Albanian Language Media: 

• Kurti: Threat of open military aggression not far from our borders (Koha)

• Maqedonci meets Angili, discuss cooperation in defense and security (media)

• German embassy: Crucial for political parties to form a stable government (media)

• Krasniqi: If Kurti fails, we are ready to form the government (media)

• Hamza: New institutions must be formed without delays (media)

• “Six MPs from non-Serb communities won’t vote for an opposition govt” (media)

• Four Serbs attack Albanian youths in Mitrovica North (RTK)

• Barduani in Montenegro, discusses security trends in Kosovo and region (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucevic: International institutions must prevent destruction of Serbian heritage in Kosovo (media, social media)
• Marinkovic: Serbs from north perceive Kosovo police as ‘a tool for punishment’ (Kosovo Online)
• Underage Serbs and Albanians in Mitrovica North detained over clash, Serbs arrested by mistake (KoSSev, Alternativna.com)
• Trial of Gorani Sh.L. for allegedly committing war crimes in Prizren continues (KoSSev)
• Vucic: Coloured revolution finished (N1)
• Five Serbian media outlets in Kosovo to stage 15-minute break in work tomorrow (KoSSev)
• Parliament increases university education budget (N1)

Albanian Language Media 

Kurti: Threat of open military aggression not far from our borders (Koha)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said on Thursday that the threat of a military aggression is not far from Kosovo’s borders. “At a time when countries in our continent are investing more in weapons and preparations, we too in Kosovo, with the war we experienced in the near past and with the threat of an open military aggression not far from our borders, we are working on equipping the Kosovo Security Force with modern weapons and training it in accordance with modern military art. In the last four years, we have met the NATO requirement to invest at least 2 percent of the GDP in defense. We invested 319 million for modern weapons such as ‘Bayraktar’ drones and ‘Javelin’ anti tank systems,” he said. 

Kurti also said that efforts for security and peace will continue with investments in security and in unwavering alliance with democratic countries, the U.S., the European Union, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Canada and other countries, especially with Albania.

Maqedonci meets Angili, discuss cooperation in defense and security (media)

Kosovo’s Minister of Defense, Ejup Maqedonci, said on Thursday that he met with Turkish Ambassador to Kosovo, Sabri Tunc Agili. “From Ambassador Angili I accepted the most sincere congratulations on the election result, while in the course of the meeting we addressed the issue of bilateral cooperation in the field of defense and security, a cooperation and coordination in the current geopolitical situation. Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to work together in strengthening security and stability, while in Kosovo the "Made in Kosovo" ammunition and drone factory is expected to be built soon through the agreement signed with Turkish state-owned company MKE,” Maqedonci wrote in a Facebook post.

German embassy: Crucial for political parties to form a stable government (media)

The German Embassy said in a Facebook post on Thursday that “in these uncertain times, it's crucial for Kosovo's political parties to show responsibility and swiftly form a stable government. Swift steps toward coalition-building after elections demonstrate the importance of prioritizing the nation's future. We fully agree with Special Envoy Sarrazin's insights in his recent interview. Now, it's time for Kosovar parties to put the country first and work together”. 

Krasniqi: If Kurti fails, we are ready to form the government (media)

Leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) Memli Krasniqi said in an interview with RTV21 on Thursday that Prime Minister Albin Kurti has the right to form the government as winner of the elections, and that if he fails, the PDK is ready to form the new institutions. He said that the PDK has still not talked with other parties that were in the opposition but that he is ready to communicate with them. “We are at a big crossroads as a people, the geopolitical reality is changing fast, there are many questions in terms of relations with Serbia, the whole region is on the eve of major changes,” he argued.

Krasniqi said that the PDK would not enter a coalition government with Kurti’s Vetevendosje Movement, “so if they find partners they can try to form the government”. 

Krasniqi also mentioned the possibility of Kosovo going to new parliamentary elections in April next year. “Because this constellation in any possible combination cannot elect a new president, in March next year, when the mandate of the current President expires,” he said.

Hamza: New institutions must be formed without delays (media)

Candidate of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) for Prime Minister, Bedri Hamza, said on Thursday that after the certification of the election results, “the new institutions must be formed without delays” and that it is the responsibility of political parties to respect legal deadlines and to be transparent in the process. “Together we need to protect the values that unite us, the public interest and our country,” he said in a Facebook post. 

“Six MPs from non-Serb communities won’t vote for an opposition govt” (media)

Emilia Rexhepi from the New Democratic Party that represents the Bosniak community, said on Thursday that six MPs from non-Serb communities will not support an eventual government by opposition parties. “The opposition always says that they will not form a government with the Serbian List, but I believe they could try. I know how mathematics works. For the time being they [the opposition] have 52 [seats], so they need another 9 or 10 MPs, … I can tell you right now which MPs from non-Serb communities will not vote for a government formed by the opposition. I know six MPs that will certainly not vote for it. They stand firm in their position,” she said.

