Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: We did not give up on reciprocity with Serbia (media)
• Protest against Open Balkans in front of Albanian embassy in Prishtina (Kallxo)
• Kosovo Defense Minister: We are monitoring fires (Klan Kosova)
• COVID-19: 48 new cases, no deaths (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Politika: Ten countries ready to withdraw recognition of Kosovo’s independence (Kosovo Online)
• Vucic: Serbia must be open, hatred towards Albanians brings nothing good (Politika, Beta, N1)
• UNESCO lists reasons why Serbian monasteries in Kosovo are endangered (Radio KIM, Euronews Serbia)
• Visegrad Group welcomes Open Balkans Initiative (N1)
• Petkovic: Albin Kurti threatens and ruins the dialogue (Radio Mitrovica sever)
• Petkovic with Pinter on situation of Serbs, SOC in Kosovo, dialogue and ‘Open Balkans’ (Kosovo-online)
• One case of Covid-19 registered in Serbian areas on Saturday (Radio KIM)

Opinion:

• Bajrami: Open Balkan of the Balkans people (Koha)
• Palokaj: Open Balkans cannot be built with deniers of genocide (Koha)

International:

• Trenin: Balkans are not a prime battlefield in the Russia-West confrontation (EWB)

Albanian Language Media  

Kurti: We did not give up on reciprocity with Serbia (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said today that Kosovo will introduce reciprocity measures against Serbia. “In December 2011, we adopted a resolution for full political, economic and trade reciprocity. I presented this principle in our meetings in Brussels. My principal deputy, Bislimi, prepared a document listing the 11 violations that Serbia makes against Kosovo. We have told the international factors about this. In the first 100 days in government, we have had a new director of Customs and we need to make the best preparations so that we don’t fail. If we don’t implement it in its entirety then the concept itself will die,” Kurti told a session of the Kosovo Assembly. “We want to have a full and accurate implementation. This is not vengeance; we believe that this is a sound principle between countries that derives from the concept of equality. The goal of reciprocity is not to have more barriers, but rather to eliminate them. We want to do it in a way that it cannot be undone. We will introduce reciprocity, we won’t give up on it and we will do this when we are ready”.

Kosovo Defense Minister: We are monitoring fires (Klan Kosova)

Kosovo’s Minister of Defense, Armend Mehaj, said on Sunday that there was an operation in the Rugova region in the western part of Kosovo to control and extinguish the wildfires there. “The operation was carried out today in coordination and cooperation with KFOR helicopter units and the firefighting units from the municipality of Peja,” Mehaj said. “There are outstanding efforts to locate the new wildfires especially in the evening and as a result of the strong winds”.

Mehaj said KSF units were ready to react against fires in the village of Shiroka in the municipality of Suhareka “but the fire was fortunately controlled and extinguished by the civilian authorities there”.

Mehaj also said that the situation is being monitored and that the Kosovo Security Force are ready to engage with all capacities.

Protest against Open Balkans in front of Albanian embassy in Prishtina (Kallxo)

Members of the Movement for Democracy held a protest in front of the Albanian embassy in Prishtina today in opposition to Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama’s support for the Open Balkans initiative and his relations with Serbian leaders. Activists displayed posters showing Rama shaking hands with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, pictures of Vucic with former Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic, and images depicting the Serbian genocide against Albanians in Kosovo. “We expressed our dissatisfaction with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, his ties with Vucic, the Serbian criminal who committed massacres in Kosovo and we presented facts about Vucic’s ties with Milosevic. We also oppose his initiative for a Balkans Mini-Schengen,” an activist said.

COVID-19: 48 new cases, no deaths (media)

Kosovo has recorded 48 new cases of COVID-19 and no deaths from the virus in the last 24 hours. Five persons recovered from the virus during this time. There are 582 active cases of COVID-19 in Kosovo.

Serbian Language Media

Politika: Ten countries ready to withdraw recognition of Kosovo’s independence (Kosovo Online)

Belgrade based daily Politika reports today that ten countries are ready to withdraw their decisions on the recognition of Kosovo, if Pristina starts again with the recognition process, and that it is about “very strong guarantees that these countries have given to Belgrade”, cited Kosovo Online. 

Daily Politika states that it was assumed that these are countries from Africa and Asia, but their names were not mentioned, primarily due to the possible pressure to which they would be exposed by the United States, reported the portal.

