• Kurti: With Association, Belgrade wants compensation for lost war (media)
• Leaders condemn killing of civilians near Polish-Ukrainian border (media)
• Dialogue, licence plates discussed at meeting between Bislimi and Lajcak (media)
• Sources: Deal reached on licence plates, return of Serbs to institutions (Paparaci)
• Osmani hosts meeting with U.S. officials (media)
• Belgrade-Backed Kosovo Serb Party to Boycott Local Elections (BIRN)
• Kraut: Kosovo-Germany relations are strong, to be deepened even more (media)
• LDK leader Abdixhiku meets Escobar in Washington (media)
• Berlin Process agreements cannot enter into force before two years (RTK)
• Kosovo, Serbia NGOs Condemn Police 'Attack' on Serb Activist (BIRN)

Kurti: With Association, Belgrade wants compensation for lost war (media)

Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, wants to fill the vacancies in the north of Kosovo as soon as possible. This is because the Serbs have withdrawn from the Kosovar institutions and he does not want to wait until the Serbs return. "We cannot allow a vacuum," Kurti said in an interview with Austrian news agency APA.

"We will have to organize new elections for four mayors of municipalities in the north of Kosovo", he said adding that others will have to take the place of the ten MPs of the Serbian List in the Assembly of Kosovo. "If they don't want to, we have to continue with other partners," Kurti said.

Likewise, the police officers should be replaced as soon as possible and without problems, - ‘because we have to guarantee the rule of law and security for everyone’. "There is a need for good police officers with personal and professional integrity regardless of their ethnicity," Kurti said.

APA recalls that last week as a sign of protest, in a new escalation of the conflict in the north of Kosovo, ethnic Serbs resigned from their duties in Kosovo institutions, and adds that the reason for this was the decision of the government of Kosovo to replace vehicle license plates, from those issued by neighboring Serbia, to Kosovo ones. The Kosovar Prime Minister, sees only – ‘an extremist minority within the Serb minority.’ behind this protest. "The vast majority of 90 percent of Kosovo Serbs have already changed their vehicle license plates. All Serbs receive the reprimand and do not even say a bad word to the policemen, because the citizens are good and calm. The problem is the illegal structures financed by Belgrade in the north of Kosovo," he said.

Kurti has rejected the establishment of the Association of the Serb community in the north of Kosovo, which was agreed upon in 2013, as a condition for the return of the Serbs to the institutions of Kosovo, and which was also requested by the US- and the EU for a long time. "I came to power last year, my predecessors were the ones who signed this agreement with the same people who are still in power in Serbia today. Why didn't they implement it then?" Kurti asked.

"An ethnic association is not in accordance with our Constitution, because the essence of the Constitution of Kosovo is the multi-ethnic nature of the state". The requests for such autonomy for areas with a Serbian majority in the north of Kosovo, Kurti said, did not come from the local population. "Only Belgrade wants this in order to compensate for the losses it suffered in the war, during the time of Milosevic. But this is not feasible."

However, Kurti is convinced that a final agreement with Serbia for a complete normalization of relations between the two countries will be reached in the next two years. "Mutual recognition will not be the only issue, but it should be the central part," he said.

Kurti described the French-German plan recently presented to both sides as "a good basis for discussions," but did not go into the details of the plan, which are still unknown. However, he is quoted as saying that it is positive that the plan is based on values and not only on solving problems, as it was in previous approaches. "There are many shortcomings, but it is a good starting point," he said.

Kurti assessed the recent months as successful, referring to the agreement on the roadmap, on energy issues in the north of Kosovo and the agreement reached in the summer on the entry-exit documents between Kosovo and Serbia. "I am also very optimistic because we have a good chance to reach an agreement with U.S. President Joe Biden in Washington and Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin."

He announced that his government intends to submit an application for EU membership by the end of the year. "We want to show publicly that we want to join the EU," Kurti said.

Kosovo leaders condemn killing of civilians near Polish-Ukrainian border (media)

Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, took to Twitter on Tuesday to express “condolences to the Republic of Poland after two civilians were killed near the Polish-Ukrainian border in the midst of Russia's missile attack on Ukrainian territory. I join the democratic world in condemning Russia's war crimes and call for a full investigation of the attack”. President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, said in a Twitter post: “We stand in full solidarity with our Polish and NATO allies following tonight’s attack and express our deepest condolences to families of the victims. The unity of the democratic world against Putin’s brutal war in Ukraine remains unwavering.”

