Albanian Language Media:

• Application for Kosovo’s membership in the EU, signed (Koha)
• Kurti: We will submit membership application to Czech presidency of EU in Prague (media)
• Kosovo Police refute Serbian media reports that Pantic was mistreated (media)
• Ministry: No agreement stops special police units from going to the north (RFE)
• Kurti: Foreign investments have increased by 46 percent compared to last year (Kallxo)
• Mehaj: The fourth anniversary of the army finds us with great successes (media)
• Mitrovica North SL assembly members replaced by those from Civic Initiative (media)
• Edita Tahiri: Escobar silenced Kurti (Ekonomia)
• Borrell talks about Thaci: We arrested him while he was still president (media)
• Ukrainian MP sends Zelensky request for recognition of Kosovo’s independence (Ekonomia)
• PSD with “Tension for Association” action in front of the government (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic’s question: Western partners to say which documents they will respect, mentioning the sixth from Thessaloniki on EU enlargement to the WB (media)
• The Kosovo government made a decision on land expropriation in Leposavic and Z. Potok (KoSSev)
• North Mitrovica Municipal Assembly: New councillors sworn in (Kontakt plus radio)
• Petkovic: Serb-majority municipality taken over by Albanians (Radio KIM)
• Serbs on barricades for fifth day, night went peacefully (RTS)
• Vucic to meet with Lajcak, Escobar on Wednesday (Tanjug)
• Radosavljevic: Serbs are not against (CSM) ZSO, but against what it symbolises (VoA)
• EU Council expects Serbia to align with EU foreign policy (N1, Beta, RTS)
• Dacic to UNMIK chief: UN important for territorial integrity (media)
• Family of Dejan Pantic say his innocence can easily be proved, if trial is just (RTS)
• Brnabic reacts to Escobar’s remark on return of Serbian security personnel (Kosovo Online, social media, Danas)
• Odalovic: Situation in Kosovo requires serious reaction of international community (Tanjug)
• Verdict delivered to Todosijevic, Petkovic says additional pressure on Serbs (Radio KIM)

International:

• Scholz says Balkans joining EU is in Germany’s interest (AP)

Albanian Language Media  

Application for Kosovo’s membership in the EU, signed (Koha)

The President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Speaker of the Parliament, Glauk Konjufca have signed the application for membership in the European Union.

The President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, has considered the application for membership in the European Union on Wednesday as a “historic day”.

“Today is a historic day. It is a historical moment. December 14 has a double importance in the modern history of Kosovo. In addition to applying for membership, today is also the anniversary of the founding of the Army. These two acts go in the direction of our Euro-Atlantic vision. On behalf of Kosovo, we are taking a decisive step towards realizing the dream. To bring our country one step closer to the EU. For Kosovo, there is no other alternative. On the eve of the 15th anniversary of Independence, this act is dedicated to all citizens, those who fought for freedom. Kosovo breathes European. The youngest state in Europe, country of political pluralism, religious rights, the indomitable contributor to peace and security deserves to be part of the EU. Our way forward is clear. We are determined to succeed. We will do our part to make it easier for the EU to have its way. We are taking a historic step for the EU to move towards the historic decision as soon as possible,” Osmani said.

After this signing, Konjufca said that this is a very important day for Kosovo.

“Today is a really important day for the Republic of Kosovo, as we have gathered with great pride and dedication to sign the letter of request on behalf of the Republic of Kosovo for application for membership in the European Union”, he said.

Kurti: We will submit membership application to Czech presidency of EU in Prague (media)

The Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti said after signing the application for membership in the European Union, that this is a historic moment for Kosovo. Kurti announced that the application will be submitted to the Czech Presidency of the EU in Prague. He added that progress will depend on “dedication to deep and transformative reforms that advance democracy, strengthen the rule of law and develop the economy.”

 “Based on the aspirations and unbreakable commitment of our people for peace, freedom, equality and justice, our clear European and Euro-Atlantic orientation and the social and political consensus that the future of our country is within the EU, today we are making the first step towards membership in the largest organization of peace and prosperity in Europe”.

