Albanian Language Media:

• Stoltenberg: Peace and security should not be endangered, NATO supports dialogue (media)
• Kurti tells Stoltenberg about findings of investigation into terrorist attack in Banjska (media)
• Osmani: If Serbia does not face any measures, it is encouraged for other attacks (media)
• Kurti to Envoy Troccaz: Serbia has 48 operational bases around border with Kosovo (media)
• Guerot: France gives highest level of support to dialogue (Klan)
• OSCE: We received Kurt's letter, ready to support the collection of votes (RTV21)
• Szunyog says EU integration requires additional commitment and reform (Kallxo)
• 2013 vehicles converted to RKS license plates in 20 days (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic: The most difficult year ahead of us (N1, Beta)
• Dacic: It is not first time ambassadors in Belgrade and Pristina disagree (Tanjug)
• In Kosovo, in ten days, more than 2,000 vehicles were re-registered with RKS plates (NMagazin, Beta)
• OSCE ready to collect the votes of Serbs in Kosovo for the elections on December 17 (Radio Mitrovica sever, RTS)
• Petition of the faithful for the return of Father Fotije (KiM radio)

International Media:

• NATO examining permanent increase of troops in Kosovo -Stoltenberg (Reuters)

Albanian Language Media

Stoltenberg: Peace and security should not be endangered, NATO supports dialogue (media)

The Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, has said that NATO supports the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue and that peace and security in the region should not be endangered.

He has said that the terrorist attack in Banjska on September 24, where police sergeant Afrim Bunjaku was killed, is unacceptable and also the reason why KFOR has increased its presence in Kosovo.

"Those who are responsible must be brought to justice. NATO reacted quickly. We brought 1,000 additional troops to Kosovo, sent heavier weapons and increased patrols in the north. These are the steps to ensure that KFOR fulfills its mandate emanating from the UN. Stability in the region depends on all parties in the region choosing diplomacy over violence and honoring their commitments. Any deployment of the Kosovo Security Forces in the north of Kosovo requires the prior consent of KFOR. We expect preliminary consultations for any action of the Kosovo Police that may affect security in the region. Peace and security must not be compromised. NATO supports dialogue. We welcome the latest proposals for the Association, this would be an important key step towards the normalization of relations and towards a stable peace and prosperity in the region", Stoltenberg said. 

Asked about the possibility of Kosovo joining the NATO Partnership for Peace, he said that a unanimous vote is required from the members and that he does not know when such a decision will be made.

He also said that after the terror attack in Banjska, they are reviewing whether there should be a permanent increase in troops to ensure that the situation does not get out of control and cause new conflicts.

"We will do whatever is necessary. We are reviewing our presence, we have implemented the necessary changes and the necessary growth", Stoltenberg said.

Kurti tells Stoltenberg about findings of investigation into terrorist attack in Banjska (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, has shared with the NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, the findings of the investigation process of the security institutions of Kosovo on the case of the terrorist attack in Banjska on September 24, where the policeman Afrim Bunjaku was killed.

"Regarding the latter, Prime Minister Kurti shared with the Secretary of NATO, Stoltenberg the findings from the investigation process of the local security institutions on the case of the terrorist and paramilitary attack of September 24 in Banjska, where the Sergeant of the Kosovo Police, Kosovo’s hero, Afrim Bunjaku was killed,but also on the case of the kidnapping of three Kosovo policemen within the territory of the Republic of Kosovo, on June 14, which confirm the direct involvement of the state of Serbia. The Prime Minister said that these two cases prove the need for increase of security especially along the border between Kosovo and Serbia, as he called on the Secretary that NATO also come out as soon as possible with the conclusions of its independent investigations into the case of the criminal kidnapping of three Kosovo policemen and the terrorist attack in Banjska of Zvecan", says the Prime Minister's Office.

Kurti mentioned the 48 bases of Serbia that are located around the border with Kosovo and also the anti-aircraft system that Serbia has placed near the border.

"On this occasion, the Prime Minister listed the military systems of Serbia, which include the modernized missile system "FK-3" and "Pancir S1" as well as other missile systems "Neva M1T" and "Kub M2 (SM)" of the 250th Brigade the Serbian army. He said that the FK-3 system is a Chinese missile system, with which in 2022, Serbia became the first country in Europe to operate with Chinese weapons, including CH-92 combat drones. He added that the Armed Forces of Serbia have also created a special unit for the surveillance of drones, which as a unit operates within the 63rd Parachute Brigade of the Serbian army", informed the Office of the Prime Minister.

