Albanian Language Media:

• Stoltenberg: NATO will do what is needed to ensure stability in Balkans (RFE)
• NATO prudent steps to ensure KFOR has forces to fulfill its UN mandate (media)
• Kurti attends flag raising on 111th anniversary of Albania’s independence (media)
• Hoti and Selmanaj meet Escobar, discuss challenges in dialogue (media)
• Molliqaj: It would’ve been better to send back Trendafilova (media)
• Miftaraj: Fear that Kosovo could be targeted again by attacks from Serbia (KTV)
• Kastrati: Serbia will try to stage a massacre in the north (Telegrafi)
• Constitutional Court Panel assigned to deal with Haradinaj’s referral (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Dacic: OSCE to enable Serbs in Kosovo to enjoy all internationally guaranteed rights (Politika, N1, Beta)
• Petkovic meets Argentinian Ambassador, discuss Kosovo issue (media)
• Jeremic: Three red lines for post-election coalition, unity needed regarding Kosovo (Tanjug, Danas)
• Two more electoral lists approved for parliamentary polls (Tanjug)
• Dialogue and other processes one month later: Is there an agreement between Kosovo and Serbia? (KiM radio)

 

 

Albanian Language Media  

 

Stoltenberg: NATO will do what is needed to ensure stability in Balkans (RFE)

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg expressed concern today about growing tensions in the Western Balkans and promised that the North-Atlantic alliance will do everything to ensure stability in the region. “What we see there are growing tensions, and an inciting rhetoric in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We saw grave incidents of violence in Kosovo including the attack against NATO peacekeepers. 93 NATO soldiers were injured, including some seriously injured. There was also the attack in Banjska,” Stoltenberg said. “NATO will do what is needed to maintain or ensure stability in the region, because this is important not only for the Western Balkans but for all of Europe”.

​NATO prudent steps to ensure KFOR has forces to fulfill its UN mandate (media)

The U.S. Mission to NATO said in a post on X today that “NATO is taking prudent steps to ensure KFOR has the forces it needs to fulfill its UN mandate impartially. The United Nations Security Council gave a mandate to #NATO’s Kosovo Force in 1999 to have a neutral peacekeeping mission. NATO KFOR continues to support the development of an inclusive, democratic, and multi-ethnic Kosovo. At the #ForMin Allies discussed the security situation in the Western Balkans and reiterated their steadfast support for #KFOR’s mission.”

Kurti attends flag raising on 111th anniversary of Albania’s independence (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti attended today in Vlora, Albania, the flag-raising ceremony on the 111th anniversary of the independence of Albania, alongside Albania’s most senior leaders. A press release issued by Kurti’s office notes that he congratulates all Albanians on November 28, the Flag Day. He also said that “every day we need to work for the ideals and objectives from Skenderbeg in Kruja, Ismail Qemali in Vlora, and Adem Jashari in Prekaz”. “We were here to pay honors in Vlora with the institutional leaders of the Albanian state, and in the afternoon we will be in Kosovo to pay homage at the Jasharaj cemetery,” Kurti said.

Hoti and Selmanaj meet Escobar, discuss challenges in dialogue (media)

MPs from the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Avdullah Hoti and Driton Selmanaj, met today with the U.S. Envoy for the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, and discussed Kosovo’s challenges in the dialogue with Serbia. Hoti said in a Facebook post that very close cooperation with the United States is the only path that guarantees a good outcome of every process concerning Kosovo.

Molliqaj: It would’ve been better to send back Trendafilova (media)

Leader of the Socialist Democratic Party (PSD), Dardan Molliqaj, took to Facebook to react to a press release by Kosovo Police regarding the visit by the President of the Specialist Chambers to Kosovo, Ekaterina Trendafilova, today. “The attempt to normalize the injustice of the Specialist Chambers has gone a step further today. Ms. Trendafilova has been offered additional security. State protocols have been broken as if this was a visit by a president of an important country, and not the head of the Specialist Chambers, a body that continuously engages in ethnic, racial, and human discrimination. Ironically, there are also calls for understanding from the people for eventual traffic delays, as if this were the only problem of this visit. Probably they have reasons to guard her, knowing that in Kosovo she is unacceptable and the revolt against her is evident. It would have been better to send her back,” Molliqaj argues.

Miftaraj: Fear that Kosovo could be targeted again by attacks from Serbia (KTV)

Executive Director of the Kosovo Law Institute, Ehat Miftaraj, said in a debate on KTV on Monday evening that there is fear that Kosovo could be targeted again by attacks from Serbia. “It is true that lately it is good news when we see that Serb citizens are getting license plates of the Republic of Kosovo, and Kosovo passports, but we need to say another truth too and that is that the situation in that part of the country is fragile. The summit of NATO, EU and U.S., will be held this week, and among the discussions will be the security of the Western Balkans, with special emphasis on Kosovo. And this means that there is fear that this place could again be targeted by attacks perhaps from Serbia. Efforts are needed from NATO, KFOR, and Kosovo, to manage the situation,” he said.

