Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: Eliminating violence is an obligation; victims must be protected (KP)
• Osmani asks for USAID support in fight against gender based violence (KP)
• PDK’s Krasniqi: Vetting must happen; unclear why it is running late (EO)
• Civil society: Judiciary inefficient; reforms can have results only through vetting (KP)
• Baraliu: Election reform must happen as soon as possible (RTK)
• Hoti: Government turned Serbia into main trade partner in the region (media)
• Arsenijevic confirms withdrawal of candidacy for Mitrovica North mayor (media)
• CEC confirms: Serb candidate for elections in north withdrew on Dec 2 (Gazeta Blic)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic to Lajcak: It is necessary to implement agreement on ZSO (RTS)
• Brnabic accuses Kurti of violating Brussels Agreement (N1)
• Serbs who left Kosovo institutions start receiving salary payments from Belgrade (KoSSev)
• Dacic meets Iranian diplomacy head, expresses gratitude for stance on Kosovo (RTS)
• The candidates of an extraordinary elections for mayors of municipalities in the north of Kosovo (RTS)
• Detention of Djokovic extended for two more months (Radio KIM)

Albanian Language Media  

Kurti: Eliminating violence is an obligation; victims must be protected (KP) 

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said today that eliminating violence is the obligation of every individual and that the victims of violence must be protected and receive institutional support. During the launching of the state protocol for treatment of sexual violence cases, Kurti said there are cases when the institutions do not concretely address and neglect cases of violence.

“There are cases when the institutions blame one another for lack of action and also avoid responsibilities or neglect the calls for violence … There are cases when the institutions did not act correctly and left the cases of victims untreated … Eliminating violence is the obligation of each and everyone of us. The victims need institutional support, proper health and psychological care,” Kurti said.

Kurti also said that prosecutions and courts must prove a new commitment to address cases of violence. He said that violence is a matter of security and well-being, and not a private or family matter.

Minister of Justice, Albulena Haxhiu, said during the event that the state protocol for treatment of sexual violence cases was one of the most important documents prepared by the Ministry of Justice. “Data show that there is a big increase in cases of sexual violence. From 2019 to 2021, there are 311 cases of forensic examination,” she said.

Head of the EU Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX), Lars Gunnar Wigemark, said 85 percent of reported cases of sexual violence in Kosovo involved women under 18. “Because of stigmatisation they don’t want to report these cases. The LGBTI group is especially hesitant. This protocol shows the government’s commitment to properly orient these victims in terms of justice,” he said.

Osmani asks for USAID support in fight against gender based violence (KP)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani met today in Pristina with USAID Assistant Administrator Erin E. McKee, and said that the USAID has done an outstanding job in Kosovo and that the cooperation will continue into the future.

Osmani said she has asked for support in the fight against gender-based violence and that she has received this support. “The important presence of USAID here and today’s visit are not only an example of the strong partnership between the two countries, but also points to the fact that Kosovo remains a country with great potential, a growing economy and advanced democracy,” she said.

Osmani also said that the USAID has been a pillar and catalyst for positive changes in Kosovo, in particular in democracy, the rule of law, and human rights.

McKee said they will continue to provide support to Kosovo in developing an impartial judiciary. “The USAID will continue to help the development of a fair and impartial judiciary and will impact the reduction of corruption and strengthen the rule of law. We strive to enable young people to fulfil their potential and to build a future that they want to see in Kosovo,” she said.

McKee also talked about the normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia, saying that mutual recognition at the centre is the best way forward that will help Kosovo improve relations with neighbouring countries and get its place among other countries in the integration processes.

PDK’s Krasniqi: Vetting must happen; unclear why it is running late (EO)

Leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Memli Krasniqi, said in an interview with the news website that it is unclear why the vetting in the judiciary is running late. “The process of vetting must take place. We have supported it for a long time now. I met the Prime Minister, and I supported him for a process that needs to go through the Assembly of Kosovo. There was understanding for the proposals given by the Democratic Party of Kosovo, and they were accepted and now the file of the vetting is in the Kosovo Assembly. It is unclear to me why they are running late and why they are hesitant to talk about the process … The vetting must happen through a legally structured and constitutional process, as we have proposed, through the Kosovo Assembly, and not with other measures that impact the independence of the judicial system,” Krasniqi said.