Kurti asked Stoltenberg for close cooperation with NATO for peace and security. 

"He said that while last year was characterized by barricades erected by criminal groups that aimed to oppose law and order (July and December 2022), this year was a year of violent attacks on local and international law and order institutions, as was the case on May 26 and 29, then the kidnapping of Kosovo policemen on June 14, culminating in the aggression of September 24 that violated state sovereignty, territorial integrity and national security," the Prime Minister said.

The meeting also discussed the relations between Kosovo and Serbia, the dialogue process mediated by the European Union and the October 26 meeting with European leaders in Brussels.

"The Prime Minister informed the Secretary about the progress of that meeting, and the position of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo towards the European-American plan for the way forward towards full and unconditional implementation of the Basic Agreement. On this occasion, Prime Minister Kurti once again underlined the importance of Kosovo's membership in the NATO Partnership for Peace Program, as well as proposed the opening of a Kosovo diplomatic office in NATO.” 

Secretary Stoltenberg expressed his gratitude for the coordination of the security institutions with KFOR, as well as for the support that the government of Kosovo have given to Ukraine in the face of the military aggression of the Russian Federation, as he called the September 24 attack in Banjska terrible and unacceptable. 

Osmani: If Serbia does not face any measures, it is encouraged for other attacks (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani has said that the Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg is in Kosovo at a very challenging time for security in the entire Western Balkans. She said that Kosovo is a new and democratic state, adding that the country's freedom is also a result of NATO.

She added that they are thankful for the NATO soldiers who are contributing to peace and stability, which, according to her, are being violated by Serbia.

"As you know, on September 24, a policeman was killed in Banjska, the official investigation data confirm that Serbia is behind this attack, both in terms of organization and financing. In order not to allow the repetition of such an act, Serbia's responsibility for the terrorist attack and aggression of September 24 and also for the May attack on KFOR must be addressed. Instead of extraditing the terrorists, Serbia continues to support them in planning new attacks on Kosovo," she said.

Osmani added that if Serbia does not face any measures, it will be an encouragement for other attacks.

She said that the Kosovo Police is multi-ethnic and is ready to continue cooperation with KFOR. 

According to her, Kosovo and NATO are on one side, terrorists are on the other side. 

"Membership in NATO is the goal of Kosovo. Inclusion in the partnership for peace and then membership in NATO is a guarantee for the region. Prolonging this process produces consequences", she added. 

According to her, NATO can send clear messages to Serbia, requesting the withdrawal of the forces gathered on the border with Kosovo.

Osmani added that Kosovo has proven itself as a constant partner of NATO.

Kurti to French Envoy Troccaz: Serbia has 48 operational bases around border with Kosovo (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti met with the special representative of France for the Western Balkans, ReneTroccaz.

Through the announcement from the Prime Minister's Office, it is announced that the meeting discussed bilateral relations between Kosovo and France, economic cooperation, governance and recent developments in Kosovo, the security situation after the attack in Banjska of Zvecan on September 24, and relations between Kosovo and Serbia in light of the dialogue process mediated by the European Union and the implementation of the Basic Agreement and its Annex.

In relation to the dialogue process, Kurti singled out the fact that Kosovo has been and continues to be a constructive party and committed to important further steps in this process, and informed him of the positions of the government of Kosovo in the meeting of 26 October in Brussels with European leaders. He reiterated the importance of signing the agreements, "because by signing the normalization of relations gains stability and implementation gains guarantees".

However, regarding the security situation, Kurti recalled the constant threat that Serbia presents to Kosovo.

"It has 48 frontline operational bases around the border with Kosovo, and it has recently deployed anti-aircraft systems near the border," Kurti said, while adding that the lack of sanctioning of Serbia increases the level of threat in the Western Balkans.

Guerot: France gives highest level of support to dialogue (Klan)

President Vjosa Osmani met with the special representative of France for the Western Balkans, Rene Troccaz.The Ambassador of France in Kosovo, Olivier Guerot, was also present at the meeting and told what was discussed.

"Very good exchange for our bilateral relations and for France's support at the highest level for the dialogue facilitated by the EU", Guerot said.

OSCE: We received Kurt's letter, ready to support the collection of votes (RTV21)

The mission in Kosovo of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) told RTV21 that it has received Prime Minister Kurti's letter regarding the Serbian elections. The OSCE Mission has stated that the Mission remains ready to support the collection of votes, but only under the same conditions as in previous cases.

