Albanian Language Media:

• Government: Rasic’s appointment has not violated the Constitution (media)
• “Kurti decision on Rasic right from Kosovo standpoint; north is a problem” (Express)
• Osmani calls meeting of institutional leaders after killing of pregnant woman (media)
• Haxhiu: Ministry completed its tasks; problem lies with judicial institutions (Koha)
• PDK’s Lushtaku tells Interior Minister: I was hoping you will resign (Kosovapress)
• Kosovo Police arrest Serb suspected of war crimes in 1999 (media)
• PDK deputy leader Citaku reacts to Vucic’s remarks about Kurti (media)
• Court temporarily blocks decision to reduce salaries of prosecutors and judge (media)
• Kurti: Judiciary very efficient when their case is concerned, but not with court cases (Klan)
• Suspect of the murder of the 35-year-old pregnant woman committed suicide (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Stano: The appointment of Rasic 'does not meet all the conditions stipulated by the Constitution’ (media)
• Vucic: The situation in Kosovo boiling, I meant everything I said about Rasic, Trajkovic and Kurti; Serbs South of Ibar close to leave the institutions (media)
• Serbia, EU sign three agreements (Tanjug)
• Foreign Minister Dacic: Vucic is right (Danas, TV Pink)
• Vucic: EU has demonstrated anti-Serb attitude (Tanjug, media)
• Serbian List: President Vucic exposed the hypocrisy of the international community towards the Serbian people in Kosovo (Kosovo Online)
• Hill: There will be no further agreements without solving the issue of the collective rights of Serbs, the US and the EU made it clear to Kurti (KoSSev)
• KP: Arrested Serb suspected of war crimes (KoSSev)
• Office for KiM: G. M. arrested when he went to report usurped property (KoSSev)
• Petkovic: The EU received the answer it deserves from Vucic (Kosovo Online)
• PM Brnabic reacted to Stano's statement: This kind of reaction is a shame for the EU (Blic, Kosovo Online)
• Stano: Both sides urgently need to work on the return of Serbs to institutions (Tanjug, media)
• Dacic met Nuland (Tanjug)

International:

• Kosovo Must Get Real on Threat of Far-Right Extremism (BIRN)

 

 

 

Albanian Language Media  

 

Government: Rasic’s appointment has not violated the Constitution (media)

Perparim Kryeziu, spokesperson of the government of Kosovo, said that the Government of Kosovo has not violated the Constitution with the appointment of Nenad Rasic Minister for Communities and Returns.

"The constitution of the country gives full authority to Prime Minister [Albin] Kurti to make changes in the governing cabinet without the consent or approval of the Assembly. Recognizing him as the undisputed head of the government, the constitution gives the Prime Minister the authority to replace a minister without the consent of the Assembly, in order to ensure the implementation of his policies by the government cabinet. The procedure of selecting the ministers who come from the communities through their approval in the Assembly also by the MPs of the non-majority communities, according to Article 96, was respected during the vote of the Kurti 2 Government,” he said.

"After the situation caused by the resignation Mr. [Goran] Rakic, article 96 is interpreted in the light of article 94 paragraph 4 on the powers of the Prime Minister," Kryeziu said.

“Kurti decision on Rasic right from Kosovo standpoint; north is a problem” (Express)

Serbian political commentator, Dusan Janjic, said in an interview with the news website today that he was not surprised by Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s decision to appoint Nenad Rasic as Minister for Communities and Returns. “I can say that I was not surprised. I was expecting this to happen,” he said.

Janjic said that from Kosovo’s standpoint and in legal terms, Kurti’s decision is right because as Prime Minister he is filling the institutional vacuum, but that in political terms the issue is complicated. “It is right from the legal aspect. From Kosovo’s standpoint, Kurti made the right step. But from the political aspect, it is complicated,” he said.

Janjic said he does not know if the same course of action can function for the north of Kosovo, where Serb judges, prosecutors, and police officers have resigned their positions. “At this moment, I can say that Kurti is trying to fill up the institutional vacuum, which is very important for Kosovo. But I am not sure that the same model will work for the north, when local officials are concerned. But this is another matter.”

