UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, December 27, 2023

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)

Albanian Language Media

Kurti: We will recognize Serbia’s license plates, once we make sure that it is implementing decision on RKS license plates (media)

The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, has said that the government will make a decision to allow Serbian license plates, after the Kosovo Police make sure that Serbia is fully and without obstacles implementing the decision that RKS license plates circulate freely in Serbia.

"License plates are being used this year to reduce the pressure from the West on Serbia for the undemocratic elections, to mask their failure on September 24. It is another maneuver, not for the sake of the Serbian state, certainly not for the sake of Kosovo, but for the sake of the power in Belgrade", said Kurti at the government meeting.

"Our stance on license plates has been based on the principle of reciprocity, being principled and constructive. We will take our equivalent decision as soon as our border police prove that Serbia is implementing its decision without obstacles", Kurti said.

Government approves Draft Law on the Security Council of Kosovo (RTK)

In the last meeting of this year, the government of Kosovo approved the Draft Law for the Security Council of Kosovo, with all votes for, none against and no abstentions.

Prime Minister Albin Kurti has emphasized that this bill aims to consolidate and strengthen the security sector.

Kurti has stated that the Law will regulate the manner of cooperation of the security structures, raising the level of preparation to respond to threats, risks and challenges to the security of Kosovo.

Vetevendosje: Government persistence forced Serbia to accept plates (Koha)

The ruling Vetevendosje Movement (VV) said in a Facebook post on Tuesday that the persistence of the Kosovo Government forced Serbia to accept license plates issued by Kosovo authorities. “Our persistence on what is right finally forced Serbia to back down and to accept RKS plates. It [Serbia] should now also accept passports, diplomas, and all documents. This is an important achievement of our state and government for the citizens of the Republic of Kosovo,” the post notes.

“Serbia recognizes plates; electricity in north to be paid by Kosovo rules” (Klan)

Advisor to Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi, Klisman Kadiu, said in a Facebook post that the recognition of Kosovo license plates by Serbia has been achieved with the Kurti-led government. “Before 2021: 10 years of negotiations for the plates, but Serbia did not recognize the Kosovo plates. Over 20 years of non-payment of electricity in the north. After 2021: Serbia recognizes RKS plates. Electricity in the north will be paid according to Kosovo’s legislation and rules,” he wrote.

Former Serbian prison guard charged with crimes against civilians (media)

The Special Prosecution of Kosovo filed an indictment at the Basic Court in Pristina against D.M. who is suspected of war crimes against Albanian civilians in 1998-1999. The prosecution said there is reasonable doubt that the suspect, a former guard at Pristina and Lipjan prisons, during the war in Kosovo in 1998-1999, in the capacity of an official person and in cooperation with other prison employees, by acting in opposition and in violation of the international rules during war, during this period systematically mistreated Albanian inmates by torturing them in the most inhumane ways.

“Serbia will try to destabilize neighboring govts, including Kosovo” (Sinjali)

U.S. political commentator and senior fellow at the Washington-based Jamestown Foundation, Janusz Bugajski, argued in an interview with Montenegrin media that Serbia will try to expand its hegemonistic objectives by dominating or destabilizing governments in neighboring countries, including the governments in Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro. He argued that the majority in Montenegro must prepare to protect in the best way possible any attempt to undermine the country’s independence, and that the project of a Greater Serbia can be combated through the cooperation of abovementioned governments. “Political and social resistance will show that the Montenegrin nation is not ready to be the small partner of Serbia. The project of a Greater Serbia can be combated through the cooperation of countries, especially Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo, to protect their independence,” he said.

Moscow calls USA and EU "incompetent" in solving problem between Kosovo and Serbia (Klan)

The spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, Maria Zakharova, has accused the USA and the EU for being incapable, according to her, of solving the problem between Kosovo and Serbia.

She made this comment when asked about the draft statute , for Pristina and Belgrade presented in Brussels, and in which there is a point where the establishment of the Association of municipalities with a Serb majority is mentioned.

"We see the absolute resistance of the U.S. and the EU to the inability to solve the problem on its merits."

According to Zaharova, they are forcing Serbia in an unacceptable and annoying manner to accept this draft, which she says judges the agreement of 2013-2015.

"We both mention the so-called draft" - she addressed the journalist of Ria Novasti, however she added that "we simply accuse the basic Brussels agreements signed by the EU between Belgrade and Pristina in 2013 and 2015".

