Albanian Language Media:

• Szunyog: No agreement in dialogue prevents deployment of special unit in northern Kosovo (Klan)
• The U.S. Democracy Summit starts Thursday, Osmani to participate (RTK)
• Weber expects Germany’s stronger commitment on resumption of dialogue (media)
• Qalaj: We have never requested permission for actions in the north (Ekonomia)
• Kosovo to start administering COVID-19 booster shots from Thursday (euronews.al)
• COVID-19: Ten new cases, no deaths (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Borrell: New Vucic – Kurti meeting unnecessary before preconditions are met (N1)
• Serbian privileging of the north of Kosovo (RFE)
• “There are no obstacles to deploy Kosovo police in the north, but only in coordination with KFOR” (Kosovo-online)
• Rakic’s visit to the Municipality of Gracanica without the presence of the media (KiM radio)
• Von Cramon’s tweet: Tabloid headlines, Vucic’s comments, and the SOC reaction (KoSSev, media)
• EU ambassadors confirm opening of Cluster 4 for Serbia (RTS, N1)
• Ambassador De Riu: Belgrade and Pristina to avoid rhetoric that closes room for negotiations (Kosovo-online)

International:

• Stabilisation and Association Council statement following the 4th meeting between the EU and Kosovo* (consilium.europa.eu)
• EU is losing the PR battle and the soft power in the Western Balkans (EWB)

Albanian Language Media  

Kurti thanks Merkel, congratulates new Chancellor Olaf Scholz (media)

The Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti expressed appreciation to former German Chancellor Angela Merkel for her leadership in Europe and the World, during the past 16 years.

“Today we say goodbye and thank you to Chancellor Merkel for her leadership in Europe and the World. And a heartfelt welcome to the new Chancellor, a social democrat with whom I look forward to promote democracy in the Western Balkans. Congratulations Chancellor Olaf Scholz,” Kurti wrote on his Twitter account. 

Szunyog: No agreement in dialogue prevents deployment of special unit in northern Kosovo (Klan)

According to the Head of the European Union Office in Kosovo Tomas Szunyog Kosovo has made some progress in a number of areas. He emphasizes that no agreement in dialogue prohibits the Kosovo Police from deploying anywhere in Kosovo territory.

“Kosovo has made progress or some progress: the fight against terrorism, the market economy or structural reforms; the digitalization of the economy, the improvement of road and railway infrastructure, investments in renewable resources, customs, taxes, enterprise and industrial policies,” he said.

“Limited progress, however, is progress.”

Citing areas where there has been no progress, he stressed that the latest report should be seen as an opportunity for concrete action in the next one-year period.

“We hope that there will be more concrete decisions next year. It is important to look at the report as a set of recommendations for further steps – a guide to action. Work on the next report starts now. Kosovo can do better, the citizens deserve better,” Szunyog said.

He also spoke about the developments of the previous months in the north of Kosovo, emphasizing that no dialogue agreement prevents the Kosovo Police from deploying anywhere in the Kosovo territory.

For the north, however, he says there is some tradition of notification.

“There is no agreement in the dialogue that prevents the deployment of special police units from south to north, but it is a common practice to work closely with the international community and to give KFOR prior notice,” he said.

The U.S. Democracy Summit starts Thursday, Osmani to participate (RTK)

The President of the United States of America, Joe Biden, will organize on Thursday and Friday the “Summit for Democracy” to which Kosovo is also invited.

“Summit for Democracy” starts on Thursday and will last until Friday. It will be attended by more than 100 countries from around the world.

Kosovo has also received an invitation for this summit. This was announced a few weeks ago by the President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani.

Osmani had published on Facebook the official invitation from the U.S. president.

“I thank President Biden for the invitation to the Democracy Summit organized by the White House and the appreciation for the partnership offered by Kosovo to work towards strengthening a democratic society that respects human rights, which enables every citizen to fulfill their own potential. After the productive meetings last week in Washington, where I was informed that Kosovo will be part of this Summit, I am honored to accept the invitation from President Biden”, wrote Osmani.

