• Thaci and Kurti set to meet today (media)
• Kosovo denies claims of ROSU’s intervention in Montenegrin territory (media)
• Djuric expected to visit Kosovo today (media)
• Protest in Gjakova against visit of Serb pilgrims (RTK/Koha)
• Pacolli, Konjufca react to Serbia’s arrest of Kosovo man (media)

 Kosovo Media Highlights

Thaci and Kurti set to meet today (media)

The President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci will host today a meeting with the leader of the Vetevendosje Movement (LVV) Albin Kurti to discuss nomination for formation of the new government. The meeting will be held at the President's Office at 15:00 hours.

Thaci has sent three requests for meeting Kurti, however they were all rejected by the winner of the 6 October elections.

Prior to the Thaci-Kurti meeting, the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) will hold the meeting of its leadership and parliamentary group.

The Assembly of Kosovo was constituted on 26 December and elected Glauk Konufca form LVV as Speaker.  Despite the fact that Konjufca was proposed without prior agreement with LDK, the latter voted for his election.

LVV and LDK have been negotiating to reach agreement for co-governance since 6 October elections, however they have not reached any concrete results yet.

Kosovo denies claims of ROSU’s intervention in Montenegrin territory (media)

Kosovo’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs issued a press release which strongly rejects the reporting of the FOS Media and some other local news media in Montenegro for alleged “availability” of Kosovo Special Police FORCES (ROSU) for intervention in the Montenegrin territory on the Orthodox Christmas Night.

The communique notes that Kosovo respects sovereignty of the Republic of Montenegro and stresses that based on the laws in power and the Constitution, responsibilities of Kosovo Police are limited within the territory of Kosovo.

Further the Ministry considers that fake and ill-intentioned news do not serve to sustainable peace and security in the region, and calls on such circles to reconsider their harmful positions which serve to tensioning of inter-state, inter-ethnic and inter-religious  relations. 

RTK meanwhile reports that the editor of the media outlet that claimed Kosovo Police could be engaged in Montenegro has been arrested in Podgorica. The Montenegro police said that Andjela Djikanovic, editor-in-chief of FOS Media, is suspected of authoring the fake news item about Kosovo police and that her actions were aimed at causing panic in the public.

Djuric expected to visit Kosovo today (media)

Head of the Serbian Government's Office for Kosovo, Marko Djuric, is expected to visit the north of Kosovo today ahead of Orthodox Christmas.

Gazeta Express recalls that Djuric was detained by Kosovo Police in March of 2018 after failing to obtain permission to visit Kosovo while Koha reports that Djuric has been issued permit to visit Kosovo. Jetlir Zyberaj from the Kosovo's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the request for the visit has been approved.

Protest in Gjakova against visit of Serb pilgrims (RTK/Koha)

Gjakova citizens will protest on Monday against the visit of Serb pilgrims to the Orthodox Church of this city. “We should object this just as we did in the last years, we should gather tomorrow, at 08:00 hours in front of the Orthodox Church. See you tomorrow morning,” reads a press communique issued by the organisers.

Albanian citizens see the visit of Serb pilgrims as a provocation and accuse them of involvement in war crimes.

Pacolli, Konjufca react to Serbia’s arrest of Kosovo man (media)

Acting Foreign Minister of Kosovo Behgjet Pacolli condemned the decision of the Belgrade Court to detain Nezir Mehmetaj for 30 days. He added that ‘such insane acts should end.’

Pacolli said he is in close contact with authorities in Brussels and that he has alarmed EU institutions about Mehmetaj’s arrest and ‘Serbia’s continuous practice of arresting Kosovo citizens.”

“Serbia cannot eternally impede the free movement of people and it should stop prosecution and political arrests of Kosovo citizens,” Pacolli said adding that Kosovo’s Foreign Ministry remains actively engaged to ensure Mehmetaj’s release and his return to his family.

Assembly Speaker Glauk Konjufca has also demanded Mehmetaj's release. In a Facebook post, Konjufca accused authorities in Serbia of arbitrarily detaining Kosovo citizens.

"These acts go to show that Serbia has not changed political mindset on Kosovo and Albanians who are treated violently and arbitrarily, as if second-class people. Actions that target an ethnicity of a neighbouring country are not promising for the future. We call on Serbia to allow Mr. Nezir Mehmetaj to return to his family and change approach to Kosovo and its citizens," Konjufca said.