Albanian Language Media:

• Pacolli claims he has secured a new recognition for Kosovo (media)
• Women make only 15% of Kosovo Police, leaders call for greater participation (EO/Koha)
• Vela: Serbia and Republika Srpska are Russia’s tools for destabilisation (Telegrafi)
• COVID-19: Three new cases, no deaths (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Covid-19: 17 new cases, one death registered in Serbian areas on Saturday (Radio KIM)
• Qerkini: “Kurti has no plan to resolve missing persons issue, called us for votes only” (KoSSev)
• Vucic: No power outages expected in Serbia (N1)
• Brnabic: Situation with electricity supply stable (N1)
• Cadez: Common labour market with “Open Balkan” states next year (Kosovo-online)
• “Referendum has nothing to do with Kosovo status” (Radio KIM)
• Pristina once again blocking CEFTA, citizens and economy suffer greatest damage (RTS)
• Euronews in Serbian on Association of Serbian Municipalities, Serbian List
• Case of Dusko Arsic – matrix for usurpation of Serb properties in Kosovo and Metohija (RTS, Radio kontakt plus)                                                                                                                   

Albanian Language Media  

Pacolli claims he has secured a new recognition for Kosovo (media)

Leader of the New Kosovo Alliance (AKR) Behgjet Pacolli said that he has managed to secure a recognition of Kosovo’s independence by a yet unnamed country but complained that Prime Minister Albin Kurti has not been forthcoming on the news. 

In a Facebook post, Pacolli addressed an open letter to Kurti saying that he has chosen this way of communication as a result of his previous attempts through other channels having failed. “On 18/12 I sent you on Whatsapp the letter and the message of the President of a  country that confirms they are ready to (next week) visit Kosovo in order to conclude the formality of the recognition act and discuss your possible visit to this country. Everything is settled, Mr. Prime Minister, I have worked for a long time for this recognition and only your approval is necessary,” Pacolli wrote.

Women make only 15% of Kosovo Police, leaders call for greater participation (EO/Koha)

The number of women in Kosovo security institutions remains low, with only 15 percent representation at the Kosovo Police, the conference launching the Agenda for Gender Equality in the Kosovo Police heard today.

President of Kosovo Vjosa osmani said gender equality should not be viewed only in the aspect of fulfilling gender quota but should be something that is worked on daily basis. “The more equality in the security sectors, the more the authors of crimes are brought to justice. It is up to institutions to fight for gender equality on a daily basis, which increases the well-being of citizens,” she said, adding that women should be encouraged to become part of institutions, “and we should avoid stereotypes that institutions are only for men.”

Prime Minister Albin Kurti said gender equality is a legal obligation. “Kosovo Police demonstrates a proactive approach to empowering women in security. Achieving gender equality is not just about increasing the gender quota but is a legal obligation to achieve rule of law. When women report violence, they need to encounter a supportive police, and they should not feel alone.” 

Vela: Serbia and Republika Srpska are Russia’s tools for destabilisation (Telegrafi)

Blerim Vela, chief of staff to Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, accused Russia of threatening NATO.

“Russia is threatening NATO that it will turn the European continent into military confrontation field. This puts not only Ukraine & Baltic countries into threat, but also Western Balkans too. In our region, Serbia & Republika Srpska are Russia’s tools for destabilization,” he wrote on Twitter in commenting on the news story that Russia would create counter threats if NATO turned down its security proposals.

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

Three new cases with COVID-19 were recorded in the last 24 hours in Kosovo, the Ministry of Health said in a statement. Four persons recovered from the virus during this time. 

There are 311 active cases with COVID-19 in Kosovo.

Serbian Language Media

Covid-19: 17 new cases, one death registered in Serbian areas on Saturday (Radio KIM)

Out of 150 tested samples in the Serb-populated areas in Kosovo, 17 tested positive for Covid-19, Crisis Committee of Mitrovica North announced on Saturday, Radio KIM reports.

At the same time one person from Zubin Potok passed away.

New cases were registered as follows: seven in Zubin Potok, five in Mitrovica North, two in Zvecan, and one each in Leposavic, Gracanica and Strpce.

102 persons completed a two-week isolation period, bringing the total number of active cases in the Serbian areas in Kosovo at 199.