“We will hand the application in the EU signed today by the heads of our Republic, over to the Czech presidency of the EU Council in Prague. This is a historic moment for our country that aims to open a new chapter for our state and society.”

“The speed with which we will move will depend on us. We will move forward on our own merit, with our abilities to meet the criteria. We overcome obstacles and challenges with democratic development and social progress”, said Kurti.

Kosovo Police refute Serbian media reports that Pantic was mistreated (media)

Kosovo Police issued a statement today refuting reports in some Serbian media according to which Dejan Pantic, a former member of the Kosovo Police, was mistreated. Police said Pantic was treated well in line with the created circumstances and that he was provided with medications.

The Basic Court in Pristina ordered a 30-day detention for Pantic who is suspected of committing “terrorist acts” and “attacks against the constitutional order”.

Pantic is accused of being behind the attacks against the Central Election Commission officials and the Kosovo Police in the north.

Ministry: No agreement stops special police units from going to the north (RFE)

No document or agreement reached between Kosovo and Serbia in the dialogue for the normalisation of relations prevents Kosovo from sending its special police units to the mainly Serb-inhabited north. This is what Kosovo’s Ministry of Interior Affairs said after repeated statements by Serbian officials – including President Aleksandar Vucic and Prime Minister Ana Brnabic – that Kosovo is not allowed to do this based on the 2013 Brussels Agreement.

Nora Fetoshi, advisor to Interior Minister Xhelal Svecla, told the news website: “Vucic’s goal, through misinformation, is to cause confusion and uncertainty among Serb citizens in Kosovo. There is no agreement, no document or accordance, for what Vucic says that the Special Unit [of Kosovo Police] cannot go to the northern part of the country”.

Kurti: Foreign investments have increased by 46 percent compared to last year (Kallxo)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said today that foreign investments in Kosovo have increased by 46 percent compared to last year. “We see progress in the increase of foreign investments, which this year have increased by 46 percent more compared to last year and exports have increased by 83.6 percent compared to last year,” Kurti said during a conference for promoting and attracting investments in Kosovo.

Kurti said that Kosovo has also achieved progress in the rule of law which has affected the climate of the economy too. He argued that the Commercial Court has also impacted the increase of foreign investments. 

Mehaj: The fourth anniversary of the army finds us with great successes (media)

Kosovo’s Minister of Defense Armend Mehaj has said that the fourth anniversary of the Kosovo Army finds this force with great successes. Mehaj wrote on Facebook that despite the challenges, “the journey with a clear vision is unstoppable towards our goal”. 

“The army with soldiers with high morale, educated, trained, equipped and ready to carry out the sacred mission in defense of the Motherland and our citizens. The army built, developed and advanced on the blood, sweat and effort of the heroes and martyrs of the nation over generations. Congratulations dear citizens! Military congratulations, you guardians of the Freedom of our Republic!” Mehaj wrote on Facebook.

In recent years, Kosovo government has allocated the largest budget ever for defence.

 Mitrovica North SL assembly members replaced by those from Civic Initiative (media)

After the resignation of the assembly members of the Serbian List from the Municipal Assembly in the north of Mitrovica at the beginning of November, new assembly members who will come from the Civic Initiative were sworn in on Wednesday.

The 14 new members of the North Mitrovica Municipal Assembly have just taken the solemn oath today. Among them were 12 Albanian MPs, out of 13 in total on the list from the Civic Initiative, 2 Bosnian MPs and one Serb, writes “Mitropol”.

Klan Kosova has learned through sources that Nedzat Ugljanin has been elected chairman of the municipal assembly in North Mitrovica.

Edita Tahiri: Escobar silenced Kurti (Ekonomia)

The former chief negotiator of Kosovo in the dialogue with Serbia in Brussels Edita Tahiri reacted after the special emissary of the United States of America for the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, in an interview for Radio Free Europe, said that the work for the establishment of the Association of Municipalities with a Serbian Majority should begin immediately. This request of Escobar, according to Tahiri, has left the Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti, silent, although the latter said a few days ago that if Serbia wanted at all costs the creation of the Association of municipalities with a Serbian majority, the first thing it should do would be to accept the independence of Kosovo.

