Albanian Language Media:

• Borrell expects Kurti and Vucic to meet soon in support of proposal (RFE)
• EP calls on Kosovo and Serbia to advance in dialogue process (RFE)
• Kurti to opposition: Words you tell me, tell them to Escobar with same zeal (Kallxo)
• Krasniqi to Kurti: Dialogue is not a private matter between you and Vucic (EO)
• Haradinaj: Kurti inherited the Association; we didn’t ask Thaci for an agreement centred on recognition (Koha)
• Abdixhiku: No one knows what Kosovo has agreed to; is this a final agreement? (EO)
• Kurti: Why Serbia doesn’t give monoethnic association to its own minorities (media)
• Berlin Process agreements; Szunyog: I hope for swift ratification by Assembly (Koha)
• Assembly adopts Law on Bureau for Confiscation of Unjustifiable Wealth (Koha)

Serbian Language Media:

• Bilcik: No progress in negotiations until Serbia makes progress (N1)
• Vucic: Konjufca’s statement about CSM (ZSO) expected, I congratulate them for their honesty (Beta, NMagazin)
• Vucic met Quint ambassadors to the OSCE and diplomatic representatives in Belgrade (RTS, Kosovo Online, Tanjug)
• Hill: Serbia needs to cross the final part of the road to the West (RTS)
• Bocan-Kharchenko: The final status of Kosovo after the end of the conflict between the West and Russia (NMagazin, Beta, media)
• Bislimi: The Serbian government can play with its decisions, but vehicles with “illegal” license plates are not allowed to enter Kosovo (KoSSev)
• Elektrosever: Pristina authorities accusations incorrect, we fulfil all the obligations of the Energy Roadmap (KoSSev)
• Bislimi: Part of the blame for the non-implementation of the energy agreement lies with Brussels itself (Beta, KiM radio)
• German Embassy in Pristina: We do not approve of Kurti’s conditions for CSM (N1, FoNet, Kosovo Online, Gazeta Express))
• RFE: EU leaders to discuss Kosovo dialogue (N1)
• Djurovic: Pristina’s CoE membership bid not discussed on Wednesday (Tanjug)

Opinion:

• Less: Failure of the dialogue at this moment is at least as likely as success (Blic, Tanjug)
• New President could bring clarity to Czechia’s ambiguous policy on Kosovo (Balkan Insight)

International:

• Avrupa Minerals to Continue Positive Progress in Finland, Portugal, and Kosovo in 2023 (investingnews.com)
• BIRN Conference Highlights Importance of Environmental Journalism in Balkans (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media  

Borrell expects Kurti and Vucic to meet soon in support of proposal (RFE)

EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, said today before the meeting of EU heads of states, that he will brief them about the course of the dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade and the latest developments. “The proposal is on the table. I have invited the two leaders to come to Brussels soon, within a couple of weeks, so that we can finally push forward the proposal,” he said.

Borrell said he will ask leaders of EU member states to strongly support the process of dialogue in order to avoid any escalation, and to ask the two sides to work seriously on the proposal, which he called the only way to resolve problems and normalise relations between Kosovo and Serbia.

“We have moved from one crisis to another. Now is the time for de-escalation and constructive work,” he said.

EP calls on Kosovo and Serbia to advance in dialogue process (RFE)

The European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs called on Kosovo and Serbia today to advance in the EU-mediated process of dialogue. The remarks were made during a debate in the committee on reports for Kosovo and Serbia, drafted by the rapporteurs, Viola von Cramon and Vladimir Bilcik.

Von Cramon said that “Kosovo has gone through a great road toward democracy” and that “despite the recent political polarisation in Kosovo, this country has passed several countries in the region in achieving democratic standards”. She also said that more progress is needed in the judiciary in order to eliminate unnecessary political influence.

In terms of Kosovo’s application for EU membership, von Cramon said this depends on internal reforms and also the dialogue with Serbia. “The dialogue requires clear leadership and commitment, and we don’t want Kosovo to be seen as a less constructive party in the dialogue,” she said.

Von Cramon said that the security situation in the north of Kosovo is a responsibility of the EU too. “Perhaps we need to strengthen the presence of EULEX in the north. We also need to say what role we need to play in the dialogue,” she said.

Kurti to opposition: Words you tell me, tell them to Escobar with same zeal (Kallxo)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti told opposition MPs in today’s session of the Kosovo Assembly, that the same zeal they have in telling him not to accept an agreement without mutual recognition, they should say the same to U.S. envoy for the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar. “I encourage you, the same way you are determined that Kosovo must not accept an agreement without mutual recognition at the centre, please say this with the same zeal to Escobar, and not only to me. When you meet Escobar, imagine you have Kurti in front of you and tell him these words. You cannot do a greater service to Kosovo,” Kurti said.