Also, a total of 190 persons have died in the Serbian areas since the outbreak of the pandemic. 

Qerkini: “Kurti has no plan to resolve missing persons issue, called us for votes only” (KoSSev)

Association of Missing Persons representative, Bajram Qerkini said Kosovo Government has no plan/program regarding missing persons issue, KoSSev portal reports citing Pristina-based Klan Kosova.

He added this government prior to taking power, made many promises but did little of that.

“Missing persons issue will be the first and final word in Brussels – we still do not have a plan and program, although they are saying they will present it, although they say it will be final”, Qerkini is quoted as saying. 

“Shedding the light on missing persons destiny (faced) setback when Edita Tahiri worked on technical issues, when she spoke about vehicle registration plates, and I do not know what else. Back then we told her not to mix registration plates with missing persons issues, it was a technical matter, and the issue of missing persons was a pain of the state of Kosovo and beyond. Five months (have passed) and there is not full agreement on missing persons”.

Qerkini also said he met Prime Minister Albin Kurti only when he requested their votes.

“I met him when we had a meeting, and it was when he requested the votes”, Qerkini was quoted as saying.

Despite dissatisfaction, Qerkini pointed out that the dialogue with Serbia should continue, even if they find no one, since dialogue is a political matter.

“When Brussels invites you, you have no choice but to go. Who will you talk to, with Vucic who was a right hand of the criminal leadership for Kosovo? Therefore, Brussels must exert much stronger pressure to talk about missing persons, in particular in these two states that deal with political, and not humanitarian issues to shed light on the missing persons issue”, Qerkini said.

As for forensic experts, Qerkini said they have no information of responsible persons attending the meetings.

“We do not know who these experts are, I do not know if they took a forensic expert who will speak in Brussels. We have no information, and they say – with experts. Who are these experts? Politicians are not experts for missing persons. I know those who have experience regarding missing persons issues and those who completed schools for investigators”, he said. 

Vucic: No power outages expected in Serbia (N1)

Serbia has managed to achieve the lowest electricity prices in Europe and no major power outages are expected in the future, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said during his visit to the Kostolac Thermal Power Plant, N1 reports.

Vucic said he went to Kostolac to support the miners and thank them for their work as without them Serbia “would not have electricity”. He said that at the moment everyone in Serbia has electricity and the number of power outages is at the level of statistical error.

Vucic thanked the miners of Drmno, who broke the record on Saturday and excavated 34,000 tons of coal.

“We have ensured that Serbia has the lowest price of electricity in the whole of Europe, and we will manage to get out of the energy crisis“, Vucic said.

He stated that only the industry sector today consumes 50 percent of electricity, and until recently it was 29 percent, which shows how much the economy has progressed.

Brnabic: Situation with electricity supply stable (N1)

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said the situation with the electricity supply is stable and that she believes this will be the case throughout the winter and that electricity prices will not change, N1 reports.

“I don’t know if the problems are behind us, it’s a daily struggle. It seems to me that this week has lasted a year. We are working day and night to ensure that all capacities are increased”, she said.

Asked about her statement that she does not rule out the possibility of sabotage, she said that the Security Information Agency (BIA) and the Ministry of the Interior are looking into it and that she still thinks that “some sabotage“ has taken place, but does not think that absolves those responsible.

Brnabic noted that President Aleksandar Vucic already said that the acting CEO of the public power company (EPS), Milorad Grcic, practically resigned due to the power outages.

Cadez: Common labour market with “Open Balkan” states next year (Kosovo-online)

Serbian Chamber of Commerce President Marko Cadez told RTS on Monday he expects there would be a common labour market, passages over borders opened 24 hours, harmonized certificates, in particular phytosanitary ones, in order to overcome the problem which costed economy very much, Kosovo-online portal reports.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and North Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev met in Tirana today within a regional initiative “Open Balkan” to agree on a strategic plan for 2022. In a joint statement prior to the meeting the leaders said “often we were accused of being a powder keg in Europe, and we as responsible leaders, may not allow our region to return to the dark nightmares of the past”.

Six agreements are expected to be on the table, the portal added.