Civil society: Judiciary inefficient; reforms can have results only through vetting (KP)

The news website reports that a coalition of civil-society organisations started the week against corruption with the motto “together against corruption”. During a roundtable that included Kosovo Law Institute, the Group for Local and Political Studies, the Fol Movement, the Initiative for Progress, Cohu, and Columbus, on the topic “Reforms in the judiciary” it was said that the judicial system continues to lack transparency and is inefficient.

Mexhide Demolli from the Fol Movement, said that as part of the week against corruption, they have organised many activities aimed at fighting corruption in different areas.

Eros Gashi, advisor in the Ministry of Justice, said the government has worked hard on several legal initiatives that will lead to reforms in the judiciary and that the process is one of the government’s priorities. He also said that since 2008 all governments have worked on reforming the judiciary, but that inefficiency in the system is evident and that there is a big backlog of cases.

Liridon Salihi from the Group for Legal and Political Studies said real reforms are needed in the judiciary in order to have concrete results. He argued that regardless of previous reforms they did not result in potential progress because even in 2022 the judicial system still lacks transparency. According to him, reforms in the judiciary can be successful only through a vetting process with constitutional amendments.

Gezim Shala from the Kosovo Law Institute said that the government’s decision to lower the salaries of judges and prosecutors is illegitimate and that it sets a bad example for reforms in the judiciary. He also argued that although the vetting process was one of the main promises of the current government, there are no concrete results yet.

Baraliu: Election reform must happen as soon as possible (RTK)

Over a decade has passed since it was said that Kosovo needs to undertake reforms in the election system and since then nothing concrete has been done despite several efforts, the news website notes.

An ad-hoc commission could very soon start drafting the required amendments and experts of election processes argue that the reform must conclude as soon as possible.

Abelard Tahiri, head of the Election Reform Committee, recently said that they will draft the amendments for the election reform soon and then send them to the Assembly for approval.

Mazllum Baraliu, expert on constitutional law and former head of the Central Election Committee, said in an interview with the news website that the reform must conclude as soon as possible. “Changes are needed in three pillars: the election legislation, the election system, and the election process. I believe that changes should also be made in terms of the election threshold and the election zones. So far, the political parties have not shown interest or readiness on this matter, and therefore the process has stalled. We will have to see what happens now with the commission that the Assembly has formed,” he said. 

Alim Rama, organisational secretary in the Vetevendosje Movement, said that the ruling party is against having several election zones in Kosovo. “The position of the Vetevendosje Movement is that Kosovo is too small to be divided into zones … Division into zones would complicate the process, especially with regards to the reserved seats. We believe that the current focus should be on the administration of the election process, and that in a later stage we can also address other issues,” he argued.

Rama also said that several other requests of the Vetevendosje Movement are similar to the recommendations of the EU and OSCE and which pertain to issues such as regulating the certification of candidates, improving the voters register and simplifying the voting procedure for the diaspora.

The news website tried to talk to opposition parties about their requests in terms of the election reform, but their representatives hesitated to comment.

Hoti: Government turned Serbia into main trade partner in the region (media)

MP from the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Avdullah Hoti, said today that Serbia has turned into Kosovo’s main trade partner in the region. “In the period January-October 2022, compared to the same period in 2021, €850 million more goods were imported from abroad. Because experts during this period have increased by only €154 million, the trade deficit has become bigger and has reached €-3.9 billion euros. The growing trade deficit questions the economic growth, the local production, and the employment in Kosovo, as is being propagated in international conferences. If we analyse trade with countries of the Western Balkans, we see that imports from all these countries have decreased, except with Serbia. Someone can argue that trade is free and that it determines imports and exports. I agree with this. But free trade also existed in the years when those who now are in power turned over trucks with goods from Serbia,” Hoti wrote in a Facebook post.

Arsenijevic confirms withdrawal of candidacy for Mitrovica North mayor (media)

Leader of the civic initiative “Serbian Survival”, Aleksandar Arsenijevic, confirmed to Indeksonline today that he has withdrawn his candidacy for mayor of Mitrovica North. He said the reason why he withdrew the candidacy is related to the return of Serbs in the institutions, who had resigned en masse as a sign of protest to the government’s decision on licence plates. 

Arsenijevic argued he fulfilled his promise and showed stability “unlike the other political options”, as well as maturity and independence in decision-making “unlike some other opposition actors in Mitrovica and beyond”.

Nacionale news website, who received the same confirmation from Arsenijevic, notes in its coverage that he was the only Serb candidate for the post of Mitrovica North.