According to Janjic, the objective of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and the Serbian List was to cause an institutional crisis and that from this perspective he views Kurti’s decision to create stability in the central institutions as right. “Vucic and the Serbian List decided to withdraw from the institutions with the aim of creating an institutional crisis in Kosovo. On the other hand, Kurti’s response was right and legitimate. If it is enough, I am not sure. Because the issue runs deeper, it involves the conflict around the status, the control over the territory. This is why I say that it is OK to stabilise the central institutions, but that the problem lies with the municipalities that are not fully integrated. This is why I say that I am not sure this can work for the north of Kosovo,” he said.

Osmani calls meeting of institutional leaders after killing of pregnant woman (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani has called a meeting of the Council for Democracy and Human Rights two days after a pregnant woman was killed in Pristina by her husband. The meeting, which will bring together all institutional leaders, according to Osmani, is expected to announce concrete measures that need to be undertaken to prevent the killing of girls and women in Kosovo.

Osmani told RTK that Kosovo, as a state and society, is faced with a serious challenge and that femicide must not be tolerated and needs to be stopped urgently. “There are two points in the agenda: First, every institution must give their input about the flaws in our system for the protection of girls and women, and second, we need to make concrete conclusions on how to prevent these acts of violence and this femicide as urgently as possible,” Osmani said.

“I hope that every institution that will attend the meeting will bring a list of concrete actions that are under the umbrella of the Council for Democracy and Human Rights and which will then monitor the implementation, to be moved forward and to understand the seriousness of this extremely shocking situation for all our society and state. As a state and society, we are faced with a serious challenge, because femicide must be urgently stopped and it must not be tolerated”.

Haxhiu: Ministry completed its tasks; problem lies with judicial institutions (Koha)

Kosovo’s Minister of Justice, Albulena Haxhiu, said today that the institution she leads has completed all tasks for the protection of women against violence, but that the problem lies with the judicial system, which according to her, is not functioning. 

Haxhiu reiterated that as soon as they get reports from the line institutions about the killing of the pregnant woman, there will be removals and resignations by the responsible officials. “Based on the first information we have, there is a chain failure and for this, as I said yesterday, there will be resignations and removals as soon as we get the reports from the police and the health inspectorate,” she said.

Media reported that the Minister of Justice Albulena Haxhiu, together with her staff participated today in the funeral of 35-year-old Hamide Magashi, killed two days ago in front of the Gynecology Clinic in Pristina. The mayor of Lipjan Imri Ahmeti, also participated in the funeral.

PDK’s Lushtaku tells Interior Minister: I was hoping you will resign (Kosovapress)

MP from the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Mergim Lushtaku, said today that he was hoping that Interior Minister Xhelal Svecla was going to submit a moral resignation after a pregnant woman was killed by her husband in front of the maternity hospital in Pristina on Wednesday.

Kosovo Police arrest Serb suspected of war crimes in 1999 (media)

Kosovo Police arrested on Thursday a Kosovo Serb suspected of having committed crimes against the civilian population. Police issued a statement saying that there is information that the suspect took part in the Dubrava massacre in May 1999.

PDK deputy leader Citaku reacts to Vucic’s remarks about Kurti (media)

Deputy leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Vlora Citaku, took to Twitter to react to a statement by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic who referred to Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti as a “terrorist scum”.

“I am in the opposition, and I work to beat Vetevendosje in the next elections. There are way too many things I disagree with them. But to have President of #Serbia referring to Kosovo’s PM Kurti as “terrorist scum,” is unacceptable and disgusting. #Dialogue #EU #Frontrunner,” Citaku tweeted.

Court temporarily blocks decision to reduce salaries of prosecutors and judge (media)

The Basic Court of Pristina has announced that it has accepted the lawsuit of the Association of Prosecutors of Kosovo against the government of Kosovo, namely the office of the Prime Minister and has decided to postpone the decision of the government of Kosovo to reduce the salaries of judges and prosecutors. The salary reduction according to the decision of the Court will not be executed until the court decides with a final court decision regarding the claim of the Association of Prosecutors.

Kurti: Judiciary very efficient when their case is concerned, but not with court cases (Klan)

Prime Minister Albin Kurti has again addressed the issue of lowering the salaries of the justice sector, and the boycott that has started on their part, saying that the actors of justice are very efficient when it comes to their salary, but not their work.