Kosovo was not initially invited to the “Democracy Summit”. Opposition leaders and civil society activists have reacted after Kosovo failed to attend the Democracy Summit.

Weber expects Germany’s stronger commitment on resumption of dialogue (media)

Well-known German expert on the Balkans and senior associate of the Democratization Policy Council in Berlin Bodo Weber expects a stronger commitment from the new German government for a serious resumption of negotiations between Kosovo and Serbia. He also said that with the departure of Chancellor Merkel he expects new relations between Berlin and the Vucic government and “the end of closing one eye on the authoritarian and autocratic rule of the regime in Serbia that we have seen in the last 10 years.”

As of today (Wednesday), a new coalition is in power in Germany, and the government is led by a new chancellor for the first time, after 16 years of Angela Merkel’s rule.

According to the German expert on the Balkans, “N1” reports, this is not only a new era for Germany, but also a new era of Germany’s relations with Serbia.

“I expect changes towards Serbia. The attitude of the outgoing Chancellor Merkel’s government began with the principled policy of establishing a political dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo on clear principles and in a clear negotiating framework. That in a way created Mr. Vucic and his beginning was marked by a certain Europeanization of his policy. But, due to the loss of strategic direction of this policy of the European Union led by Germany and the chancellor in the end, Berlin and Brussels closed one eye about the situation and development of democracy in Serbia. At the same time, the chancellor and Berlin remained quite empty handed, because that dialogue [Kosovo-Serbia], unlike its historical beginning, turned into its opposite,” Weber is quoted as saying in Telegrafi.

The German analyst estimates that “the Merkel-Vucic relationship, which to some extent created the current regime in Serbia, and in a way the chancellor and Berlin were hostage to this relationship, now leaves with Mrs. Merkel.”

“So, especially because of the role of the Greens in the new government, I expect a political turnaround,” he said.

Weber says he expects a stronger stance and a stronger commitment from the new German government.

“I look forward to a stronger commitment to EU integration and an open dispute with French President Macron over his blockade of new membership. I look forward to a stronger commitment of the new government to a serious resumption of Serbia’s negotiations with Kosovo, which have been completely blocked in recent years, and at the same time, I look forward to a new relationship between the new government and Berlin with Vucic’s government in Serbia, based especially on democratic principles and values of the rule of law, as well as closing one eye towards the authoritarian and autocratic rule of the regime in Serbia that we have seen in the last 10 years,” Weber said. 

Qalaj: We have never requested permission for actions in the north (Ekonomia)

Former director of the Kosovo Police Rashit Qalaj in an interview with Ekonomia Online said that Kosovo Police has never sought permission from KFOR or the European Union (EU) to conduct actions anywhere in Kosovo, specifically in the north.

“Kosovo Police always makes operational plans for the implementation of orders depending on what field it is. We have had several operations, at least as long as I have been the director of law enforcement, court orders, and we have absolutely never had to ask anyone. However, when we started the operation, we informed especially the members of KFOR, just to be aware that an operation is being carried out. I repeat, the Kosovo Police never ask KFOR or EU either then and I do believe now.”

Kosovo to start administering COVID-19 booster shots from Thursday (euronews.al)

The Ministry of Health announced that the third dose of COVID-19 vaccines will be distributed to those who have received both anti-COVID vaccines but that with time, their immunity begins to gradually wane.

The booster shots are meant to be administered around six months after the second dose. They are also meant to be given to people who have received both anti-COVID shots but who haven’t developed the necessary strength as a result of their weakened immunity or other underlying health conditions.

In addition, doctors have said that these booster shots should be administered at least 8 weeks after receiving the second dose and ideally no more than 6 months after the patients have received their second anti-COVID vaccine.

For now, Kosovo will begin administering it to citizens over the age of 18. 

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

Ten new cases with COVID-19 have been confirmed in the last 24 hours in Kosovo. Five persons recovered from the virus during this time.