“Escobar left Kurti silent”, Tahiri wrote on Facebook. 

Borrell talks about Thaci: We arrested him while he was still president (media) 

The arrest of the former president of Kosovo Hashim Thaci, was one of the topics that the High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy Josep Borrell, decided to mention in his speech at the Human Rights Forum with the topic ” Stop Impunity – The Path to Accountability and Justice”.

Borrell said that the European Union is forming mechanisms for post-conflict resolution. Here he mentioned Kosovo and the Specialized Chambers in The Hague. “We are forming special mechanisms for post-conflict solutions. I want to mention Kosovo, the Specialized Chambers of Kosovo. The former president of Kosovo is now in Amsterdam awaiting trial and our police mission in Kosovo (EULEX) was tasked with arresting him when he was acting president and sending him to Amsterdam to face justice,” he said.

Ukrainian MP sends Zelensky request for recognition of Kosovo’s independence (Ekonomia)

Ukrainian MP Oleksiy Gonchaernko, who visited Kosovo some time ago, has taken a new initiative to recognize the independence of Kosovo from Ukraine. He announced that he has sent a petition to the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, with the request for recognition of the independence of Kosovo.

 “I sent a petition to the President of Ukraine with the request for the recognition of the independence of Kosovo. If the petition collects 25,000 signatures, the president must respond. Ukraine must now support Kosovo”, he wrote on Twitter. The MP further listed the reasons why Kosovo’s independence should be recognized, saying that half of the UN member states, including the USA, as well as most countries of the EU and NATO have recognized Kosovo’s independence, while “in 2010, the UN International Court of Justice accepted that the declaration of Kosovo’s state sovereignty does not contradict the norms of international law, does not violate any international resolution and act.”

PSD with “Tension for Association” action in front of the government (Koha)

The Social Democratic Party (PSD) has initiated a symbolic action in front of the government of Kosovo. Activists of this party placed inscriptions “Tension for Association” and “Tension for Concession” in the government building on Wednesday. PSD told media that the tension up to an extraordinary situation is the new rationale for dialogue by this government.

“It is the new way of concessions. When the compromise is reached under tension, we no longer talk about concessions, but about the danger that we have been rescued from,” reads the PSD reaction, while mentioning the issue of license plates and the postponement of the elections in the north.

The PSD considers that the treatment of the north with an iron fist is, according to them, an argument for the formation of the Association. “The chaotic, frivolous and thoughtless tensions in the North have also had an effect. This way of the government has unified the international community with Serbia. The tensions in the North are serving as a catalyst for the Association,” it is stated in the communique of this party.

Serbian Language Media 

Vucic’s question: Western partners to say which documents they will respect, mentioning the sixth from Thessaloniki on EU enlargement to the WB (media)

President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, said that he has a ‘simple question’ for the Western partners, which of the five important documents, that they brought themselves, they want to respect, on the issue of Kosovo, as well as whether they will also respect the sixth document from Thessaloniki, on the enlargement of the EU to the Western Balkans, which fully supports the implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution, reported Serbian media.  

“A simple question for our Western partners,” President Vucic said in an Instagram video, in which he addresses citizens and Western partners.

“Dear citizens of Serbia, you already know that I asked our Western partners to tell me which of the five important documents they want to respect: the Kumanovo Agreement, the UN Charter, Resolution 1244, the Brussels Agreement or the Washington Agreement. We came to the sixth very important EU document from 2003. The famous Thessaloniki document on the enlargement of the EU to the Western Balkans. And precisely in light of the submission of the EU membership application of the so-called Kosovo, my question is, whether they will respect the documents that they brought themselves, even the historical ones from Thessaloniki. Because the Thessaloniki document point 5 says that it fully supports the implementation of Resolution 1244,” Vucic said in a video message.

“So, my question today is – which of these six documents do you want to respect, and we will absolutely agree,” Serbian President Vucic said, cited Serbian media. 

