Albanian Language Media:

• British troops patrol Kosovo-Serbia border as tensions remain high (Reuters/media)
• Kosovo leaders’ messages on Intl Day for Elimination of Violence against Women (media)
• Maqedonci: In last three years, 3,459 KSF soldiers trained abroad (media)
• Vucic reiterates that he will not sign agreement with Kosovo (Koha Ditore)
• Sovereign Fund experts react to Hoti: Fund does not affect competition (Koha)
• New platform for public-private dialogue presented (media)
• Blast in downtown Mitrovica North after midnight on Saturday (media)
• Rohde on reducing impact of global warming: Good to see Kosovo on its way (media)
• Kurti meets Rita Ora: An honor to host her (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic says Serbia will not let Kosovo into the UN: “I said 1,000 times that I will not sign off on it” (FoNet, N1)
• Bp. Grigorije: Those who are ready for dialogue are the only people who can “defend” Kosovo (KoSSev, N1)
• 51 polling stations designated for voters from Kosovo for election on 17 December (KoSSev, Tanjug, KiM radio)
• The Serbian National Council Assembly held in Belgrade (KoSSev, KiM radio) 
• Mojsilovic: Situation in Kosovo very complicated; I hope KFOR will be a factor that will protect the Serbian people (Kosovo Online)
• Members of the NADA coalition visited Grncare and Strpce (Blic)
• Seven cases of violence against women on Saturday, campaign of ambassadors (KoSSev)

International Media:

• Skopje Says Blinken To Attend OSCE Summit That May Include Lavrov (RFE)

Albanian Language Media

British troops patrol Kosovo-Serbia border as tensions remain high (Reuters/media)

Most news websites reran an article by Reuters which says that British troops are patrolling the Kosovo-Serbia border as part of a NATO peacekeeping presence being bolstered amid concern that the former wartime foes could return to open conflict following a series of violent incidents in recent months. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization sent hundreds of additional forces to Kosovo from Britain and Romania after a battle between the authorities and armed Serbs holed up in a monastery turned a quiet village in northern Kosovo into a war zone on Sept. 24. One police officer and three gunmen were killed in the village of Banjska in what was seen as the worst violence since Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008. Kosovo accused Serbia of providing financial and practical support for the gunmen, which Belgrade denies. NATO has sent 1,000 extra troops to the region, bringing its presence there to 4,500 peacekeepers from 27 countries. British soldiers are now being deployed in 18-hour shifts in freezing conditions to make sure no weapons or armed groups enter Kosovo.

"Currently we are here on a routine patrol, which consists of understanding patterns of life, gaining intelligence on any illegal or suspicious activity that then gets fed back to KFOR (NATO mission) and higher," Lieutenant Joss Gaddie from the British Army told Reuters at the border with Serbia.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/ycx52mrd

Kosovo leaders’ messages on Intl Day for Elimination of Violence against Women (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani said on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women that “violence against women & girls has turned into a heartbreaking epidemic that devastates lives and shatters dreams. We must be unwavering in our commitment to ensure justice for victims, and work tirelessly together towards a world free of fear, silence & discrimination.”

Prime Minister Albin Kurti said that “on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, with legal reforms in place targeting the issue, we begin 16 days of activism while knowing that our work must continue every day because no society can be truly free while half of its population faces this threat. Violence against women is a human rights violation & a cruel weapon used to subordinate women. The burden to fight it should not fall solely on women, who face retaliation for speaking out for themselves and others, but on society as a whole, including governments.”

Maqedonci: In last three years, 3,459 KSF soldiers trained abroad (media)

Most news websites report that Kosovo’s Minister of Defence, Ejup Maqedonci, said on Sunday that in the last three years, 3,459 soldiers of the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) were trained and educated abroad. He said in a Facebook post that the KSF will continue to increase professional capacities and operational capabilities. "On the eve of November 27, the Day of the Force, we highlight with pride that the KSF is rapidly developing into a professional force according to NATO standards. During these three years, 3459 military personnel were trained and educated abroad, or about 123% more than in the previous governments. We will continue the investment in raising professional capacities alongside raising operational capacities, supplying the most modern weapons systems, because our Force is a Force that guarantees security for citizens and protection of the territory of our homeland Kosovo,” Maqedonci said.