"The cross on the principles is predicted on them. The documents contain mutually exclusive references to UN Security Council Resolution 1244."

Hoxhaj: Government gave up German condition for "legally binding agreement" with Serbia (Telegrafi)

The former foreign minister of Kosovo, Enver Hoxhaj, has criticized the Kurti government, saying that they gave up the condition that was once German and then became EU, for "legally binding agreement" with Serbia.

PDK MP Enver Hoxhaj, wrote on the Facebook social network, that a decade ago, Kosovo lost a great friend, the former foreign minister of Germany, Guido Westerwelle, who, according to Hoxhaj, gave extraordinary support for independent Kosovo and played a key role in establishing the German condition in the possible agreement between Kosovo and Serbia.

However, Hoxhaj further criticized the current government for renouncing this condition, and accepting an agreement that is not legally binding and does not have mutual recognition.

LVV on early elections: We will surpass result of February 14 (media)

Adnan Rrustemi, MP of Vetevendosje Movement (LVV), said in a press conference together with the head of the Parliamentary Group of this party, Mimoza Kusari-Lila, that LVV is also ready for early elections if the circumstances are created to hold them.

"Obviously, LVV is ready whenever the circumstances arise for early elections, because these have a dimension of the circumstances of when they are held. The Constitution foresees these situations. I see no indications of such a thing, if there is any initiative from the opposition for a motion of no confidence in the government and it succeeds, Vetevendosje would undoubtedly be both ready and prepared to participate in the elections. However, we continue to fulfill the program of the government with a full mandate, but if eventually early elections are presented, we will undoubtedly dedicate ourselves to early elections".

He expressed his conviction that his party in the next elections will come out with a better result than on February 14 when it won 51%.

CEC is considering suspension of PSD today (Koha)

The Central Election Commission (CEC) announced in a press release that it will consider on Wednesday the recommendation for the suspension of the Social Democratic Party (PSD). The suspension is related to the organization of the party's electoral assembly.

Valmir Elezi, spokesman of the CEC, said that the PSD had an obligation to hold the election convention until December 15. Now, according to the recommendation, the PSD will be given an additional period of 45 days to organize the election assembly.

The PSD, on the other hand, has said that "it will fix this issue within" this deadline.

"There is no room for concern. In January, the PSD will hold its Assembly, according to the regular schedule and monitored by the CEC. You will be notified in time about the deadlines and details related to the meeting of the Assembly", said PSD spokesperson, Natyra Kuci.

Diaspora brought this year over 1.2 billion euros (media)

Over 1.2 billion euros has been brought by the diaspora to Kosovo from January 1 to November 2023, or about 10.2 percent more than the same period last year, according to data published by the Central Bank of Kosovo.

According to the report, the largest inflows of remittances were from non-banking financial institutions with a participation of 65 percent, followed by other channels with 19 percent and banks with 16 percent.

Regarding the assets of insurance companies, the CBK has shown that until this month their value was 300.6 million euros and is an increase of about 200 thousand euros compared to October 2023.

Meanwhile, pension fund assets have reached the value of 2.65 billion euros, marking an increase of 54.3 million euros.

In the end, the CBK shows that the assets of other financial intermediaries at the end of November have increased by 2.8 million euros, compared to the previous month, reaching the value of 499.4 million euros.

Kusari-Lila admits there are high energy bills, tells citizens: "Turn to KESCO!" (media)

The head of the Parliamentary Group of the Vetevendosje Movement (LVV), Mimoza Kusari-Lila, admitted in a press conference that there are doubts about incorrect electricity billing. Her reaction comes after the complaints of citizens, who have received high energy bills during this month.

"This case has also come to our attention, there are doubts about the incorrect distribution, so citizens should immediately turn to the supplier, in this case KESCO, and also if there is no real answer to the Office of the Energy Regulator." - she said.

On the other hand, the deputy leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) Uran Ismaili, has requested in a media conference held on Wednesday, from the government and the Energy Regulatory Office (ERO) to reduce the price of electricity for the citizens of Kosovo.

He said that the doubled or tripled monthly electricity bills, or even higher, that citizens have received this week, are unfair and unaffordable.

Serbian Language Media

Petkovic expects from Quint to reject and condemn Svecla's slanders about Civil Protection (Kosovo Online)

The director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Petar Petkovic, sent a letter to the Quint countries and the European Union in which he denied the claims of Kosovo Minister Xhelal Svecla that he is at the top of the "Civil Protection" structure, which was declared terrorist organisation by Pristina in June of this year, Kosovo Online learns from diplomatic sources.