Krasniqi to Kurti: Dialogue is not a private matter between you and Vucic (EO)

Leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Memli Krasniqi, in today’s session of the Kosovo Assembly, accused Prime Minister Albin Kurti of lacking courage and not being transparent about the dialogue with Serbia. “The only thing that is neither noble nor pragmatic is the lack of courage to exercise the responsibility he has, deceiving oneself that you will achieve your objectives successfully, hiding behind principles and yet acting according to the circumstances. Unfortunately, this is the path that Prime Minister Kurti is following, with the way he has approached governance in general, and in particular the recent developments in the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia. So I want to make it clear to the Prime Minister that on the topic of dialogue, he doesn’t have to hide, deceive, or play the role of saviour or that of a traitor. For the Democratic Party of Kosovo, it suffices that he exercises the concrete, legal and constitutional responsibilities he has as Prime Minister, to engage in dialogue and reach an agreement that respects the identity and state and constitutional sovereignty of the Republic of Kosovo, and do all this in transparent fashion,” Krasniqi said.

Haradinaj: Kurti inherited the Association; we didn’t ask Thaci for an agreement centred on recognition (Koha)

Leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), Ramush Haradinaj, said today that Prime Minister Albin Kurti should not be blamed for the Association because according to him the issue has been inherited from previous governments. He called on opposition parties to be honest.

“It is important what we want, mutual recognition, but how can we get it? The situation is simple. Our allies have helped Kosovo to an agreement that will divorce it from Serbia. The U.S. tells everyone, we support you for partnership for peace. If you tell the government not to accept the agreement without mutual recognition, you should be very careful in what you’re saying,” Haradinaj said in today’s session of the Kosovo Assembly.

Haradinaj said that in 2013 no one told then Kosovo President Hashim Thaci that there should be no agreement if it does not include mutual recognition. “For the AAK and I, the French-German proposal is acceptable. I call on this government to accept the proposal and to not be late. Let us hold elections in the north and restore normality. If we can work on weakening the Association, we will work on this,” he added.

Abdixhiku: No one knows what Kosovo has agreed to; is this a final agreement? (EO)

Leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Lumir Abdixhiku, criticised Prime Minister Albin Kurti today for not being transparent about the dialogue with Serbia and for not reporting to the Assembly about the content of the French-German plan.

“On Monday, through a Twitter post, we learned that the Prime Minister has accepted the proposal. The Assembly, the society and Kosovo, no one knows what the Prime Minister has agreed to. No MP is aware about the final draft of this plan. No one in this Assembly knows what Kosovo has agreed to. The Prime Minister no longer reports to the Assembly … The agreement that has been accepted, does it talk about a final agreement or a basic agreement? The agreement you accepted, does it have mutual recognition at the centre, namely the act where Serbia recognises Kosovo and vice versa?” Abdixhiku said. 

Kurti: Why Serbia doesn’t give monoethnic association to its own minorities (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti published a photo today saying that 11 municipalities in Serbia are led non-Serb mayors and asked why Serbia does not enable them a monoethnic association but asks for one in Kosovo. He argues that a monoethnic association in Serbia could be formed by Hungarians, Bosniaks, Albanians and Bulgarians. “Why doesn’t Serbia not provide them this, but asks the same thing in Kosovo?” Kurti said.

Berlin Process agreements; Szunyog: I hope for swift ratification by Assembly (Koha)

EU Head of Office in Kosovo, Tomas Szunyog, said today in a Twitter post that he was “Glad to see that Kosovo is getting closer to ratifying the #BerlinProcess agreements on the freedom of movement & the recognition of professional and academic qualification in the Western Balkans. Following the adoption of the draft laws by the Gov. I hope for a swift ratification by the Assembly.”

Assembly adopts Law on Bureau for Confiscation of Unjustifiable Wealth (Koha)

The Kosovo Assembly adopted today the Law on the State Bureau for the Verification and Confiscation of Unjustifiable Wealth. The Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) supported the law, while other parties did not take part in the voting process. 

Serbian Language Media 

Bilcik: No progress in negotiations until Serbia makes progress (N1)

At this point the situation is such that the European Union’s (EU) negotiations with Serbia have not stopped and no one is seriously considering halting the process, said European Parliament (EP) Rapporteur for Serbia Vladimir Bilcik, noting that it is clear that there will be no progress in accession negotiations if Serbia does not make progress on various issues, reported N1.

Following the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament (AFET) meeting on Thursday, at which Bilcik presented his 2022 Serbia Report, the Rapporteur said there is a big carrot for Serbia, which is membership in the EU, and that the EU is ready to help in this process. But we have to be fair, there are many tasks that we expect the Serbian partners to do, and the EU is prepared to stand by Serbia as long as we believe that Serbia is with us, said Bilcik.