A ceremonial dinner will take place this evening, and in addition to the three leaders, attending will be Albanian Minister of Finance and Economy, Delina Ibrahimaj, Minister of Agriculture Frida Krifca, Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture, Branislav Nedimovic, North Macedonian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Dimitar Kovacevski, Minister of Agriculture, Trajan Dimkoviski, presidents of the chambers of commerce of Serbia and Albania, Marko Cadez and Ines Mucostepa, and the president of North Macedonian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Antoni Pesev.

Senior Advisor in the Atlantic Council Jim O’Brian and Vice President of Open Society Foundation Aleks Soros will also be present.

On the second day, Rama, Vucic and Zaev will met at 9.05, followed by plenary session with the address of the three leaders, European Commissioner for Enlargement, Oliver Varhely, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council, Majlinda Bregu, Director of CEFTA Secretariat, Emir Djikic, Director of the Transport Community Matej Zakonjsek and Serbian Chamber of Commerce President Marko Cadez.

After that a discussion on the Future Agenda of the “Open Balkan” is scheduled, as well as the signing ceremony of the agreement on conditions to free access to the labour market in the Western Balkans, and on joint connection of the electronic identification scheme of the Western Balkans citizens.

It also announced that governments of Serbia and Albania will sign an agreement on mutual recognition of authority of authorized economic operators (AEOS) and the same agreement will be signed by governments of Albania and North Macedonia.

After that there will be a regional forum on agriculture and regional cooperation, with three leaders, ministers, chambers of commerce representatives as well as representatives of the five agricultural businesses as panelists.

The joint press conference is planned to take place at 13.00, and the gathering will be concluded with a joint lunch planned to take place one hour after the conference. 

“Referendum has nothing to do with Kosovo status” (Radio KIM)

“Citizens should know that the referendum on changing the Constitution scheduled on January 16, in its part relating to judiciary, has nothing to do with status of Kosovo and Metohija ‘as defined in preamble’”, Serbian Assembly Speaker, Ivica Dacic said, Radio KIM reports.

He added that “if we truly want to achieve reforms in the rule of law area, it would be important for the referendum to succeed, and that state officials should also get involved in the referendum campaign”.

Dacic also said that the judiciary topic may not intrigue people to get massively interested in the referendum, but it was very important for them to know that these changes have nothing to do with the status of Kosovo and Metohija.

He added that on one side there are the right-wing parties, claiming they are defending Constitution and sovereignty of the country – which has nothing to do with this, and on the other side is opposition gathered around Djilas (leader of Justice and Freedom Party) – and in their case some are not interested in referendum, so they will boycott it, and some will turn out and vote against.

He recalled that based on current regulations it is the Assembly appointing judges and prosecutors.

“The citizens of Serbia will take part in a referendum on January 16, on amending the Constitution in the part that relates to judiciary. In order to harmonize the judiciary with European standards, the Assembly of Serbia by two-third majority adopted a proposal that the Government should no longer interfere in the election of judges and prosecutors”, Dacic said.

He recalled that after the referendum, elections will take place in Serbia, first parliamentary and then presidential ones. 

Pristina once again blocking CEFTA, citizens and economy suffer greatest damage (RTS)

RTS reported on Friday that the CEFTA Joint Committee rejected Kosovo request to be represented independently in the Free Trade Agreement in the Balkans, without UNMIK. The request was sent in writing at the end of September by Rozeta Hajdari, Kosovo Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship.

Despite the opposition of the Serbian side and of the representatives of Montenegro not to consider this matter, Chairman of CEFTA, Minister from North Macedonia, Kreshnik Bekteshi allowed the letter to be included in the agenda. The request did not pass because no consensus was reached.  

RTS reports that this was followed by “Pristina’s revenge”- opposition to the adoption of ministerial conclusions and three draft decisions, including a decision proposed by Serbia to recognize the program of authorized economic operators and the budget from which CEFTA staff is paid. 

“Kosovo move in CEFTA is nothing new, and during the last few years we have witnessed that practically every decision within CEFTA is blocked by unresolved status, i.e. talks and normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina. It’s a fact that with this continuation of the blockade, companies from Serbia and Kosovo are affected and endangered, and therefore so are the citizens”, Nenad Djurdjevic, advisor to the head of the Chamber of Commerce of Serbia said.

