Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: Kosovo provides strong rights for non-majority communities (RTK)
• Council of Europe experts consider use of police force in the north to be excessive (Koha)
• Kosovo delegation continues lobbying for access to UNFCCC mechanisms (RTK)
• Kusari: Kurti did not compromise, there is no autonomy for Serbs in draft of Association (Koha)
• Haradinaj calls on Kurti to fulfill demands of policemen (media)
• CDHRF: Does SPO in The Hague have moral and professional responsibility? (media)
• North Macedonia announces elections, technical government expected to be led by an Albanian prime minister (media)

Serbian Language Media

• Serbian List delegation meets with EULEX chief (Tanjug, Kosovo Online, social media)

• Serbian List reacts to visit of Serbia Against Violence coalition MP candidates  (Kosovo Online)
• Serbian expats to be able to vote in 35 countries worldwide (Tanjug)
• Stano says EU proposal for establishment of Community of Serbian Municipalities not to be published as diplomatic efforts are underway (Radio KIM, media)
• New briefing room for Kosovo police in Mitrovica North from KFOR (Kosovo Online, social media)
• Vucic to receive president of Italy's Lombardy region on Tuesday (media)

International Media:

• Hague Court Tightens Rules for Visits to Kosovo Guerrilla Leaders (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media

Kurti: Kosovo provides strong rights for non-majority communities (RTK) 

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, after the meeting with the delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, wrote on the ``X'' platform that Kosovo ensures respect for the rights of non-majority communities. 

"Met with the delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and confirmed to them the commitment of Kosovo, ensuring the rule of law and robust rights for non-majority communities. Proving this, next year, the ministry responsible for non-majority communities will have the second largest budget increase of any ministry", Kurti wrote.

Council of Europe experts consider use of police force in the north to be excessive (Koha)

Kosovo is portrayed as a country that does not respect the decisions of the courts nor international agreements, in the Report on the adaptation of the legal system of Kosovo to the standards of the Council of Europe. The document was compiled by the experts of this institution, who stayed in Kosovo from September 24 to 27. There, the delays in the rule of law are described in Kosovo, with an emphasis on the implementation of the law in municipalities populated by a Serb majority.

"In the event of violent and illegal protests or roadblocks, the Kosovo authorities favor the rapid and forceful use of special forces to restore public order, even if there is a high risk that the use of force by the police will lead to violence and mass bloodshed. Only thanks to the strong stance of KFOR, it became possible to avoid a major escalation of violence in recent cases," the document reads.

The report mentions the Association of municipalities with Serb majority, stating that currently, there is no will for its implementation.

"The court concluded that the proposed legal framework 'did not fully meet the constitutional standards'. However, the Court in principle and in general did not rule out the possibility of such an association. The Court dealt with the specific proposals presented in the General Principles and the Court was concerned, among other things, by the vagueness of the term 'general exercise'", the document reads. "The Court pointed out that the Principles regarding the organizational structure of the Association/Community raised concerns regarding the respect of the diversity of resident communities within the participating municipalities and the reflection of this diversity in the personnel and structures of the Association/Community as required by the Constitution. This judgment has been used by Kosovar politicians to declare that the establishment of such an association is unconstitutional in itself and no new agreement has been reached on the possible statute of such an association. At the time of our visit, the current government does not seem to want to establish such an association," reads the report further.

See the full report here: https://tinyurl.com/2p8xn5un 

Kosovo delegation continues lobbying for access to UNFCCC mechanisms (RTK)

The delegation of Kosovo led by President Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu, as well as representatives of other Kosovo institutions and international institutions at World Climate Action Summit COP28, are continuing lobbying for access to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) mechanisms.

In a post on Facebook, Kosovo’s Minister of Infrastructure Liburn Aliu said that they are continuing lobbying for access to UNFCCC mechanisms, access to multilateral funds for mitigation and adaptation to climate change, the promotion of clean energy auctions and the development of cooperation for the implementation of the voluntary NDC.

Kusari: Kurti did not compromise, there is no autonomy for Serbs in draft of Association (Koha) 

Mimoza Kusari-Lila, head of the Parliamentary Group of the Vetevendosje Movement (LVV), has said that Prime Minister Albin Kurti and the government have not made any compromise and that in the draft of the Association of Municipalities with a Serb majority proposed by the international community, there is no autonomy for the Serbs in Kosovo.

Although she refused to talk about the details and specifics of the draft text of the Association, she said that it does not endanger the constitutional order in Kosovo.

"Absolutely not, in fact we don't talk at all about situations in which the constitutional order in Kosovo can be endangered in one way or another", Kusari-Lila said on Monday, in an interview on the "60 Minutes" show on KTV.

