Albanian Language Media:

• No Kurti-Mustafa agreement, LVV leader to meet trade unions today (Express)
• “Kurti expected to meet Mustafa following return from Germany” (Telegrafi)
• Online poll: Majority of respondents optimistic of an LVV-LDK agreement (Telegrafi)
• Zyberaj: We’ll prosecute all Serbian officials responsible for crimes (media)
• Kosovo’s power plants, among the biggest polluters in Europe (RFE)
• Haxhiu: If LDK insists on President’s post, Kosovo will go for new elections (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic: We are ready for talks about compromise on Kosovo issue (RTS)
• Moscow will agree with UN SC discussion of division of Kosovo, if Serbia wants (N1)
• Borrell tells EU members to focus on Western Balkans (Beta, N1)
• Vucic congratulates Handke (RTS)
• Serbian List MPs verified their mandates in Kosovo Assembly (FoNet, Radio kontakt plus, RTK2)
• Djuric: Panicked fear of former KLA commanders (TV Most)
• Manitasevic ceased hunger strike due to health reasons (Radio KIM, Novosti)
• Marko Rosic's parents confirmed that neither they nor his lawyer have received the indictment (Danas, TV Most)
• The Swede who returned Nobel Prize she allegedly received, hadn't received it at all? (B92, Sputnik)

Opinion:

• Europe must lead on the climate crisis. The European Green Deal shows how (The Guardian)

International:

• Four Balkan States Boycott Nobel Ceremony to Protest Handke (Balkan Insight)
• Kosovo President Says 'Future Is Not Built By Denying Crimes,' Urges Serbia To Accept Blame (RFE)
• Russia Throws Wrench Into Efforts to Renew Serbia-Kosovo Talks (Bloomberg)

Humanitarian/Development:

• KCSS: Women excluded from security sector, inclusion remains a challenge (EO)
• Kosovo’s Jews in Race to Preserve Heritage (Balkan Insight)    

   

Albanian Language Media

  No Kurti-Mustafa agreement, LVV leader to meet trade unions today (Express)

On the first day after his return from a several-day visit to Germany, Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) leader Albin Kurti will not meet the leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) Isa Mustafa. He has foreseen a meeting with new leaders of three trade unions in Kosovo, the United Trade Union of Education, Science and Culture, Kosovo’s Federation of Healthcare Trade Unions and the Trade Union of Kosovo Police, which have been requesting for several days now not to postpone the Law on wages.

Kurti however will not meet with Mustafa today. The fact that there is no meeting between the two political leaders was confirmed by both political entities.

The news portal claims there are chances that Kurti and Mustafa would meet tomorrow, however this information was not confirmed by the political parties.

Kurti and Mustafa met more than a week ago promising to finalise ruling coalition however things changed after Isa Mustafa presented an additional condition to Albin Kurti. Except for choosing the Ministry of Interior, which was an electoral promise of the LVV, Mustafa also claimed the post of the President of Kosovo, a request which impeded reach of the agreement for a ruling coalition.

“Kurti expected to meet Mustafa following return from Germany” (Telegrafi)

The news website reports that Vetevendosje Movement (VV) leader Albin Kurti and Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) leader Isa Mustafa could meet again this week, the news website reports. Unnamed sources from both parties said the meeting will focus on the possibility of reaching a final agreement for a coalition government. The meeting is expected to take place following Kurti’s return from Germany where he met different German officials.

Online poll: Majority of respondents optimistic of an LVV-LDK agreement (Telegrafi)

According to a poll carried out by the Kosovo-based company Pyper through a mobile application, more than 80 percent of 1,000 respondents said they are optimistic that a coalition agreement between the Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) and the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) will be reached. 

45 percent of interviewees held LDK responsible for no agreement having been achieved so far while 15 percent consider LVV is responsible.  The rest of respondents hold both parties equally responsible. 

“38.15 percent of respondents said it is the right of LVV to ask for the post of the president and the most preferred candidate for the post was Glauk Konjufca (34.74%). Meanwhile, 14.97 percent said LDK should get the post and the most preferred candidate is Vjosa Osmani (39.06%) followed by Isa Mustafa (12.5%),” the poll found.  

Zyberaj: We’ll prosecute all Serbian officials responsible for crimes (media)

Several news outlets report that Jetlir Zyberaj, advisor to Kosovo’s outgoing Foreign Minister Behgjet Pacolli, said today that Kosovo’s authorities will prosecute all senior Serbian officials responsible for crimes committed during the war in Kosovo. Lajmi notes that Zyberaj’s reaction comes one day after Pacolli said that they would send to the prosecution 10,000 pages of unseen evidence for war crimes committed by Serbian forces. 