He said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy gave a moving speech at the Thursday plenary session.

That is also an important message to the Western Balkans and Serbia – we want you to stand with us, being clear about one’s positions, especially in times of war, is important, said Bilcik.

He stressed that Serbia should choose the right side which is why alignment with EU’s foreign and security policy, including restrictive measures against Russia, is so important and linked with progress in some other areas.

The Rapporteur said Serbia made progress in the rule of law, that the EU is expecting judicial reforms and welcomed the fact that the Serbian Parliament is now more pluralistic. However, said Bilcik, much more work needs to be done in order to improve democracy in Serbia and added that the EU is ready to help the functioning of democracy in Serbia.

Bilcik said the Belgrade – Pristina dialogue is the main topic, that he is encouraged by the signals the EU is getting and that he highly appreciates Serbia’s constructive approach.

Increased tensions in Kosovo and unacceptable attacks and the shooting that occurred on Christmas Eve are the kind of events that we need to stop, he stressed.

The EP Rapporteur said that Serbia needs a European future and that the normalization of relations with Pristina will be a big step in this direction.

I hope that the coming weeks and months will bring good news that Serbia is with us, that it is moving toward Europe, that it is reconciling with and facing the difficult past and looking into the future, Bilcik said.

Asked if negotiations could be suspended over Serbia’s cooperation with Russia, Bilcik said he does not believe that the threat of suspending negotiations is a good strategy.

What Serbia needs is more friends in the European Parliament and the only way to win them is to make brave decisions, said Bilcik, adding he believes that Serbia is ready for this.

He said there was a quality exchange of opinions on his 2022 Serbia Report at the AFET meeting on Thursday, that everyone had already read the report and that the text will undergo certain changes. We will have amendments, I hope the whole process will be completed by May, Bilcik told the media in Brussels.

Vucic: Konjufca’s statement about CSM (ZSO) expected, I congratulate them for their honesty (Beta, NMagazin)

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, said today that the statement of the President of the Assembly of Kosovo, Glauk Konjufca, that the Association/Community of Serbian Municipalities will not be formed and ”congratulated Konjufca for his honesty”, because Pristina institutions “finally showed sincerity”.

“Finally, they were honest in that they have never, nor do they plan, to form a CSM (ZSO). Let’s see what the Americans and others will do now,” said Vucic at the opening of the renovated hotel in Kursumlijska Banja and reiterated that the CSM must be formed in accordance with the Brussels Agreement, reported Serbian media.

Konjufca said on Wednesday that the CSM (ZSO) will not be formed and that, otherwise, they will take to the streets together with the citizens.

The President of Serbia said today that he will go to Brussels next time when the Community of Serbian Municipalities is “delivered”.

The High Representative for Foreign Policy Joseph Borrell announced that he will invite Vucic and Kurti to Brussels to discuss the European plan for Kosovo and Metohija.

“They have to tell me what the meaning of that (meeting with Kurti) is. If you think you are calling me to Brussels to persuade me to say Community of Serbian Municipalities at the same time with something I don’t know what, or after something, don’t call me,” said Vucic.

He also said that Kurti’s statement that ten municipalities with a Serbian majority are in a privileged position compared to other municipalities where Albanians are the majority is “foolishness and insolence”

“He would like to identify the state-legal status of the Republic of Serbia and what he calls the Republic of Kosovo. We have only one topic to discuss and that is the only topic on the table,” said Vucic. 

He added that Kurti’s ”senseless tricks” do not go down well with those who are serious about politics.

Vucic met Quint ambassadors to the OSCE and diplomatic representatives in Belgrade (RTS, Kosovo Online, Tanjug)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met today Quint ambassadors to the OSCE in Vienna, as well as with the highest diplomatic representatives of those countries in Belgrade, reported Serbian media. 

The situation in Kosovo and Metohija, the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, as well as other regional issues were discussed. 

The President’s Press Service announced that Vucic once again reiterated that Belgrade is fully committed to the dialogue with Pristina and insisted on the formation of the Association/Community of Serb Municipalities, the establishment of which was agreed upon by the Brussels Agreement, because otherwise participation in the dialogue loses its meaning.

Security situation in Europe, as well as Serbia’s European integration was also discussed. 

Vucic emphasised that Serbia values good cooperation with the OSCE as one of the most important international organisations, as well as its mission in Serbia, read the statement. 

Hill: Serbia needs to cross the final part of the road to the West (RTS)

US Ambassador Christopher Hill said that Serbia should do what is in its interest and that he does not doubt the sincerity of its leadership, when it clearly expresses its desire to become part of the EU and cross the final part of its path to the West, reported RTS.