"We cannot deal with decisions made by the Judiciary, but I regret to note that when it comes to their matter, they are turning out to be very efficient in contrast to the countless cases that are dusted in the drawers of the palace of justice which languish there and are not treated either in time or properly," Kurti said.

Suspect of the murder of the 35-year-old pregnant woman committed suicide (media)

S.H. suspected of killing his 35-year-old wife H.M. committed suicide. The news was announced by the Minister of Internal Affairs, Xelal Svecla.

"After intensive work by all units of the Kosovo Police, it has been possible to locate the location of the murderer Sokol Halili. Despite the attempt of the police officials to negotiate the surrender, the perpetrator commits suicide," Svecla wrote on Facebook.

He announced that the Kosovo Police as well as the Police Inspectorate of Kosovo will continue the investigations to reveal all the circumstances of the murder of the pregnant woman and the suicide of the perpetrator.

 

 

 

Serbian Language Media 

 

Stano: The appointment of Rasic 'does not meet all the conditions stipulated by the Constitution’ (media)

EU spokesperson Peter Stano said that the announced visit of Miroslav Lajcak to Belgrade and Pristina was planned at the end of last week and has nothing to do with yesterday's appointment of Nenad Rasic as a minister in the Kosovo government, reported N1. 

When it comes to the summit of the Western Balkans in Tirana, Stano reiterated how important it is to hold it, especially in the region and the current geopolitical situation.

After the journalist's question, he referred to that appointment, the new harsh rhetoric from Belgrade, but also the announcement of Serbia's possible non-participation in the summit in Tirana next week.

"The European Union expects European behaviour both when it comes to rhetoric and when it comes to solving problems, actions and attempts to find a solution. We have already commented on what happened yesterday in Kosovo - that within the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, mutual trust is essential. We said very clearly that in this context, regardless of the appointment of Nenad Rasic as minister for communities and return to Kosovo, it is vital for all ministerial elections that they are done in accordance with the Constitution of Kosovo. The EU and all member states call on Kosovo to ensure that all procedural steps in the appointment of ministers representing the minority community are fully respected, and our preliminary interpretation of yesterday's appointment is that it does not meet all the conditions stipulated by the Constitution of Kosovo. It is now certainly up to the Constitutional Court of Kosovo to process, and we expect Pristina to comply with the Constitution, which is essential for the rule of law," said Stano.

He adds that it is extremely important to keep in mind the very fragile situation.

"We already had a possible escalation that has not been seen for years and which the EU used as an opportunity to call on Serbia and Kosovo to de-escalate and refrain from unilateral moves and provocations. The situation is fragile and any action that could cause new tensions or increase existing ones must be avoided. I repeat the call of the EU and all 27 member states to both parties to immediately do everything to return the Serbs to the Kosovo institutions, in accordance with the agreements reached. When it comes to the summit of the Western Balkans in Tirana, I repeat how important it is to hold it, especially in the region and especially in the current geopolitical situation," added Stano, reported N1.

Vucic: The situation in Kosovo boiling, I meant everything I said about Rasic, Trajkovic and Kurti; Serbs South of Ibar close to leave the institutions (media)

The Serbs south of the Ibar are close to deciding to leave the institutions, and the Serbs north of the Ibar to not let anyone enter the north. Everything boils. I have information from all services. People won't put up with Kurti's terror anymore. Everything I said about Nenad Rasic, Rada Trajkovic and Albin Kurti, I still mean today, said Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, after meeting with Oliver Varhelyi, the European Commissioner, reported Serbian media. 

He stated that he well understood the remarks of Varhelyi regarding the harmonization of foreign policy with the European one.

Vucic said that he will not allow Serbia to become a tool for those who want to bypass EU sanctions against Russia.

"We reacted in cases of re-export of certain goods and our state authorities detained people from companies that were involved in circumventing sanctions against the Russian Federation," said Vucic, reported RTS. 

- I introduced Varhelyi with our view of the situation in Kosovo and Metohija. Let me tell everyone that I am neither crazy, nor drunk, nor silly, because I only drink chamomile tea and cola zero. I pointed out to him everything that has happened since the beginning of the year and how all kinds of possibilities for a normal conversation with Pristina were collapsing - said Vucic, Serbian media reported.  