Zyberaj wrote on Facebook: “Marko Djuric and other Serbian officials, including the former Minister of Information for Milosevic and now Serbian President, Vucic, must never have a sound sleep because of the genocide committed in Kosovo by their criminal state, their commanders, soldiers, paramilitary troops and those that nourished the ultra-nationalistic ideology of a Greater Serbia. The pacification of Serbia was a wrong approach, the lack of denazification of Serbia was a grave mistake. Kosovo will prosecute all Serbs, from the lowest to the most senior levels, for the war crimes that were committed. Serbia’s joint criminal enterprise that committed war crimes in Kosovo must be urgently brought to justice. The focus on Dick Marty’s corrupt report has allowed the impunity and hiding of war crimes committed by Serbs in Kosovo. We should not have allowed this, and we should have objected Marty at the early stages of his horrible work influenced and supported by Serbia. But war crimes never get old. Now is the time to bring war criminals to justice. They should fear our judiciary. We will never stop seeking justice”.

Kosovo’s power plants, among the biggest polluters in Europe (RFE)

Kosovo’s power plants are still among the biggest polluters in Europe, according to a research published by Bankwatch Network, a group of environmental non-governmental organisations in Central and Eastern Europe. The research shows that Western Balkan countries breach air pollution limits for coal plants agreed with the Energy Community by as much as six times for one toxic substance. According to the research, total sulphur dioxide emissions from coal plants in Serbia, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina and North Macedonia were more than six times as high in 2018 as the overall ceiling agreed with the Energy Community in the countries’ National Emission Reduction Plans.

In Kosovo’s case, which produces electricity from coal, the Kosova B power plant is considered among the biggest polluters. Learta Hollaj, from the Pristina-based INDEP research institute, told the news website: “In fact, due to lack of investments in filters in the last couple of years, Kosova B has such a high emission that in fact we make up half of the total of allowed emissions for the whole region. This makes us think that this is high time to make investments in this direction and fortunately we have received news that through an EU aid there will be investments in the filters of Kosova B”.

The report also criticises Kosovo for failing to monitor the level of air pollution from power plants. 

Kosovo’s outgoing Minister for Environment, Fatmir Matoshi, admits that Kosovo’s power plants need additional investments, adding that the installation of filters at Kosova B power plant would considerably lower the level of air pollution. “The filters at Kosova B will be changed, because the funds have been approved and the project is under implementation. Second, we expect the contract for the new power plant to be concluded soon and for the Kosova A power plant to be closed,” he said.

The Bankwatch Network also suggests that the EU and the Energy Community also need to develop mechanisms, such as tax on CO2 , or the recently proposed border carbon tax, to ensure that heavy polluters cannot so easily use their lack of investments in pollution control as a market advantage in exporting electricity to the EU.

Matoshi however said that Kosovo is more interested in improving internal arrangements for the environment and the energy rather deal with the international factor. “We are excluded from every investment, from every fund that is allocated for the region and funds from the United Nations. This means that if they keep on ignoring us, we won’t care too much if we are violating directives for others. It is in our interest to have a cleaner air and improve the situation in Kosovo. We don’t worry much about the international factor because they are the ones that are excluding us,” he argued.

Matoshi said that despite criticism from different organisations, Kosovo maintains a state policy for coal-based energy production. 

Learta Hollaj from INDEP meanwhile argues that Kosovo needs to shut down the Kosova A power plant and that its closure should not be linked to the construction of the new power plant, Kosova e Re. “It is unacceptable for an outdated power plant that exceeds all possible ceilings to affect our environment and to condition it with the construction of a new power plant. This makes us think that we need to undertake urgent measures to rehabilitate or close this power plant and to seek alternative methods for energy production,” Hollaj said.

Haxhiu: If LDK insists on President’’s post, Kosovo will go for new elections (RTK)

Member of the Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) leadership Albulena Haxhiu confirmed that the LVV leader Albin Kurti and leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK)will meet this week with the intention to finalise the agreement for the establishment of the new government of Kosovo.

However, according to Haxhiu, if the LDK insists that the post of the President belongs to them, then the only alternative is new elections. She even said that LDK’s request does not make sense.

According to Haxhiu, there were no hastened actions on creation of the ruling coalition as the President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci has not called the constitutive session of the Assembly of Kosovo yet.

Haxhiu however expressed optimism about LVV-LDK coalition, as according to her, they agreed on all other issues except for the post of the President.

She denied claims that there are open issues also when Ministers’ posts are concerned. She said all ministers, no matter from which political party will give account to Albin Kurti. 