At the annual general assembly of the American Chamber of Commerce, held yesterday, Christopher Hill said that he dares to claim that the EU, the most significant geopolitical project in the last five centuries, will remain unfinished until Serbia and the other countries of the Western Balkans are fully integrated into the political and economic structures of the Union.

The US ambassador emphasised that Serbia should decide to do what is in its best interest. He emphasised that his belief is growing that Serbia will join others precisely for these reasons.

“It’s time for Serbia to become part of that chain of free countries,” Hill added.

The American ambassador said that Serbia has been opposing sanctions for a long time and that everyone understood its message.

“Time is running out to join sanctions”

“But, although there is a moment and a time for everything, that time is now running out. Serbia should do what is in the interest of Serbia, and I do not doubt the sincerity of its leadership, when that leadership clearly expresses its desire to become part of the EU and cross the final part of its journey to the West,” Hill pointed out.

He stated that their partnership with Europe was built on shared values, which include a commitment to democracy, open markets, and political and media pluralism.

“The European project required time and its full potential will require our constant perseverance and a great deal of patience,” Hill said.

According to him, joining the EU does not offer refuge to those who seek instant gratification, as it is a long-term process.

Hill says dissatisfaction is part of any long-term process. “But dissatisfaction cannot be the basis of action. Instead, Serbia should keep a watchful eye on its own interests, on the fact that ‘its moral compass always points to the West’,” said Hill.

The American ambassador emphasised that he believes and has no doubt that Serbia has already made a decision in many ways. “But just like in the business world, not everyone has been informed yet. The message is clear. Serbia will be part of Europe, let me mention another dimension of this – the Atlantic structures. It is already happening. It’s just a matter of pace and scale,” concluded Hill, reported Radio Television of Serbia.

Bocan-Kharchenko: The final status of Kosovo after the end of the conflict between the West and Russia (NMagazin, Beta)

The Russian ambassador in Belgrade, Alexander Bocan-Kharchenko, said today that the final status of Kosovo and Metohija will be defined “in other geopolitical conditions”, after the end of the “conflict with the West on the territory of Ukraine” in which “Russia will surely win”, reported Serbian media.

In an interview with the Beta agency, Bocan-Harchenko said that he understood that the French-German proposal for solving the Kosovo issue is not acceptable for Serbia, because it foresees Serbia’s non-opposition to Kosovo becoming a member of all international organisations.

“Unlike Resolution 1244 of the UN Security Council, the Franco-German plan is not the basis for a long-term solution to the Kosovo and Metohija issue. And this plan, like all the previous ones, foresees unilateral concessions by Belgrade, primarily for Kosovo to become a member of all international institutions and the United Nations. The French-German plan essentially represents international recognition of Kosovo’s independence. The West openly insists that Belgrade must recognize Kosovo’s independence,” Bocan-Harchenko said.

Asked to comment on Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic’s stance that he will participate in the process of implementing the French-German proposal, Bocan-Harchenko said that he understood that Belgrade was “only ready” to continue talks based on that proposal.

“I think that for the President of Serbia, only some points of that plan are acceptable for discussion and implementation. In any case, the points that foresee international recognition are not acceptable for Serbia. For the West, the most important point is that it foresees Kosovo’s membership in international institutions,” the ambassador said.

When asked whether Russia in the Security Council (SC) would prevent Kosovo’s membership in the United Nations (UN) if President Vucic accepts all points of the French-German plan, Bocan-Kharchenko said that for Russia, as a permanent member of the SC, will be important Belgrade’s position. 

“At the last session of the Serbian Parliament, President Vucic was resolute and clear in that he rejected the Franco-German plan. I don’t know why some media are pointing out that President Vucic could accept that plan when he said that it was unacceptable for Belgrade. I think that there is not even the slightest probability that Serbia will accept the Franco-German plan,” said Bocan-Kharchenko.

Asked to specify whether there are conditions under which Russia would agree to Kosovo becoming a member of the UN, Bochan-Kharchenko said that Russia does not recognize Kosovo.

“Now it is impossible to answer your question because none of us at this moment knows how the Kosovo issue will be finally resolved. The Kosovo issue will be resolved in other geopolitical conditions that will arise after the end of the conflict between the common West and Russia. In the current geopolitical conditions, a long-term solution is not possible for some open regional issues, not even for Kosovo and Metohija,” the Russian ambassador emphasised.

He added that the new geopolitical conditions will be the result of “all current events” on the international scene.

“In a conflict between the West and Russia, Russia will surely win. Russia is not waging a war against Ukraine but conflicts with the West on the territory of Ukraine. European security, as a whole, will depend on the outcome of that conflict. We are convinced that a new multipolar international order will be established in which the West will not play a decisive role. Now Washington is trying to solve the Kosovo issue through the Franco-German plan, but in the current circumstances this is not possible,” Bocan-Kharchenko pointed out.