Vucic reiterates that he will not sign agreement with Kosovo (Koha Ditore)

The daily reports on its front page this morning that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic reiterated on Sunday that he will not sign the agreement on the path to normalization of relations with Kosovo or its implementation annex reached in Ohrid. During a meeting with pupils and teachers from Zvecan, Vucic said: “I have said a thousand times by now that I will not do it and I said this in the most difficult places. I have told this to Scholz, Macron and Meloni, and present were also Charles Michel, Borrell and Lajcak”. He also argued that he is faced with pressure to sign the agreement with Kosovo, and he did not rule out sanctions against Serbia on the eve of elections in the U.S. and the European Union next year.

Sovereign Fund experts react to Hoti: Fund does not affect competition (Koha)

he working group and legal experts of the Sovereign Fund reacted to a statement by LDK MP Avdullah Hoti who claimed that the fund damages competition, private investment, public enterprises, and the state budget. Hoti said in a Facebook that the Law on the Sovereign Fund and the respective concept document are based on an economic ideology that goes against economic liberalization. The working group and the experts, however, said in their reaction that the Sovereign Fund is engaged for the principles of the social market economy. They also argued that according to the Global Sovereign Wealth Funds (globalswf.com), sovereign funds today manage over US$11 trillion of investments and are present in all continents. They said that there are such institutions in developed countries like Austria, Ireland, South Korea, Turkey, Singapore, and Slovenia.

New platform for public-private dialogue presented (media)

The Office of Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, with the support of the Swiss Government and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, organized on Friday the Conference on Public-Private Dialogue, during which ‘Forumiks’, the dialogue platform between the private sector and the government, was presented, as well as the plan for the Agency new for Investments and Exports, within the PM’s Office, a government press release said.

Kurti in his address highlighted the slogan “Empowering Progress Through Dialogue” and expressed optimism that demands and needs will be able to find understanding, precisely by increasing the dialogue of public and state institutions of the government with the private sector, which represents the foundation of increased development and economic and social progress of Kosovo. Kurti said that this type of dialogue is done through four main pillars, (1) Private Sector, (2) Public Institutions, (3) International Organizations and (4) Non-Governmental Organizations. All four of these pillars, through the public-private dialogue, project the best possible vision on competitiveness and cooperation for the prosperity of the country and our citizens. “Citizens of this country, our compatriots around the world, and our international allies must have a single goal together: To make Kosovo with a super-competitive economy and private sector,” he added.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/2fsvjdmw

Blast in downtown Mitrovica North after midnight on Saturday (media)

All news websites reported that a blast was heard in downtown Mitrovica North shortly after midnight on Saturday. The blast is believed to have come from a hand grenade. Kosovo Police Deputy Director for the north region, Veton Elshani, said the windows of a house were demolished from the blast and that there were no human casualties. He also said that police were investigating the incident.  

Telegrafi news website talked to security experts who claim that the purpose of such incidents is to prevent quiet in the north of Kosovo and that isolated incidents in the northern municipalities are also used for internal political interests in Serbia.

Rohde on reducing impact of global warming: Good to see Kosovo on its way (media)

German Ambassador to Kosovo, Jorn Rohde, said in a post on X Sunday that “Less than 1 week to go to this year‘s main conference on climate change: COP28! Reducing the impact of global warming isn’t possible without energy transition. Good to see that Kosovo is on its way, creating incentives for green investment!”