He pointed out that everything he said about Kurti, Rasic and Trajkovic, he meant. ''Should I have used bureaucratic or diplomatic vocabulary, I could have, but no one would have heard us,'' said Vucic. He said that he was not ashamed of his emotions and that ''he has heart and soul, and that everything he said was true''.

Vucic reminded that in January there was a referendum on the amendment of the Constitution, and that Pristina said that the citizens, who feel like citizens of Serbia from Kosovo, cannot go to that referendum, and that Quint said that everything would be fine, and that it was a democratic norm.

- But Pristina decided to cancel 60,000 votes and made it impossible for Serbs to vote. The temperature is heating up and the situation is boiling because people are humiliated. Then follows the verdict against Todosijevic for verbal delict. And then the construction started, contrary to the law and the Brussels agreement, and agreements with NATO, of the special police bases near Brnjak and Jarinje. So, they started raiding daily with Rosu FTU units and harassing Serbs - said Vucic at a press conference. 

As he added, the situation was on the verge of conflict, so they made up a story about identity cards and when three-month visas for Serbs were supposed to be introduced, then a problem with license plates.

- Now, when they raise everything as tension, they repeat every day, including in Berlin, that they would not establish the ZSO (CSM). So, they unconstitutionally and illegally removed and suspended the head of the North Police, Nenad Djuric. So, he wanted to insert his henchmen Rasic and Trajkovic into the Assembly, in order to legitimize the army and abolish the Serbian language. Then he brought them into the government. You have the right to bring into the government whoever you want from the bottom of the bucket, but my question is, why are you lying that they are the representatives of the Serbs. Those are the ones who received more than 90 percent of the votes, not two - said Vucic. 

Then, he said, a reply from Mr. Stano arrived, who again said something about two sides.

As Vucic said, he heard from a foreign diplomat: "enough with these ‘two sides’".

- We reacted every time and put out the fire and fought for peace and stability. Nine months they are accusing us of attacking someone. And there is no ''sorry''. I ask the EU what is next - the Serbian president pointed out.

According to him, it was possible to change the decision that Serbia will not go to the EU-Western Balkan summit on December 6 in Tirana.

- Varhelyi told me that people from the EU think it is important for Serbia to be at the EU-Western Balkans summit in Tirana. Brnabic thinks that it is important to be in Tirana, and I am ready to talk and change the decision and we will consider that decision once again - Vucic said. 

He said that he was invited to Tirana and that he explained the whole situation to Varhelyi regarding his departure.

Vucic wondered if it was understood "that we need to literally give birth in order to insert half of an inserted sentence about something that it is implied - that all agreements signed in the past must be implemented."

- Then I'm forced to listen to how Christ recently came to power in Pristina... You listen to nonsense and craziness, but that's not a problem either. It is a problem that week after week you carry out actions that call into question the survival of peace and stability. Everyone in Europe knows what I told you, they just pretend and won't tell you that it is so, because they have one member state that will be the most passionate and that will protect its child. What did you think? That I will get scared, and not say what I think? Guys, this is my last mandate. I received a huge trust from the people, which I have to justify. If I did something by what I did yesterday and today, to point out what is really happening, I do not care if I lost in the eyes of anyone in Brussels, Washington, Berlin... If that was the only way, then I am happy that I did it - Vucic said among other things. 

Serbia, EU sign three agreements (Tanjug)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and EU Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi attended the signature of three Serbia-EU agreements in Belgrade on Friday.

Serbian European Integration Minister Tanja Miscevic and the head of the EU Delegation to Serbia Emanuele Giaufret signed a framework agreement on a Serbia-European Commission partnership regarding the rules of implementation of EU financial assistance to Serbia as part of the IPA 3 programme.

Giaufret and Health Minister Danica Grujicic signed an agreement on support to migration and access to health care.

Giaufret and the acting head of the International Organisation for Migration office in Belgrade Donatella Bradic signed an agreement on EU assistance to Serbia in migration management and strengthening the migration management and border control system.

Foreign Minister Dacic: Vucic is right (Danas, TV Pink)

Serbian Foreign Affairs Minister, Ivica Dacic told TV Pink today that his political sense tells him that the President of Serbia works in the interest of the people and that he was right when “he says that the Prime Minister of Kosovo is a terrorist”, reported daily Danas.