When asked why Russia is not more actively involved in solving the Kosovo issue, the Russian ambassador said that Russia has been actively involved in solving that problem since the first day as a permanent member of the Security Council.

“Due to the hostile relations between Russia and the West, a joint format is not possible, but Kosovo is still on the agenda of the Security Council. A final solution for Kosovo is not possible without the support of the Security Council, and that is the most important thing at this moment,” said Bocan-Kharchenko.

Speaking about the political relations between Serbia and Russia after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, Bocan-Kharchenko said that these relations are maintained at a high level.

“Cooperation with Serbia is progressing in all spheres and there is dialogue at all levels. The most important thing for us is that Belgrade did not impose sanctions on the Russian Federation, despite pressure from the West. We highly value Belgrade’s independent position on this issue. EU and NATO members surround Serbia, and that is why in one period we had obstacles in economic cooperation, but in the meantime these problems have been overcome”, said the ambassador of Russia.

He added that Russia was “disappointed” when Serbia voted for the UN resolution condemning Russia’s “special military operation” in Ukraine.

“Regardless of these obstacles, we continue to develop good cooperation with Serbia,” emphasised Bocan-Kharchenko.

Asked to comment on US Ambassador Christopher Hill’s statement that the ties between Serbia and Russia are weakening day by day, Bocan-Kharchenko said that this is not true.

“Western diplomats have no evidence to confirm their theses when it comes to Russian-Serbian relations. We have a lot of evidence that our relations are developing,” said the Russian ambassador.

In response to Beta’s statement that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic did not rule out the possibility of imposing sanctions on the Russian Federation in his last public address, Bocan-Kharchenko said that the Government of Serbia and President Vucic “for now have a firm position” that sanctions should not be imposed on Russia.

“President Vucic is under great pressure from Western countries, but for now we have no indication that Belgrade will introduce sanctions against Russia. The absolute majority of the Serbian people is against the introduction of sanctions, and it is known that President Vucic takes the people’s opinion into account above all,” he said. 

Asked what Moscow’s response would be if Serbia decided to impose sanctions on Russia, Bocan-Kharchenko said that many countries that imposed sanctions on Russia automatically suffered greater economic damage than Russia.

When asked whether it is realistic for Serbia to remain politically neutral in view of the new international circumstances after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, Bocan-Kharchenko said that President Vucic confirmed this status. 

“Serbia has been neutral in relation to the newly emerging international circumstances for a year and has managed well in that status,” the ambassador said.

In response to Beta’s statement that, among other things, Serbia’s European path has been stopped due to its neutral status, Bocan-Kharchenko said that Serbia faced two problems when it comes to European integration.

“The West does not accept that a country that is a candidate for EU membership has its own foreign policy. Hungary is the only exception within the EU. The West is asking Serbia to impose sanctions on the Russian Federation and to normalize relations with Pristina under Western conditions. Currently, it is of priority importance for the West that Serbia imposes sanctions on Russia, in order to end the traditional friendship between our two countries,” Ambassador Aleksandar Bocan-Kharchenko concluded.

Bislimi: The Serbian government can play with its decisions, but vehicles with “illegal” license plates are not allowed to enter Kosovo (KoSSev)

“The Serbian government can play with its decisions, but vehicles with ‘illegal’ license plates are not allowed to enter Kosovo,” Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo Besnik Bislimi said yesterday at a press conference, reported KoSSev portal. 

The portal added that although Pristina officials, including Bislimi himself, have so far denied that vehicles with Serbian city plates in Kosovo will be confiscated, he had a different message yesterday: “A car that is driven inside Kosovo without registration will be confiscated, and the driver will be fined 150 euros. The vehicle is excluded from traffic until the moment the violation is removed.”

 At the same time, he said that not a single document was signed on November 23, but rather an agreement, “which has a deadline”.

At a special press conference where this year’s government logo was presented for the 15th anniversary of Kosovo’s unilaterally declared independence, Bisljimi, as reported by Koha, was asked about the agreement on license plates from November 23, which implied that Pristina suspend further actions on the issue implementation of the decision on the abolition of Serbian plates with the markings of cities in Kosovo.

He said that there is a certain deadline for that as well, and that it was then ordered that the parties urgently turn to the proposal for normalization, and that an agreement was reached for that purpose. He also explained that not a single document was signed

“An agreement was reached on 23 November, that the parties should urgently discuss the Franco-German proposal, the EU proposal with the support of France and Germany, in order to create an atmosphere for a serious discussion. The agreement was made to make it impossible for Serbia, through tensions on the ground, to shift the focus from the discussion on the Franco-German plan and to force the EU to deal with the management of everyday crises. No document has been signed.”