   

Serbian Language Media

  Vucic: We are ready for talks about compromise on Kosovo issue (RTS)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic told Greek newspaper “Kathimerini” that Serbia is ready to negotiate a compromise solution to the Kosovo issue, RTS reports.

Vucic added that if someone thinks to come to Belgrade and tell Serbia to recognize Kosovo and Metohija as an independent state – it will not happen.

Asked about border correction as a possible solution to the Kosovo issue, Vucic responded by asking what borders are we talking about, the borders recognized by China, Russia, Greece or Spain or those recognized by Germany and France.

After journalist clarified that the question relates to the exchange of territories (between Kosovo and Serbia), Vucic said that Serbia was always looking for a compromise and does not want to impose a solution that would be in the interest of one side only.

“We are ready and open to negotiation about any compromise solution. Some mentioned different models but offered us nothing concrete. If somebody thinks to come to Belgrade and tell us to recognize Kosovo and Metohija as an independent state, that will not happen,” Vucic said.

He added, Serbia is grateful to Greece for not recognizing Kosovo and underlined it is “about a country that protects the international law, despite pressures it was exposed to in this regard.”

“You will hear no other requests from me, but that they revoke 100 percent tariffs. That is why we want to sit at the table, to talk about that problem and try to find a solution,” Vucic said.

Speaking about Serbian-Greek relations, Vucic said that Athens and Belgrade should additionally reinforce their economic and political ties, and “watch each other’s backs” on the international scene.

Moscow will agree with UN SC discussion of division of Kosovo, if Serbia wants (N1)

Bocan – Harchenko, the Russian ambassador to Serbia said on Tuesday that the border change between Belgrade and Pristina was not a taboo in Moscow, N1 reported.

“There have been changes of borders in the territory of former Yugoslavia in 1991. And to say today that it may create a precedent… I don’t see why,” the ambassador said, adding Moscow would accept that the UN Security Council consider the division of Kosovo if Serbia wanted that.

Referring to the recent spy affair in Serbia involving a Russian spy and local army officer, Bocan – Harchenko said: “Spy affair – what was it?”

That was also his answer to N1 question about what the ambassador replied to President Aleksandar Vucic when he asked him ‘why’ regarding the affair. “I wouldn’t like us to re-open this story which is behind us,” the ambassador said.

However, Der Spiegel writes about what and how Russian spies do across Europe. The newspaper cites German officials worrying that the assassins who work for Moscow target Kremlin’s opponents who have escaped to Europe.

Back to Belgrade, Bocan – Harchenko said that there was “no doubt that our relations got another incentive (after Vucic’s recent visit to Russia and meeting with President Vladimir Putin). And we now expect faster development and intensified cooperation in all areas.”

See at: https://bit.ly/2P8Jf6w Borrell tells EU members to focus on Western Balkans (Beta, N1)

The European Union’s top diplomat said in a letter to member state foreign ministers that they have to focus on global geo-political issues such as firm links between the EU and the Western Balkans.

EU High Representative Josep Borrell said in the letter that his priority is acting in support of a comprehensive agreement between Belgrade and Pristina and getting Bosnia-Herzegovina on the path to stability.

Borrell’s letter comes before Tuesday’s EU-Serbia Inter-governmental conference which is expected to open a new chapter in the country’s accession talks.

The EU High Representative wrote that EU member states have to reach agreement on how the expansion process will continue, adding that he will urge them to agree a new expansion methodology before the EU-Western Balkans meeting in May next year.

See at: https://bit.ly/2LKJ8vM Vucic congratulates Handke (RTS)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has congratulated the Nobel Prize in Literature Laureate, Austrian writer Peter Handke, RTS reports.

“Dear friend, accept my sincere congratulations. As a Nobel Prize in Literature Laureate, you have enrolled among the immortals. This award is for your extraordinary literature work, for your knowledge and creation, but also for inviolable moral features, for the courage and dignity, by which you fight for the ideals of a high intellectual,” Vucic said.

“Serbia sees you as a true friend, and may I allow myself to say, we perceive your Nobel Prize as if one of us has received it. Now, in addition to Ivo Andric, we celebrate yet another our Nobel Prize in  Literature Laureate,” Vucic added, RTS reported.

Serbian List MPs verified their mandates in Kosovo Assembly (FoNet, Radio kontakt plus, RTK2)

Ten Serbian List MPs who have won the highest number of votes on October 6 elections, thus obtaining a right to represent the Serbian community have verified their mandates in the Kosovo Assembly, FoNet news agency reports.