RTS further writes that although Pristina says the request is not a political issue, but a way to resolve unresolved trade issues, the messages are different. The new government in Pristina, led by Albin Kurti, seeks to make reciprocity its main feature of relations with all centers in the region, but with Belgrade in particular, whether on political and economic issues or education. 

Since the request to be presented within CEFTA independently-without UNMIK was rejected, Pristina announced that from now on it will oppose any act of the CEFTA Board of Directors until the request for equal status is accepted. Those in Pristina already begun with the measure of introducing the so-called anti-dumping measures on animal feed and construction materials from central Serbia. They are announcing the same measures on confectionery products, as they said, for the protection of local producers. 

Until the introduction of tariffs, producers from central Serbia have placed their goods worth 450 million euros in Kosovo and Metohija. Three years later, that amount was halved. 

According to the latest available data from the Agency for Statistics in Pristina, for the month of October, goods worth 90 million euros were imported from CEFTA countries, of which 7% were from central Serbia. 

“They are also blocking the dynamics in the entire region, because other CEFTA member states cannot have positive benefits from that format either. We really hope that…all parties will adhere to their international obligations and agreements that have been reached, and this is important to be repeated”, Djurdjevic stressed. 

RTS concluded the article by saying that while there are issues within CEFTA, the “Open Balkan” initiative, initiated by Serbia, North Macedonia and Albania and which has just emerged on its foundations, is progressing. 

At the beginning of this week, several documents on the free movement of people, goods and capital in the region will be signed at the Summit in Tirana, and the result should be seen as early as January 1st. 

Euronews in Serbian on Association of Serbian Municipalities, Serbian List

In an article published this Saturday, Euronews in Serbian recalled that Serbian List decided to go to the polls only a day before the October local elections in Kosovo, but also announced its withdrawal from Kosovo institutions if the Community of Serbian Municipalities, agreed in 2013 within the Brussels agreements, is not established.  

“The end of the year is the last deadline when the Community of Serbian Municipalities must be formed, because if it is not formed by that date, as I mentioned before, we will leave all institutions at all levels”, Euronews quoted Serbian List President Goran Rakic as saying.

According to Euronews “it seemed Rakic’s statements did not upset the Kosovo government too much. Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said that Association of Serb-majority municipalities, as monoethnic, is not in accordance with Kosovo Constitution.   

Euronews further said Serbs are no longer a tab on the scales in the current convocation of the parliament, but that is why the Kosovo constitution guarantees one post of a Minister from the Serb community.

“Hypothetically speaking, if there was such a scenario of having the Serbian List leave the institutions, the government in Kosovo would actually be overthrown, and that is something that is certainly not in the interest of either side”, Miodrag Milicevic from Mitrovica-based NGO Aktiv said.  

“The consequences would be inconceivable, so we came to a situation where, with such a statement, they cannot move forward, and they cannot go back. I think it is necessary to bring in the calm, to deescalate the situation, return to negotiations”, coordinator of the National Convention on the EU for Chapter 35 Dragisa Mijacic added.

Euronews recalled there were four more announcements of Serbian List that they will leave the institutions in Pristina which yielded no results. The first was after the arrest of Marko Djuric, at that time Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director, the second one was because of the introduction of 100% tariffs on Serbian goods, third was announced in connection with the sentencing of Ivan Todosijevic and fourth one was announced if Pristina did not fulfil its signed obligations.

Nothing has changed except the abolition of tariffs, and Serbs have not left their positions.

“Of course, we are witnesses that this did not happen, nor it will happen, because the political interest is far broader in relation to one protest withdrawal from the institutions, especially having in mind the fact that the dialogue process has somewhat started, despite of the stalemate and numerous disagreements”, Milicevic opined.

Euronews also said that apart from the announcement on the withdrawal, there was also a freeze of SL participation in the institutions, due to the dismissal of Minister Aleksandar Jablanovic, the introduction of tariffs, the adoption of the Law and the Statute on Trepca, and the arrest of Marko Djuric.

“Experience with them: they always freeze their participation when winter comes, and unfreeze when spring comes, when their mandate expires and they do not receive financial resources”, Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Emilija Redzepi opined.

