Albanian Language Media:

• EU Council of Ministers approves conclusions for Kosovo and Serbia (RTK)
• Bislimi: Government has not guaranteed there are no constitutional violations in Association’s draft (media)
• Svecla: Serbia's threats are a serious problem for Kosovo and the region (RTK)
• Rohde: Kosovo and Serbia should fulfill their duties (RTV21, media)
• Specialist Prosecutor’s Office arrests Haxhi Shala (media)
• Kurti: We distributed funds to over 380 families from non-majority communities (media)
• LVV missed again meeting of Investigative Commission for state reserves (EO)
• Albanians and Serbs demand depoliticization of issue of missing persons (Reporteri)
• Krasniqi: Kurti government is penalizing citizens on party basis (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Petkovic on non-acceptance of requests to dissolve mayors: Kurti violates his own regulations (KoSSev)
• Varhelyi: Conclusions on Serbia adopted by EU General Affairs Council (Tanjug, media)
• Vucic says he fears Kosovo situation will be set up in increasingly harsh manner (Tanjug)
• Hill: I have found EU good will for Serbia, but not for Serbia's problems (Tanjug)
• Vice President of Peoples’ Party visits Gracanica ahead of Serbian parliamentary elections (Radio KIM, media)
• CRTA NGO to deploy 3,000 election observers (media)
• Serbia Against Violence rallies thousands in Belgrade (N1, media)
• Serbian military get new vehicles (N1)

Albanian Language Media

EU Council of Ministers approves conclusions for Kosovo and Serbia (RTK)

The Council of Ministers of the European Union has approved the conclusions through which the obligations arising from the agreement on the path towards the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia will be included in the European processes of the two countries.

This means that in the case of Kosovo, the agenda of the special Kosovo Group for normalization will be updated, while in the case of Serbia, the obligations will be included in the membership negotiations between Brussels and Belgrade.

Through the conclusions, the European Union asks Kosovo and Serbia to engage in dialogue in good faith and in the spirit of compromise to reach a legally binding comprehensive agreement.

The lack of implementation on both sides is regretted and both Prishtina and Belgrade are invited to respect and implement all obligations.

"This includes the establishment of the Association of Municipalities with a Serb Majority in Kosovo. The Council welcomes the readiness of Kosovo and Serbia to accept the draft statute presented to the parties, realizing that further work should be done on this basis", the approved document states.

Special space in the conclusions is devoted to the security situation in the north. In this respect, the Council reiterates that there is no justification for the violence and strongly condemns the violence of May 29 as well as the attack of September 24 in Banjska.

Kosovo and Serbia are requested to make sustained efforts for de-escalation, refrain from unilateral and provocative actions that could lead to tensions and violence, and stop divisive rhetoric.

The Council reiterates that failure to de-escalate will have consequences. The readiness of the European Union to impose additional measures against Serbia and Kosovo, if necessary, is also confirmed, reports RTK.

Referring to the measures that are in force against Kosovo, through the conclusions it is accepted that Kosovo has taken steps towards fulfilling some of the requirements, but it is stressed that the measures will be removed in case of further progress in fulfilling the existing requirements.

These conclusions of the ministers will be confirmed by the heads of states and governments of the European Union who will meet on December 14 and 15.

Bislimi: Government has not guaranteed there are no constitutional violations in Association’s draft (media)

Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi said that it is the Constitutional Court that decides whether the draft statute of the Association has executive powers or not.

"The Constitutional Court decides whether the association's draft statute foresees executive powers for municipalities with a Serb majority. The government has not guaranteed that there are no constitutional violations. We have said that this is a draft that was brought to us by the internationals and was not compiled by us, the internationals said that it has no executive powers and we are not the Constitutional Court, therefore they have the duty to show whether it is there or not. If there is they should say this should be changed. It is good that the opposition has their remarks and suggestions about the draft, that is the role of the opposition. There is no implementation of the agreement without a signature from the Serbian side," Bislimi told RTV21.

Svecla: Serbia's threats are a serious problem for Kosovo and the region (RTK)

The Minister of Internal Affairs, Xelal Svecla, met on Tuesday at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the current Chief of Operations, Operations Division of the NATO General Staff, Mrs. Ariella Viehe. Svecla said that during the meeting with Mrs. Viehe, talked about the current security situation in Kosovo, especially in the north of Kosovo.

"The successive attacks in recent years against our institutions and our officials in the north of Kosovo, as well as the terrorist attack of September 24, were the important issues we talked about with Mrs. Viehe, also about the good and continuous cooperation and interaction between KFOR and the Kosovo Police. On this occasion, we agreed on further cooperation of our institutions and the KFOR mission", he wrote on Facebook.