Four Serbs attack Albanian youths in Mitrovica North (RTK)

The news website reported on Thursday night that a group of four Serbs attacked several Albanian youths in Mitrovica North, causing them bodily injuries and two of them were sent for medical treatment. Kosovo Police in the north confirmed the incident. They said that four persons were initially arrested as suspects but after the verification of camera footage three of them were released.  “Meanwhile, another three persons were identified as involved in the incident, and they are being interviewed by the police,” they said.

Barduani in Montenegro, discusses security trends in Kosovo and region (media) 

NATO’s peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, KFOR, said in a Facebook post on Thursday that COMKFOR Major General Enrico Barduani stayed in Montenegro where he met with the Minister of Defence of Montenegro Dragan Krapovic, and The Chief of the General Staff of the Army of Montenegro, Brigadier General Zoran Lazarevic. “During the meeting, they discussed security trends in Kosovo and the wider region, emphasizing the significance of countries’ cooperation in International Organizations and the role of NATO. Major General Enrico Barduani underscored KFOR’s daily efforts to fulfil its UN mandate and to support the EU-facilitated dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina,” the post notes.

Serbian Language Media  

Vucevic: International institutions must prevent destruction of Serbian heritage in Kosovo (media, social media)

Serbian caretaker Prime Minister Milos Vucevic called on relevant international institutions yesterday, in particular UNESCO, to prevent attempts to destroy Serbian cultural and spiritual heritage in Kosovo, after construction works carried out by Prizren municipality in the Special Protection Zone without consent of the Serbian Orthodox Church, heavily damaged the Hermitage of Saint Peter of Koris, the Serbian Orthodox Church shrine from the XIII century, near Prizren, Kosovo Online portal reported. In a post on Instagram, Vucevic pointed out that “regime of Albin Kurti continues with illegal and anti-civilizational attempts to destroy everything Serbian and Orthodox in Kosovo”.

"It is shameful and unacceptable what the Pristina regime is doing and how far they are going, while international factors remain silent about their vandalism and barbarism. What other words can describe the latest incident that occurred at the site near Prizren, where illegal construction works caused severe damage to the area of Hermitage of Saint Peter of Koris, a XIII century site considered part of the invaluable spiritual and cultural heritage of the Serbian Orthodox people and the entire Christian world. This incident shows all the hatred of Albin Kurti towards the Serbian people, their cultural and spiritual heritage in Kosovo and Metohija. His handwriting is clear – he wants to erase everything Serbian", Vucevic said in a post.

"I call and appeal to all relevant international institutions, especially UNESCO, to prevent attempts to destroy Serbian cultural and spiritual heritage in Kosovo and Metohija, which, by its significance and centuries-old existence, belongs to European cultural heritage. We will continue to invest in the restoration and preservation of our shrines, just as we will continue to help our people in Kosovo and Metohija in every way possible", Vucevic added.

Marinkovic: Serbs from north perceive Kosovo police as ‘a tool for punishment’ (Kosovo Online)

Serbs from the north perceive Kosovo police “as a tool for punishment”, CASA Executive Director Miodrag Marinkovic said, adding there is a noticeable decline in trust in international institutions. CASA presented three documents yesterday within the framework of the project "Reflecting the interests of Kosovo Serbs in order to formulate proposals for practical policies for a multiethnic Kosovo", highlighting the key challenges faced by the Serbian community, Kosovo Online portal reported.

Marinkovic emphasized the main angle of the documents is the perspective of people, who must be at the center.

"The study started as an overview of the North of Kosovo, but due to the crisis and limitations, we decided to narrow it down to just the North and focus on the Kosovo police. We are all aware of the context - there is a crisis in the North, the Banjska attack, arrests, conflicts... Therefore, it is necessary for the citizens to be at the centre”, he said.

Read more at: rb.gy/ymoldl

Underage Serbs and Albanians in Mitrovica North detained over clash, Serbs arrested by mistake (KoSSev)

KoSSev portal reported citing Kosovo police that six underage persons, four Serbs and two Albanians were detained last night in Mitrovica North, at Vlade Cetkovic Street. As Kosovo police also said the initial information was that they came into conflict. As all of them were underage, their parents were supposed to come to the police station and make statements.

“Six persons are at the station, four Serbs and two Albanians, all underage (15 and 16 years old). They will give statements; we are waiting for their parents and social worker to come. For now, we only know that they came into conflict, we do not know if that was verbally only or physically. That we will know after their statements”, Petrit Fejza from Kosovo police region North said. 