Serbian List MPs are Igor Simic, Zoran Mojsilovic, Miljana Nikolic, Slavko Simic, Ivan Todosijevic, Jasmina Dedic, Verica Ceranic, Milos Perovic, Branislav Nikolic and Ljubinko Karadzic.

Djuric: Panicked fear of former KLA commanders (TV Most)

Statements of Behgjet Pacolli on some sort of thousands-pages documents about the crimes of Serbs in Kosovo indicated a panicked fear of former KLA commander that they might face deserved punishment (for their crimes), Serbian Government Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Marko Djuric said, TV Most reports.

According to Djuric, it was clear this is about a new attempt to inflame anti-Serbian sentiments in the Albanian public and abolish real crimes.

Djuric also said that up to date practice illustrated innocent people, as per rule, are targeted by the Pristina judiciary over alleged responsibility for the war crimes, mostly slandered because somebody “has expressed tendency” to obtain their properties.  

“It is clear that Pacolli works in a close cooperation with Kadri Veseli, who was interviewed in the Hague by the Special Court for KLA crimes,” Djuric said in a statement.  

“The Albanian public in Kosovo and Metohija will inevitably at certain moment face the truth about the monstrous crimes of former KLA leaders, and now political leaders, and it is high time that their ill-deeds, including the ones committed against their own people, come to the light,” Djuric said, TV Most reports.  

Manitasevic ceased hunger strike due to health reasons (Radio KIM, Novosti)

Nikola Manitasevic, brother of arrested Ljubisa whom Hungarian authorities plan to extradite to Pristina, had ceased hunger strike after two weeks due to health reasons, Radio KIM reports.

Nikola was protesting in front of the Hungarian Embassy in Belgrade. He protested decision of Hungarian court to extradite his brother Ljubisa to Pristina over alleged murder attempt in June 1999, when he wounded two persons who tried to kidnap him in Orahovac.

Radio KIM reported that Nikola had a meeting in the Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was promised help in the case of his brother. He is now waiting for the decision of the Hungarian Justice Minister regarding the extradition request.

Marko Rosic's parents confirmed that neither they nor his lawyer have received the indictment (Danas, TV Most)

Parents of Marko Rosic, one of six accused of killing GI SDP leader Oliver Ivanovic, told Zvecan based TV Most that it was good that their son had been transferred from the Podujevo prison to a detention unit in North Mitrovica, and that it was a relief for him and all of them.

"He is secure, and mentally much more stable because he knows he is among his own. In addition to his previous bullying, he was also restricted by a language barrier,” said his mother, Bojana Rosic.

Commenting on the appearance of the indictment in the media before it was delivered to the accused and the lawyers, Rosic's father, Nebojsa, said it was "ridiculous and that the allegations in the media that his son has a criminal history is without evidence."

"They will have to prove and explain why and how they wrote it," Rosic said.

Marko Rosic was arrested on November 24, 2018 in his apartment in the North Mitrovica and was charged with involvement in the murder of Oliver Ivanovic, which is allegedly confirmed by a note with the license plate of his car, which was found in the pocket of the murdered Ivanovic.

Rosic has been in custody in Gnjilane and Podujevo since his arrest.

The Swede who returned Nobel Prize she allegedly received, hadn't received it at all? (B92, Sputnik)

Fake news that the Swedish physician, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1988 as a member of the UN peacekeeping force, returned the award, toured the region, B92 reports.

At the moment when Austrian writer Peter Handke received the 2019 Nobel Prize in Literature in Stockholm yesterday, his opponents protested sharply. In a sea of tumultuous reactions challenging the decision of the Nobel Committee, the gesture of a certain Swedish physician, Christina Doctare, stood out, B92 said. According to Sputnik, she walked among those gathered outside the ABF Center in Stockholm and with a medal high in her hand, announced the dramatic decision: "I am returning my Nobel Prize!"

Among the guests gathered in Stockholm were Alida Bremer, German writer of Croatian origin, German and French journalist Elke Schmitter, as well as Florence Hartmann, American journalist Roy Gutman, Emir Suljagic, director of the Srebrenica-Potocari Memorial Center, Swedish journalist Christina Doctare, member of the Norwegian Helsinki Committee Enver Djuliman, and Mirsad Duratovic, President of Banjaluka Region Prisoners' Association.

Information from the world, regional and domestic media reported that Doctare had received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1988 as a member of the UN peacekeeping force. How accurate is that, Sputnik inquired.

A simple glance at the site of the Nobel Committee says that her name is not on the list of the Nobel Peace Prize winners for that particular year. The award was given to all UN peacekeepers from 1948 to 1988 as a team, a total of more than 500.000 people from 53 countries.