There are 319 active cases with COVID-19 in Kosovo.

Serbian Language Media

Borrell: New Vucic – Kurti meeting unnecessary before preconditions are met (N1)

European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said on Tuesday that a new top-level Belgrade – Pristina meeting was unnecessary before the two sides showed readiness to agree on concrete results, N1 reports.

At a joint news conference with Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti in Brussels, Borrell said that “we clearly stated that after two meetings this year, the precondition for the highest level talks is that the two sides are ready to agree on concrete results. It would be unnecessary to have another meeting if preconditions were not met. It would again be a meeting for no reason“, N1 quoted him as saying.

“We have shuttle diplomacy, we have (the EU Special envoy of the Belgrade – Pristina dialogue on the normalization of relations Miroslav) Lajcak, but currently there is no readiness we expect. The year is over, and we continue to do everything in our power to organize such a meeting if we can be sure it will produce results“, Borrell told reporters.

On Monday, an EU spokesperson Peter Stano said that the recent contacts made by Borrell and Lajcak showed there was no such readiness at the moment.

Kurti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met in July without any agreement. The two blamed each other for the talks’ failure. Before that, in June, the talks were also fruitless, N1 recalled. 

Serbian privileging of the north of Kosovo (RFE)

Radio Free Europe writes today that the Serbian government has been financing projects in Serbian communities in Kosovo for years, but that “big and important” are being implemented in four territorially connected municipalities in the north – North Mitrovica, Leposavic, Zubin Potok and Zvecan.

Branimir Stojanovic, who was an independent candidate for mayor of Gracanica in the October local elections, one of six Serb-majority municipalities south of the Ibar, points to this situation and the “disproportion of investments”.

He notes that the money of the Government of Kosovo is not distributed evenly in Serbian communities, but neither are the funds coming from European funds, reports RFE.

“What is the cause may be political influence, the Serbian List, which used to be more balanced in terms of the influence of Serb representatives south of the Ibar and representatives in the north, now you have absolute domination of people coming from the north and therefore it is no wonder they work for their communities and for their region,” estimates Stojanovic, who was one of the founders of the Serbian List in 2013.

In the meantime, he left this party, and one of the reasons why he was an independent candidate in the last elections was the “uneven investment in Serbian communities”. 

In the meantime, he left this party, and one of the reasons why he was an independent candidate in the last elections was “uneven investment in Serbian communities”.

The Serb List is the leading Kosovo Serb party, backed by official Belgrade.

The party’s president, Goran Rakic, who comes from North Mitrovica, was not available to comment on “uneven investment” in Serb communities in Kosovo. RFE recalls that Rakic is the head of the Ministry for Communities and Returns in the Government of Albin Kurti.

The Serbian list has all ten deputies in the Assembly of Kosovo reserved for the Serb community, but only two are from the municipalities south of the Ibar, Ljubinko Karadzic from Gracanica and Branislav Nikolic from Strpce.

How many Serbs are there south and north of the Ibar?

The exact number of Serbs living in Kosovo is unknown because they boycotted the 2011 census, but some local authorities estimate that about 70,000 Serbs live in the municipalities in the north.

Also, according to local authorities, the same number live in six other municipalities south of the Ibar – Gracanica, Strpce, Novo Brdo, Klokot, Ranilug and Partes, as well as in some returnee places in the Pec region.

Municipalities in northern Kosovo, operating in the Kosovo system, were formed after the signing of the Brussels agreement between Kosovo and Serbia in 2013, while those south of the Ibar emerged after the 2009 decentralization process based on Martti Ahtisaari’s plan, based on which Kosovo declared independence in 2008, reports RFE.

How much is being invested in northern Kosovo municipalities?

Work on the renovation of the Clinical Hospital Center in North Mitrovica, which operates according to the Serbian system, officially began on November 23.

“It will be a modern building that will meet all the needs of citizens and the treatment conditions will not differ from those in Nis, Kragujevac or Belgrade,” said Jelena Stojkovic, assistant director of the Office for Kosovo of the Serbian government, who attended the start of these works.