He commented on the appointment of Nenad Rasic as a minister in the Kosovo government, and Rada Trajkovic, who will be Rasic’s advisor and pointed out one should look in continuity at what the Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti has done.

“This is about an immature politician who wants to destabilize the entire region with his actions. He is the main threat factor in our region. It’s not just one thing he did so we should be surprised,” Dacic said. 

Dacic listed a series of moves by Kurti, the incursion of police forces in the north, licence plates, the request for Kosovo’s admission to the Council of Europe and then to the EU, announcement of elections for December in the municipalities where the councillors have resigned, which, according to Dacic was “a new date for conflicts”. 

“Now he brought his Serbs into the government in order to realize Greater Albania goals. Serbs should be present in the institutions, but they should have the support of Serbs. He is introducing Rasic and Trajkovic, completely against the will of the Serbs, in order to legalize, for example, the decision on the army,” Dacic said.

According to FA Minister, Kurti “was arrested for separatist and terrorist activity and support for that activity, although he says he was a political prisoner”. 

“He is a terrorist because, from the point of view of international law, that entire crew is separatist and terrorist, if we are talking about the KLA,” he said.

He opined that it was a matter of tactics how Serbia will behave in the future and whether it would participate in various events.

“President said that we will not go to the summit in Tirana. Considering the events in Pristina, it would be an insane and unprofitable and deception of the people. There is no doubt about what the President said because he said what the people of Serbia think. Although some say that his words were harsh, I think that he was too soft for the real situation. I am not the one who should measure, but my political sense, which has never failed me, tells me that this is an approach that is in the interest of the citizens,” Dacic said.

He pointed out that the position of the EU “which constantly invites both sides and condemns both sides” was particularly irritating.

“Undoubtedly lukewarm reaction to what is undoubtedly the halting of the Brussels dialogue when you have the opposite situation on the ground. His (Kurti’s) policy is a policy of conflict, unlike Serbia, which always sticks to agreements and whose approach is predictable. It has never happened that we accept something and not fulfilled it or lied. Instead of being harsh, because it has been shown that harsh reactions can lead to results, the reaction was mild and there is constant talk that we are moving on to some new agreements. Kurti said that there will be no ZSO (CSM) and that the Brussels Agreement does not exist for him. It is a slap in the face for the EU. ZSO (CSM) is a European idea, namely Catherine Ashton’s who consulted with Angela Merkel and Hillary Clinton,” Dacic said, reported Danas daily. 

Vucic: EU has demonstrated anti-Serb attitude (Tanjug, media)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced on Thursday he would not travel to Tirana for a December 6 EU-Western Balkans summit following a decision by Pristina's PM Albin Kurti to name Serb Nenad Rasic as minister of communities and return, reported agency Tanjug.

Referring to Kurti as "terrorist scum", Vucic said the decision had gone down without a deserved condemnation by the EU and that the EU had demonstrated an anti-Serb attitude.

"The nomination of Rasic is a disgrace, to put it as mildly as I can. That man (Rasic) got less than one percent (of votes) in the elections, like Rada Trajkovic, who was on his electoral list. That shows they want an expulsion of Serbs from Kosovo-Metohija. I am not sure there will be a meeting with the European commissioner (Oliver Varhelyi) tomorrow after what I said and the decisions we have made in the meantime," Vucic told Pink TV yesterday.

He said Kurti's move was a violation of not only the Brussels Agreement, but international law as well.

It is a violation of all democratic principles and norms under which someone is elected to a position or offered a position after garnering a large number of votes in elections, Vucic said, noting that positions should not be offered to someone with just one percent of votes.

"But they do not care, because that is in line with the interests of a European power and interests someone needs to implement, against the Serbs," Vucic noted.

As a result of the decision, no one from Serbia will be at the Tirana summit, Vucic said, announcing that he would speak about the matter in more detail on Saturday.

Serbian List said that Kurti's decision was unconstitutional and unsupported by Serb members of the Kosovo assembly.

The SL said it would appeal the decision with the constitutional court.

"After continuous violations of the Brussels Agreement, Albin Kurti has demonstrated once again that he does not respect even Pristina's own legal acts in case they are in the interest of Serbs," Serbian The List said, noting that Rasic's nomination violated a constitutional provision under which a Serb who was not a member of the assembly could not be named minister without the consent of the majority of Serb assembly members.