Vucic: Serbia must be open, hatred towards Albanians brings nothing good (Politika, Beta, N1)

Serbia must be open, ready for cooperation and embrace every chance for economic growth, infrastructural connections and exchange of ideas, which is why the “Open Balkans” project represents a great opportunity, Serbia’s President, Aleksandar Vucic, wrote for Politika.

Vucic stated that there was no important step in the Balkans that would take the region forward so far and that this is the first time that someone has launched something that is good for all countries in the region.

Serbia still does not understand that relations in the region are changing and that hatred, most often towards Albanians, does not bring anything good.

„We must be open, ready to cooperate, to embrace every chance for economic growth, infrastructural connections and exchange of ideas. That is why the ‘Open Balkans’ project represents a great opportunity, but also hope, responsibility and obligation to create a better and different future without waiting for anything to fall from the sky, for anyone to bring us gifts that we would pay for more than their value is,” Vucic said.

He noted that, a few days ago, he, the Macedonia’s Zoran Zaev and Albania’s Edi Rama signed three documents in Skopje, expressing commitment to work on facilitating the import, export and movement of goods between the three countries, enabling free access for workers of each country to their labor markets. They also expressed commitment to joining forces in the event of natural disasters.

“Why are we doing this?“ „Because we can’t wait, and there is no reason for us to wait for someone to do it for us,” he wrote.

He added that all three countries want to become members of the EU and to participate as equal players in the huge common European market, in an area without borders for people, goods, capital and services.

He also invited other countries in the region to join this initiative.

See at: https://bit.ly/3ynejnh

UNESCO lists reasons why Serbian monasteries in Kosovo are endangered (Radio KIM, Euronews Serbia)

Serbian medieval monuments in Kosovo, monasteries Visoki Decani, Gracanica and Pec Patriarchate as well as Holy Mother of Ljevis Church by UNESCO’s decision have kept the status of cultural heritage in danger, Radio KIM reports citing Euronews Serbia. 

In the latest decision UNESCO said it continues to carefully monitor the situation of the four monuments by regular exchange of information with UNMIK. 

According to Euronews Serbia due to difficulties in management and preservation resulting from political instability a group of Serbian medieval monasteries have been placed on the endangered cultural heritage list. 

The threats due to which the monuments were placed on the endangered heritage list were also listed. Those include unclear legal status and legislative protection, lack of implementation of the management plan, difficulties in monitoring facilities due to political instability and post-conflict situation as well as unsatisfactory conditions of conservation and maintenance. 

What is desirable is the full and permanent protection of the facilities, as well as a stable political environment. Also, a restoration and conservation plan and the implementation of a management plan are required.

Visoki Decani Monastery 

As it was said due to complex regional security instability, KFOR is still present in Visoki Decani Monastery in order to avoid further endangerment of the locality. 

Pec Patriarchate, Holy Mother of Ljevis Church and Gracanica Monastery are also daily secured by local police forces. 

The UNESCO Committee calls for the implementation of long-term corrective measures in cooperation with UNESCO, UNMIK and local institutions.

As for the situation in Visoki Decani Monastery, the Committee stated that due to the coronavirus pandemic, in 2020 there were no interventions for the purpose of conservation. It is pointed out that the integrity and security of the locality were endangered by the construction of the main Decani-Plav road near the Special Protected Zone of Visoki Decani Monastery. The construction of the road, which began in May 2018, caused limited damage to the terrain within the protected area, which has not been returned to its original condition since then.

The Committee also pointed out that on November 8, 2020, the Implementation and Monitoring Council (IMC) which includes local authorities, representatives of the Serbian Orthodox Church and other denominations, as well as the EU, and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), reached an agreement that bypassing international road will not be part of a regional road and that bulky obstacles have been erected to prevent heavy vehicles from using them. The members of the Council undertook an obligation to ensure the monitoring of the implementation of this agreement with the support of KFOR.

The Committee further noted construction of drainage channels from the roof undertaken to prevent further damage to Pec Patriarchate caused by heavy spring and summer rains in 2019. No works on conservation have been performed in 2020 due to Covid-19 pandemic, adding the monastery was closed to visitors for most part of that year, however the process of monitoring arts on the walls, monastery’s facilities and movable art pieces have continued. 

When it comes to the Holy Mother of Ljevis Church, the Committee noted the works carried out in 2020 such as replacement of damaged lead parts on the roof as well as works on the bell tower, lower façade and stone wall. The Committee also noted it was necessary to prepare documentation for the future conservation of the walls due to capillary moisture which was a consequence of a fire set at church in March riots in 2004.  