The Kosovo government made a decision on land expropriation in Leposavic and Z. Potok (KoSSev, Kosovo Online)

KoSSev portal reported that the Kosovo government yesterday made a decision on the declaration of special public interest of the immovable property of the owners and holders of interest, which, as stated, were necessary for the implementation of infrastructure projects on the territory of the municipality of Leposavic, that is, in Saljska Bistrica and in Jasenovik, located in the territory of Zubin Potok.

The government assessed that these infrastructure projects are of public interest, without specifying which specific projects are in question, reported the portal.

Portal Kosovo Online reported today that the new member of the Kosovo government, Nenad Rasic, Minister for Communities and Returns, also voted in favour of this decision. 

According to KoSSev portal, a decision was also made to expropriate land in the village of Bajgora, adding that in connection to this decision, the Kosovo government clearly emphasised in the statement that it referred to the expansion and rehabilitation of the existing road.

The portal also reported that a similar decision was adopted for the implementation of infrastructure projects in Podujevo, that is, the previous decision on expropriation in this municipality was approved.

At yesterday’s session of the government, the adviser to the Kosovo prime minister for community issues, Elizabeth Gowing, was appointed as a member of the commission for the certification of diplomas of the University in the northern part of Mitrovica.

The Kosovo government has also allocated 2,470,000 euros for the purchase of a building for the Kosovo embassy in the UK. 

KoSSev recalled that in municipalities of Zubin Potok and Leposavic, in the first half of this year, several bases of the special unit of the Kosovo Police were built, while one of them was built precisely in Donji Jasenovik, and the other also in the territory of the municipality of Zubin Potok, i.e., Brnjak.

Certain plots of land in this municipality were expropriated by the decision of the Kosovo government on August 19, and the same decision was made for the municipality of Leposavic.

The expropriation of private land in the municipality of Zubin Potok, i.e., the construction of several bases in the villages of this municipality, worried its residents earlier this year, who described the newly created situation as an occupation. They also fear that the bases are destined to become military bases in the future, wrote KoSSev portal.

North Mitrovica Municipal Assembly: New councillors sworn in (Kontakt plus radio)

Kontakt plus radio reported that the new councillors of the Northern Mitrovica Municipal Assembly took the oath.

Of the 14 newly appointed councillors, only one from the Civic Initiative Mitrovica was not present, reported the portal.

The councillors who took the oath today are Aida Ferati Doli, Nedzad Ugljanin, Gzim Alushi, Erden Atiq, Petrit Miftari, Arben Smaili, Meleke Kelmendi Shipoli, Naxhije Xhema, Lumni Xhaka, Jahir Demaku, Betim Osmani, Adelisa Gjushinca and Dusan Milunovic.

After the oath, one of the councillors requested that the journalists leave the assembly hall, due to the lack of space, reported Kontakt plus radio.

The councillors will also vote for the chair of the MA in the continuation of the session, according to the portal.

Kontakt plus radio recalled that the CEC decided, at the end of November, on who will replace the councillors of the North Mitrovica Municipal Assembly from the ranks of the Serbian List who previously resigned.

All the new councillors are from the CI Mitrovica, except Dusan Milunovic from the Serbian Survival (Srpski Opstanak).

The event is followed by a large number of media teams.

The Kosovo Police is located in front of the municipal building located in Bosnjacka Mahala, as well as at the intersection leading to the municipal building from the direction of Telekom, reported the radio.

Petkovic: Serb-majority municipality taken over by Albanians (Radio KIM)

“By legal violence and unilateral acts Albanians today took over municipal councillors’ posts which belong to the Serbs, in the Serbian municipality of Kosovska Mitrovica although no one voted for them and have no majority whatsoever or support of the Serbian people”, Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic said, Radio KIM reports.

He added “this way Kurti attempts to create a pure, mono-ethnic Albanian municipality in the north of Kosovo and Metohija”. Petkovic also argued that contrary to the rules, Albanians are taking over this municipality.