According to Miftaraj, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic will use the potential for instability in Kosovo. “What will be our reaction, and from NATO, KFOR, to manage this, it remains to be seen. But there is a lot of room for destabilization,” he added.

Kastrati: Serbia will try to stage a massacre in the north (Telegrafi)

Retired commander of the Kosovo Security Force, Kadri Kastrati, said in an interview with TV Dukagjini, that “Serbia through its paramilitaries and local Serbs will try to stage a massacre” in the north of Kosovo. He also claimed to have information that a considerable number of local Serbs were being trained in barracks near the border with Kosovo. According to Kastrati, “these people are part of the Northern Brigade and for this reason I don’t think we should be concerned if Serbia will enter Kosovo, because we know that this won’t happen … but they will try through local paramilitaries to stage an eventual massacre in the north of Kosovo”.

Constitutional Court Panel assigned to deal with Haradinaj’s referral (media)

The Specialist Chambers of Kosovo said in a statement today that “on 22 November 2023, President Trendafilova assigned a Constitutional Court Panel to rule on the referral, filed by the Defence of Nasim Haradinaj, on 21 November. Judges Vidar Stensland, Roumen Nenkov and Romina Incutti will decide on this referral, which was filed confidentially but its public redacted version shall be available within one week.”

 

 

Serbian Language Media

 

Dacic: OSCE to enable Serbs in Kosovo to enjoy all internationally guaranteed rights (Politika, N1, Beta)

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia Ivica Dacic said today that he expects the international community, especially the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), to insist on implementing its mandate in Kosovo and to enable Serbs to enjoy all internationally guaranteed rights, reported N1, citing Politika daily. 

"Given the information at our disposal, there is room for optimism that the institutional crisis in the OSCE will be overcome and that this important instrument of the international community will be used for the purpose of improving the security of our countries, therefore and the sense of security of our citizens," Dacic told Belgrade based daily Politika. 

He stated that the importance of that mission is great, especially considering the difficult position of the Serbian community in Kosovo, which faces, as he assessed, severe forms of institutional and religious discrimination, threatened security and uncertainty of its economic viability.

"We welcome the cooperation with the OSCE Mission in Kosovo and Metohija, as the most visible status-neutral presence in the province, with a mandate based on United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244", Dacic said.

Petkovic meets Argentinian Ambassador, discuss Kosovo issue (media)

Pristina's ban on holding the December 17 Serbian parliamentary elections in the territory of Kosovo is not contributing to a calming of the situation, Serbian Government Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic said during a meeting with Argentina's Ambassador to Serbia Osvaldo Marsico on Monday.

He noted that Pristina PM Albin Kurti's refusal to urgently move towards de-escalation in the four municipalities in the north of Kosovo did not help defuse tensions either, the Office for KiM added in a statement. Petkovic and Marsico also discussed the most recent round of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue.

Petkovic noted that daily provocations, unilateral actions and escalatory moves as well as groundless arrests and false accusations against Serbs clearly showed that causing fresh tensions and escalation on the ground was the sole goal of the Albanian side, leading to a deepening of the crisis.

He said Belgrade had always advocated lasting and sustainable peace and stability in Kosovo and the Western Balkans and that incidents had never been an objective or a means to an end for the Serbian side, and that full accountability for crisis developments rested with Pristina.

He said he was grateful to Argentina for its consistent support for Serbia's sovereignty and territorial integrity and noted that Belgrade was committed to cherishing and advancing its traditionally friendly relations with the country.

Jeremic: Three red lines for post-election coalition, unity needed regarding Kosovo (Tanjug, Danas)

Leader of Peoples’ Party (NS) Vuk Jeremic said today that red lines of this party for post-election coalton are – rejecting Franco-German proposal, ban on lithium excavation and change of the system, adding it is necessary to make unity when it comes to resolution of Kosovo issue, Tanjug news agency reported.

Asked to comment on earlier statement of the Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic about unity, and that there were none from opposition, Jeremic said his party had always advocated for the unity, and proofs of it are the documents proposed in the parliament which according to him could be a starting point for the talks on achieving the unity.

Jeremic also said the membership of Serbia to the EU is not realistically achievable because of the request from crucial EU member states for Serbia to recognize Kosovo.