Regarding Gracanica Monastery, the monitoring focused on monastery’s facilities, arts on the walls in the main churches and movable property, and it has been assessed there are no detrimental influences that could impact conservation of the monastery. 

Visegrad Group welcomes Open Balkans Initiative (N1)

The Visegrad Group welcomed the Open Balkans Initiative launched by the political leaders of Serbia, Albania and North Macedonia, N1 reports.

A press release of the Hungarian Foreign Ministry said that the Visegrad Group foreign ministers “hailed the mini-Schengen, a border-free travel and business zone, set up by Serbia, Albania and North Macedonia”.

“The ministers of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia said a close cooperation of those Western Balkan countries would contribute to strengthening and developing central Europe as a region”, the statement added.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and the Prime Ministers of North Macedonia and Albania, Zoran Zaev and Edi Rama launched the initiative at a meeting in the northern Serbian city of Novi Sad in October 2019. They met at a business forum in Skoplje earlier this week, signing agreements and renaming the initiative Open Balkans.

See at: https://bit.ly/3s0yPYJ

Petkovic: Albin Kurti threatens and ruins the dialogue (Radio Mitrovica sever)

”With repeated threats of introducing some kind of reciprocity towards official Belgrade, Albin Kurti directly ruins the dialogue and everything that was agreed in the agreements and openly goes in the direction of trying to destabilize the situation on the ground,” said Petar Petkovic, the statement from the Office for KiM announced, cited Radio Mitrovica sever. 

“The question of so-called reciprocity is actually a euphemism for raising new economic barriers to which Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija and Belgrade were exposed during 100 percent anti-civilization taxes. Therefore, it would be better for Kurti to dedicate himself to the implementation of the agreements reached so far, especially the formation of the Community of Serbian Municipalities, instead of such announcements of unilateral moves that directly ruin the dialogue,” it was said in the statement among other things.

The statement also referred to the latest announcement from Pristina on Covid-19 tests

”Such irresponsible statements represent the continuation of his open obstruction towards the dialogue and officials from Brussels, and how much hatred towards official Belgrade goes, testifies the latest message that Pristina will burn tests for the Covid 19 virus donated by Belgrade.”

”At the same time, bestially attacking the “Open Balkans” initiative, which should provide prosperity and new economic benefits to the citizens living in this area, Kurti once again shows all his political short-sightedness and him being stuck in the past,” reads the Office for KiM statement.

Petkovic with Pinter on situation of Serbs, SOC in Kosovo, dialogue and ‘Open Balkans’ (Kosovo-online)

Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic spoke today with Hungarian Ambassador to Serbia, Attila Pinter on “the situation of the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija, as well as the course of Belgrade-Pristina dialogue”, Kosovo-online portal reports.

Petkovic also emphasized strong relations between Serbian and Hungarian people, adding that “cooperation between the two states has never been better”.

He also informed his interlocutor about two last rounds of the Belgrade-Pristina talks in Brussels saying that Pristina demonstrated “concerning irresponsibility” as it refused to agree to the two points in the EU’s draft relating to intensifying efforts to find remaining missing persons and refraining from unilateral acts that would lead towards destabilization on the ground.

Petkovic also spoke about increased number of incidents against the Serbs in Kosovo, their properties and the Seriban Orthodox Church (SOC),

He recalled the importance of UNESCO’s decision to keep four Serbian Orthodox Church monasteries on cultural heritage in danger list, adding they require international protection.

The two interlocutors also spoke about the importance of the ‘Open Balkans’ initiative and agreed it was a historic step for an entire region.    

One case of Covid-19 registered in Serbian areas on Saturday (Radio KIM)

Out of 14 tested samples in the Serb-populated areas in Kosovo, one person was positive for Covid-19, Crisis Committee of Mitrovica North announced on Saturday, Radio KIM reports.

The new case was registered in Zubin Potok. Currently there are three active cases in Serbian areas.

Up to date a total of 6.040 persons tested positive for Covid-19 in the Serb-populated areas.

A total of 149 persons have died due to Covid-19 related complications since the outbreak of the pandemic. 

