Albanian Language Media:

• Osmani and Kurti express their condolences for late President Jimmy Carter (media)

• Kurti: I proposed to write draft for Association, Serbia asked for “a little Dodik” (Koha)

• Osmani on KLA Veterans Day: Eternal glory to the nation's martyrs (media)

• Maqedonci: Our army is much stronger and more ready than in previous years (media)

• Special Prosecution: In 2024, 8 new cases were targeted, 9 indictments filed and around 30 million euros frozen (media)

• Hovenier leaves Kosovo (media)

• Citaku: Kosovo's independence is inevitably linked to Thaci, what have you done Albin (media)

• Kosovo Correctional Service receives donation from EULEX (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic: There may be elections, but there will never be transitional government (Tanjug, TV Pink)

• PKS: Kurti's refusal to respond to the summons of the prosecution disrespects the institutions (KiM radio)

• In North Mitrovica, Gervalla declares: “No force can stand in the way of Kosovo’s sovereignty” (KoSSev)

• Hasani: The Government of Kosovo does not declare Serbian List as a terrorist organisation because it is not (Danas, Kosovo Online)

• Indictment filed over Novi Sad Railway Station tragedy (N1)

Opinion:

• The light that triumphs (KoSSev)

Albanian Language Media 

Osmani and Kurti express their condolences for late President Jimmy Carter (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani and Prime Minister Albin Kurti have expressed their condolences for the passing away of the former President of the United States of America, Jimmy Carter.

President Osmani said that President Carter showed the world that leadership is above all dedication, compassion and unwavering faith in humanity. "He dedicated his life to peace, equality and the betterment of all. We keep his family in our thoughts as we join our American friends to honor his legacy," Osmani wrote in X.

Prime Minister Kurti also expressing condolences to the family and the American people on behalf of the government, said that President Carter leaves behind a great legacy of service to human rights and prosperity in the United States and beyond. "On behalf of the Government and the people of the Republic of Kosovo, I express my deepest condolences to the family of President Jimmy Carter and the American people on the day of his passing. A century after his humble beginnings in a working-class family in Plains, Georgia, President Carter leaves the world with a towering legacy of service to human rights and prosperity in the United States and beyond. May he rest in peace," Kurti wrote in X.

Kurti: I proposed to write draft for Association, Serbia asked for “a little Dodik” (Koha)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said in the KTV podcast that the internationals had rejected the proposal for him to write the draft for the establishment of the Association. “On March 18, 2023, in Ohrid, I offered to write a draft. I said that I cannot write a draft without agreeing on its spirit. The first pillar was the Constitutional Court’s ruling of 2013, the American position, and Mogherini’s letter... With these positions, I said that I will bring you the draft tomorrow. President Vucic threatened to leave the table. This created a challenge and they told me that I should not write the draft, but the management team,” Kurti said.

He stated that the management team envisaged the creation of a structure “that subordinates even the municipalities given by Ahtisaari”.

“The whole goal was a small Dodik who violates Nenad Rasic. That was the goal. I am not against Article 44 and freedom of association. I offered to write a draft, but they said no. Lajcak brought the draft, but I cannot send a non-paper to the Constitutional Court,” Kurti said.

Kurti added that he had also proposed signing a package agreement with Serbia, but he said that this was also rejected by President Vučić.

“It is true. I have always said that that agreement is inspired by the agreement between the two Germanys. Because there are whole paragraphs of ‘copy-paste’… It’s not a very good agreement, very excellent. It’s an ‘ok’ agreement. There was a lot of struggle there… But, there is also something missing, that’s right… Many things are missing there, there are 11 articles in total and 6 sentences in the preamble. It is very short, the problems with Serbia are much bigger. But, as an agreement on the path to normalization, we have considered that it is much more harmful to reject it, and much better to accept it and move forward”, said Kurti.

He said that the dialogue with Serbia has never been in his top 3 priorities, but he admitted that the north of Kosovo has often become the main priority. He said that when he came to power, the priority was dealing with the pandemic, as there were no vaccines or contracts for vaccines. He also said that the fight against crime and corruption and economic growth were also priorities.

Speaking about the attack on the Iber-Lepenc canal on November 29, Kurti said that he cannot imagine the evil nature of someone who would criminally place 20 kilograms of explosives and leave half of Kosovo without electricity and water. He noted that there was some luck in this disaster, as there could have been floods and there would have been no quick repairs as they were made. He said that with this attack, it has gone from "hybrid war to kinetic war".

