Albanian Language Media:

• Bislimi: Contract is step toward normalization of electricity supply in north (media)
• Lajcak meets Petkovic, discuss Association draft statute (media)
• Osmani meets Kearns, discuss security developments (media)
• Kurti meets journalists from Ukraine and Afghanistan (media)
• Rohde thanks Kosovo for hosting Ukrainian and Afghan journalists (media)
• Kosovo joins European Youth Card Association (media)
• Krasniqi slams govt for allocation of budget to certain municipalities (media)
• COMKFOR Ulutas concludes visit to Albania (media)
• Szunyog meets SL leader, discuss early local elections and dialogue (media)
• Osmani meets Foreign Minister of Somalia (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Lajcak, Petkovic discuss normalization agreement (N1, media)
• Szunyog, Elek discuss elections, dialogue (Tanjug)
• EULEX on breaking into church near Podujevo: Criminal complaint filed to prosecution (Kosovo Online)
• “White Peony” award goes to lawyer Filipovic, “Black Peony” award to PM Kurti (Kosovo Online, media)
• Vucic with ODIHR mission: I expect fair, democratic elections (FoNet)
• OSCE PA to deploy 75 election observers (N1)

International Media:

• Kosovo’s Marginalized Groups Still Discriminated Against in Workplace – Report (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media

Bislimi: Contract is step toward normalization of electricity supply in north (media)

Kosovo's Deputy Prime Minister and chief negotiator with Serbia, Besnik Bislimi, said on Monday that the signing of the contract between Elektrosever and KEDS is another step toward the normalization of supply with electricity and the issuing of bills for citizens in the four Serb-majority municipalities in the north of Kosovo. "Operations in the north too will happen within the legal and regulative framework of the Republic of Kosovo, as throughout the territory of our country," Bislimi wrote in a Facebook post. "More than one year after we agreed on the roadmap and after we met all obligations deriving from the agreement, Elektrosever agreed to sign the contract".

Lajcak meets Petkovic, discuss Association draft statute (media)

EU Special Representative for the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, Miroslav Lajcak, said on Monday that in a meeting with Serbia's chief negotiator in talks with Kosovo, Petar Petkovic, they discussed the draft statute of the Association of Serb-majority municipalities. "With Serbian Chief negotiator Petar Petkovic, I spoke about the  draft statute of the Association of Serb majority municipalities, next steps to implement the Agreement on the Path to Normalisation and pending obligations. Will continue discussions with Kosovo later this week," Lajcak said after the meeting.

Osmani meets Kearns, discuss security developments (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani met on Monday with the UK Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee head Alicia Kearns, in Doha. Osmani posted on X: "Timely discussions with a dear friend of Kosovo, Alicia Kearns. At the Doha Forum, we discussed security developments in the region, as well as ways to further strengthen the - cooperation. Thanked her for the continuous support for our country."

Kurti meets journalists from Ukraine and Afghanistan (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti met on Monday with journalists from Ukraine and Afghanistan in Kosovo. He wrote in a post on X after the meeting: "Pleased to meet with journalists from Ukraine & Afghanistan who have found a home in Kosovo with the help of our Government & the Hannah Arendt Initiative. As Arendt noted, democracy is in danger when the lines between fact and fiction are blurred, which is why their work of truth-telling is crucial."

Rohde thanks Kosovo for hosting Ukrainian and Afghan journalists (media)

German Ambassador to Kosovo, Jorn Rohde, thanked Kosovo and Prime Minister Albin Kurti on Monday for hosting journalists from Ukraine and Afghanistan. “Supporting global media freedom is one of our core values! Big thanks to Kosovo and Albin KURTI for providing housing for Ukrainian and Afghan journalists, implemented by AGK and ECPMF with financial support from Germany through the Hannah Arendt Initiative,” Rohde wrote in a post on X.