Kurti meets Rita Ora: An honor to host her (media)

All media report on Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s meeting with Rita Ora in Pristina. He wrote in a post on X that “few things are more rewarding than being in the company of people who want to give back, who use their elevated position to extend a hand and help others on the way up. I had a truly enjoyable and productive conversation with Rita Ora and Taika Waititi today, on Rita's birthday. Rita has reached the highest heights of success and recognition worldwide while always honoring her roots and culture back home. It was an honor to host her and Taika Waititi today on her birthday. Kosova, the UK, and New Zealand seem without boundaries in the face of art.”

Serbian Language Media 

Vucic says Serbia will not let Kosovo into the UN: “I said 1,000 times that I will not sign off on it” (FoNet, N1)

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, said that Serbia will “not let Kosovo” into the United Nations and that Serbia is facing difficult times, reported N1.

“Before the elections in the United States of America and before the European elections, they will try to solve many things in Kosovo. It won’t be easy. It is our duty to fight and protect our country as much as we can, always and in every place,” Vucic told reporters on Sunday.

Responding to questions, Vucic said that he thinks that the Chief of the General Staff of the Serbian Army, General Milan Mojsilovic, will talk with the commander of KFOR on Monday only about security in Kosovo, because there is nothing else to talk about.

“When you speak in a political sense, you witness all the time, not double standards, but almost recklessly hypocritical behavior, in which KFOR and NATO rightly refer to Resolution 1244 of the UN Security Council. They derive their mandate from Resolution 1244. When you ask them about other norms from that Resolution, then the answer is ‘forget it, don’t look to the past, look to the future’,“ said Vucic.

“This is something that we, who are not a world power, have to get used to and we have to fight for our people and country within the limits of what is possible,” stated Vucic, adding that “their main goal is to put us in some legal framework in which we will, in one way or another, recognize the independence of Kosovo.”

“It is not a question of whether you want to solve the problem with some elections in the north of Kosovo by holding elections for Serbia. These are all problems, but none of them are the point. The point is whether we want to let them into the UN or not,” said Vucic.

Vucic said that he directly told French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian Prime Minister Giordija Meloni, President of the European Council Charles Michel, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Policy and Security Josep Borrell and Special EU Envoy for Dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina Miroslav Lajcak that he will not sign off on that.

“I’ve already said 1,000 times that I won’t do it,” he said.

Bp. Grigorije: Those who are ready for dialogue are the only people who can “defend” Kosovo (KoSSev, N1)

“Today, territory is what divides Serbs and Albanians like many other peoples, the least. There is plenty of territory. There is enough space for everyone, for everyone to live happily and contently, and to be rich at the same time. People are first and foremost divided by ideology, and right behind ideology, which is most often a product of someone’s imagination, as its inseparable part, lies human stupidity, human limitations, over which a person wants to exclude another person from his life,” Bishop Grigorije said in an interview for KoSSev portal.

Exactly two months after the Banjska events, together with his monastic brethren, the bishop of the Düsseldorf and All of Germany celebrated St.Patron’s Day of King Stefan Dečanski in Visoki Decani monastery.

Commenting on the violence in Banjska, the Bishop says it’s a bad dream. “The one who organized, instigated it, has no brains, no good intentions, and no idea about life, I’ll be brutally honest.”

He experienced as particularly devastating the fact that another monastery, “a glorious and unsullied monastery,” the endowment of St. King Milutin, was dragged into the violence.

The Bishop points out that the Diocese of Raska-Prizren reacted very well. “Which comforted me a bit,“ Bishop Grigorije said in an interview for KoSSev following his visit to Kosovo.

What do you notice when it comes to changes in Kosovo since your last visit?

“I have to say that I did not notice any changes with the “naked eye”. Simply, the situation in Kosovo is the same, as seen from the outside, but from the inside one can feel some kind of terrible tension, especially among the Serbs. There is tension and a kind of downheartedness. I think people are kind of at a loss. On the other hand, the people I met in Decani are people who have decided to continue living in Kosovo at any cost, despite everything, therefore, these are determined people. By this, I also include monks who have a dose of joy, of course, they are in some sense also eschatological people, people of Heaven, but they certainly have a little better security compared to other Serbs in Kosovo, compared to the so-called ordinary people. I see concern among top church officials, but also a determination to carry on.”