According to Svecla, Serbia's constant threats and its territorial ambitions for Kosovo continue to pose a serious problem for Kosovo and the region.

"Kosovo aspires to the path towards NATO integration and in this sense, we will continue our efforts as a serious partner in guaranteeing security in the country and in the region", he said.

Rohde: Kosovo and Serbia should fulfill their duties (RTV21, media)

The Ambassador of Germany to Kosovo, Jorn Rohde, in an interview with RTV21, said that it should not be discussed whether the Brussels and Ohrid agreement should be signed, but its implementation by both Kosovo and Serbia. 

"I said it before, what we need now is the implementation and not the discussion of how we will get there. Because previously there were many agreements that were signed but not implemented. That is why we are now focused on implementation. We now see the implementation of the energy roadmap, also the implementation which means that people are changing their license plates. To us, the implementation of the Brussels and Ohrid agreement is important. Kosovo must do its duties and so must Serbia," he said. 

The German ambassador requested from the government to fulfill its obligation to establish the Association of municipalities with a Serb majority.

“This is what the EU, Germany and all the close partners of Kosovo expect from it. The obligation of Kosovo from 2015 is the establishment of the Association of Municipalities with a Serb Majority and part of the Brussels and Ohrid agreements for Kosovo and the main part is the establishment of the Association. As we have said, it has just started and also the other side, Serbia, must do its duties", added Rohde. 

According to the German ambassador, the solution to the tensions in the north is through the process of normalization and the establishment of the Association. 

Specialist Prosecutor’s Office arrests Haxhi Shala (media)

The Specialized Prosecutor’s Office has issued a press release on Tuesday which informs that “Haxhi SHALA has been arrested in Kosovo by the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office (SPO), pursuant to an arrest warrant and transfer order issued by a Pre-Trial Judge of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers.

He has been transferred to the Detention Facilities of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague and will appear before a Pre-Trial Judge of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers without undue delay.

The arrest warrant relates to offences against the administration of justice.

The European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) provided operational and logistic support to the SPO in line with its mandate and in accordance with the Kosovo legislation. The Kosovo Police also provided operational support to the SPO.

The SPO takes obstruction of justice extremely seriously and will continue to investigate and to prosecute anyone and everyone involved in every instance, including those who intimidate or interfere with witnesses or provide financial or other support to such criminal offences.

Following Mr Shala’s arrest, Specialist Prosecutor Kimberly West affirmed that the protection of witnesses remains a priority for the SPO.

“Making sure Kosovo citizens can speak truthfully and without harassment about their experiences is of great importance not only for this institution’s ability to do justice, but also for the rule of law in Kosovo,” Ms West said. “The SPO will continue to do all in its power to protect victims and witnesses and hold accountable those who violate Kosovo’s laws for their own private interests.”

Kurti: We distributed funds to over 380 families from non-majority communities (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti has said that this year the government has allocated funds for the improvement of housing to over 380 families from non-majority communities. He made these comments at the donors' conference for providing stable housing for 60 families of the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities returned to Kosovo.

He announced a presentation of the plans on how these families can be housed properly, with access to services, education and the labor market, as well as discussion on the costs of ensuring these conditions for these families.

"From the 2.5 million euros needed, our government will make a financial commitment and we will hear from Minister Rasic about the support that his ministry will provide in particular and I am extremely grateful to you, our partners. With your presence here today, you have shown your willingness to be part of the solution, together with us," Kurti concluded.

LVV missed again meeting of Investigative Commission for state reserves (EO)

Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) MPs avoided again the parliamentary investigation on State Reserves,therefore the Parliamentary Investigative Committee has failed to hold the meeting regarding the procedures for the supply and management of state reserves, the possible misuse and abuse of state reserves through the qualification of the procedure as a state secret for such supplies, reports Ekonomia Online.

The Chairman of this Committee, Rashit Qalaj, said that even though they have agreed with the MPs, they lacked a quorum  and they had to close this meeting, ‘hoping that we will hold another meeting very soon’.

Albanians and Serbs demand depoliticization of issue of missing persons (Reporteri)

The families of the missing from Kosovo have asked the authorities in Belgrade and Pristina to depoliticize the search for more than 1,600 people missing from the last war in Kosovo in 1998-99.

"We have the right to a decent burial of our loved ones. We have the right to prosecute war crimes. We have the right to compensation and the construction of a memorial for the missing at the scene of the crime," said Natasa Scepanovic, president of the Association of Kosovo Victims' Families.

