UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, January 3, 2024

Albanian Language Media:

• Kosovo and Turkiye ready to expand relations in 2024 (media)
• Haxhiu criticizes opposition, KPC and KJC: They oppose reforms (KSP)
• Szunyog: Attack in Banjska turned all eyes to Kosovo (AP)
• Less: Association, the only solution – Trump will return with idea for partition, now with backing from Europeans (Express)
• Petritsch: Internal dialogue with Serbs in Kosovo, basis for normalization (RFE)
• Krasniqi: Early elections in 2024, 2023 was lost year for Kosovo (media)
• LDK MP: Kurti has postponed visa liberalization for six years (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

• Serbian Election Commission releases parliamentary election results (N1, Nova.rs)
• Kurti for second time in last couple of days on Bujanska conference about unification of Kosovo with Albania (KoSSev)
• Lajcak: We expect new local elections in north of Kosovo without further delay (Politika, Kosovo Online)
• Brigadier says NATO, Serbia closer than people think (Demostat, N1, Danas)
• Djilas for Politico: West should support values or say nothing (N1)
• Dveri: National Gathering ceased to exist (RTS)
• Protests over elections to continue in 2024 (N1)

Humanitarian/Development:

• Christmas convoy in Kosovo concluded, ten tons of humanitarian aid distributed (Radio KIM, Euronews, media)

Albanian Language Media:

• KOSTT: From today electricity in north to be paid as elsewhere in Kosovo (RFE)
• AAK gears up for elections; Haradinaj says they could be held in spring (KSP)
• Gruda: Govt thinks winning by 50% means they can go beyond Constitution (EO)
• Reuten: Next processing application for candidate status (media)
• Kovatchev: Association must not be a Republika Srpska (Klan Kosova)
• Latifi: 2024 an election year; won’t be any historic step in dialogue (Express)

Serbian Language Media:

• "Kosovo Serbs - the only Europeans who need a visa" (KiM radio, DW, FAZ)
• Information hormones: How adrenaline took precedence over serotonin in news from the north (KoSSev)
• Maliqi: The position of Self-Determination has always been that there must be unification with Albania (Kosovo Online)
• Mijacic to Borrell: Not good to start the New Year with false statements (Kosovo Online)

International:

• Person of the year 2023: Journalists Reporting in the North (Prishtina Insight)

Albanian Language Media:

• Hovenier: Normalization process ultimately ends with mutual recognition (media)
• Osmani proposes national program for the army (Koha)
• 165 persons wanted over different offenses in the northern municipalities (media)
• Tahiri: Kurti’s government is forming the Association (Klan)
• Isufaj approved removal of Radoicic arrest warrant, cannot disclose reasons (EO)
• O’Brien slams Dodik: No right of secession, full stop (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• North Mitrovica MA voted: Land near the Military Overhaul allocated to the Kosovo’s MIA (KoSSev, Kosovo Online, Kontakt plus radio)
• The Serbian Democracy Party on the decision of Kurti's government to request the return of the alleged debt for electricity in the north of Kosovo (Danas)
• 'Don't celebrate the holidays of non-Muslims' posters in General Jankovic: Four people detained (KiM radio, KoSSev)

International:

• Kosovo Teen’s Shop Window Decorations Bring Festive Cheer (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media:

• Maqedonci: Three brigades of Serbian Army along Kosovo border (media)
• Svecla: 2023, a challenge for security, but successful year for police (Dukagjini)
• Krasniqi: Monoethnic institutions are not good for Kosovo (Dukagjini)
• Citaku: Most difficult and failed year since declaration of independence (AP)
• 33 Iowa National Guard soldiers to deploy to Kosovo on Friday (media)
• Air corridors opened between Kosovo and Albania (RFE)
• Ismaili: Economic growth this year 3.4%, in 2024 expected to be 4.2% (AP)
• Abdixhiku “most undisciplined” MP, absent from 44 sessions (Demokracia)
• Kryeziu: Northern mayors should resign, the petition delays the process (media)
• Kurti meets second generation of the Citizen Diplomacy Program (media)
• SBASHK: Kurti govt avoided dialogue with wrong approach to unions (RTK)
• Cross-border theft of forests between Kosovo and Serbia (Kallxo)
• KOMF writes to government: Social services risk closure in January (media)
• Not even one fifth of properties in Kosovo owned by women (RFE)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic: We’ll begin forming the parliament in January, nothing disputed (Beta, N1)
• Dacic: Kurti trying to take advantage of the events on the domestic political scene (TV Prva, KiM radio, Blic)
• PKS: The funds from the Development Fund are not for debts but for infrastructure (KiM radio)
• Mijacic: There will be further obstructions of the dismissal of mayors (Kosovo Online)
• Andric Rakic: "Overinflated" number of voters in the north could complicate the vote for the removal of the mayor (Kosovo Online)
• Businessmen in the police station and fined because of the protest against the ban on Serbian goods (Kosovo Online)

Opinion:

• Perez: Brussels Feels Only Relief Over Vucic’s Victory in Serbia (BIRN)

International:

• Kosovo's c-bank intl reserves up 5% y/y in Nov (SeeNews)
• Kosovo Children with Autism Raise Funds with Seasonal Drawings (BIRN)

Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: We will recognize Serbia’s license plates, once we make sure that it is implementing decision on RKS ones (media)
• Government approves Draft Law on the Security Council of Kosovo (RTK)
• Vetevendosje: Government persistence forced Serbia to accept plates (Koha)
• “Serbia recognizes plates; electricity in north to be paid by Kosovo rules” (Klan)
• Moscow calls USA and EU "incompetent" in solving problem between Kosovo and Serbia (Klan)
• Former Serbian prison guard charged with crimes against civilians (media)
• “Serbia will try to destabilize neighboring govts, including Kosovo” (Sinjali)
• Hoxhaj: Government gave up German condition for "legally binding agreement" with Serbia (Telegrafi)
• LVV on early elections: We will surpass result of February 14 (media)
• CEC is considering suspension of PSD today (Koha)
• Diaspora brought this year over 1.2 billion euros (media)
• Kusari-Lila admits there are high energy bills, tells citizens: "Turn to KESCO!" (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Petkovic expects from Quint to reject and condemn Svecla's slanders about Civil Protection (Kosovo Online)
• Carabinieri commanders visited Visoki Decani (RTS, Blic)
• Dragisa Milenkovic's lawyer hopes easing or cancellation of custody (Tanjug)
• "A month of imprisonment for a high school student, freedom for Milan Radoicic in 24 hours": Manojlovic on the decision of prosecutor Pantelic (Danas, Beta)
• Skero Petrovic on RKS plates: Can the decision be made by the government in a technical mandate? (N1, KiM radio, KoSSev)
• Jevtic: Due to centralization, municipalities in Kosovo have fewer and fewer responsibilities (Kosovo Online)

International:

• Kosovo Citizens Warned of Consequences If They Violate Schengen Area Visa-Free Travel Rules (schengenvisainfo.com)
• Embracing the light: Religious spiritual resiliency in Kosovo (useuworldaffairs.com)
• Serbian lobby in U.S. finances project in Congress to punish Kosovo (euronews.al)
• Serbia: Year of Frustration and Delay in Facing Wartime Past (BIRN)
• Uncontrolled Sale of Devices Processing Biometric Data Raises Concerns for Privacy in Kosovo (Prishtina Insight)