HE Gazivode Srdjan Vulovic confirmed to Vecernje Novosti that the latest Pristina’s move would not jeopardize the power supply of Serbs in the north. 

“We’re getting most of the electricity from central Serbia, through the transmission lines from Novi Pazar. With the aforementioned “signature on the agreement”, by which they want to enter the energy bloc with Albania, nothing will change on the ground, because both Gazivode and Valac are in our hands. Of course, I would not rule out that their next step is to attempt to physically take over these resources,” Vulovic told Vecernje Novosti. 

According to the daily the agreement stipulates Kosovo becoming a separate energy area, but a precondition for this wax the formation of two Serbian companies in northern Kosovo, which was persistently being prevented.

However, if Kosovo officially enters the energy bloc with Albania – the responsibility of central Serbia for the losses they incur will immediately stop. Before Europe, Albania will assume full responsibility, reported Vecernje Novosti. 

“For years, we’re not counting on energy from the territory of Kosovo. After all, they are not some big power producers. Their power plants are mostly old, and the condition they’re in is unknown. It’s good that there is a potential in coal, but Serbia is “staying on top” without energy from Kosovo,” interlocutor of Novosti said.

Vuletic: Solution to the issue of Kosovo through compromise (Kosovo Online, RTS)

Sociologist Vladimir Vuletic told Radio Television of Serbian (RTS) that Serbia’s position is clear, and that Serbia is keen to solve the Kosovo problem by a compromise, Kosovo Online quotes. 

Commenting on the statement by US Ambassador to Kosovo Philip Kosnett, Vuletic says everything is clear and nothing is new.

“Serbia’s position is quite clear and Serbia cares about resolution of the Kosovo problem, and it has very clearly set a model how to come to that solution and that it is a compromise. It is just a matter of what any party by what we call a compromise entails. Nothing is new here, nor does the US attitude differ,” says Vuletic.

He recalls that “there has been an indication earlier that they will not oppose any kind of territorial delimitation, and these shifts are not new.”

“Sometimes it looks like an announcement of a border adjustment, it’s something that time will give its judgment on,” says a sociologist.

Silvana Arsovic: I am not responsible, I have suffered enough (Vecernje Novosti, Blic) 

“I don’t want media attention. I don’t want to be photographed for the media and all that I’m going through is affecting my health. Not because I feel responsible for anything, but because I’m exposed to unprecedented media and every other pressure, and I’ve suffered enough”.

Former secretary of Oliver Ivanovic Silvana Arsovic said this, conveyed to Belgrade based daily Vecernje Novosti by Dr. Nebojsa Srbljak from the coronary unit of the ICU of the Clinical Hospital Centre North Mitrovica, where Arsovic was hospitalized since Tuesday.

The daily recalled that Albanian media reported about Arsovic passing away. 

“We tried to hide from Silvana that Albanians are running an inhumane campaign in the media, but we failed,” Ksenija Bozovic, Vice President of CI SDP told Vecernje Novosti. 

She and other Silvana’s acquaintances described this single mother and long-time friend of Ivanovic as a very loyal to the late leader of CI SDP, which is why they opined that her indictment was unreasonable.

“Silvana needs peace, not harassment” said Milan Ivanovic, Director of CHC and explained that Arsovic was exposed to long-term stress because she was accused of something that is incomprehensible and her health was impaired.

Vlajic: Indictment in Ivanovic’s case result of public pressure and legal deadlines (KoSSev)

“Instead of cooking one dish, the chief prosecutor started making some sort of stew in which he put everything he could,“ this is how lawyer Nebojsa Vlajic described the recounted indictment against the persons suspected of involvement in the assassination of Oliver Ivanovic.

The announcement of the indictment before the indictment was delivered is a serious exception made under public pressure, Vlajic told KoSSev portal’s “Propitivanje” talk-show.

The recounted indictment, which is available to the public, does not bring any new details to what the public knew from the special prosecutor’s media statements so far, Vlajic added.

“I am interested in the reasoning of the indictment. In that part of the indictment, which has not yet been published, we have to see what specifically the accused persons are charged for and how is the public prosecutor proving it,“ Vlajic said, emphasizing that the participants in the process – and the public – have the right to see the evidence.

According to him, a way the public learned about the indictment – through a statement representing a recounted indictment, which was not handed over to the suspects in its entirety, is a “serious and rare exception“.

See at: https://bit.ly/34Txgzm

International 

Serbia Exploring Possibility of Purchasing Russian MC – 21 (Sputnik) 

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Russian President Vladimir Putin met on 4 December at Bocharov Ruchey state residence in Sochi.

This was the first meeting of the presidents attended by the Serbian ambassador to Moscow, Miroslav Lazansky, a former Sputnik’s columnist and radio host. Summing up, he noted that “the visit was brief but efficient”.

According to the Serbian ambassador, the meeting covered several topics from energy to the Kosovo issue, from military-technical cooperation to Russian support for Serbia in all possible international forums, especially the UN Security Council.

See at: https://bit.ly/34Xbfzo

Kosovo Court Jails Ex-Serb Minister for Ethnic Hatred (AP/NYT)

A Kosovo court has sentenced a former ethnic Serb minister to two years in prison for inciting ethnic hatred.

The Pristina court said Thursday that Ivan Todosijevic incited national, racial, religious and ethnic hatred when he denied a massacre of Kosovo civilians in Recak in 1999, which prompted NATO to step in and stop the war, and he called ethnic Albanian independence fighters “terrorists.”

See at: https://nyti.ms/33OcL5K

Development/Humanitarian

Green Politics for the Western Balkans? (Balkan Insight)

The earthquakes that continue to roil Albania as of this writing, the largest of which caused the deaths of 51 people and left thousands more displaced, has rightfully re-focussed attention on the intersection of politics and the environment in the Western Balkans – that is, the trend in which a lack of political accountability has for years exacerbated the economic and human costs of natural disasters and a changing climate.

The events in Albania, for instance, have brought to the fore questions concerning illegal or otherwise haphazard construction in the country, but this is very much a regional phenomenon.

See at: https://bit.ly/2RnkuVE

Life in a Kosovo village in the 1970s (Prishtina Insight) 

In 1976, photographer Ann Christine Eek, then in her early twenties, took a trip to Kosovo to document rural life in Isniq, a small village near Decan in the Dukagjini region in western Kosovo. Eek, now 71, studied photography at Fotoskolan in Stockholm but lives in Oslo and has been working as a freelance photographer and photojournalist since 1972. 

On her first trip to Kosovo in 1976, she accompanied Berit Backer, an anthropologist and human rights activist. During their seven-week stay in Isniq, Backer, who was fluent in Albanian and already familiar with the locals conducted interviews and studied their traditions, including family hierarchies and structures, while Eek took countless images of life in and outside of Isniq’s kullas – houses built from stone that are typical of the Dukagjini area.

Ann Christine Eek’s photographs from her trip will now grace the white walls of the Gallery of the Ministry of Culture from Thursday December 5 until mid-January 2020, and is set to provide a new perspective of Kosovo’s rural life in the 1970s. The exhibition is the last of the 2019 program from the Gallery of the Ministry of Culture, whose co-ordinator, Ramosaj Shala, discovered Eek through a mutual acquaintance.

See at: https://bit.ly/38d8495