He said that there is no doubt about who is behind the attack. "If Serbia didn't do it, Serbia and Russia did it together", he said. He mentioned three moments in the press conference of the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, which were indications that Serbia was behind the attack. “The first when he (Vucic) said that in 1985 there was a project to change the course of the Iber River, ‘and even Muslims and Bosniaks from Ribaric in Sandjak had asked me for this, but I said no.’ And what does this mean? The explosion is Plan B... Then he said Lake Ujman, which is supplied by the Iber, dies. The other one, he said that I don't know who the arrested people are, I only know one. He said that he is a wonderful person. The third, he said that it is true that the explosives belonged to Serbs, but these had been confiscated by the Kosovo Police in advance,” Kurti said. He added that it is crazy to think that Kosovo itself is behind the attack.

Osmani on KLA Veterans Day: Eternal glory to the nation's martyrs (media)

Kosovo President, Vjosa Osmani, has said that KLA Veterans Day is a reminder of glory and unfading heroism. “KLA Veterans Day is a reminder and glory to the unfading heroism. Today we honor and bow down with deep respect to the heroic deed of Kosovo Liberation Army veterans – the men and women who sacrificed everything for the freedom of the homeland,” Osmani wrote on Facebook.

“This battle was not simply an armed confrontation, but an act of courage that marked the beginning of a new era in the struggle for freedom and statehood. They were joined by thousands of men and women who stood up for their homeland in the most difficult times, thus becoming the emblem of our state. Eternal glory to the martyrs of the nation and eternal respect for every veteran of the KLA,” Osmani wrote.

Maqedonci: Our army is much stronger and more ready than in previous years (media)

Kosovo’s Minister of Defense, Ejup Maqedonci, at the end-of-year media conference held today, said that the focus during this year has been on developing combat capacities to protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Kosovo. He said that over 270 million euros have been invested in the purchase of weapons and military equipment, including Bayraktar drones and various fire support systems. “Our army is much stronger and more ready than in previous years,” he added.

Maqedonci emphasized that 1,971 new soldiers have been recruited during his mandate, and that another 300 are in the process of being recruited, bringing the total number of new soldiers to 2,271. “In addition to the increase in numbers, we have also supported the increase in the welfare of KSF members, by increasing the salary by 60%, from 422 euros to 726 euros, which will be applied from July 1, 2025,” he said.

He also mentioned at the conference the signing of the agreement for the opening of the ammunition factory. “This is an important development for strengthening our defense capacities and the security of the country,” he said.

Special Prosecution: In 2024, 8 new cases were targeted, 9 indictments filed and around 30 million euros frozen (media)

Kosovo’s Chief Prosecutor of the Special Prosecution, Blerim Isufaj, has announced that during 2024, eight new cases were targeted and nine indictments were filed. During a press conference, Isufaj stressed that the year we are leaving behind has been very important and with considerable achievements for the Special Prosecution. He also said: “A good job that has been done this year is also the targeted cases. We have targeted eight new cases in 2024, while nine indictments have been filed. Since the beginning of targeting, 97 cases of corruption and organized crime have been targeted so far,” he said.

Isufaj also showed some statistics on the amounts frozen, seized and confiscated. "Statistics show that extraordinary work has been done and is being done in relation to these cases, and within this framework, around 30 million and 336 thousand euros have been frozen, around 41 million have been seized, and around 5 million euros have been confiscated...", Isufaj said.

Isufaj was also asked about PM Kurti’s announcements, and in particular the latter's comments about the prosecution, where he called them "snails...and rabbits" on the issue of the investigation proceedings, which, according to him, were selected in favor of the previous governments. "Denigratory statements and public insults undermine the integrity of the justice system and also violate the public's trust in justice", said Isufaj. As for the accusations that the prosecution applies selective justice, Isufaj said that "no such argument stands" as he said that five indictments have been filed "for former ministers" while "none yet for current ministers".

"We are not interested in that kind of work at all", said Isufaj, not ruling out the filing of indictments for ministers in the current government. "I didn't even bother", said Isufaj.

Hovenier leaves Kosovo (media)

The outgoing U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo Jeffrey Hovenier announced through a post on the social network “X”, that he is leaving Kosovo. He said that Anu Prattipati has taken over the position of Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Kosovo.