"We have a document which is presented in a non-finalized form, for which the Prime Minister together with the Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi, have sent their comments, while the answers to them have not yet been given... In the same challenges, or situations in which have comments or room for ambiguity, the comments have been submitted extensively by the prime minister's office, they have been addressed and comments have been sent for completion, in order to have something acceptable and in order to prevent any ambiguity", said Kusari-Lila.

She also spoke about the report of the experts of the Council of Europe, in which they concluded that they do not see the political will on the part of the government of Kosovo to implement the Association.

"How the political will can be defined must be seen in the context of the circumstances. To us it is absurd that there was no reflection in the behavior of the European community towards Serbia in particular, at least not in terms of normative value, or in the behavior of a decision that could show that they have strong objections in relation to the attack in Banjska, therefore to demand something from Kosovo, as long as no measures have been explicitly requested or returned to Serbia, is an absurd request, on the other hand there was no lack of will to implement all the agreements", said Kusari-Lila.

Haradinaj calls on Kurti to fulfill demands of policemen (media)

The head of Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), Ramush Haradinaj, has called on the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, to fulfill the demands of the members of the Kosovo Police. Haradinaj called on Kurti not to insult the policemen.

"Unlike you, Prime Minister, who once surrendered to the Serbian regime during the war, without resistance, the members of the Special Unit, whom you insult today, did not surrender on September 24, but fought, shamefully defeating the terrorists sponsored by Serbia. So, don't insult the Police because we know who you are! The Kosovo Police is one of the greatest successes of our state. I met the conditions!" - Haradinaj wrote on Facebook.

CDHRF: Does SPO in The Hague have moral and professional responsibility? (media)

The Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms (CDHRF) has reacted to the decision of the Specialized Chambers to ban visits, phone calls and contacts with the accused in The Hague.

CDHRF has described this decision as a violation that was undertaken by the court as it said that the lack of transparency and accountability has caused the SPO to behave like an "elephant in a glass shop" by fabricating evidence, together with the state of Serbia, luring and buying witnesses.

"The last move of the ZPS to try to penalize the hostages by making it impossible for them to visit and contact them through pathologically edited transcripts shows how much they are interested in human rights, the "leading" standard for this Court", it is said among others, in the reaction of CDHRF.

North Macedonia announces elections, technical government expected to be led by an Albanian prime minister (media)

Leaders of political parties in North Macedonia agreed on Monday on the date of presidential and parliamentary elections to be held in 2024.

In a meeting called by the Prime Minister and chairman of the Social Democratic League, Dimitar Kovacevski, where almost all the leaders of the political parties participated, a consensus was reached that the first round of the presidential elections will be held on April 24, 2024, while the round of second to be held together with the parliamentary elections on May 8, 2024.

The parties at the meeting also agreed with the continuation of the operation of the technical government, which will take office in the last 100 days of the government; in this case on January 28 of the following year. 

Based on the agreement between the partners of the current government coalition, SDSM and BDI, the prime minister of this interim government will pass to the Albanian party.

Unofficially, the SDSM will ask the DUI to leave the post of the speaker of the parliament to him in order to maintain the "ethnic balance", according to a part of the media in Skopje. But representatives of the government have not commented on this.

These will be the regular parliamentary elections that will be held after 17 years, and Prime Minister Kovacevski expressed satisfaction for this. "This means that the government managed to create additional stability, security and respect for law and order in accordance with the highest democratic principles", he emphasized.

Serbian Language Media 

Serbian List delegation meets with EULEX chief (Tanjug, Kosovo Online, social media)

Serbian List delegation headed by President Zlatan Elek met with EULEX Chief Giovanni Pietro Barbano in Mitrovica North on Monday to discuss the political and security situation in Kosovo, Tanjug news agency reports.

In a statement, Serbian List said it had demanded greater EULEX presence on the ground and engagement by the mission to ensure safety of the Serb population as well as Serbs who were in custody after being arrested without grounds.

The statement noted preservation of peace was in the interest of the Serbian List and all Serbs. "That is our demand and, at the same time, a commitment issuing from the EULEX mandate”, the statement added.

Following the meeting Barbano wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter, that he “engaged in a productive dialogue with the newly appointed President of Srpska Lista, Zlatan Elek. Discussed the prevailing facets of the situation in northern Kosovo and reiterated EULEX's dedication to enhancing RoL & the security of all communities on both sides of the River Ibar”.