Read more at:https://tinyurl.com/3ecpjhzw

51 polling stations designated for voters from Kosovo for election on 17 December (KoSSev, Tanjug, KiM radio)

On Sunday, the Republican Electoral Commission in Serbia decided on determining the schedule of places according to which parliamentary groups propose members and deputy members of electoral committees in permanent composition for conducting voting at polling stations where voters from the territory of Kosovo and will vote.

That decision determines the distribution of polling stations, and a total of 51 polling stations have been determined, reported KoSSev, citing Tanjug agency. 

Polling stations have been determined for the Kosovo Administrative District, Pec, Prizren, Kosovo-Mitrovica, and Kosovo-Morava District.

The Serbian National Council Assembly held in Belgrade (KoSSev, KiM radio) 

The Assembly of the Serbian National Council (SNV) was held yesterday in Belgrade. New management was appointed, and future activities announced. The first task was for the Serbs from Kosovo to take their destiny into their own hands, to create an authentic policy, contrary to the goal of the current government in Belgrade "to make Kosovo an independent state without Serbs", it was said at the meeting, reported portal KoSSev. 

The demands are the rejection of the Franco-German agreement and the exclusive respect of the Constitution of Serbia and Resolution 1244.

After several months of unsuccessful attempts to hold the first meeting of the newly formed Serbian National Council in Kosovo, the assembly, as announced, was held today in the conference hall of the "Mladost" hotel in Belgrade.

The SNV statute was changed unanimously, i.e. instead of the executed board, the presidency was appointed.

More than twenty members of the presidency were appointed from all regions of Kosovo, as well as a representative from the diaspora. Among them were Slavisa Ristic, Marko Jaksic, and Momcilo Trajkovic.

Prof. Nenad Kojic from Vrbovac was elected as the new president of SNV of Kosovo and Metohija.  Prof. Aleksandar Corac was elected as the deputy president and six vice-presidents of SNV were also appointed.

Kojic said at this gathering that the goal of SNV is survival, "the end of terror" and for Kosovo to return to the fold of Serbia.

Mojsilovic: Situation in Kosovo very complicated; I hope KFOR will be a factor that will protect the Serbian people (Kosovo Online)

Chief of the General Staff of the Serbian Army, Milan Mojsilovic, stated on Saturday that he talked last week with the KFOR commander, Turkish General Ozkan Ulutas, and received assurances regarding the engagement of KFOR forces along the administrative line and that KFOR would have enough strength to stabilize the situation and protect the Serbian people, reported Kosovo Online.

Mojsilovic announced that he would have another conversation with Ulutas on Monday.

"I expect talks with him on Monday in the context of exchanging certain information about the security situation, and I hope that KFOR, in its capacity, will have enough strength to be a stabilizing factor and protect the Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija," Mojsilovic said in an interview on TV Prva.

As he added, the situation in Kosovo is very complicated.

"The situation in Kosovo and Metohija is complex and very complicated. The lack of even discussions on the topic of, conditionally speaking, normalization leaves room for anything that could be categorized as conflict. Every year, we have a certain spiral where we literally walk on the edge of larger conflicts," Mojsilovic said.

He reminded that there had been incidents in Kosovo in May and September of this year and questioned who could guarantee that there would be no future incidents when there were no political options that ensured security and stability and that the situation, if nothing else, was maintained in the existing state.

"We currently have an excessive number and excessive engagement of police forces in the north; the Kosovo police forces are literally at 24 positions, whether they are special or intervention units. In addition, KFOR has increased its presence not only throughout the entire territory but also in the north of Kosovo and Metohija," Mojsilovic stated.