Kosovo joins European Youth Card Association (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said on Monday that Kosovo has joined the European Youth Card Association. "After the successful application by our Government's Ministry of Culture, today we proudly join the European Youth Card Association. Free for Kosovo citizens under 30, the card will offer them 60,000+ discounts across Europe. Discounts will also soon be available in Kosovo for both local & European youth," Kurti said in a post on X.

Krasniqi slams govt for allocation of budget to certain municipalities (media)

Leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Memli Krasniqi, said on Monday that the central government allocated over half of the budget for new capital investments for 2024 to four municipalities led by the ruling party, it did not allocate a single cent to municipalities led by the PDK. Citing a report by the Pristina-based GAP Institute, Krasniqi said that the municipalities of Gjilan, Shtime, Kamenica, and Podujevo, make up 11.6 percent of the population of Kosovo and that they were given 59.5 percent of the budget for new capital investments. “Whereas for the others, which make up 88.4 percent of the population, the government has allocated only 40.5 percent of this budget. This is the wildest institutional discrimination against citizens in Kosovo’s history,” he claimed.

COMKFOR Ulutas concludes visit to Albania (media)

Commander of KFOR, Ozkan Ulutas, concluded a one-day visit to Albania on Monday. "Wrapping up a good working visit in Albania. Important meetings & discussions held in Tirana on a range of issues related to our shared security. KFOR continues to play a key role in support of regional security by fulfilling its UN mandate - based on UN Security Council Resolution 1244 of 1999 - to provide a safe and secure environment for all communities living in Kosovo," KFOR said in a statement.

Szunyog meets SL leader, discuss early local elections and dialogue (media)

EU Ambassador to Kosovo, Tomas Szunyog, met on Monday with the leader of the Serbian List, Zlatan Elek, and said that they discussed "a range of topics, including early local elections and the Dialogue process."

Osmani meets Foreign Minister of Somalia (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani met with the Foreign Minister of Somalia, Abshir Omar Jama, at the Doha Forum. "We reaffirmed our excellent bilateral relations and mutual support, while we also discussed the potential for a more enhanced cooperation in different areas," Osmani said after the meeting.

Serbian Language Media 

Lajcak, Petkovic discuss normalization agreement (N1, Tanjug)

European Union special envoy for Belgrade-Pristina talks Miroslav Lajcak said Monday he discussed the implementation of the agreement to normalize Belgrade-Pristina relations with the head of the Serbian Government’s Office for Kosovo and Metohija Petar Petkovic in Brussels.

“With Serbian Chief negotiator Petar Petkovic, I spoke about the EU draft statute of the Association of Serb majority municipalities, next steps to implement the Agreement on the Path to Normalisation and pending obligations”, Lajcak said in a post on X.

He added that he will continue discussions with the Kosovo Government later this week.

Petkovic said in an earlier post on X that they discussed all agreements reached to date with focus on the forming of the Community of Serb Municipalities (CSM) and sorely needed de-escalation. "Our experts as a part of Belgrade's delegation participated in discussions about the establishment of a Community of Serb Municipalities and preparation of a draft statute of the Community of Serb Municipalities, as well as the issue of missing persons and other important topics. As always, we came to Brussels excellently prepared,” Petkovic said.

Szunyog, Elek discuss elections, dialogue (Tanjug)

The head of the EU Office in Pristina Tomas Szunyog spoke with newly-elected Serbian List leader Zlatan Elek on Monday to discuss the local elections and the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, Tanjug news agency reports.

"In a visit to Mitrovica North today, I had an introductory meeting with the newly-elected President of Srpska Lista, Dr Zlatan Elek. We discussed a range of topics, including early local elections and the Dialogue process. I wished him success in his new role", Szunyog wrote in a post on the social media network X.

EULEX on breaking into church near Podujevo: Criminal complaint filed to prosecution (Kosovo Online)

Criminal complaint for breaking into the Church of Saint Archangel Michael in the village of Rakitnica near Podujevo has been submitted to the prosecution, EULEX told Kosovo Online portal.

EULEX also said that they, in line with their mandate, monitor this case.