Last Friday, he was also received by President Vjosa Osmani in a farewell meeting. Hovenier, who was part of the of Vienna Negotiations, said after concluding his three-year mandate that he is leaving as Kosovo’s better friend than he was when he arrived.

Citaku: Kosovo's independence is inevitably linked to Thaci, what have you done Albin (media)

PDK deputy leader Vlora Citaku has reacted to Prime Minister Albin Kurti's statements regarding former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci. Kurti on Sunday in the podcast “Rrjedha” broadcast on KTV said that the biggest scandal he understood when he took office was in his first mandate, when he received the letter from former Prime Minister Hashim Thaci sent in 2013 to former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, stating that the KSF would not go to northern Kosovo.

"Last night you chose to attack Hashim Thaci again. I feel sorry for you. History is not rewritten with words or hatred. The Kosovo Army has its genesis in the KLA, the KPC and the KSF. In all these phases of transformation, you have been a destructive or passive observer. Kosovo's independence is inevitably linked to Hashim Thaci, with all the successes and challenges that accompanied that process," Citaku wrote on Facebook.

“Why didn’t you write your history? Why didn’t you make Kosovo a member of the Council of Europe, NATO, or other international organizations that ensure progress and stability for the country? Today, Kosovo is in the dark, without electricity, isolated and excluded. The people did not elect you to divide the guilty or to feed hatred, but to provide solutions and to build the future. Free yourself from anger and hatred, Albin. This is good for you – and it will be good for Kosovo too”, Citaku wrote.

According to her, Kurti’s government has been without results. “You won a strong mandate that no one else has had in the history of Kosovo. A mandate that did not require you to compromise with coalition partners, nor to back down in the face of political pressures. But, despite this, your governance has been without results”, Citaku wrote.

Kosovo Correctional Service receives donation from EULEX (media)

The Kosovo Correctional Service (KCS) has received a donation from EULEX. The KCS said in a statement that this is the largest donation received so far from EULEX. “Today, the Kosovo Correctional Service has received another donation from EULEX. The donation, considered the largest to date for the KCS, includes modern equipment, including: a vehicle, a generator, 293 computers and laptops, as well as other technological equipment, such as scanners, printers, telephones, radios and office supplies,” the announcement says. At the official ceremony organized for this occasion, the Director General of the KCS, Ismail Dibrani, together with the Head of the EULEX Monitoring Pillar, Giovanni Galzignato, and the Head of the EULEX Correctional Unit, Anu Melkko, signed the agreement for the acceptance and delivery of this donation. 

Serbian Language Media 

Vucic: There may be elections, but there will never be transitional government (Tanjug, TV Pink)

President Aleksandar Vucic said last night that there may be elections in Serbia, but that he will never allow a transitional government, reported Tanjug agency.

"There may be elections, but there will never be a transitional government," said Vučić as a guest on the Hit Tweet show on Pink. He pointed out that the people do not want the opposition and that he will not allow them to gain power on the street.

"If you win the elections honestly, here you go, congratulations, welcome, this is your achievement, these are your documents, look at them, do everything necessary. And that you get power on the street because you think that power belongs to you, for you to rob, kidnap, collapse and destroy this country, you won't get it. I guarantee you, you won't get it," said Vucic. 

He said that after everything ''the current government has achieved in 12 years'', he will not hand over power, as he said, to ''the worst in Serbia''.

The President of Serbia stated that there will not be a complete suspension of work in schools, stating that educators can go on a general strike, but he assessed that they will not decide to do so, because, as he said, "they like to make blockades and their salaries to come as a whole".

"There won't be a complete suspension, I'm telling you - they won't, even if every director in Serbia is replaced, even if we replace all of them or distribute dismissals, because it's illegal," Vucic told TV Pink.

He stated that the educators do not go on a general strike, as well as those at the faculties, because this is the best for them, as he said, they do nothing but go on television and spit on the government, and they get paid in full.

The president said he had ''a wonderful conversation with the representatives of the four representative trade unions'', but that he realized that he was mistaken.

"I asked them 'let us not waste time, let's talk, are you the people who make decisions', to which they said yes. I accepted all their requests, I even added something, it was only pro-forma - let me know tomorrow, we will sign on Thursday and everything is fine. And then those who were all 'for' and were happy, informed us that they either abstained or voted against," Vucic said. 

Vucic said that in all spheres of social life, ''Serbia today is the strongest in its history'', and he told the students to return to their studies.