The news website also notes that elections in the four Serb-majority municipalities in the north of Kosovo were announced after the resignations of the mayors there, all of whom were members of the Serbian List.

CEC confirms: Serb candidate for elections in north withdrew on Dec 2 (Gazeta Blic)

A spokesman for Kosovo’s Central Election Commission (CEC) confirmed to the news website today that the only Serb candidate for the December 18 elections in Mitrovica North, Aleksandar Arsenijevic, has withdrawn his candidacy. 

“I can confirm that on December 2, 2022, within the legal timeline set by the CEC for the withdrawal of political parties, we received notification about the withdrawal of the candidate of the civic initiative ‘Serbian Survival’, Aleksandar Arsenijevic, from the race for mayor in Mitrovica North. In the written justification we received, he withdrew his candidacy ‘with free will’,” the spokesman said.

Serbian Language Media 

Vucic to Lajcak: It is necessary to implement agreement on ZSO (RTS)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met today EU Special Envoy for Belgrade-Pristina talks, Miroslav Lajcak and told him that Serbia remains committed to continuing a constructive dialogue aiming at preserving peace and stability as well as creating better conditions for the lives of all people, RTS reports.

In a post on Instagram Vucic said that he discussed with Lajcak about latest events in Kosovo and Metohija as well as problems Serbs there are facing because of unilateral and illegitimate Pristina acts.

“I emphasised the necessity to implement an agreement on the Community of Serb Municipalities and respect the rights and will of our people. Serbia is committed to continue a constructive dialogue, aiming at preserving the peace and stability as well as creating better living conditions for all people”, Vucic said.

After visiting Belgrade, Lajcak will travel to Pristina and meet Prime Minister Albin Kurti there.

In the meantime, Vucic also announced that he will travel to Tirana for tomorrow’s EU-Western Balkans Sumitt, adding it would be “a great damage” to the country if he does not go. 

Brnabic accuses Kurti of violating Brussels Agreement (N1)

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic accused Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti of brutally violating the Brussels agreement by generating crises, N1 reports.

Speaking live on TV Pink, Brnabic said that the problems with ID cards and vehicle licence plates were artificially generated crises by Kurti who, she added, unilaterally violated every signed agreement. She recalled Kurti’s statement in Berlin that the 2013 Brussels agreement does not exist for Pristina and that the Community of Serb Municipalities is out of the question.

Brnabic also criticised the appointment of Nenad Rasic to the post of Minister for Communities and Return in Kurti’s cabinet with Rada Trajkovic as his adviser to replace officials of the Serbian List, saying that they won just 1,500 votes in the Kosovo elections compared to the much higher number of Serbian List votes. She said she does not recognize Kosovo Constitution and that the Serbs can’t be represented by those who won 30 times fewer votes than the Serbian List. 

Serbs who left Kosovo institutions start receiving salary payments from Belgrade (KoSSev)

All staff who left Kosovo institutions in four northern municipalities and signed contracts with the Serbian state started receiving salary payments, KoSSev portal reports citing Office for Kosovo and Metohija.

“We are talking about wages, which will be regular and paid on time, at the beginning of each month,“ the Office said.

It added that this way a promise made by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic – that the state of Serbia will help all those who left Pristina institutions in the north of Kosovo in early November – was fulfilled.

They added all those who have left Kosovo institutions will have a pension plan and health insurance.

Dacic meets Iranian diplomacy head, expresses gratitude for stance on Kosovo (RTS)

Serbian First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic met Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian who is on an official visit to Belgrade, RTS reports. During the talks Dacic noted that bilateral relations between the two states are at high level, adding Serbia is grateful to Iran for its decision not to recognize unilaterally declared Kosovo independence. Abdollahian said he hopes that “soon we would bear witness to the official visit of President Vucic to Tehran”.

Dacic said following the meeting that Iran has a principled stance also when it comes to international organisations and didn’t vote in support of Kosovo membership, despite all, as he said, pressure that the country faced.

He also said Serbia remains firmly committed to cooperation with Iran adding that the two countries will look into ways on how to develop cooperation in the upcoming period.

Also, Serbia awarded 18 scholarships to the students from Iran interested to study in Serbia. He noted that Serbia and Iran will mark the 85th anniversary since establishment of diplomatic relations, which points out long-term tradition in cooperation between the two states. Commenting on the current situation in Iran, Dacic said that Serbia does not interfere into the internal affairs of other states. “We wish problems to be resolved in the interest of Iranian people and the state”, Dacic said. He added Iran is a traditional friend of Serbia, and that in line with it Serbia will be on its side.