In a statement on December 6, Raska-Prizren Diocese said that criminal complaint they intended to file to Kosovo police was rejected on two occasions, “on December 1 and December 5, when the Diocese attempted again to file the criminal complaint through the lawyer to Kosovo police in presence of EULEX monitoring team”, the portal added.

Asked by the portal if it is possible that Kosovo police refuse to accept a criminal complaint EULEX responded that “from a legal point of view Kosovo police can not refuse any filed criminal complaint. However, it has been confirmed that a criminal complaint was filed to the prosecution”.

A group of people headed by the self-proclaimed priest from Albania Nikolla Xhufka intruded upon the Serbian Orthodox Church of Saint Archangel Michael on November 28.

On December 6, with the blessing of Raska-Prizren Diocese Bishop Teodosije a liturgy was served by Visoki Decani Monastery Abbot Sava and parish priest Stanisa Arsic in this temple..

“White Peony” award goes to lawyer Filipovic, “Black Peony” award to PM Kurti (Kosovo Online, media)

“White Peony” award for the best cooperation with the media was handed over on Monday to the lawyer Jovana Filipovic. “Black Peony” award for the worst cooperation with the Serbian media in Kosovo, as it was said, for the second year in a row was supposed to be handed over to Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, but also this time remained undelivered.

There were 14 candidates competing for the “White Peony”, and seven for the “Black Peony”.

Receiving the award Filipovic said that these days she marks five years of her career, and there has been no better moment than this to receive such recognition. "The least I can do is to go out after the trial and summarize the impressions together, to convey that voice that should be heard, as it was", she said and thanked the media for doing their job diligently.

The Association of Journalists of Serbia (UNS) and its branch in Kosovo established the “White and Black Peony” awards in 2014 aiming to showcase positive and negative examples of cooperation with the media and journalists by institutions, individuals and organizations in Kosovo.  

Vucic with ODIHR mission: I expect fair, democratic elections (FoNet)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said at the meeting with OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) representatives that Serbia is committed to the advancement of the electoral process, in keeping with aspirations towards overall democratization of society, FoNet news agency.

Vucic said in a post on The Future of Serbia Instagram account that he expects the coming elections to be fair and democratic and that “the voice of the people would show Serbia’s clear path.”

The Serbian President met Monday with ODIHR representatives tasked with observing the December 17 early parliamentary elections in Serbia.

OSCE PA to deploy 75 election observers (N1)

The OSCE said on Monday that some 75 observers from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly will be in Serbia to observe the December 17 parliamentary elections for the 12th time since 1997, N1 reports.

It said that OSCE PA Vice-President Reinhold Lopatka has been appointed Special Coordinator to lead the OSCE short-term observer mission and Farah Karimi was appointed Head of the OSCE PA delegation. “Observers will be thoroughly briefed by representatives of the election administration and civil society, candidates and experts on the situation ahead of elections, before fanning out to several regions around Serbia for election day observation”, the press release said.

According to the press release, the elections will be assessed against democratic commitments outlined in the OSCE’s 1990 Copenhagen Document. “Incorporating input of PACE, European Parliament and ODIHR observers, the preliminary findings and conclusions for the elections will be presented at a press conference in Belgrade on 18 December”, it said.

International Media

Kosovo’s Marginalized Groups Still Discriminated Against in Workplace – Report (Balkan Insight)

A report by BIRN partner organization Internews Kosova, monitoring institutions in five municipalities, says marginalized groups, such as special needs individuals and members of ethnic minorities, suffer serious discrimination in terms of access and employment.

Monitoring by Internews Kosova, a partner organization of BIRN, of around 20 public institutions in five Kosovo municipalities has concluded that certain groups, especially special needs individuals and members of the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian ethnic communities, are still widely discriminated against.

The report, conducted by BIRN journalist and Internew Kosova publication Kallxo.com’s Valon Fana and legal officer Flaka Fazlija, who gathered data from April to November 2023, concluded that legal obligations are not respected and often are not even known by the local institutions. As a result, marginalized groups continue to face discrimination.

Read more at: tiny.cc/cpthvz