"Go back to studying. You have shown that you can change things. You have shown a lot of good, good energy. Do it, don't be exploited by the worst in this country," Vucic said in a guest appearance on TV Pink.

He said that among the foreign citizens who were observed during the student protests was ''a Ukrainian citizen who was arrested in 2022 for a criminal offense against the security of the Republic of Serbia'' and was then released after, as he said, under never greater pressure from foreign embassies. He said that ''the Ukrainian was detained in Belgrade in 2022 because he and two other Ukrainian citizens used drones to photograph the most important buildings of the defense infrastructure of the Republic of Serbia''.

On the occasion of the tragedy in Novi Sad, he said that it is important that the responsibility be investigated to the end and that those responsible be punished, and at the same time he assessed that something is wrong with people who abuse the tragedy for political purposes and that "pressure groups got nervous".

As he added, their mouths are full of institutions, and they will not listen to the prosecution and the institutions, because they are not interested in the institutions, but want, as he said, "Bolshevism and neo-Bolshevism".

Vucic said that those who organize protests on behalf of the victims of the tragedy in Novi Sad are doing so even though ''those families say they are against protests'', which shows, as he said, that from the beginning they were only interested in overthrowing the government.

"If you go out on the street for days and talk about doing it for some people, and those people say, don't do it for us, and you didn't do it for us. It was clear to me from the beginning that they were not doing it for them. They didn't even think to formally send their condolences. Not to go twenty or twenty-five kilometers from Novi Sad to visit the family, to go to the cemetery, no," Vucic told TV Pink.

He said that ''those organizing the protests did not even think to dictate an announcement or a statement or write condolences or anything. 

Commenting on the support for student protests in Serbia from the region, Vucic said that the interest of Croatia, as well as Milo Djukanovic and Albin Kurti and many in Sarajevo, is the fall of the government in Serbia.

He said that from Mila Pajic, Dinko Gruhonjic and Goran Jesic, we can soon expect a platform from Vojvodina that they will promote, and which will be strongly anti-Serbian.

"We know that some of these leaders are extremely angry and anti-Serb oriented," Vucic said. 

''Regarding the presence of the Croatian secret service in Serbia and at the protests'', Vucic stated that ''he was sorry that some politicians in Serbia spent the whole day devising a response to the good action of the Serbian services, which was not repressive for a single second, which only saw everything off and showed what is really happening''.

He also said that these days he had contacts with important people from the future American administration and that after that he can say that he believes in Donald Trump and that he will change a lot of things.

According to Vucic, on January 21, Trump will sign 200 decrees and edicts that will literally, as he said, change half the world.

"As I heard, and yesterday and today I had contacts with important people from the future American administration, what we will see after January 20 will be unprecedented in the world. You know, I am a skeptical person by nature. But what they told me, gave me hope. As a freedom-oriented person, I have never seen more resolute and determined people when they talk about it. They have already prepared these decisions to the greatest extent, and I literally believe that Trump will sign two hundred decrees, two hundred edicts that will literally change half the world," Vucic said. 

This means, he added, that there is no more wasting money and violating those who do not fit the deep state.

PKS: Kurti's refusal to respond to the summons of the prosecution disrespects the institutions (KiM radio)

"Albin Kurti's refusal to respond to the prosecution's summons is proof of arrogance and disrespect for the institutions of the Prime Minister of Kosovo," the Party of Kosovo Serbs stated.

The Prosecutor's Office has already twice invited the PM of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, to appear as a witness in the corruption case, however, his cabinet stated that he can make the statement from his cabinet.

Kurti said that he did not want to respond, because, as he pointed out, the goal was to make world news out of the prime minister being interviewed for a corruption case.

The Party of Kosovo Serbs says that "while Serbs are arrested on fabricated charges, corruption in Kosovo is not invented and it exists, and Kurti and his followers masked it under the banner of nationalism."

The PKS says that "from now on, no Serb can and must not respond to calls from the Kosovo Prosecutor's Office, no one is allowed to go to the Prosecutor's Office for an interview, the prosecutors are obliged to come to us if we want to receive them at all." Or is that privilege in "Europe's most democratic autocracy" reserved only for Kurti and his croupiers?", asked the PKS.

The PKS states that "Kosovo was created on corruption", and Kurti is accused of being "the leader of that clan", and that the prosecution only respects when, as they point out, Serbs are arrested. They say that the law either applies to everyone or it is not a law.