Consequently, he says that the document that Borell published at the time was actually something that was agreed upon between the parties.

“Two elements are important. First, the document has a deadline, it says until the next meeting of the Special Group for Normalization. We accepted this wording, as we had previously insisted on receiving an invitation from Lajcak for the meeting of the Special Group on Normalization for the end of March 2023. This means that when Kurti talks about the deadlines for determining the agreement, it refers to the date for setting the meeting of the Special Group on Normalization, which is at the end of March this year,” Bislimi pointed out.

The second element, he said, refers to “illegal” license plates issued by Serbia with the designations of cities in Kosovo.

“With the Brussels agreement, Serbia must not issue other illegal license plates, nor re-register the existing ones. What Serbia did, with the idea of negotiating in bad faith, which was Serbia’s logic in the negotiations, is that they then make a decision in the Government and remove the need for re-registration of illegal KM plates. By doing so, they think they are evading the agreement,” said Bislimi.

The portal recalled that ten days after the agreement on license plates was reached in Brussels, that is, on December 7, the Government of Serbia adopted a decree on special conditions for the validity of license plates with Serbian designations of cities in Kosovo.

They indicated that the validity of the old plates will be extended until a permanent solution is reached as part of the dialogue, but also that no new registration stickers will be issued, but that vehicles will be able to participate in traffic with proof of technical correctness and mandatory insurance.

The Regulation, however, does not specify in which territory vehicles can be used with extended i.e., old registration stickers, technical inspection certificate and policy, whether as such they will be able to pass through administrative crossings, to drive on the territory of Kosovo and in the countries of the region.

However, Bislimi says that the Serbian government can play with its decisions in this way, but that such plates are certainly not allowed to enter Kosovo.

Moreover, as he said, a car that moves in Kosovo with such plates will be confiscated, and the driver will be fined, reported KoSSev.

Elektrosever: Pristina authorities accusations incorrect, we fulfil all the obligations of the Energy Roadmap (KoSSev)

The Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo and the main Pristina negotiator for dialogue in Belgrade, Besnik Bislimi, today accused the company “Elektrosever”, as well as the EU, of not implementing the energy agreement, i.e., the road map approved by Pristina and Belgrade on June 21 last year. ”Elektrosever” announced denying Bislimi, reported KoSSev. 

In addition to Bislimi accusing “Elektrosever” and the European Union of not fulfilling the agreement, he also, at the press conference where he presented this year’s logo to mark the 15th anniversary of Kosovo’s unilateral declaration of independence, said that the Kosovo government fulfills the obligations stipulated in the map fulfilled.

“Elektrosever” also announced soon after, denying the allegations of the Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo with the message:

“The only truth is that the authorities in Pristina do not want ‘Elektrosever’ to get the right to distribution services, even though it was agreed in Brussels through the Energy Roadmap and confirmed by the European Energy Community.”

They also say that they have fulfilled and are fulfilling all their obligations from the Energy Roadmap, whose guarantor is the European Union.

“In this regard, ‘Elektrosever’ is not and cannot be responsible, given that it is still waiting for a response to the official notice sent by ‘Elektrosever’ at the beginning of December,” the company’s announcement stated.

At the same time, they also ask why someone attacked the company “Elektrosever” and Brussels again today for their mistakes?

“With all the desire to respect the Roadmap, ‘Elektrosever’ cannot fulfill the obligations of the other party, but only its own obligations,” concludes “Elektrosever”.

The KEDS company, as stated by the Office for Kosovo and Metohija in the report on the dialogue process covering the period from September 2022 to January 15 of this year, gave Elektrosever a draft contract that would in practice enable “Elektrosever” to provide unhindered distribution services in four major Serbian municipalities in the north of Kosovo and Metohija, sent on October 26, 2022.

And the Office reported that “Elektrosever” responded to this draft on December 10, and that it is expected that KEDS will deliver to “Elektrosever” the draft of the commercial contract in question in the following period.

Both sides presented what was agreed on 21 June in Brussels as their victory. Pristina – as an agreement that will finally enable the invoicing of electricity in four municipalities in the North of Kosovo in accordance with Kosovo’s laws and regulatory system, and Belgrade as a confirmation that “no one will break into the substation Valač”, and that the newly founded company – Elektrosever has gained independence.

In the period after the signing of this agreement until today, however, the Pristina and Belgrade officials accused each other of the fact that not all obligations from this document were implemented within the stipulated period of 100 days. At the same time, the more time passed, the less was known about the process of implementing obligations.