“Today’s brutal violation of the rights of the Serbs is an indicator that fight and democratic and peaceful resistance of the Serbian people is right and more justified than ever, because that is only what is left to the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija under the wave of uncivilised, undemocratic acts, physical and legal violence. It has been clear now that giving up from holding elections in northern Kosovo and Metohija on December 18, was not concession of Pristina, ‘nor the attempt to reduce the tensions’ but it was about an insidious plan and farce of Albin Kurti elaborated in advance to take over Serbian elections by legal violence and without elections, as well as sent his own police officers in the north”, Petkovic said.  

Serbs on barricades for fifth day, night went peacefully (RTS)

RTS reports this morning last night in northern Kosovo was calm, however the situation still remains tense. Serbs are at the barricades, erected to protest the arrest of a former Kosovo police officer, Dejan Pantic, for the fifth day in a row. Also, Brnjak and Jarinje crossing points remain blocked by Kosovo police and can’t be crossed on foot either. Medications Dejan Pantic needed due to a serious heart condition were delivered four days after his arrest.

Commenting on the situation, Professor Slobodan Zecevic from Institute for European Studies said the positions of both Belgrade and Pristina remain distant. “There are some positive things”, he said, adding that “US Deputy Assistant Secretary and envoy for the Western Balkans Gabriel Escobar said Community of Serb Municipalities (ZSO) should be formed, this is positive and precondition for further talks with Albanians in Kosovo and Metohija, however, this ZSO should be based on the agreement signed in Brussels and not an innovation that either side had not talked about”. 

Vucic to meet with Lajcak, Escobar on Wednesday (Tanjug)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic will meet with the EU special envoy for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue Miroslav Lajcak in Belgrade on Wednesday. The meeting at the General Secretariat of the President of the Republic of Serbia is scheduled for 12.45 pm, Tanjug news agency reports.

After that meeting, Vucic is also scheduled to hold a trilateral meeting with Lajcak and US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Gabriel Escobar.

An official statement will be released after the meeting, the presidential press office has announced.

Radosavljevic: Serbs are not against (CSM) ZSO, but against what it symbolises (VoA)

In the last few days, the situation in the north of Kosovo has become extremely complicated, it is difficult to predict what will happen maybe already tonight, let alone in a few weeks or months, and as Jovana Radosavljevic, director of the non-governmental organisation “New Social Initiative” from Kosovska Mitrovica, believes , every day the longer the Serbs are out of the institutions, the harder it will be for them to return to those same institutions, reported Voice of America in Serbian language. 

“We cannot push a button and expect everything to be normal, especially if there is no amnesty law, especially regarding former police officers. So, I think, we are in a situation where we have to react urgently to the situation on the ground. Within that, and I guess after that, we will see a situation where the French-German proposal and some progress in the dialogue process are being discussed,” says Radosavljevic in an interview with Voice of America.

Given that Brussels and Washington demand that the Serbian barricades in the north of Kosovo be removed as soon as possible, Radosavljevic believes that, on the other hand, the West does not listen to the demands of the Serbian community and the message of the leader of the Serbian List, Goran Rakic, that the condition is to stop the arrests and that the units special police move away from the north:

“These conditions have not yet been accepted, it seems that there is no ear for it, so we are still waiting to see what will happen next,” said the Voice of America interviewee.

She also points out that the raising of barricades was organised, because such things, as she said, are done in an organised manner. In Radosavljevic’s opinion, this is also a good thing – because there is some kind of control over what happens at the barricades:

“In essence, what is happening now has the support of Belgrade. I think that on November 5, when the representatives of the Serbian List, but also of the Kosovo institutions, decided to leave those same institutions – they left because they got the green light from Belgrade. In the previous two years, there were eight requests from the Serbian List to Belgrade to leave the Kosovo institutions, each of these requests was rejected. This time it happened that Belgrade basically gave the green light to do it”.

When asked if he believes in the possibility of 1,000 members of the Serbian security forces coming to Kosovo, Radosavljevic said that it was not realistic. 

“I think that the announcement of sending a request to KFOR has more of a political message and dimension than it is realistic and practically feasible,” she said among other things.