Petkovic stated in the letter that the Civil Protection was disbanded, based on the agreement reached in the dialogue in Brussels in 2015.

He pointed out that he expects Quint to reject and condemn Svecla's slanders, because, as stated in the letter, this is required by the weight of publicly stated falsehoods.

"I hereby express a strong reaction to the fact that the Pristina Minister Xhelal Svecla, without any evidence or foundation, at a press conference held in Pristina on December 23, 2023, marked me as the top of the structure of the organization he called 'Civil Protection' - which was declared by the Pristina regime to be some kind of 'terrorist organization'. I believe that you are well aware that Civil Protection, based on the agreement reached in the Dialogue in Brussels in 2015, was then disbanded and that its members were then legally and with the supervision of the EU integrated into the institutions of Pristina,'' it was stated in the letter.

Petkovic added that he never led or was at the top of the structure of the mentioned organization, pointing out that this is a "pure lie" and pointed out that such arbitrary ratings are placed with the aim of trying to discredit him as the director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija and the main negotiator in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. He also stated that he is convinced that this is about the intention to criminalize both the Serbian people as a whole and the state of Serbia, reported Kosovo Online.

"The ultimate goal of such attacks is obstruction and the consequent halting of dialogue, but also an additional blockade and ban on visiting the territory of Kosovo and Metohija and performing the work that is legitimately entrusted to me," Petkovic's letter states.

He pointed out that Belgrade is a party that has shown full commitment in the process of normalizing relations with Pristina and that such untruths towards legitimately elected representatives of the state of Serbia do not contribute to that process.

The portal recalled that Svecla announced at the press conference on December 23 what the alleged organizational structure of Civil Protection looks like, at the top of which, as shown in the photographs, is the director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Petar Petkovic.

Carabinieri commanders visited Visoki Decani (RTS, Blic)

The Deputy General Commander of the Carabinieri, Riccardo Galletta visited Decani Monastery and met Abbot Fr. Sava Janjic who informed him about the situation in Kosovo from the point of view of the Serbian Orthodox Church, reported RTS.

''Abbot Janjic recalled the role of Italian Carabignieri in the Second World War who protected Decani Monastery which was in danger from local extremists at that time'', it was said in the Decani Monastery post on X, reported RTS.

Dragisa Milenkovic's lawyer hopes easing or cancellation of custody (Tanjug)

Lawyer Dejan Vasic confirmed last evening that the Special Prosecutor's Office in Pristina filed an indictment against Dragisa Milenkovic from Kisnica near Gracanica for alleged war crimes against the civilian population, reported Tanjug.

Vasic emphasized for Tanjug that the filing of the indictment may create the conditions for the defense to request a reduction or termination of custody.

"I am not surprised by the development of the situation regarding this case. Now we will try to request the termination of custody or some milder measure for my client, who has vision problems. He is optimistic and believes that he will be released," said Vasic.

"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)

Danas daily reported that Savo Manojlovic, campaign director of the "Kreni-promeni" movement, assessed yesterday that the prosecutor Nikola Pantelic, from whom the former president of the Serbian List, Milan Radoicic, was released in less than 24 hours, now is asking a month's imprisonment (detention) for the high school student.

"How come such cases always come into the hands of such a man," asked Manojlovic in a post on the X social network, reported Danas.

During the protest on Sunday evening, 38 people were arrested, and the lawyer Aleksandar Ivanovic, who defends those arrested from the National Movement of Serbia, said that the Prosecutor's Office requested a detention of up to 30 days for all those arrested.

Skero Petrovic on RKS plates: Can the decision be made by the government in a technical mandate? (N1, KiM radio, KoSSev)

"The decision of the Government of Serbia to enable the freedom of movement of all vehicles from Kosovo and Metohija was made in the technical mandate of the Government, and we cannot know whether this falls within the powers of the Government whose mandate has ended, until we see the official explanation of that decision," pointed Vida Petrovic Skero, former President of the Supreme Court of Sebia for N1.

N1 interlocutor noted that she does not know how the Government justified the adoption of that decision right now in its technical convocation, wondering what has changed significantly within a year to allow the movement of vehicles with Kosovo license plates at this moment, reported KiM radio.