“What is left for us, as public, is to remind them of the deadline and expect them to be responsible as they claim to be and, as they say for themselves, as the only political party of Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija, to fulfil that promise. It is not realistic, considering that the first deadline has already passed, but let’s wait for 31st”,Tatjana Lazarevic, editor of the Kossev portal said.

While the public is waiting for 31st, the Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Petar Petkovic, after the last meeting with the Pristina side in Brussels, softened the rhetoric of the president of the Serbian List, saying that the party does not speak using the language of ultimatums, but that Rakic’s statement about the withdrawal from the institutions was a message of Serbian people following the incursion of Kosovo special forces to the north.

Case of Dusko Arsic – matrix for usurpation of Serb properties in Kosovo and Metohija (RTS, Radio kontakt plus)

There are more than 70.000 claims submitted by Serbs and non-Albanians relating to return of usurped properties in Kosovo, and many of these cases are pending procedures at the courts for a decade or longer. The only legal way for those people to reclaim their property is to launch  proceedings at the Kosovo courts. Lawyer, Jovana Filipovic told RTS that since the arrest of Dusko Arsic, who was accused of committing war crimes, after he filed a lawsuit to reclaim his usurped property, many people have contacted her saying they have direct threats they will also get accused if they initiate proceedings relating to their usurped properties.

It is not unknown fact that Serbs are getting accused (of committing crimes) at the Kosovo courts, if they decide to initiate proceedings to reclaim their usurped or confiscated property. However, lately they are getting accused of committing the most serious criminal offenses such as war crimes, and the most recent case is that of Dusko Arsic, arrested on December 8, at Jarinje crossing point.

It is of interest to point out that in August this year, Dusko Arsic found out that his property changed the owner, and that entity under the name “Bedri Pristina” is currently registered as the owner. Following this, Arsic faced difficulties obtaining a possession list from cadaster and that is why he contacted the lawyer.

After that individual A.K. filed a criminal report against Dusko Arsic to the Kosovo police. Based on that report, a special prosecutor issued an order to launch an investigation on December 8 and Dusko was arrested at Jarinje crossing point on the same day, while he was on his way to central Serbia.

“It is not on me as his defense lawyer to assess the cause-and-effect correlation between the case of usurped property located in the village of Maticane, near Pristina, of a large financial value and the case of Dusko Arsic being accused of allegedly committing war crimes. My job is to defend Arsic as there is not a single evidence, nor reasonable doubt that he committed the act he is accused of”, lawyer Filipovic said. 

However, RTS said, some things were obvious – he got accused only a few days after he initiated criminal proceedings.  Does this suggest this is an orchestrated act?

Responding to this question, Filipovic noted that she can’t claim it, as it is the question for prosecution. “I only hope that the prosecution will conduct a good and honest investigation that would prove Dusko Arsic was innocent”, she said. 

When it comes to property-legal issues, I hope the court will do the job properly and make just verdict in those civil proceedings, she added. 

Filipovic also said they have launched a number of disciplinary acts against the judges suspected of having connection with crime and judiciary, however, we still didn’t get any response from the courts’ presidents nor Kosovo Judicial Council. So the proceedings were initiated over our doubts, but there was no result to our demands.

Talking about the times when EULEX was in charge of these cases, Filipovic said at that time decisions were made justly, and Serbs reclaimed the properties.

“However, when the EULEX mandate in these cases ceased, we had final executive decisions. However, private bailiffs refuse to do their job, refuse to implement the final executive decisions, and we are facing some sort of vacuum now”, she said.

Despite having the final executive decision, a person can’t reclaim the property since private bailiffs do not do their job, respectively do not wish to act on the requests of the affected parties.

Asked if the case of Dusko Arsic, could serve as a matrix to others who intend to usurp properties of Serbs displaced outside of Kosovo, Filipovic said that unfortunately since the case of Dusko Arsic occurred, over the last couple of days a large number of people who have the same problems contacted me asking what they should do. Should they come and initiate proceedings, do they need to be present here (Kosovo), since they are receiving direct threats they will be accused of war crimes. Not for something else, but threats of being accused of committing war crimes, Filipovic underlined.