Bislimi: Part of the blame for the non-implementation of the energy agreement lies with Brussels itself (Beta, KiM radio)

The first deputy prime minister and head of the Kosovo delegation in the dialogue with Belgrade, Besnik Bislimi, said that “a rather large part of the blame” for the non-implementation of the energy agreement lies with Brussels itself, reported KiM radio yesterday.

Bislimi said at the press conference that Brussels sent “wrong signals” to the “Elektrosever” company, which will supply and charge for energy in the north of Kosovo, “through misinterpretations of articles that have nothing to do with the Roadmap” of that energy agreement.

He said that “Elektrosever” mentions the agreement signed in Istanbul with the Kosovo Electricity Distribution Company (KEDS) and that it “has nothing to do with the Brussels agreements”.

On August 9, the EU acknowledged delays in implementing the Roadmap, saying the ultimate responsibility for its implementation “remains in the hands of the parties.”

Bislimi assessed that “Elektrosever” is the only party that has not fully fulfilled the obligations arising from that guide, that is, that the three points of the Roadmap that are under the jurisdiction of “Elektrosever” have not yet been fulfilled.

According to him, the obligation to send complete customer data by “Elektrosever” has not yet been fulfilled, although there were “some falsified data that were sent after 100 days”.

He added that no framework contract was signed between KEDS and “Elektrosever”, nor was there an agreement that KEDS and the Operator of the Electricity System, Transmission and Market in Kosovo (KOSTT) have continuous and constant access to Valac, as foreseen in the road map.

The Agreement on Energy, i.e., the Road Map, is intended to regulate the issue of electricity supply and billing for four municipalities in the north of Kosovo, populated mostly by Serbs.

German Embassy in Pristina: We do not approve of Kurti’s conditions for CSM (N1, FoNet, Kosovo Online, Gazeta Express)

The German Embassy in Pristina said it does not approve of the conditions set by Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti for the formation of the Community of Serb Municipalities (CSM), reported N1.

“A constructive approach is important given the fragile security situation in the north of Kosovo, and preconditions should not be set,” German Embassy spokesperson Sebastian Leuschner told Gazeta Express.

He stressed the importance of the plan initiated by Germany and France, with the support of the European Union (EU).

“The European proposal, based on the Franco-German initiative, is a historic opportunity that must be used by both sides. The goal of the plan is to establish relations between Kosovo and Serbia on a new basis,” said the Embassy.

It noted that the Franco-German plan is a unique opportunity for major progress in Kosovo.

“An important part of the agreement is the establishment of the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities in Kosovo, which was agreed upon in 2013 and 2015,” said the Embassy, Kosovo Online reported.

RFE: EU leaders to discuss Kosovo dialogue (N1)

Radio Free Europe said on Wednesday that European Union leaders will discuss the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue at their summit on February 9-10, cited N1.

It quoted unnamed EU officials who said the Kosovo dialogue was put on the agenda of the summit at the last minute and added that the normalisation of Belgrade-Pristina relations will be included in the summit conclusions and call for immediate progress in the normalisation process.

RFE claims to have had access to draft summit conclusions which welcomes the EU proposal to normalise relations and appeals to both sides to unconditionally implement earlier agreements including the Community of Serb Municipalities.

The station also claims to have had access to the EU proposal which has not been made public. According to RFE, the proposal includes respect for territorial integrity, inviolability of borders, recognition of state symbols and a special arrangement for the Serb community in Kosovo.

Djurovic: Pristina’s CoE membership bid not discussed on Wednesday (Tanjug)

Kosovo’s Council of Europe (CoE) membership application was not discussed at Wednesday’s CoE Committee of Ministers meeting, Serbian Ambassador to the CoE Aleksandra Djurovic told Tanjug agency.

She said the meeting, concluded at around 3 pm, had addressed other topics.

“It was not a topic that was included in the agenda,” she said.

When asked if there was a possibility of Pristina’s membership request being included in the agenda of any of the upcoming meetings, Djurovic said this remained unknown due to the overall geopolitical situation.

“I do not believe it will (be included) at this time, but that is just my judgement,” Djurovic said, adding that the process was no longer underway in Strasbourg but was a “package” that was being negotiated at higher levels.

Previously, Pristina’s membership request was also not on the Committee’s agenda for a February 1 meeting after the ambassador of Iceland, who chaired the meeting, did not propose its inclusion.

Opinion 

Less: Failure of the dialogue at this moment is at least as likely as success (Blic, Tanjug)

Timothy Less, an associate at the Center for Geopolitics at Cambridge University, said today that nothing is guaranteed in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, and that diplomats will need months to reconcile the opposing positions of the two sides, reported daily Blic, citing Tanjug.

He told Tanjug that even that might not be possible. As he explained, many problems “lie on the road”, and the two sides are far from each other in terms of details.