"One should look at the explanation of the decision and only then say whether it falls within the powers of the government whose mandate has ended. Then we will know whether the conditions from Article 17 of the Law on the Government have been met for the Government to make such a decision at this very moment. I would not give a legal interpretation until I see the text of that decision and the reasons for which it was made," emphasized Skero Petrovic.

And Article 17 of the Law on the Government prescribes that the Government whose mandate has ended can "only carry out current affairs and cannot propose laws and other general acts to the National Assembly or pass regulations, except if their adoption is related to a legal deadline or the needs of the state, interests defense or a natural, economic or technical accident".

Jevtic: Due to centralization, municipalities in Kosovo have fewer and fewer responsibilities (Kosovo Online)

In recent years, centralization has been taking place on many issues, so municipalities in Kosovo have fewer and fewer responsibilities, the Mayor of Strpce, Dalibor Jevtic said today.

At the last regular session, Jevtic pointed out that many things are currently being centralized, and that this is creating many problems.

"I use this opportunity to inform you that after the adoption of the law in the Assembly of Kosovo, a decision was made, and in accordance with that law, I had to sign a memorandum which implies that the Forestry Unit, which until now was part of the Municipality of Strpce, should be transferred to the central level. They are in the process of transition, transferring responsibility in terms of administrative procedures. The forestry unit in the Strpce municipality will be under the jurisdiction of the central Agency for Forests and the competent ministry. Personally, I think it is a really bad decision, taking into account all that we have experienced when it comes to the National Park and all that in a negative sense the citizens have experienced where they were not able to get firewood for the winter. I am afraid that after taking over the forestry unit, which until now was part of the Department for Economic Development of the Municipality of Strpce,'' he said, adding that the Law on Cadastre was also adopted and what will happen next is that the Cadastre Department will also come under the central level of government. According to Jevtic, one day the Municipality will be abolished as well, if the current government remains in power in Pristina.

Jevtic reminded that Ahtisaari's plan did not envisage centralization, but on the contrary the decentralization of municipalities.

"In the last few years, we have had centralization on all issues, on all grounds, and it doesn't matter if I am the mayor today, and who will be tomorrow. The question is to whom the citizens will turn to when they have any problem,'' he said among other things, reported Kosovo Online.

He also referred to the issue of the Brezovica Ski Center and pointed out that his position is that the Municipality should manage it.

International

Kosovo Citizens Warned of Consequences If They Violate Schengen Area Visa-Free Travel Rules (schengenvisainfo.com)

Since the liberalisation of visas for Kosovo will officially become effective starting from January 1, 2024, Kosovo’s European Integration has published details related to the consequences that Kosovars risk facing for violating the visa-free travel rules.

Read more at:http://tinyurl.com/wxp5pu56

Embracing the light: Religious spiritual resiliency in Kosovo (useuworldaffairs.com)

In the heart of Europe lies a land steeped in history, where cultures converge and faiths intertwine. Kosovo stands amidst a history marked by conflict and turmoil. The land has borne witness to centuries of trials and tribulations, from the Ottoman Empire’s rule to the conflicts of the 20th century. Through it all, religious faith has been the cornerstone, providing solace, guidance, and a source of inner strength. It is a nation that is a testament to the indomitable spirit of its people. Nestled between Albania and Serbia, this small yet culturally rich region has faced and continues to face its fair share of challenges. The remarkable qualities of the Kosovar people, with their unwavering faith and spiritual resiliency, shine as beacons of hope and strength. In this article, we will explore the inspiring journey of religious communities in Kosovo and how their faith has been a guiding light through even the darkest times.

A Tapestry of Faiths

While Kosovo is predominantly Muslim, it is a medley of religious diversity that exists within its borders where Islam, Christianity, and other faiths coexist harmoniously. Islam, mainly practiced by the Albanian majority, has been an integral part of Kosovar identity for centuries. Likewise, the Christian Orthodox community, primarily of Serbian descent, has deep historical roots in the region.

The ability of Orthodox Christianity, Catholicism, and various denominations of Islam to cohabit, creates a unique mosaic of spiritual traditions and truths. This religious mosaic is a powerful wellspring of resilience as faith transcends borders and unites people in their shared pursuit of a higher purpose. In times of crisis, faith is a binding force, connecting communities across religious lines. Houses of worship become sanctuaries where individuals seek solace, find hope, and share in the collective strength of their fellow believers. In these sacred spaces, prayers transcend language and ritual, echoing a common plea for peace and prosperity.