He added that, as someone dealing with security issues, "this doesn't inspire too much hope that a solution guaranteeing peace and stability overall will be reached."

"We have our clearly defined tasks, and we do not deviate from that, and ultimately, orders received from the Supreme Commander are fully implemented. Aside from the discussion related to our agreed relations in the context of the Military-Technical Agreement and everything related to Resolution 1244 and our deployment in the Ground Safety Zone, since 2001, the size of the forces has changed to a greater or lesser extent. Essentially, we are present and fully control the Ground Safety Zone," Mojsilovic said.

Members of the NADA coalition visited Grncare and Strpce (Blic)

The Serbian coalition NADA, consisting of the New DSS and POKS, visited the villages of Grncare and Strpce, reported Blic. 

The president of Nova DSS and one of the leaders of the NADA coalition, Milos Jovanovic, said that the coalition will fight to the end for Kosovo to remain an integral part of Serbia.

"There is no reasoned answer to the question "Why are you betraying Kosovo and Metohija? Why are you abandoning that people? Why are you letting them down the drain? We will fight to the end for Kosovo and Metohija to remain an integral part of Serbia, as the constitution and resolution 1244 of the UN Security Council provide - said Jovanovic.

The president of POKS and one of the leaders of the NADA coalition Vojislav Mihailovic said that the international circumstances will change in favor of Serbia.

“We must endure until then, wait for the time when the force of law will be respected, not the law of force. That time is coming soon, and that's why we will win, save our people and our territory,” said Mihailovic.

Seven cases of violence against women on Saturday, campaign of ambassadors (KoSSev)

On Saturday was the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Seven cases of domestic violence against women were reported to the Kosovo Police throughout Kosovo on Saturday, reported KoSSev portal.

KoSSev wrtote that a man was arrested in Pristina for physically attacking his sister. She was given medical assistance, he was detained. In the same city, another man was detained for assaulting his ex-girlfriend, who was also treated. A little further away, in Kosovo Polje, a husband was arrested for assaulting his wife and her father. He was also detained, and the victims received medical care. A mother was attacked by her son in Dragas, as well as in Suva Reka.

Numerous ambassadors in Kosovo joined the "Color the world orange" campaign, which marked the International Day against Violence against Women on Saturday.

US Ambassador Jeffrey Hovenier said that preventing and responding to gender-based violence is a central element of the US government's commitment to promoting democracy, advancing human rights and promoting gender equality.

"I hope we can all rededicate ourselves to being activists against gender-based violence," Hovenier said.

German Ambassador Jorn Rohde pointed out that it is everyone's responsibility to take a stand against gender-based violence.

"The Orange World. We join and send strong signals to end violence against women and girls. However, each of us has a responsibility in our daily lives to take a stand against gender-based violence," said Rohde.

The French embassy was painted orange, and the Kosovo government did the same.

"The EU in Kosovo spares no effort to help eliminate all forms of violence against women, in partnership with Kosovo institutions and civil society organizations. Let's all unite to prevent violence against women and girls," said the EU.

International Media

Skopje Says Blinken To Attend OSCE Summit That May Include Lavrov (RFE)

SKOPJE -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is slated to attend the OSCE ministerial summit in Skopje on November 30-December 1, North Macedonia’s foreign minister said, an event that could also include the presence of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

"Secretary of State Blinken has been confirmed for the informal dinner [on November 29]," Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani told reporters on November 25 in North Macedonia's capital.

"At the informal dinner, we expect the majority of ministers. This is where you talk openly, without writing speeches. We have set two issues for the informal dinner -- aggression in Ukraine and OSCE functionality," Osmani said.

Osmani's comments come a day after Skopje said it would temporarily lift a ban on Russian flights to the Western Balkan country to allow the Russian delegation to attend the summit, although overall sanctions will remain in place for other flights.

Read more at:https://tinyurl.com/d3dbyc7v