"We can confirm that we have received Prime Minister Kurti's letter regarding the Serbian elections. As we have made clear before, in principle the Mission remains ready to support the collection of votes, but only under the same conditions as in previous cases. In other words, only if a consensual environment is ensured, if we have cooperation from all the relevant authorities in Kosovo and if the necessary security support is guaranteed by the Kosovo Police, as the first responder. The mission has notified the Serbian government with Prime Minister Kurti's response,” reads the OSCE response. 

Szunyog says EU integration requires additional commitment and reform (Kallxo)

The Commission for European Integration of the Assembly of Kosovo has held a roundtable discussion on the Progress Report for Kosovo. Present at this table were Jorn Rohde, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany, Tomas Szunyog, Head of the EU office in Kosovo, Besnik Bislimi, Deputy Prime Minister from the government of Kosovo, Demush Shasha, Executive Director of EPIK, as well as other representatives of thecivil society and interest groups. In the communiqué of the Assembly of Kosovo, it is stated that the German ambassador, Jorn Rohde, said that "his concerns remain in the non-cooperation of political parties in the voting of international agreements, which directly affect the development of the country". Rohde also emphasized the achievement of momentum for the normalization of relations with Serbia. 

Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi at this table, according to the Assembly, said that the report did not reflect the progress made by Kosovo, especially in terms of public administration reforms and the rule of law, which according to him contradicts other international reports.

"Bislimi also mentioned that the enlargement package for the opening of EU integration negotiations for Balkan countries brings back a hope that EU enlargement is still in focus and that only those countries that meet EU standards should be supported. Therefore, he mentioned that the delays in handling Kosovo's application to gain candidate status in the EU weaken the position of the EU in Kosovo, because the progress that has been made over the years must be taken into account" - the communiqué states, among other things. 

Szunyog, on the other hand, said at this roundtable that the process for integration in the EU requires additional commitment and the fulfillment of reforms. The Council of Europe makes decisions unanimously, therefore everyone must work to achieve this unanimity" - the communiqué continues. 

The director of the "Epik" Institute, Demush Shasha, said that Kosovo and Albania are performing better than other Western Balkan countries in the Progress Report. He added that the first two countries that will join the EU are Albania and Kosovo.

2013 vehicles converted to RKS license plates in 20 days (media)

2013 vehicles were converted to RKS license plates from November 1 in nine municipalities. Only on Monday, 107 cars were converted.

So far, 677 cars have been converted in Northern Mitrovica, 669 in Leposaviq, 292 in Zubin Potok, 93 in Mitrovica, and one car each in Shterpce, Lipjan, Graçanica and Klina.

Municipalities have also placed informative posters for car registration in municipal facilities where citizens can get more detailed information about car registration.

Serbian Language Media 

Vucic: The most difficult year ahead of us (N1, Beta)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said the most difficult year in recent history is ahead of Serbia and the world, a year of conflicts and unrest, which is why Serbia’s most important task is to preserve peace, reported N1.

At a ceremony yesterday, marking the 182nd anniversary of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SANU), Vucic said that 2024 is an election year for many countries, and that he fears it will be very difficult for the entire world, including the Serbs.

“By that I also mean the threat to the people in Kosovo and Metohija and in Republika Srpska and in the region in general. That is why I think it is important that we come to a common denominator, every day, on how to preserve our freedom, country and future,“ said Vucic.

The President spoke about the importance of compromises, which would ensure that “the state does not give up on its territory or its people,” and added that Serbia should “wait for more favorable conditions in the world when the truth will come out.”

He said politicians are variable, but that the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, the Serbian Orthodox Church and the state of Serbia come before everything else.

Dacic: It is not first time ambassadors in Belgrade and Pristina disagree (Tanjug)

Serbian FM Ivica Dacic said on Monday attempts to rename Serbian cultural heritage in Kosovo to heritage of Kosovo were an "old narrative" aimed at erasing all traces of Serbian presence in Kosovo and added that, to the best of its ability, Serbia would use all available means to fight against relativisation of history.

After a visit to the Serbian Orthodox monastery of Visoki Decani on Friday, Germany's ambassador in Pristina said a delegation of German diplomats had visited a "Kosovo monastery inscribed in a UNESCO list."

Speaking to Tanjug, Dacic said this was not the first time ambassadors of the same country had said one thing in Belgrade and another in Pristina.

"On several occasions, we have had situations where the ambassadors of some countries in Belgrade and Pristina had different views," Dacic said, noting that Serbia considered embassies in Pristina “illegal because it considered the so-called Kosovo a part of our state”.