“That is why we advocate for redefining our relations with the EU, in a manner that Serbia would remain in economic relations with the EU as it was until now, without giving up on its critical national interests”, Jeremic said.

He added the status of Kosovo had been resolved by the Constitution of Serbia and UN SC Resolution 1244 but that this position is currently jeopardized by the Franco-German plan for independence of Kosovo, which the current government verbally accepted.  

Two more electoral lists approved for parliamentary polls (Tanjug)

Serbia's national electoral commission on Monday approved the We, A Voice From The People, prof dr Branimir Nestorovic and the Serbia In The West - Let Professionals Have A Say electoral lists for the December 17 Serbian parliamentary polls.

The Nestorovic-led list was found to be supported by 10,104 legally valid signatures.

After being ordered to submit at least 584 more legally valid signatures to meet the requirement of having a minimum of 10,000 signatures, Serbia in the West list timely submitted an additional 912 valid signatures, the commission said in a statement.

Dialogue and other processes one month later: Is there an agreement between Kosovo and Serbia? (KiM radio)

Is there an agreement between Kosovo and Serbia, what is the dialogue process that is being conducted in Brussels, and what is the position of the Serbs in Kosovo, these are just some of the questions discussed by the journalists who participated in the panel discussion “Dialogue and other processes: One month later” in Pristina, writes KiM radio.

Chief editor of KoSSev portal Tatjana Lazarevc, Nova Television news director Slobodan Georgiev and long-time correspondent of Koha and Jutarnji list from Brussels Augustin Palokaj analyzed yesterday the state of the dialogue process, as well as relations within and between Kosovo and Serbia.

Palokaj said that he has been searching for answers for 12 years in the dialogue process. He recalled that the High Representative of the EU, Josep Borrell, at one time stated that the parties had agreed and that there was no need to discuss the text of the agreement anymore, based on which, he said, he understood that there was no agreement.

“On the same day, the President of Serbia said that he did not sign the agreement, nor did he accept it, nor did he agree on it. He also said that he only accepted the concept for the normalization of relations,”  Palokaj added.

Lazarevic emphasized that the most accurate answer regarding the dialogue would be “I don’t know”, and that none of the journalists were familiar with the details.

“As this year goes by, I think consensus is very much there. What is achieved at the table of high politics and which at first glance is difficult to implement, I think on the ground with this kind of crisis are buying time,” she said.

“The space in the dialogue exists because of the non-implementation of the agreement, if it (the agreement) exists at all,” said Slobodan Georgiev.

“Did Pristina sign the normalization agreement from 2013, which was amended in 2015, or not? If there is no obligation of Pristina in that agreement, then we are all deceived. Did Kurti think that when he comes to power, it is none of his business?” Georgiev asked.

Elections in Serbia: The regime turned Kosovo into a myth

Georgiev said that “the regime turned Kosovo into a myth” and added that “there is not much understanding for the Serbs who live here”.

“Kosovo is the topic of the pre-election campaign, as it has been for the last 800 years. Especially if someone in Serbia thinks that a crisis is needed, then they must mention Kosovo. Those in power do not run away from the subject of Kosovo because they love the crisis. Kosovo is always a story about a crisis,” he pointed out.

Lazarevic emphasized that under the present circumstances, Serbs in Kosovo, as far as elections are concerned, can only act as Belgrade tells them to.

“If Vucic says: ‘vote for Serbian List’, they will vote for them. He doesn’t have to say it, but he has mechanisms through which a message is easily slipped through which is very easily received by the small community. Not because Vucic is very strong, but because the Serbs in Kosovo are no longer a factor that can decide on their own,” she added.

“There was discussion about Banjska for 15 days, and then everyone went quiet”

Georgiev recalled the tragic event in Banjska on September 24 this year, in which one Kosovo police officer and three Serbs were killed and asked about the results of the investigation from Pristina.

"Why is there no investigation, why the results have not been published? Why weren’t we told what the investigation found? There was enough time to establish everything. Is it possible that we don’t have anything about that event?” asked Georgiev.

“They talked about Banjska for 15 days, and then everyone fell silent,” he added. Georgiev also referred to the murder of Oliver Ivanovic.

“Why don’t we know who killed Oliver Ivanovic? Belgrade is saying: ‘We can’t investigate it because we don’t have a presence there’. Why didn’t Pristina finish it? I would say these are sensitive things that produce some consequences,” he added.

The panel discussion “Dialogue and other processes: One month later” was organized by the “Space for Social Change” Foundation, whose goal is to foster a civil, tolerant, and safe society through a series of discussions between intellectuals from the Serbian and Albanian communities in Kosovo, sometimes enriched with an international perspective, pointed out Vera Pula, director of this Foundation.