Opinion

Bajrami: Open Balkan of the Balkans people (Koha)

Koha Ditore editor-in-chief Agron Bajrami lists in an opinion piece several arguments why the Open Balkan initiative is in part damaging for Kosovo. He argues that the initiative of Albanian Prime Minister Rama, North Macedonia Prime Minister Zaev and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, in fact rivals the Berlin Process. “In Skopje, Rama, Zaev and Vucic signed agreements, which were already discussed as part of the Berlin Process and there was no agreement there mainly due to disagreements in relations between Kosovo – Serbia. Kosovo seeks equal treatment, while Serbia wants Kosovo to be treated as a territory in dispute. Berlin insists that agreements can be reached only if all parties agree. Now with the signings in Skopje, Rama, Zaev and Vucic took out Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro. They also gave a blow to the Berlin Process, by rendering very difficult if not even impossible any progress in the process led by the German government. At least not until the end of Merkel’s mandate, following whose departure the Berlin Process is expected to lose what little remaining power it has left. The project signed in Skopje is in fact more a behind-the-back strike against Merkel than it is against Kosovo!” he writes. Bajrami further says that unlike the Balkan Process, the Open Balkan initiative is neither inclusive nor coordinated among countries in the region and the European Union. 

Bajrami writes that meanwhile Serbia refuses to recognise Kosovo and works actively and openly in sabotaging Kosovo’s statehood both politically and economically. 

According to Bajrami, it is pretentious for Rama, Zaev and Vucic to speak on behalf of the Balkans while excluding not only the three other countries of the region (Kosovo, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina) but also third key factors (the European Union). “This does not seem like a project for the (democratic and prosperous) European future of the region, but rather reminds me of an old project of hegemons from Belgrade whose slogan was ‘a Balkan for the Balkans people’. I don’t find it a coincidence that the same slogan is used today by Vucic and his anti-European exponents, like Vulin, in promoting the Mini-Schengen initiative now renamed as the ‘Open Balkan’. For those that may not know, the slogan ‘a Balkan for the Balkans people’ was the main chant of the Serbian army in WWI, in 1912, when it also invaded Kosovo … and those that forget history, we know what is bound to happen to them?”

Palokaj: Open Balkans cannot be built with deniers of genocide (Koha)

Brussels-based correspondent Augustin Palokaj argues in an opinion piece that ideas such as the Berlin Process and especially the Open Balkans initiative, will not accelerate the integration of Western Balkans countries in the European Union and are not alternatives for this integration. He opines that “after major damages suffered in the useless dialogue with Serbia, Kosovo has reasons to be skeptical and extremely cautious about such regional ideas such as the one coming from Albania, North Macedonia and Serbia. Because, Belgrade is using Albania to send signals that it has nothing against the Albanians, even though this state [Serbia] has now an official position, which was justified by a court’s decision, that Serbian ministers are allowed to insult the Albanians”.

According to Palokaj, “behind Serbia’s ideas is the objective to ignore Kosovo as an entity and territory. Serbian leaders continue to ridicule Kosovo, in addition to denying it as a state and having territorial tendencies against Kosovo”.

Palokaj writes that while Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic is the undisputed leader of all Serbs in the region, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama does not have this role. “This is why Tirana in this case should be even more careful than Prishtina, although there is nothing bad with Albania and Serbia having the best possible relations, especially in trade. But Kosovo cannot be ignored, even physically, in the relations between Albania and Serbia, because Albania and Serbia do not border one another and are not first neighbors, unless Kosovo is considered ‘part of Serbia’ or ‘part of Albania’.”

“Experience in the region so far has shown that the readiness for trade cooperation was not enough, especially from Serbia which has benefited the most from this. This did not help to overcome political problems and the situation will remain the same until relations are normalised between Kosovo and Serbia, and not between ‘Albanians and Serbs’.”

Palokaj further notes that Serbia considers only Albania and North Macedonia as states and does not deny their existence. “Serbia denies Kosovo as a state; and in Bosnia and Herzegovina, it supports the actions of Serb leader Milorad Dodik to dissolve this state. By comparing Kosovo to Republika Srpska, Serbia also denies the territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Because regardless of whether Serbia recognises it or not, Kosovo is a state, and Republika Srpska is not. Serbia views Montenegro as a state but it wants to turn it into a second Serbia, which in fact it is doing through the Serb Orthodox Church and pro-Serbian and pro-Russian parties there. And at a time when Vucic builds the Open Balkans with Rama and Zaev, Serbia continues to deny the Srebrenica Genocide and talks about the ‘Serb world’.”

International

Trenin: Balkans are not a prime battlefield in the Russia-West confrontation (EWB)

During Vladimir Putin’s visit to Belgrade in early 2019, there was an impression that Russia was undisputedly the most present and the most significant non-Western actor in the Balkans. Since then, however, even the relations with its closest ally in the region, Serbia, have occasionally been tense, the presence of China has become much more visible, and Moscow has not found many new channels of influence in the Balkans.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3li5WG1