Adbollahian stressed that Islamic Republic of Iran stands for respecting territorial integrity of all states, including Serbia, and that is why it insists on preserving that integrity and national interest of Serbia.

“We support all measures Serbia undertakes in this direction”, he said.  

Later in the day, Adbollahian also met Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. On this occasion Vucic also expressed gratitude to Iran over its firm and principled stance not to recognize Kosovo.   

The candidates of an extraordinary elections for mayors of municipalities in the north of Kosovo (RTS)

In the extraordinary elections on December 18 for the presidents of North Mitrovica, Zvecan, Zubin Potok and Leposavic, municipalities with a Serbian majority in the north of Kosovo, there are nine Albanians and one Serb among the candidates, reported Radio Television of Serbia. 

The Serbian List announced that they will not participate in the upcoming elections.

The candidates of the Albanian parties in those areas stated that they have already started preparations, reported RTS, citing media in Pristina. 

The candidate of the ruling Self-Determination movement for the president of the municipality of North Mitrovica, Erden Atiq, expressed confidence in his victory, stating that this is his fifth time to compete, expecting the votes of the Serbian community.

The candidate of the Self-Determination movement in Leposavic is Lulzim Hetemi, Flatron Hasani in Zubin Potok, and Fetah Peca in Zvecan.

A resident of the village of Cabra, Izmir Zeqiri in the municipality of Zubin Potok, is a candidate of the Democratic Party of Kosovo for the president of that municipality.

“An institutional void has been created in the Zubin Potok municipality. We will try to create security for all citizens, restore the institutionalization of life in the entire Zubin Potok municipality,” said Zeqiri said to the RTK in Pristina.

Other DPK candidates are Taulant Kelmendi in North Mitrovica, Albulena Behluli-Hetemi in Leposavic and Ilhir Peci in Zvecan.

Betim Osmani is a candidate of the CI ‘Mitrovica’, and he said that his focus was on improving the lives of citizens without distinction.

The only Serbian candidate in the upcoming elections is Aleksandar Jablanovic, the president of the Kosovo Serb Party, confirmed in the nomination for the mayor of the municipality of Leposavic.

The candidate of the CI ‘Serbian Survival’, Aleksandar Arsenijevic, last week withdrew his candidacy for the president of the municipality of North Mitrovica.

The presidents of four Serb-majority municipalities in the north of Kosovo resigned a month ago, following the decision of the Serbian List to leave Kosovo institutions, protesting the decisions of the Kosovo government on the re-registration of vehicles from Serbian to Kosovo plates, the suspension of the police commander in the northern region, Nenad Djuric, and failure to form the Community of Serbian Municipalities.

About three thousand Serbs left Kosovo’s institutions, among them councillors of local assemblies, recalled RTS. 

Detention of Djokovic extended for two more months (Radio KIM)

Detention of 62-year-old Milorad Djokovic arrested in Vitomirica village near Pec on June 26 this year for alleged war crimes has been extended for two more months, Radio KIM reports.

His defence lawyer, Vasilije Arsic told BETA news agency that Kosovo prosecution has no evidence for its initial charges that Djokovic took part in killing civilians in Kosovo in 1999, therefore it is now “inventing” new criminal acts.

Kosovo prosecution said earlier that Djokovic was suspected of committing a war crime against the civilian population, related to the action from May 7, 1999, “when at least nine civilians of Albanian ethnicity were killed in the Pec region and five went missing”.

Arsic added that prosecution has no single evidence for those charges and is now accusing Djokovic of raping a woman who allegedly recognized him on the photo. 

According to Arsic, Djokovic was the only Serb who remained living on his property in Vitomirica village after the end of conflict in 1999, and worked as a civil register in Gorazdevac.

“Should Djokovic before or during the war committed any crime against Albanians, he would certainly not stay living in Metohija. For all those years he was the only Serb in Vitomirica where he lived normally with his Bosniak and Albanian neighbours. Charges against him are based on false testimonies and aim at intimidating all the Serbs living in Kosovo and Metohija”, Arsic said.

He added Djokovic was for years involved in a lawsuit with Pec municipality over usurped land and he won the case at the Supreme Court in Kosovo, however the cadaster office in Pec didn’t want to register that property under his name.