Kurti did not seek that consent and Rasic does not have the support of our assembly members, Serbian List said.

"The unconstitutional nomination of Nenad Rasic is a result of Albin Kurti's efforts to have by his side loyal Serbs for whom personal interests are above national interests but who have no support whatsoever among Kosovo-Metohija Serbs," it said in a statement.

After getting their mandates approved, the Serbian List assembly members recently left in the legislative body following a decision by Kosovo Serbs to abandon all of Pristina's institutions.

Serbian List: President Vucic exposed the hypocrisy of the international community towards the Serbian people in Kosovo (Kosovo Online)

Kosovo Online portal reported last night that the Serbian List said, in a announcement, that it provided full support, and that it supported every word spoken by President Aleksandar Vucoc, who, as they stated, in the best possible way ''exposed the hypocritical attitude of the international community towards the Serbian people in Kosovo and towards the state of Serbia''.

"Those same people whose mouths are full of the rule of law and respect for the law have today shown the highest possible level of hypocrisy and unwillingness to call things by their right name, just because the dictator and extremist Albin Kurti violates the rights of the Serbian people. With their silence, European leaders continue the practice of approving the ethnic persecution of the Serbs people, and from today they are direct accomplices in Albin Kurti's effort to disenfranchise and expel Serbs from their centuries-old homes," it was stated in the Serbian List's announcement, reported Kosovo Online.

The Serbian people, as it was added, ''provide full support to President Aleksandar Vucic in the fight for truth, justice, and a better life for the citizens of Serbia''.

"In this fight, President, you have the full support of the Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija, because there is no going back from here!", reported the portal, citing the statement.

Hill: There will be no further agreements without solving the issue of the collective rights of Serbs, the US and the EU made it clear to Kurti (KoSSev)

American ambassador to Serbia, Christopher Hill, said last night in the "Interview" show for TV Insajder that Albanians in Kosovo want to see how much space they have for the internationalization of their issues, but Serbs have lived there for centuries, and Serbia wants to see what kind of future they will have, and that falls under the ZSO, reported portal KoSSev. 

Many things need to be resolved, before we reach a more normalized approach, said Hill. 

He also said that Kurti understood that the issue of the future of Serbs in Kosovo must be an absolute priority.

When asked if he understood the existence of strategic relations between Serbia and Russia, bearing in mind the issue of Kosovo, Hill replied that it could not be said that Russia "plays a positive role in relation to Kosovo" and that it ''helps Serbia while causing an energy and food crisis in the world", reported the portal.

On the other hand, he said that the EU was trying to find a solution, and that the US supported it. 

"You must know that my government is interested in cooperating with the authorities in Belgrade and Pristina, as well as with the EU, to see if we can make some kind of progress - if it wasn't a difficult issue, it would have been resolved a long time ago," said Hill.

When asked who leads the negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina, the European Union or the USA, Hill replied that the EU led the negotiations, but that many countries, including the USA, have envoys who support the EU's special envoy Miroslav Lajcak, whose job, he said, was not easy.

"The EU itself is not unique in this matter, different countries have different views, but they help," he said.

In the same show, Hill commented on the recently reached agreement on the vehicle plates, preceded by the failed meeting between Kurti and Vucic in Brussels.

Hill said that in fact the EU wanted to extend the deadline by two days to resolve the issue.

"The EU and the USA raised that question, and, in the end, Kurti decided to add a few days to that deadline," Hill said.

However, he specified that issues such as license plates did not help the overall solution of Kosovo's problems.

"Albanians are trying to see how much space they have for the internationalization of their issues. Again, from Serbia's side - Serbs have lived in Kosovo for centuries and Serbia wants to see what their collective rights and future are in Kosovo. We have to deal with that," said Hill.

He said that it falls under the issue of the Community of Serbian Municipalities, that is, to see what kind of structures can be formed so that the Serbs in Kosovo know what awaits them.

"All this is very difficult work - for the government in Pristina to understand. But thanks to the hard work of the EU, Kurti understood that the issue of the future of Serbs in Kosovo must be an absolute priority and must be resolved in any normalization process," he added.

Commenting on the statement of Albin Kurti, who said that dialogue with Belgrade was not among his top three priorities and that he was only interested in a mutual recognition agreement, Hill said that Kurti could say whatever he wanted to the media but added that "giving statements does not mean to conduct politics".