See at: https://bit.ly/2PAVqYJ    

Opinion 

  Europe must lead on the climate crisis. The European Green Deal shows how (The Guardian)

Humanity faces an existential threat. Forests burn from America to Australia. Deserts are advancing across Africa and Asia. Rising sea levels threaten our European cities as well as Pacific islands. Mankind has seen such phenomena before, but never at this speed, writes Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, in an opinion piece for The Guardian. 

Von der Leyen announced that on Wednesday the European Commission will present the European Green Deal whose aim she said was to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. "This is a task for our generation and the next, but change must begin right now – and we know we can do it."

See at: https://bit.ly/2qFuhvl    

International 

  Four Balkan States Boycott Nobel Ceremony to Protest Handke (Balkan Insight)

Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Kosovo are boycotting Tuesday’s Nobel Prize ceremony in protest at the literature award to author Peter Handke, who they accuse of sympathising with Slobodan Milosevic and denying war crimes.

Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Kosovo have said that their diplomats will boycott the Nobel Prize ceremony on Tuesday in Stockholm, where the 2019 award for literature will be given to Peter Handke, an Austrian writer whose support for Serbia’s 1990s leader Slobodan Milosevic has angered war victims.

Turkey will also boycott the ceremony, and North Macedonia will not send a representative, although it did not describe its stance as a boycott.

See at: https://bit.ly/2RFBuql Kosovo President Says 'Future Is Not Built By Denying Crimes,' Urges Serbia To Accept Blame (RFE)

Kosovar President Hashim Thaci on December 10 visited the site of a mass killing in 1999 of ethnic Albanians by Serbian forces, calling on Belgrade to apologize for what he says were “crimes against humanity.”

To mark International Human Rights Day, Thaci, a former military commander of forces who fought for Kosovo’s independence, visited the southern village of Recak, 32 kilometers south of the capital, Pristina.

See at: https://bit.ly/2rr7Bj5 Russia Throws Wrench Into Efforts to Renew Serbia-Kosovo Talks (Bloomberg)

Russia poured cold water on U.S. and European plans for swift reconciliation between Serbia and Kosovo, with Moscow’s envoy to Belgrade calling the latter a “fake state.”

The statements by Ambassador Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko support the long-held position of Serbia’s government, which has refused to recognize its neighbor since it split away after a 1998-1999 war.

By contrast, the U.S. wants the former foes to reach a lasting agreement that includes the recognition of Kosovo’s unilateral 2008 secession. The neighbors need to normalize ties to qualify for European Union membership, but EU-mediated talks between them have stalled for more than a year.

See at: https://bloom.bg/2LJcNWi    

Development/Humanitarian

  KCSS: Women excluded from security sector, inclusion remains a challenge (EO)

The Kosovar Centre for Security Studies launched the “Women Security Forum” platform aimed at empowering women in advancing their rights in the security and rule of law sector in Kosovo.

Teuta Avdimetaj from KCSS said the project’s objective is to empower women’s role in society. “Traditionally, we have seen that in the security field women were overlooked and not included in the field of study and policy making and an important turning point in this came with resolution 1325. We have seen through different cases that women can be victims but can also be a preventive factor,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Dutch Ambassador to Kosovo, Gerrie Willems, said the project encourages participation of youth and women in political issues. She said the project will include ten Kosovo municipalities and underlined that the inclusion of women in security is a global challenge. “Despite efforts, women continue to face huge challenges in this field,” she said.

Furthermore, Willems said women in Kosovo remain excluded from the job market and denied family inheritance which is not in line with Kosovo Constitution. “Women are working to prevent the causes of many phenomena including violence and extremism.” 

Kosovo’s Jews in Race to Preserve Heritage (Balkan Insight)

At a time of relative peace and stability, Kosovo’s few remaining Jews have set about preserving what remains of their heritage.

On Pristina’s Mother Teresa Boulevard, across the road from the parliament where lawmakers of Europe’s youngest state convene to debate legislation, a small plaque marks a piece of history little known to most passersby.

There are few other traces of the extensive Jewish community that once lived in Kosovo, a community that traced its roots to the 15th century and the migration of Sephardic Jews from Spain and Portugal and may have numbered as many as 3,000 at the beginning of the 20th century.

The plaque stands at the site of Kosovo’s last synagogue, torn down by the Yugoslav Communist regime in 1963 at a time when many other old buildings including the old city bazaar were razed. By then, Jewish communities across the Balkans had been decimated by the Holocaust.

See at: https://bit.ly/2Pxhqnv