Dialogue, licence plates discussed at meeting between Bislimi and Lajcak (media)

Kosovo’s first Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration, Development and Dialogue of Besnik Bislimi, met in Brussels with the Special Representative of the European Union for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak. They discussed the way forward in the dialogue process.

"Deputy Prime Minister Bislimi emphasized the importance of focusing the talks on the full normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia and that we should not allow deliberate distractions from the talks on full normalization by actions aimed at escalation on the ground" reads a communiqué issued by the government.

"We are interested in building good relations with all our neighbors," Bislimi reportedly said, expressing Kosovo's interest in continuing with regular meetings in Brussels, for the elements of full normalization of relations, with mutual recognition at the center. The parties also discussed options for the successful conversion of all illegal license plates into legal ones.

Lajcak said in a Twitter post that he discussed with Bislimi about the current situation of the crisis in relations between Kosovo and Serbia. "We urgently need to find solutions to ensure stability and security on the ground," Lajcak wrote stressing that "any escalation of violence is unacceptable."

Sources: Deal reached on licence plates, return of Serbs to institutions (Paparaci)

Citing unnamed sources, the news website reported on Tuesday evening that Kosovo and Serbia have reached an agreement in Brussels on the issue of licence plates and the return Serb representatives to Kosovo institutions. Chief negotiators from Kosovo and Serbia reportedly agreed on a ten-month postponement of the conversion of licence plates. According to the sources, the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities is also part of the deal. The news website also notes that “parties have agreed that the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities to be established within the framework of the French-German plan. Among other things, the deal foresees that Serbia will not obstruct elections in the north and Serbs living in the north will participate in elections.”

Osmani hosts meeting with U.S. officials (media)

President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, hosted a meeting on Tuesday with the U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo, Jeffrey Hovenier, and representatives of the embassies of the United States in countries of the region. A press release issued by Osmani’s office notes that the meeting focused on the partnership with the United States, the importance of strengthening economic and energy cooperation, regional cooperation, as well as the latest developments in the country, region and beyond.

“Regarding the recent developments, President Osmani has emphasized that our institutions remain fully committed to actively contribute to sustainable peace and security in the country and the region, in cooperation and coordination with our international partners.”

“President Osmani has underlined the commitment of the institutions of the Republic to the steadfast partnership with the United States, the main ally of the country and our people. In this regard, the President emphasized the importance of deepening economic and security cooperation between the two countries. The meeting also discussed the strengthening of regional cooperation.”

Belgrade-Backed Kosovo Serb Party to Boycott Local Elections (BIRN)

Srpska Lista, the Belgrade-backed party representing Kosovo Serbs, said it will boycott extraordinary local elections in four municipalities which will be held after a mass resignation of Serbs from Kosovo institutions.

Srpska Lista announced on Tuesday that it will not participate in the local elections in four Serb-majority municipalities in the north of Kosovo which are to be held on December 18 because of the recent mass resignations of Serbs from Kosovo institutions.

"Bearing in mind Pristina's decision to hold extraordinary local elections in the north of Kosovo and Metohija, we would like to inform the public that Srpska Lista will not take part in these elections, nor will the citizens who support our party, of which over 95 per cent are in these areas," the Serbian government-backed Srpska Lista said in a statement on Tuesday.

The head of Serbia's office for Kosovo, Petar Petkovic, said in a statement that "by unilaterally deciding to hold special elections in four Serbian municipalities in the north of Kosovo and Metohija ... the authorities in Pristina continue to exercise legal and institutional violence against the Serbs ".

Read more at: http://bit.ly/3hMUt1d

Kraut: Kosovo-Germany relations are strong, to be deepened even more (media)

After participating in the opening of the "Global Connect 2022" Economic Forum, the Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti accompanied by the Ambassador of Kosovo to Germany Faruk Ajeti, met the Minister of Economy, Labor and Housing of Baden-Württemberg, Nicole Hoffmeister. - Kraut. They received support for the further deepening of cooperation.