"He will have to talk to negotiators in Europe, and the Americans as well as the EU have clearly told him that he must solve the issue of the collective rights of Serbs in Kosovo. Rest assured that there will be no further agreements until we resolve this issue," Hill said.

"We would like Serbia and Kosovo to recognize each other, but many things need to be resolved before that"

When asked about the so-called "French-German plan for Kosovo and Serbia", Hill answered that the US supported the EU in the process of achieving a comprehensive normalization of relations between the two sides.

"If you ask me if the Americans would like the two countries to recognize each other - of course. We have to be honest and clear; a lot of things have to be resolved before we get to that point starting with a more normalized approach because now there is hardly an agreement on license plates," he said.

"The situation must calm down so that people listen to each other a little, and not just shout, and we understand what the plan is and how to move forward."

He said that the US and the EU supported the European proposal, better known to the public as the Franco-German proposal.

"We also hope that Belgrade, which also worked extremely hard and always came to meetings prepared, will continue in that direction," said Hill.

The US wants the Serbs to return to Kosovo's institutions

Speaking about his call to the Serbs in Kosovo to return to the institutions, Hill said that the Serbs will have to make up their own minds about it, and that the US wanted them to return to the institutions.

He added that the position of the Serbs was: "We will return as soon as we see that the agreements are respected."

"At the end of the day, there is no deal if only one side fulfils its obligations. It seems so, I agree with you (that the Serbian side fulfils its obligations) on that issue, but I would call for patience. Negotiations with Kosovo do not bring any immediate satisfaction. It won't be like that. However, after a long period in which things moved slowly, the Americans are stepping up their efforts and encouraging the EU to follow the same path," said Hill.

KP: Arrested Serb suspected of war crimes (KoSSev)

KoSSev portal reported that members of the Kosovo Police yesterday arrested a man of Serbian nationality, G. M. (1958), suspected of war crimes committed against the civilian population in the period 1998-1999.

According to the Kosovo Police, the War Crimes Investigation Unit arrested G. M. after a tip-off. The police statement does not say where he was arrested.

G.M. is suspected of a crime in Dubrava in 1999, specifies the KP.

After the hearing, and by order of the prosecutor of the Special Prosecutor's Office, the arrested person was determined 48 hours detention.

Office for KiM: G. M. arrested when he went to report usurped property (KoSSev)

Portal KoSSev reported that, as stated by the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, that it was about a pensioner, a displaced person living in the vicinity of Belgrade and who "went to Kosovo and Metohija several times without problems".

The Office for KiM stated the full name of the arrested person, according to the KoSSev portal.

According to the office, G.M. was arrested yesterday in the municipality of Istok, when, as they claimed, he went to report usurped property.

The Office for KiM provided a lawyer for the arrested person. 

"This arrest confirmed the practice of activating court processes, secret and false indictments against Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, the moment they try to exercise their rights in Kosovo and Metohija and protect their property that has been usurped by Albanians," the Office for Kosovo and Metohija assessed.

In this way, they stated, Serbs are "institutionally, planned and systematically deterred from protecting their rights and returning to their centuries-old homes", and that is why "the rate of return to Kosovo and Metohija is the lowest one in a post-conflict area".

Petkovic: The EU received the answer it deserves from Vucic (Kosovo Online)

The director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Petar Petkovic, announced that the most shameful statement of the European Union so far received the response it deserves from the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, reported Kosovo Online. 

In a post on Twitter, Petkovic stated that the EU's anti-Serb policy of double standards was unmasked tonight.

"Let the EU think twice when they think that they are humiliating Serbia and the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija. Their anti-Serbian policy of double standards has been unmasked tonight," wrote Petkovic.

He added that no one will be able to expel the Serbs from Kosovo, reported the portal.

PM Brnabic reacted to Stano's statement: This kind of reaction is a shame for the EU (Blic, Kosovo Online)

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic reacted to the statement of EU spokesperson Peter Stano regarding the appointment of Nenad Rasic as Minister for Communities and Returns, emphasizing that the EU's reaction was shameful, reported Kosovo Online, citing Blic daily. 