Health and educational institutions in Serb areas in Kosovo function in the Serbian system.

Thus, on August 20, the cornerstone was laid in North Mitrovica for the construction of a new University of Pristina with a temporary headquarters in North Mitrovica, where classes are conducted according to the plan and program of Serbia. This university was relocated from Pristina after the 1999 Kosovo war, wrote RFE.

According to the Serbian Government’s Office for KiM, the new, modern edition of the University will cover about 10,575 square meters and will house the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, the Faculty of Law, the Faculty of Economics, and the Rectorate building on four floors. The value of this project, as it was announced, is 720 million dinars, and the money was determined by the Government of Serbia through the Office for KiM. 

There are also projects worth millions “Suncana Dolina” (Sunny Valley) and “Rajska Banja” (Paradise Spa) in Zvecan.

“Suncana Dolina” is a settlement intended for displaced persons from the Serb community in Kosovo and is worth about 14 million euros. On the area of about 15 hectares, the works on the construction of about 300 housing units are nearing completion.

In the immediate vicinity of the Banjska monastery in Zvecan, where there are sources of hot and sulfur water, a new health and tourist center “Rajska Banja” was built. The Government of Serbia has invested around 300 million dinars in this project, which is over two million euros.

According to the data of the Office for KiM, since 2014, over one billion dinars (1,512,552,338) have been invested, or over one million euros only for 654 housing units within residential buildings, which were built on public space. Over 60 housing units have been built on the territory of the municipality of Zubin Potok alone, reported RFE.

What about investing in municipalities south of the Ibar?

The Serbian government is also investing in the areas south of the Ibar, but these are mostly smaller investments than those in the north.

For example, in mid-November, the Office for KiM announced that the cornerstone had been laid for the construction of a new kindergarten in Gorazdevac near Pec.

“This preschool institution is being built on church land and will cover an area of 460 square meters and will be able to accommodate 60 children. Its completion is expected in the spring of next year,” it was announced without precise data on the value of this project.

Although the Government of Serbia announced in 2018 that it would allocate funds for the construction of a hospital in Gracanica, that has not happened yet.

After the war in Kosovo, Gracanica became the main administrative center for Serbs living in municipalities south of the Ibar River, bearing in mind that almost all Pristina institutions operating in the Serb system were relocated after the conflict.

Also, after the 1999 conflict, the Clinical Hospital Center from Pristina was moved to Gracanica in containers and still is. Serbs from municipalities south of the Ibar are being referred to this health institution for treatment. Doctors from the KBC in Gracanica themselves warned in the previous period about the alarming situation in that institution.

Does the lack of investment threaten the survival of Serbs south of the Ibar?

Branimir Stojanovic believes that the survival of the Serbian community in the Serbian areas south of the Ibar will be endangered if the “disproportion of total investments” continues.

“Life and that relationship is what is most traumatic. Serbs survived here with more or less money, but the excess or lack of respect and the ability to influence things around them determined whether people stayed or not. In the current situation, in which they have very little or no influence on those processes and decisions and on the life around them, causes people to leave,” says Stojanovic.

He emphasizes for RFE that “an atmosphere is being created to elect the most obedient and not those who can improve the lives of Serbs in Kosovo.”

However, Stojanovic adds that Serbs south of the Ibar are increasingly expressing their dissatisfaction with the elections, although the Serbian List won the last local elections in all ten municipalities with a Serb majority in Kosovo.

“That victory is less and less convincing,” Stojanovic said, expressing his conviction that the people were becoming braver to “circle behind the paravane by conscience and not by pressure or promise.”

Branimir Stojanovic won over 1,800 votes or about 22 percent in the last local elections.

Caring for Serbs in Kosovo or territory?

Dusan Janjic, from the Belgrade Forum for Ethnic Relations, estimates that “investments of the Government of Serbia in Kosovo have always been a part of daily policy and strategy”, and notes that in most cases a project’s worth is not known. 