Serbian List reacts to visit of Serbia Against Violence coalition MP candidates  (Kosovo Online)

Serbian List said yesterday in relation to the visit of number of Serbia Against Violence coalition MP candidates to Gracanica and Mitrovica North that Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti continues with the full support to Dragan Djilas (leader of Freedom and Justice Party (SSP), member of coalition) at upcoming parliamentary elections in Serbia, adding that “he organized unimpeded arrival of Djilas friends Srdjan Milivojevic, Miroslav Aleksic, Aleksandar Jovanovic Cuta and others in Kosovo and Metohija, aiming at causing division among the Serbs in those areas”, Kosovo Online portal reports.

As the statement further said “Djilas friends in return forgave Kurti for sending armed phalanges to persecute the Serbs, shoot at our compatriots, arrest without evidence and still keep Serbs in their casemates, appropriate Serbian properties and by the most shameful insults attack Serbian Orthodox Church”.

Serbian List also said that in two weeks time Serbs from Kosovo will once again demonstrate that they only trust Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and their vote will show that they wish Serbia to continue getting stronger as it means safety and remain of Serbs in Kosovo. 

Member of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) Presidency Petar Petkovic reacting to the visit said members of the coalition who visited Gracanica received, as he said, what they deserve “contempt and ignoring”, adding that among single digit number of those meeting them there was “a Serb who sold the property to the Albanians in the most difficult time, right after 1999 (…)”.

He also said that because of their support for independent Kosovo, Albin Kurti allowed them entry “in order to achieve his idea and dream about Kosovo and Metohija without Serbs, while at the same time he bans entry to all representatives of the Serbian state”. 

Serbian expats to be able to vote in 35 countries worldwide (Tanjug)

In the December 17 elections, Serbian expats will be able to vote at 81 polling stations in 35 countries around the world, Tanjug news agency reported.

The majority of the polling stations abroad - 19 - will be in Bosnia and Herzegovina, followed by Germany with six and Austria and Italy with five each. Most of the polling stations will be located at Serbian diplomatic and consular representative offices.

More than one third of the stations will be opened in the countries of the former Yugoslavia and six will be available in North America and one each in Africa and New Zealand.

According to figures released by the national electoral commission, 32,216 Serbian nationals living abroad have registered to vote. The commission has decided that, in four countries, the vote will take place one day before the official election date due to differing time zones. The results of the vote abroad must not be announced publicly before the closure of polling stations in Serbia.

Stano says EU proposal for establishment of Community of Serbian Municipalities not to be published as diplomatic efforts are underway (Radio KIM, media)

EU spokesperson Peter Stano said the draft statute for the Community of Serbian Municipalities had not been published publicly because, as he said, diplomatic efforts were underway, Radio KIM reports.

Responding to RTV Dukagjini journalist he said the official documents are never published publicly while they are being discussed about.

“We never publicly announce official documents, nor we take part in public discussions about them while they are being discussed”, Stano said.

Stano added they expect the same from their partners, because, according to him, it is a normal practice in international mediation that the process takes place in confidentiality.

New briefing room for Kosovo police in Mitrovica North from KFOR (Kosovo Online, social media)

“#KFOR Multinational Specialized Unit (MSU) donated a new “briefing room” to the Regional Directorate of Kosovo Police in North Mitrovica”, KFOR wrote in a post on Facebook, Kosovo Online portal reports.

KFOR added in a post that the project is part of several ongoing activities to support and enhance the development of local Institutions.

#KFOR is fully focused on the daily implementation of its mandate – based on UN Security Council Resolution 1244 of 1999 – to ensure a safe and secure environment for all communities living in #Kosovo and freedom of movement”, the post concluded. 

Vucic to receive president of Italy's Lombardy region on Tuesday (media)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic will receive the president of Italy's Lombardy region, Attilio Fontana, in Belgrade on Tuesday.

The meeting at the General Secretariat of the President of the Republic is scheduled for 10 am, the presidential press office announced.

International Media

Hague Court Tightens Rules for Visits to Kosovo Guerrilla Leaders (Balkan Insight)

Court imposes tougher rules for visits to Kosovo ex-President Hashim Thaci and his co-accused at the Hague, citing risk of witness-tampering and interference with proceedings.

The Kosovo Specialist Chambers has ruled that current detention conditions for former Kosovo president Hashim Thaci, Kadri Veseli, and Rexhep Selimi are not sufficient to eliminate the risk of witness-tampering and interference in the proceedings, toughening visit regulations.

“All non-privileged in-person visits for the three accused shall be subject to prior approval by the Registrar so that all relevant considerations – legal; practical; security – can be factored in the decision whether to authorise a given visit,” a December 1 decision reads. It adds that the Chief Detention Officer “shall be consulted before any such decision,” as well as the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office if needed.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/3ybt645w