"The same was the case with the relocation of a Pristina memorial plaque commemorating Serbian liberation fighters in the Balkan Wars and WWI. The French and the German embassies in Pristina initiated the relocation of the plaque, even though the embassies in Belgrade were against it and no one had asked them about that," Dacic said.

He said the French and German ambassadors to Belgrade had said they were surprised by the move and that they would request that it be reversed.

Dacic said this demonstrated the importance of Serbia's re-election to the UNESCO Executive Board.

"Over the next two years, we will be an Executive Board member state and it is very important that we prevent the heritage from being renamed. There have been such attempts, and they were aimed at showing that those are not Serbian monuments, whereby practically the entire history of Kosovo-Metohija would be relativised and it would be said that it (the heritage) is not Serbian, but 'Kosovo's' or Byzantine, as some are saying," Dacic said.

He said Serbia strictly insisted on the matter and that UNESCO, too, defined the heritage as Serbian.

He said the four Serbian cultural monuments under UNESCO protection - the Patriarachate of Pec, the Church of Our Lady of Ljevis and the Visoki Decani and Gracanica monasteries - were defined as "Serbian cultural heritage and, additionally, as endangered world cultural heritage."

"Who are they endangered by? By ethnic Albanian separatists and terrorists who want to destroy those monuments," Dacic said.

Using all available means, Serbia will fight against relativisation and falsification of history and, of course, also react to the statement that Visoki Decani is a "Kosovo monastery" and the relocation of the memorial plaque in Pristina, he said.

"I am certain no one has the right to take away from Serbia the right to its monuments," Dacic said.

In Kosovo, in ten days, more than 2,000 vehicles were re-registered with RKS plates (NMagazin, Beta)

In Kosovo, in the previous 10 days, 2,013 vehicles were re-registered from Serbian to RKS plates, and today alone 107, Pristina media reported, referring to data from the Kosovo police.

The most vehicles were re-registered in North Mitrovica - 677, in Leposavic 669, in Zubin Potok 292, in Mitrovica 93 and in Strpce, Lipljan, Gracanica and Klina one each.

The deadline for vehicle re-registration expires on November 31.

OSCE ready to collect the votes of Serbs in Kosovo for the elections on December 17 (Radio Mitrovica sever, RTS)

The OSCE mission in Pristina announced that it had received a letter from Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti about the elections that should be held on December 17 and reiterated that it is ready to collect the votes of Serbs in Kosovo and Kosovo as in previous years.

In a letter to the mission, Kurti said that there should be a special agreement between Belgrade and Pristina for the Serbian community to participate in the elections in central Serbia, that such an agreement should be proposed by Belgrade as an interested party and that it should be based on "sovereignty and independence Kosovo".

On that occasion, the OSCE mission announced that it remains ready to collect votes as it did before. 

"We can confirm that we received Kurti's letter regarding the Serbian elections. As we have clarified before, the Mission remains ready to support the collection of votes, but only under the same conditions as before," stated the reply. 

The OSCE added that this will only happen if consent is secured.

"In other words, only if consent is secured, if we have the cooperation of all the relevant authorities in Kosovo and if the Kosovo police guarantees the necessary security support, as the first responders. The mission informed the Government of Serbia with a response to Prime Minister Kurti," the reply stated.

Petition of the faithful for the return of Father Fotije (KiM radio)

A group of believers of the Serbian Orthodox Church organized an online petition demanding the return of Father Fotije asking "all competent institutions" to answer why he was expelled after 13 years spent in the Devina voda monastery, reported KiM radio.

The organizing committee of the petition "Return us father Fotije, abbot of Devina voda monastery" is asking "all competent institutions" to allow Orthodox Serbs freedom of religion, freedom of movement and life.

"In the area where we live, where all international laws relating to religious and civil rights must prevail," it was said.

The initiators and signatories of the petition believe that "all legal norms were violated in the case of the deportation of Father Fotije on October 20, 2023 by the Pristina authorities, that is, by the decision of the Directorate for Migration and Foreigners."

International Media

NATO examining permanent increase of troops in Kosovo -Stoltenberg (Reuters)

NATO is looking into a more permanent increase in the number of troops in the Western Balkans to keep tensions under control, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Monday.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization sent hundreds of additional forces to Kosovo from Britain and Romania after a battle between police and armed Serbs holed up in a monastery turned a quiet village in northern Kosovo into a war zone on Sept. 24.

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