“It is indisputable that more has been given to the north since 2009, and since 2016, when (Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic) played the delimitation card, funding for the north has greatly increased,” Janjic told RFE, adding that also the previous president of Serbia, Boris Tadic, counted on ‘special autonomy for the north of Kosovo’ “.

Janjic believes that Belgrade does not care about Serbs in Kosovo, but about “the territory of northern Kosovo as an annex to Serbia”.

“If we look at political life, the Serbian List is passing in the north, but there is always some opposition in the central part. For the rulers of Belgrade, that is an undesirable ambience. But realistically, Belgrade has given up on Serbs from central Kosovo in terms of state investments, but it treats them as a Serb minority, for example in Slovenia,” Janjic said.

Institutions are silent about investments in Serbian communities

Radio Free Europe addressed the Ministry of Finance of the Government of Kosovo with the question of how much money has been set aside this year for the realization of capital projects in Serbian areas south and north of the Ibar, but no answer has been received until this text was published.

The Serbian Government’s Office for KiM did not answer the question of how much money is invested in Serbian communities and why almost all major projects are being implemented in municipalities in northern Kosovo.

RFE recalls that a Development Fund for four municipalities in the north was formed in 2013 based on the Brussels Agreement from 2013.

Tax money is flowing into it from border crossings 1 and 31 (Jarinje and Brnjak in northern Kosovo) and is intended for the development of four municipalities in northern Kosovo: North Mitrovica, Leposavic, Zubin Potok and Zvecan.

The Office of the European Union in Kosovo did not answer the question about the value of that fund so far and how much money went to the project in the municipalities in the north of Kosovo, wrote RFE.

“There are no obstacles to deploy Kosovo police in the north, but only in coordination with KFOR” (Kosovo-online)

Head of the European Union Office in Kosovo, Tomas Szunyog assessed that Kosovo made certain progress in a number of areas, as it was said in the latest European Commission report, Kosovo-online portal reports, citing Pristina-based TV Klan.

“And limited progress is progress”, Szunyog said.

He mentioned the areas in which Kosovo made progress, including fight against terrorism, market economy, digitalization of the economy, improvement of road and railway infrastructure, investment in renewable energy sources, customs, taxes, enterprenuership and industrial policy.

Speaking about areas where there was no progress, the latest EC report should, as he said, be seen as an opportunity for concrete actions in the upcoming year.

Talking about events in northern Kosovo over the last couple of months, he said that no agreement prevents Kosovo police from deploying its forces anywhere in Kosovo, however, when it comes to the north this implies cooperation with KFOR, the portal said.

“There is no agreement in the dialogue which prevents deployment of the special police units from south towards the north, however, the usual practice is to closely coordinate with the international community and inform KFOR beforehand”, Szunyog said.

Rakic’s visit to the Municipality of Gracanica without the presence of the media (KiM radio)

Today, the Minister of Communities and Returns, Goran Rakic, visited the Municipality of Gracanica, where he talked with the Mayor, Ljiljana Subaric. The media was not invited to cover this event, reported KiM radio.

KiM radio reports that despite yesterday’s assurances of journalists that “the doors of the Municipality of Gracanica are always open and that the local self-government, from its aspect, is ready to bring its work closer to the media and provide information”, it did not happen today, and the municipal doors were closed to the media.

The newsrooms that report from the territory of the municipality of Gracanica were not invited to follow the visit of Minister Rakic to the municipality, and it seems that the new set of local authorities continues with the practice of their predecessors, wrote KiM radio.

The statement, which was delivered to the media after the meeting, says that the President of the Municipality Ljiljana Subaric thanked Rakic for the support, emphasizing that “everyone will work together and strive to achieve the set goals for the benefit of all citizens of Gracanica”, reported the radio.

“Caring for citizens, investing in health, education, sports and agricultural development will be priorities in the future work of local self-government, all in order to make Gracanica a better place to live,” said Mayor Subaric. 