He explains that Pristina insists on the minimalist vision of the Community of Serbian Municipalities, conditioned with the recognition of Kosovo by Serbia among many other conditions that are unacceptable to Serbia, while Serbia “pushes” the maximalist vision of the Community and refuses to recognize Kosovo, which is unacceptable for the Albanians.

– There is also strong opposition to the agreement both in Serbia and in Kosovo in a broader sense, which limits the manoeuvring space of the two governments for compromise. In either case, much of society opposes the deal. This is what the formal political opposition does, a major part of it. In the case of Serbia, this is also done by SPS, one of the coalition partners – said Less.

Les pointed out that from other cases around the world, such as the Middle East, it is known that efforts by diplomats to reach an agreement between strongly divided groups can come close to success, then fail at the “last hurdle”.

– Sometimes this can cause a sharp turn in politics because attempts at compromise are followed by a breakdown in relations and efforts by both parties to achieve their goals through non-negotiable means. In the case of Kosovo, my personal view is that failure at this moment is at least as likely as success, although I must emphasise that I cannot predict the future – said Less.

He added that he is not convinced that the incentive for the agreement is strong enough in Serbia because the main benefit, that is, membership in the EU, is elusive, and that “obvious threats, such as the end of EU funding and the suspension of Serbia’s visa-free access to the Schengen zone, have no credibility considering the need for agreement by all EU members.

As he says, the same logic applies to the Kosovo side.

– What we can say is that, under intense diplomatic pressure, both sides accepted the EU-mediated plan as a basis for negotiations, and that the Government of Serbia has the support of the parliament to continue. In principle, there is an agreement that needs to be concluded – he said.

New President could bring clarity to Czechia’s ambiguous policy on Kosovo (Balkan Insight)

The change in Czech president foreshadows a prospective turn in the country’s inconsistent approach toward Kosovo, which has been characterised by the long-term clash between the outgoing pro-Serbian president and the government policy of recognition.

The day after Czechs elected their new president, the fourth in the country’s post-1989 democratic history, the outgoing president, well known in the Western Balkans for his pro-Serbian agenda, travelled to Belgrade for his last but one foreign visit to meet President Aleksandar Vucic and express once again his personal sympathies toward the Serb nation.

Petr Pavel, who will replace Milos Zeman in March, ran his successful campaign for the presidency as the antithesis of Zeman, whose two terms were marked by strongly pro-Chinese and pro-Russian rhetoric. Pavel, a veteran of the Balkan peacekeeping missions who concluded his career as chief of the Czech Armed Forces and chairman of the NATO Military Committee, stood in clear opposition to Zeman’s political style, portraying himself as a cultivated, consensus-seeking and clearly pro-Western candidate.

Read more at:https://bit.ly/3HPp0Vt

International 

Avrupa Minerals to Continue Positive Progress in Finland, Portugal, and Kosovo in 2023 (investingnews.com)

Avrupa Minerals Ltd. (TSXV:AVU ) (OTC:AVPMF) (FRANKFURT:8AM) is pleased to provide a corporate update and progress report covering the Company’s programs in Portugal, Finland, and Kosovo.  The Company continues to make strong, positive progress in all three jurisdictions

Paul W. Kuhn, President and CEO of Avrupa, commented, “We completed a busy and successful 2022 in all of our jurisdictions, building a strong base to support continuing success in the new year.  In the coming months, we expect to initiate drilling in Finland, continue drilling around the Alvalade Project in Portugal, and begin preparations to move the Slivova gold deposit towards a potential mining solution.  The Company will continue to search for new opportunities around Europe, particularly for gold and for so-called Green Metals, copper and zinc.”

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

BIRN Conference Highlights Importance of Environmental Journalism in Balkans (BIRN)

Reporting on environmental issues in the Balkans is still not a priority for the media, which are struggling with political and financial pressures and lack of dedication, a BIRN conference in Sarajevo concluded.

The environmental crisis in the western Balkan has become more visible in the wake of Russian invasion of Ukraine in February last year, as countries struggled to obtain enough energy with rising prices, putting environmental protection in the shade.

“The crisis was already existent in the region and the war made it clearer that this is something that will stay for years and will take a lot of efforts to change,” said Pippa Gallop, Southeast Europe energy advisor at Bankwatch.

Over 50 journalists gathered in Sarajevo, Bosnia, for the “Going Environmental” conference, the culmination of a project by BIRN and German partner n-ost.

The project’s goal was to promote collaborative environmental journalism in the region by bringing together journalists from Western Balkan countries to collaborate and provide regional perspectives on environmental and climate change issues – which are quite often common ones.

The Western Balkans face a significant challenge in the form of its reliance on coal for electricity and heating, which has resulted in cities in the region frequently appearing on lists of the world’s most air-polluted cities.

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