According to an announcement issued by the Government, this meeting was very positive, while Prime Minister Kurti spoke about the good relations between the two countries and peoples, as well as about new opportunities for cooperation, with an emphasis on those in the field of economy and commercial exchanges.

Minister Hoffmeister-Kraut said that Kosovo and Germany relations are strong and that she is convinced that they can be deepened even further. "Germany has welcomed Kosovo's alignment with its European partners in imposing sanctions on Russia. Congratulating Prime Minister Kurti for the reforms undertaken and for the positive economic indicators, Minister Hoffmeister-Kraut gave her full support and that of the country she represents for the work of the Government," the government’s announcement quotes Minister Hoffmeister-Kraut as saying.

LDK leader Abdixhiku meets Escobar in Washington (media)

Lumir Abdixhiku, leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) took to Facebook to bring details about his meeting on Tuesday with the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State and the US Special Envoy for the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar.

He announced that he spoke about the recent situation in the north and presented his latest views and the need for close coordination of Kosovo's institutions with the U.S .and other partners.

"For our new state, the alliance with the USA is vital. This has been the case for more than three decades. The alliance and close cooperation with the USA and European partners have brought freedom and independence to Kosovo. The people of Kosovo are forever grateful for all the commitment of our partners", Abdixhiku said.

In this regard, Abdixhiku said that he submitted the request for the achievement and signing of the "Charter for Strategic Partnership between the USA and Kosovo".

"This bilateral partnership charter ensures the advancement of relations between the two states in defense, politics, energy, education, economy, culture and human rights. The charter in question advances the bilateral relations between the two states to a new level, as well as providing sound guarantees for the Euro-Atlantic future of Kosovo and the region. We presented to Mr. Escobar our views on the latest security situation in Kosovo, as well as the need for close coordination of Kosovo's institutions with the USA and other partners. Such coordination is a guarantee to overcome all challenges," he wrote.

He has once again expressed his and the LDK's concern about the degree to which Kosovo's institutions have degraded the report with the US Government.

Berlin Process agreements cannot enter into force before two years (RTK)

Agreements were signed, glasses were clinked, and the curtain fell. But beyond what happened at the Berlin Process summit held earlier this month, for many citizens, the implementation of the three agreements signed by the prime ministers of the six Western Balkan countries is much more important than when they will begin to be implemented.

However, from the moment of signing by the Prime Ministers of Kosovo, Albania, Serbia, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina in Berlin, in the presence of Chancellor Olaf Scholz and other EU officials, there is also a long procedure until their implementation in practice.

RTKlive has asked the Council for Regional Cooperation about the steps that these countries must follow for these agreements to enter into force.

"The three agreements signed within the framework of the Berlin Process and the Joint Regional Market Action Plan must be ratified, accepted or approved at the national level, according to the requirements provided by the relevant legislation of each of the parties," he wrote in the response to RTKlive from the Council for Regional Cooperation.

"After ratification at the national level, the parties file the official notification of ratification, acceptance or approval".

However, the Regional Cooperation Council explains that they are in regular contact with all the signatories of the agreements, regarding the ratification processes.

"It is in everyone's interest that the agreements start to be implemented as soon as possible, so we are optimistic that this will happen in the shortest possible time," reads the response to RTKlive.

Kosovo, Serbia NGOs Condemn Police 'Attack' on Serb Activist (BIRN)

Twenty-six civil society organizations in Kosovo and Serbia voiced support for NGO activist Miodrag Milicevic, a Serb who accused a Kosovo special police unit officer of abusing and assaulting him.

Twenty-six civil society organizations from Kosovo and Serbia issued a joint statement of support on Tuesday for Miodrag Milicevic of the NGO Aktiv, who claims he was abused and physically attacked by a member of a Kosovo police special unit near the Jarinje border crossing.

"The assault both reflects and contributes to the deteriorating atmosphere for trust and peaceful coexistence in Kosovo," the statement said.

Milicevic told BIRN that on Monday he was heading from Mitrovica in northern Kosovo to Bosnia and Herzegovina and that some seven or eight kilometers from the Jarinje border crossing, near Lesak, he encountered what he thought were three Kosovo police vehicles and one armored vehicle.

He was then stopped by three policemen from the armored vehicle "in camouflage uniforms, fully armed", he said.

Read more at: http://bit.ly/3E80m0F