According to the statement, Rakic pointed out that he is convinced that the commitment of the new leadership will contribute to the citizens of the municipality of Gracanica living better and with better quality. He emphasized that Subaric would have the support of the Ministry of Returns and Communities in that sense, reported KiM radio.

“Everything we will do, will be in cooperation with the Municipality, we will work together on mapping and defining priorities in order to improve the living conditions of the inhabitants of this municipality,” Rakic pointed out.

The statement said that this is Ljiljana Subaric’s first official meeting with an official from the central government since taking the office.

The keys to the new house were handed over to the Krstic family from Gornja Gusterica

After talks with the president of the municipality of Gracanica, Rakic handed over the keys to the new house to Dragan Krstic’s family in Gornja Gusterica. KiM radio reported that they were “not invited to this event either, although the ministry reacted following the writing of RTV Kim about the family’s housing problems”. 

Subaric confirmed that the support of the Ministry of Communities and Returns and Minister Goran Rakic is important in the intention for the Serbian people to live better in this area.

“Every support of the Ministry for Communities and return to the field is more than important for our citizens and our municipality. This is the best possible model of cooperation between our municipality and the Ministry, for the benefit of the citizens. Such projects and actions most concretely contribute to the primary goal of our policy, and that is the well-being and survival of our people in Gracanica.”

Von Cramon’s tweet: Tabloid headlines, Vucic’s comments, and the SOC reaction (KoSSev, media)

A single reply by Viola von Cramon to her own tweet shared following her meeting with Bishop Grigorije drew a lot of heat in the public. The since-deleted tweet caught headlines in Serbian tabloids and reactions from the Serbian president and the Serbian Orthodox Church.

“We have received many strong protests and expressions of discontent over yesterday’s announcement by German politician Viola von Cramon, given after a conversation with the Bishop of Düsseldorf kyr Grigorije, that there is no Serbian Orthodox Church in Germany, and we are obliged to, for the sake of truth, issue the following statement: The Serbian Orthodox Church exists in Germany, as part of the one, indivisible autocephalous Serbian Patriarchate. The Constitution and Statutes of the Serbian Orthodox Church are valid in the territory of Germany as anywhere else in the area of her canonical jurisdiction, and all church–hierarchical bodies are obliged to be governed by them. Based on the Constitution of the Serbian Orthodox Church, the competent church authorities appoint and dismiss the administrations of all bodies and organs, and the Holy Assembly of Bishops appoints and, if necessary, relieves the diocesan bishop,” reads the latest press release of the SOC.

Von Cramon “did everything to destroy Serbia”, and you can “deduce how she concluded that the Serbian Orthodox Church does not exist”, the Serbian president said yesterday. Vucic, however, also noted that he “does not have to say anything more” because, in his words, every smart person can understand this very well.

Prior to these reactions, the harshest headlines could be read in the pro-governmental media and tabloids: “SCANDAL Viola von Cramon abolished the SOC”, Viola von Cramon: “There is no Serbian Orthodox Church”, “Grigorije is the greatest disgrace of the SOC: He met with Viola, the main lobbyist for INDEPENDENT KIM” etc.

What happened?

Bishop Grigorije and the rapporteur of the European Parliament for Kosovo, Viola von Cramon, met yesterday at the seat of the SOC diocese in Dusseldorf, Germany.

“Constructive and open discussion with Bishop Grigorije, Serbian Orthodox Church diocese of Düsseldorf and all of Germany, on common challenges and inter-religious dialogue in the Western Balkans and Germany,” Viola von Cramon tweeted after the meeting, while also sharing a photo with Bishop Grigorije.

The panel in front of which they were photographed contains the SOC logo and its name in two languages – Serbian and German “Serbian Orthodox Church, Diocese of Dusseldorf-Germany”.

In a subsequent statement of the Diocese, Bishop Grigorije confirmed that he informed von Cramon about the functioning of the Diocese he heads and his engagement in interreligious dialogue within German society. The Bishop also revealed that he asked her and her fellow MEPs to call on Kosovo authorities to implement the decision on the return of land to Visoki Decani.