From the joint press conferences on December 12 in Belgrade and in Pristina, the families of the missing persons, on the occasion of the International Human Rights Day on December 10, called on the competent institutions to resolve this issue.

Bajram Qerkinaj from the Resource Center for Missing Persons based in Pristina, assessed in Belgrade that the results would not be lacking if the authorities treated the search for missing persons as a humanitarian issue.

"Politicians do not allow this process to move forward. We are not sufficiently familiar with the results because no one informs us, so together we are trying to explain the situation", Qerkinaj said.

The last formal move by both sides was on May 2, when in Brussels, in talks on the normalization of relations between Serbia and Kosovo, the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, and the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, signed a statement on the missing in the period 1998-2001.

In that document, they committed to cooperation in the identification and research of graves, the exchange of information and documentation, as well as the realization of the rights of the families of the disappeared.

The representative of the European Union, Miroslav Lajcak, and the head of EULEX, Giovanni Pietro Barbano, recently asked the authorities in Pristina and Belgrade to make progress in determining the fate of the disappeared and to recognize their families' right to the truth.

EULEX announced on August 30 that, since the beginning of its mandate 15 years ago, it has carried out 746 field operations to find the missing, including 200 exhumations. It also announced that it identified the remains of 492 people, including 339 missing people.

Krasniqi: Kurti government is penalizing citizens on party basis (media)

The leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) Memli Krasniqi, visited on Tuesday the Municipality of Kacanik, to see closely the transformative projects that mayor Besim Ilazi and his team are carrying out in the service of improving the lives of citizens.

"Every citizen of Kosovo should know that the current government of Prime Minister Kurti is penalizing citizens on party and political grounds. It is the fourth year that the Municipality of Kacanik has not received a single cent from the central government. It is an outrageous discrimination. It is an unacceptable exception, because citizens throughout Kosovo have voted for different parties, but the government has an obligation to serve everyone. Just as mayor Besim Ilazi is serving everyone", Krasniqi said.

Furthermore, he has added that four municipalities out of eight that are led by leaders of the Democratic Party of Kosovo, mainly from the region of Ferizaj and Drenica, have not received a single cent from the government of Kosovo for the next year.

"This is unacceptable. This discrimination must end, because the institutions belong to all citizens, and they must serve everyone, without distinction", said the leader of the PDK.

Serbian Language Media 

Petkovic on non-acceptance of requests to dissolve mayors: Kurti violates his own regulations (KoSSev)

“(Albin) Kurti has no intention to dissolve his illegitimate and illegal mayors. He continues trampling over democracy and the rights of the Serbian people”, Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Petar Petkovic said yesterday, when as KoSSev portal reported practically for the second time a request of citizens’ group from Mitrovica North to launch petition to dissolve mayor in this municipality had been rejected.

Petkovic added that Kosovo Prime Minister Kurti "through his appointees, sends empty notices and rejections, to keep them in power as long as possible, so that they could continue to make anti-Serb decisions from those positions with 3.5 percent support in the elections".

Recalling that EU member states asked the Kosovo Government to de-escalate the situation in the north, with concrete steps, Petkovic also said he informed EU special envoy for Belgrade-Pristina talks Miroslav Lajcak in Brussels.

Petkovic noted that ever since Serbs in four northern municipalities started a procedure to dissolve the mayors, Albin Kurti “uses all possible obstacles and tricks, in order to thwart and obstruct the process”. 

Varhelyi: Conclusions on Serbia adopted by EU General Affairs Council (Tanjug, media)

EU Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi said the EU General Affairs Council had adopted conclusions on Serbia on Tuesday. He was speaking at a press briefing in Brussels.

When asked by Tanjug if the body had discussed Serbia and whether he expected the conclusions to be adopted by the European Council, he said the answer was very clear.

He said the conclusions on Serbia had already been adopted and that there were no decision points for the European Council, and noted that the adopted conclusions contained the messages to Serbia.

Read full conclusions at: rb.gy/6g076w

Vucic says he fears Kosovo situation will be set up in increasingly harsh manner (Tanjug)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Monday evening he was afraid the situation regarding Kosovo and Republika Srpska (one of the two entities in Bosnia and Herzegovina) would be set up in an "increasingly harsh manner" in the period to come and that the West would become increasingly nervous ahead of the March 17 elections in Russia, Tanjug news agency reports.

In an appearance on a Happy TV talk show, Vucic said it was to be anticipated that Russian President Vladimir Putin would expect success on the battlefield while, on the other hand, elections were to be held in Taiwan, with European Parliament elections upcoming as well.