Radosavljevic recalled the statement of Kosovo PM Kurti, that he has not heard a single Serb who wants the formation of the Community of Serbian Municipalities: 

“And that is partly true. If you look at it from the perspective of a Kosovo Serb, the existence of the CSM (ZSO) means further integration, probably complete integration within the Kosovo system, which essentially is not in the interest of the community. But in a situation where something like that happens, the citizens would also be in favor of that option, especially because that community would be a body that would deal with issues of key interest for the community, the sustainability of the community on the ground, namely education and health, as some other questions. It’s not that citizens are against ZSO, but what it symbolises,” she said.

In short, as Jovana Radosavljevic said, these days and weeks culminated in a situation that has been going on for a year and a half – since the arrival of Self-Determination and Albin Kurti to power in Kosovo, reported VoA.

According to her, since then, Pristina has opened one crisis after another, which forced Belgrade to react, which, according to the interviewee of the Voice of America, may not have been the best at times.

Today, the Serbs see Belgrade as their protector, and in Kosovo, things have come to such a point that neither the Serbian community has confidence in the Kosovo institutions, nor does Pristina have confidence in the Serbian community.

EU Council expects Serbia to align with EU foreign policy (N1, Beta, RTS)

The European Union (EU) Council said it deeply regrets Serbia’s backsliding in alignment with the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy, notably the non-alignment with EU sanctions against Russia and Belarus, as well as its foreign policy actions contrary to the EU common approach, read the conclusions on Enlargement and Stabilisation and Association Process approved by the Council on Tuesday, reported N1. 

The Council underlined its strong expectation of Serbia to fulfil its commitment taken in the Negotiating Framework, and to step up its alignment with EU Common Foreign and Security positions.

In the conclusions that provide an assessment of the situation in each of the EU candidate countries and partners, the Council “also calls on Serbian authorities to communicate objectively and unambiguously on the EU, and to actively engage in preventing and tackling all forms of disinformation and foreign information manipulation in all media channels.”

The Council conclusions also stress the need for Serbia to fulfil its commitment to align with EU visa policy.

“While welcoming the positive steps taken by Serbia towards fulfilling this commitment, the Council underlines the need for continued efforts in this area, in particular with regard to third countries which present irregular migration or security risk to the EU,” reads the documents.

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

Dacic to UNMIK chief: UN important for territorial integrity (media)

Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic told UNMIK chief Caroline Ziadeh on Tuesday that Serbia views the UN as the most important international organisation in terms of preserving territorial integrity and sovereignty, reported Serbian media yesterday, citing the statement of the Serbian Foreign Affairs Ministry.

A government press release quoted Dacic as saying that Serbia was committed to continuing cooperation with UNMIK, adding that compromise solutions for everyday issues in Kosovo are the priority for the Serbian authorities.

The press release quoted Ziadeh as voicing gratitude for the Serbian authorities’ support and openness in cooperation with UNMIK and KFOR and expressing her personal commitment to improving regional cooperation.

The interlocutors agreed that all parties face a difficult task, but also that dialogue was the only way to constructively solve the current problem.

Family of Dejan Pantic say his innocence can easily be proved, if trial is just (RTS, media)

Family of Dejan Pantic, former Kosovo police officer arrested at Jarinje crossing point on December 10, currently under 30-day detention, said they have no information about his health for the fifth day in a row. EULEX earlier announced that medications Pantic needs to take had been delivered to Kosovo police yesterday.

In an interview for RTS, Pantic’s wife Suzana and son Predrag claimed he was innocent and they hoped it would be proven at court. The news that police and prosecution accuse Pantic for allegedly committing “terrorist attacks” near premises of municipal election commission in Mitrovica North, Suzana says she heard from a lawyer and media.

She also said they are a decent family, living from their own work, adding Dejan has no “stain neither in his career nor in his life”. Predrag adds his father was arrested upon returning from Raska where he went to buy medications and groceries. They both said should the trial be just, Pantic’s innocence could be easily proven, adding at the time of the incident he was in the town with friends, the city is covered with surveillance cameras and Pantic’s movement on that day same as the time, can be tracked.