A heated debate followed as soon as von Cramon tweeted on the meeting, while Albanian Twitter users objected to this meeting, Serbian users criticized both von Cramon and Bishop Grigorije.

Among over 130 comments, many contain offensive content.

See more at: https://cutt.ly/nYnr6wA

EU ambassadors confirm opening of Cluster 4 for Serbia (RTS, N1)

Serbian public broadcaster RTS reported Wednesday that European Union ambassadors meeting in Brussels confirmed the opening of all four chapters in Cluster 4 of Serbia’s accession negotiations.

“EU member state ambassadors confirmed all four chapters in Cluster 4 meeting the formal conditions to open that cluster at the coming Inter-governmental Conference with Serbia on December 14”, RTS said.

According to the report, the cluster will be opened after a meeting of EU European Affairs Ministers.

The RTS said on Tuesday that it had learned from unnamed diplomatic sources in Brussels that Cluster 4 – Green Agenda and Sustainable Connectivity – would be opened later this month. The four chapters in that cluster are:14 Transport Policy, 15 Energy, 21 Trans-European Networks and 27 Environment.

Ambassador De Riu: Belgrade and Pristina to avoid rhetoric that closes room for negotiations (Kosovo-online)

New Italian Ambassador in Pristina Antonello De Rui in an interview with Italian news agency “Nova” urged Pristina and Belgrade to have constructive approach in the dialogue and attempt to avoid rhetoric that closes path to negotiations, Kosovo-online portal reports, citing Pristina-based Reporteri.

“Dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, led by the EU is an opportunity of historic significance, which both sides must understand seriously, engaging in a good faith in a process and mutually achieve a final agreement to the satisfaction of citizens of both sides”, De Riu is quoted as saying.

He stressed that both sides should avoid rhetoric that closes and limits the room for negotiations.

De Riu added there are differences among EU member states regarding Kosovo, but that he sees it as a progress that 22 out of 27 members recognized it.

“There is not unanimous stance, that is true, however, there is a stance of a very large majority. Kosovo is recognized by 22 out of 27 EU member states and mediation that Brussels is doing, through special envoy Miroslav Lajcak, enjoys support of all the member states, without exception”, he said.  

International 

Stabilisation and Association Council statement following the 4th meeting between the EU and Kosovo* (consilium.europa.eu)

Meeting in Brussels, the members of the Stabilisation and Association Council (SA Council) reviewed Kosovo’s progress on its European path following the publication of the European Commission’s 2021 Report on Kosovo.

The parties discussed recent developments relating to the fulfilment of the political criteria, as well as the state of play concerning the economic criteria, financial cooperation and implementation of the  Stabilisation and Association Agreement.

The parties welcomed Kosovo’s renewed commitment to its European path. They agreed on the need to continue with reforms, including through the implementation of the second phase of the European Reform Agenda, and building on Kosovo’s achievements to date. This requires increased focus by all political actors, strengthening of the administrative capacities and an effective coordination structure within the Kosovo institutions.

Full statement available at:https://cutt.ly/gYbMuaB

EU is losing the PR battle and the soft power in the Western Balkans (EWB)

The latest results of the survey published by the Balkans in Europe Policy Advisory Group (BiEPAG) paint a negative picture of the European Union’s standing in the public perception of Western Balkans. While most of the citizens of the region still support the EU accession, they are increasingly sceptical that this will happen and the EU is not the most appreciated foreign actor almost anywhere in the region.

These were some of the main points of the BiEAPG publication presented yesterday at a webinar held in cooperation with the Centre for European Reform.

Professor at the University of Peloponnese and BiEPAG member Nikolaos Tzifakis said that, according to the results of the survey, EU was perceived as the biggest trading partner and donor in the region. However, during the pandemic there was a lot of dissatisfaction with Brussels and Serbia managed to leave a greater positive impression on the citizens of North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro by being quicker in the delivery of vaccines.

See more at:https://cutt.ly/aYb3Ihs