"The hawks who are against Serbia, like Groselj and Viola von Cramon and all the others who will come to preach us, will be even more aggressive and explain to us that the choice we have made is not good and that there is no democracy here, while they are very big democrats. And they will keep doing that all the way until May", Vucic said.

Then, the entire world will focus on the US elections, but that means nothing, he added. "That will be a duel the entire world is waiting for, but we must survive politically and progress economically. We must have experienced people who will steer our ship", Vucic said.

Commenting on a recent BBC article on Serbia, Vucic said it portrayed him as an autocrat but that the Serbian economy was in good shape. "We will be successful in that regard, but we cannot grow if there are external problems", he said.

Hill: I have found EU good will for Serbia, but not for Serbia's problems (Tanjug)

US Ambassador to Belgrade Christopher Hill told Tanjug news agency in an interview that he had "found a lot of good will for Serbia" in the EU, "but not a lot of good will for Serbia’s problems."

As Tanjug reported, Hill said this in response to a question whether he believed agreements from the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue should become a part of Chapter 35 in Serbia's EU accession talks.

"When Serbia advances – and I do have a sense, having been in Brussels, that enlargement is really something that is becoming much more real than it was, say, a few months ago - so I think that, as they (the EU) look seriously at enlargement and the various stages of enlargement, starting with the idea of a single market, they want to look to make sure countries that are interested in proceeding through this are countries that are able to put to rest, or leave behind, some of these tough problems", Hill explained.

Read the full article at: t.ly/OGGpL

Vice President of Peoples’ Party visits Gracanica ahead of Serbian parliamentary elections (Radio KIM, media)

Sanda Raskovic Ivic, vice president of Serbian opposition Peoples’ Party (NS) visited Gracanica yesterday ahead of parliamentary elections, Radio KIM reports.

“We want to convey the message to the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija to go to the polls, not to be afraid and not subject to self-censorship”, she said.

Together with the members of her party, Raskovic Ivic also visited Gracanica Monastery, adding that she plans to visit Strpce as well. 

She sent the message to voters in Kosovo that her party advocates rejection of Franco-German proposal, as it in fact, as she said, represents “rounding up of Kosovo statehood and a path of so-called Kosovo to international organizations, respectively United Nations (…)”. She also warned that if Kosovo becomes a member of the UN it means the possibility to unite with Albania, thus creating “Greater Albania” that would have territorial aspirations towards Serbia, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Greece and could trigger conflict of larger proportions. 

CRTA NGO to deploy 3,000 election observers (media)

The CRTA democracy watchdog NGO said on Tuesday it would deploy 3,000 observers on December 17 to monitor the parliamentary and Belgrade city elections.

The CRTA observers will be present at polling stations from 6 am to monitor preparations for the polling stations to open at 7 am with mobile teams will monitor activities outside polling stations across Serbia.

CRTA said it would release information about voter turnout and procedures during the day and will release election result projections when data from at least 95% of the polling stations in the sample is collected and processed.

Serbia Against Violence rallies thousands in Belgrade (N1, media)

The Serbia Against Violence coalition rallied thousands in Belgrade’s central Republic Square, calling the public to turn out to vote on December 17, N1 reported.

Republic Square has been a traditional rallying point for opposition gatherings since March 9, 1991 when the first major protests against the Milosevic regime took place.

Officials of the parties in the Serbia Against Violence coalition told the crowd that changes for the better had begun and called them to turn out to vote without fear. All 11 speakers encouraged voters to turn out and vote against the ruling parties.

The Serbia Against Violence coalition are the Freedom and Justice Party (SSP), Democratic Party (DS), Ecological Uprising, Zajedno, Popular Movement Serbia, Movement of Free Citizens (PSG), Green-Left Front, Serbia Center, Movement for Turnaround, United Unions Sloga and New Face of Serbia.

Serbian military get new vehicles (N1)

Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Milos Vucevic and Serbian Armed Forces (SAF) Chief of General Staff General Milan Mojsilovic toured Tuesday the newly acquired vehicles for the SAF at the army barracks in the city of Pancevo, said the Ministry in a press release, N1 reports.

The new vehicles are part of the Model for the procurement of non-combat vehicles for the Serbian Armed Forces through various capital projects that are to be implemented by 2028, and the current project aims to procure vehicles designed to transport people, freight vehicles with large load capacity, as well as special non-combat vehicles, said the Ministry.

The new vehicles include all-terrain quads, the first ever bought for the Serbian Armed Forces, and those with larger load capacity – semi-trucks and modern freight cars with a loading ramp, a bus and fire engines for extinguishing all types of fires.