"Such a reaction is a shame for the EU. We were waiting to see what the EU would say about the appointment of Rasic, and we received another shameful statement. The appointment of Rasic is not only contrary to the Brussels Agreement, but also contrary to the will of the people expressed in the elections. I ask again - after 10 years of Pristina not implementing the Brussels Agreement of which the EU is the guarantor, after Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija were denied the right to vote this year, twice, to which the EU responded with one sentence in the Progress Report, and after Pristina, by appointing Rasic, continues to ignore the clearly expressed will of the Serbian people on Kosovo and Metohija, so I ask the EU - where are those European values, where is democracy, where the rule of law disappeared," said Brnabic.

PM Brnabic said that there was no need for Serbia to participate in the summits on the Western Balkans.

"Either the EU will start respecting the values it propagates, or there is no longer a need for Serbia to participate in this kind of farce. For the first time, Serbia will not attend the EU-Western Balkans Summit to be held on December 6 in Tirana," said Brnabic.

Stano: Both sides urgently need to work on the return of Serbs to institutions (Tanjug, media)

Spokesman of the High Representative for Foreign Policy, Peter Stano, called yesterday on Belgrade and Pristina to work in accordance with the binding agreements on dialogue, as well as on the urgent return of Kosovo Serbs to all Pristina institutions, reported Tanjug agency.

Stano said for Tanjug, in response to the appointment of Nenad Rasic as Minister for Communities and Return in Pristina, that it is vital that Pristina respect all the necessary steps when appointing ministers who represent the non-majority community.

"It is of vital importance that all ministerial appointments are in accordance with the constitution of Kosovo, and in this particular case we call on Kosovo to ensure that all necessary procedural steps are followed when appointing ministers who represent the non-majority community," Stano told Tan​​jug.

On behalf of the European Union, he called on both parties to work in accordance with binding dialogue agreements.

"We call on both sides to work urgently on the return of Kosovo Serbs to all Kosovo institutions, in accordance with the binding agreements on dialogue, and all interested parties to refrain from any action that would lead to an increase in tensions in the already fragile security situation," he stressed. 

Dacic met Nuland (Tanjug)

Serbian First Deputy PM and FM Ivica Dacic met with US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland on the sidelines of the OSCE Ministerial Council meeting in Lodz, Poland, reported Tanjug.

The parties reviewed the state of Serbia-US bilateral relations and agreed that efforts must be made to intensify political dialogue.

Dacic noted that a Serbia-US strategic dialogue proposed by Belgrade would send a strong message to Serbia and its citizens about the current relations while giving the bilateral dialogue a clearer structure.

Speaking about the Kosovo-Metohija issue, Dacic noted that Serbia was ready to consider all initiatives by international representatives when it comes to normalization of Belgrade-Pristina relations.

"Belgrade remains fully committed to dialogue but insists on commitments from agreements reached to date being met in full as taking part in dialogue will otherwise become pointless," Dacic said.

Dacic expressed gratitude for Washington's continued support to Serbia on its path to full EU membership, which he said was Serbia's priority foreign policy objective and a strategic commitment.

However, he noted that Serbia opposed the idea of progress in its EU integration being tied to progress in the dialogue with Pristina since headway in that process did not only depend on Serbia. The parties agreed to work on strengthening regional peace and stability, an official statement said.

 

 

International 

 

Kosovo Must Get Real on Threat of Far-Right Extremism (BIRN)

Institutions have failed to acknowledge the seriousness of the threat of far right groups, in the north especially – and their capacity to undermine Kosovo’s sovereignty.

A troubled past and unresolved political issues are not only part of the region’s ignominious legacy of mutual relations; but they are, sadly, incorporated into the daily language of politicians and into the leadership concepts of some of the region’s leaders. 

This has created a safe haven for extreme right-wing beliefs in public life, which are exploited to further divide people in the region and enable the continuation of a political reality that serves limited electoral interests. 

One example is the extremist Serbian groups that have expanded their influence among the Serbian community in Kosovo. 

A new investigation by Balkan Insight that maps far-right extremist groups in the Western Balkans identifies eight organizations with extreme-right ideologies in Kosovo, half of which are Serbian. 

The missions they claim to follow are consistent with the narrative established by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, and the disclosure of the links of these organizations to the Serbian Orthodox Church reveals an institutionally sponsored narrative.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3VpcK3S