In North Mitrovica, Gervalla declares: “No force can stand in the way of Kosovo’s sovereignty” (KoSSev)

Northern Mitrovica remains a focal point for Kosovo’s political leadership and citizens alike, particularly during the festive season. On a recent visit, Kosovo’s Foreign Minister Donika Gervalla-Schwarz emphasized the integral connection between “North Mitrovica and the Republic of Kosovo”. “Northern Kosovo and Mitrovica are inseparable parts of our Republic. No force can stop the extension of Kosovo’s sovereignty across every inch of its territory,” Gervalla-Schwarz declared following a walk through the city.

A political hub amid festivities

North Mitrovica has become a popular destination, drawing officials from Pristina, citizens from the south, and members of the Kosovo Albanian diaspora returning for the New Year celebrations.

The city’s central promenade is frequently bustling with visitors from southern Kosovo, their movements closely monitored by a visible security presence of Kosovo police officers, both in civilian clothing and heavily armed.

This weekend was no exception.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/nhzk33ke

Hasani: The Government of Kosovo does not declare Serbian List as a terrorist organisation because it is not (Danas, Kosovo Online)

The former President of the Constitutional Court, Enver Hasani, assessed last night that the Government in Pristina does not declare the Serbian List terrorist organisation because they know it is not so, reported Danas.

"They know that this is not the case, and that is why the Government does not make that decision (on declaring SL a terrorist organization), because that decision would later be subject to legal and constitutional control. Those who know that it is not so, act in the political field," said Hasani, speaking about the non-certification of the SL for the parliamentary elections in Kosovo on February 9. 

He told RTV Dukagjini that there was no legal basis for the CEC's decision not to certify the SL, which was also shown by the decision of the Election Panel for Appeals and Petitions, which ordered the CEC to certify SL.

He stated that the politicization of the issue was obvious, but the Supreme Court will act in accordance with the law.

Indictment filed over Novi Sad Railway Station tragedy (N1)

Prosecutors in Novi Sad indicted 13 people over the November 1 collapse of a concrete awning at the entrance to the city’s main railway station which claimed 15 lives.

The Novi Sad Higher Public Prosecution filed the indictment against former Transport, Infrastructure and Construction Minister Goran Vesic, former CEO of the Serbian Railways Infrastructure company Jelena Tanaskovic and 11 others. A statement said they are being charged with crimes against public safety and causing public endangerment.

The indictment includes experts involved in and the overseeing of the reconstruction of the railway station, charging them for irregularities in the construction work.

It said the indictment was filed following an investigation and submitted to the Higher Court in Novi Sad.

The prosecution wants Vesic returned to custody immediately and called for pre-trial detention for all the other defendants.

According to the prosecution, the court should award compensation and ban all the defendants from working.

The Higher Public Prosecution said it expects the Higher Court to confirm the indictment quickly to ensure immediate and efficient proceedings.

Opinion

The light that triumphs (KoSSev)

By Ilir Deda

Dear Saša,

I also enjoyed reading your letter, filled with hope, optimism, and faith that good is truly possible! The inspiration from the light at Slavija is contagious! For far too long, we’ve feared that good is possible, and then, when it arises as a possibility, we fear that a positive outcome is possible.

Perhaps skepticism stems from living for too long in withdrawal due to shattered dreams, with a distorted image of ourselves as insignificant because we are surrounded by a sea of hatred. It seems to me that too many years have been lost—years of failed endeavors, staring into the abyss of collapsed institutions, staring at the “powerful” at their helm, and watching helplessly as rivers of people leave to seek peace and life elsewhere—anywhere but here, as far away as possible from our nightmare.

The courage of Serbia’s students, their authenticity, bravery, collective wisdom, and moral superiority deserve the deepest respect. They carry within themselves global values of a healthy, solidary, and functional society.

We see a future that has come and touched us, persistently telling us what kind of society it wants to live in and reminding us of the strength that youth carries—a strength that seeks to close the chapter of “endless abnormality.”

Belgrade, this time, is more than the world, because it teaches a lesson to the world. It teaches a lesson to Western diplomacy, which seeks predictability, and to the order of the East, which seeks to abolish all freedoms. It illuminates the youth who have risen to say—dignified and silently—wake up from the nightmare.

The “Generation Z” of Serbia is also teaching a lesson to their peers in our region. I hope they will learn it.

Read more at:https://tinyurl.com/ybyseh6d