Alternativna.com later reported that after reviewing surveillance camera recordings it was confirmed that three young Serbs did not take part in the incident, and they were subsequently released. Ethnicity of those detained was also clarified, and they included three Serbs, one Bosniak and two Albanians. 

One of the released boys told KoSSev portal they were completely innocent, and were in that part of the town as they were going to eat. The parents of the arrested Serbian boys gathered in front of the police station in Mitrovica North to protest, because the Kosovo police did not inform them about the arrest of their children. Kosovo police also confirmed the three Serbian boys were detained because of a mistake as was the mistake in initial information on the ethnicity of those arrested. Two Albanian boys and one Bosniak boy remained in the police station, they added. 

“They arrested us under suspicion that we had fought with Albanians, and we were only going out to eat. They passed by us, running after somebody else. They came back as they failed to catch them and saw us. Then they got out of the vehicle, one of them asked for my ID card, the other one told me – "what are you taking out and pushed us against the wall”, one of the boys described the incident. He also claimed that one of the police officers kicked his friend in the legs. “Of course we had nothing, because we were not guilty. They brought us here, they yelled at one of the boys in a room (at the police station). We do not know who he is, they yelled at him there”, he added. 

Trial of Gorani Sh.L. for allegedly committing war crimes in Prizren continues (KoSSev)

The trial of Gorani Sh.L., a former member of the Serbian police forces from Prizren, accused of allegedly committing war crimes continued yesterday at the Basic Court in Pristina, KoSSev portal reported. The prosecution and defence made introductory remarks, while the defendant said he has nothing to do with the act he is accused of.

“This is a shame for me and my family that you brought me here, and I did nothing. I have nothing to do with what happened. I am a believer, and I would never do such a thing”, Sh.L., said responding to the question of a prosecutor to enter a plea.

The prosecutor said that the responsibility of the defendant will be proven by presentation of evidence and testimonies of the affected parties in the case. All victims are of Albanian ethnicity.

Defense lawyer of Sh.L., Jovana Filipovic said the defendant is not the person affected parties and witnesses described in their statements. "In no way did the prosecutor's office carry out a legal procedure when it provided minutes on the identification by witnesses, when the only determining factor was the mole the defendant has. What if there were more people having moles on their faces? What if those witnesses don't know the names? They can't repeat it... They really don't have any other identifying factor. It is particularly worrying that the witnesses were together when they gave their statements and carried out the identification together", Filipovic said.

The son of the defendant, A.L., presented similar claims. "There is a possibility that my father was mistaken for another man who was a (police) inspector in Prizren and resembles the appearance they describe, and they recognized my father by his mole and mustache”, he said.

Vucic: Coloured revolution finished (N1)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said in Banja Luka on Thursday that, as he said, coloured revolution is finished, N1 reported. 

Speaking at a news conference with Republika Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik, Vucic said people have realized how and why the Serbs in Kosovo and the RS were to have lost Belgrade’s support. “It’s over because the people have realized how and who financed this and for whose needs”, Vucic said.

He claimed there is increasing anger towards the people involved in the coloured revolution, adding that he will do everything to keep the peace. Vucic and other state officials have been using the term coloured revolution for the protests which started after the deaths of 15 people at Novi Sad railway station tragedy. 

Five Serbian media outlets in Kosovo to stage 15-minute break in work tomorrow (KoSSev)

In solidarity with students’ demands and in line with the call of journalists’ associations to media to join the general strike today announced by students, five media outlets from Kosovo, reporting in Serbian language will symbolically cease their work for 15 minutes, KoSSev portal reported.  

These media outlets include KoSSev, Radio Gorazdevac, KIM Radio and its portal, Radio kontakt plus and its portal, as well as Media Centre Caglavica.

These media outlets will stop working from 11:52 to 12:07, coinciding with the time of a roof canopy collapse at the Novi Sad railway station on November 1, last year, claiming the lives of 15 people and seriously injuring two more. After that reporting will continue, including the news on general strike, as per instructions of journalists’ associations and members of Coalition for freedom of Media. 

Parliament increases university education budget (N1)

The Serbian Parliament increased the budget for university-level education by 20 percent, the Education Ministry said on Thursday. That budget will be increased by 12 billion Euro, a press release added. The budget increase meets the fourth demand made by protesting university students.

The press release said that the higher budget will include funds to fully cover the expenses of university schools as well as their staff salaries in line with a collective contract.

The amendments to the Law on Higher Education adopted on Thursday include a 50 percent cut in tuition fees which will be refunded to students paying for their studies. University students in Serbia can have their tuition fees covered from the state budget or can pay for their studies themselves. The amendments oblige the state to cover the cost of accrediting study programs and international academic accreditation for the first time.