Meanwhile in a post on Twitter, Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director, Petar Petkovic asked EU special envoy for Belgrade-Pristina talks, Miroslav Lajcak, head of OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Ambassador Michael Davenport and EULEX representative when will Pantic be able to talk and see his family, which is, he added, one of the basic human rights. In a post he also included provisions of a criminal code stipulating the rights of arrested persons, including the right to inform family members of arrest, place of holding, right to medical treatment and examination as well as confidential correspondence with a lawyer in person and in writing. 

Brnabic reacts to Escobar’s remark on return of Serbian security personnel (Kosovo Online, social media, Danas)

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said the US Special Envoy for Western Balkans Gabriel Escobar is yet another politician adamantly against valid UN SC resolutions.

“I see that my friend Gabe Escobar is yet another politician who is adamantly against valid Resolutions of the UN Security Council”, she wrote in a post on Twitter.

“He took over the role of the Security Council and with unanimous vote of himself, MFA of Germany and Minister von Cramon of Silence, also known as EP Rapporteur for Kosovo*, annulled the UNSCR 1244”, she said, adding there is “no need for the UN to organise sessions of the Security Council, as a cost-saving measure, this Troika will decide on all the global issues henceforth”.

Meanwhile, Serbian opposition Free Citizens Movement urged Brnabic to get engaged in serious diplomatic activities and try to find a way to defuse the situation in northern Kosovo, instead of tweeting and slamming the highest Western officials from the countries that have the power to protect Serbs in Kosovo.

Odalovic: Situation in Kosovo requires serious reaction of international community (Tanjug)

Chairman of the Serbian Government Missing Persons Commission, Veljko Odalovic said the situation in Kosovo and Metohija requires serious reaction from the international community, mainly by those who should be guarantors of stability there, Tanjug news agency reports.

He said the visit of EU and US special envoys, Miroslav Lajcak and Gabriel Escobar to Belgrade aims to defuse tensions and resolve problems in Kosovo caused by Prime Minister Albin Kurti, and this is something that should be welcomed.

“We have a situation that requires serious reaction from the international community, mainly by those who should be guarantors of stability in the area of Kosovo and Metohija. And these are not (Albin) Kurti nor his Kosovo, as he calls it, security forces. These are UNMIK, KFOR, and EULEX in a mandate entrusted to it”, he said.  

Verdict delivered to Todosijevic, Petkovic says additional pressure on Serbs (Radio KIM)

Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director, Petar Petkovic in his reaction to delivery of a verdict to Ivan Todosijevic, over his remarks on Racak case, yesterday, said it was carefully decided in Pristina when to send it aiming to exert additional pressure on Serbs, intimidate and silence them “so they would not dare to warn of Pristina’s terror at any place”, Radio KIM reports.

“Obviously Kurti by all means attempts to provoke Serbs and a new crisis on the ground, as he failed to cause disproportionate reactions of our people by long barrel weapons and armoured vehicles! Serbs must not fall prey to his provocations and that is why he strikes Ivan Todosijevic now because he knows that every Serbs stands in solidarity with him”, Petkovic said.

He also said several provisions of the Brussels agreement on juridical, in particular point 10 have been violated in the case of Ivan Todosijevic, that composition of the judicial panel in the cases coming from Serbian areas must have Serb majority, but also that other basic democratic and civic rights to freedom of speech and opinion have been violated in his case.     

Ivan Todosijevic in the second re-trial has been sentenced by the Basic Court in Pristina to one year in prison over his remarks on Racak for allegedly inciting ethnic, racial and religious hatred, Radio KIM recalled.

International 

Scholz says Balkans joining EU is in Germany’s interest (AP)

Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Wednesday that it’s in the interest of Germany and Europe for the remaining countries of the Balkans to join the European Union.

Speaking to Parliament ahead of a one-day summit of the 27-nation bloc in Brussels, Scholz welcomed the revival of EU accession talks with the six Western Balkan countries in recent months, and the decision this week to grant Bosnia candidate status.

“It is in our German and our European interest for the rest of the Balkans to become part of the European Union,” he told lawmakers in Berlin.

Scholz also praised the decision to allow Croatia to join the Europe’s ID-check-free travel zone, and said Bulgaria and Romania should “follow soon.”

Austria has so far blocked the two countries’ bid to join the so-called Schengen area.