• Advisor: Bislimi didn’t have “secret” meetings, let alone with Djuric (media)
• Kupina: The President welcomes any verification, not smearing campaigns (media)
• Rainfall causes flooding in several cities in Kosovo (media)
• Net FDI inflow to Kosovo rise 27.8% in Jan-Oct (SeeNews)
• CDHRF calls for mass protests against high energy tariffs (EO)
• Kosovo Police in the north wishes Orthodox believers a merry Christmas (Kossev)

Advisor: Bislimi didn’t have “secret” meetings, let alone with Djuric (media)

Klisman Kadiu, advisor to Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister and chief negotiator in the EU-facilitated talks with Serbia Besnik Bislimi, reacted to reports in some media today according to which Bislimi had secret meetings with Serbia’s Foreign Minister Marko Djuric in Switzerland. Kadiu wrote in a Facebook post: “the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia is broad and involves many facilitating actors. Alongside the EU, there are also partner and friendly countries which organize different initiatives for mediation between the parties. One of these countries is Switzerland which does this through its Department for Foreign Affairs, and every year organizes meetings with civil society, experts, politicians and government officials from both countries. We express our gratitude to Switzerland for its engagement and commitment. These meetings, however, are not ‘secret’. Principal Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi, who was also chief negotiator in the dialogue in this mandate, did not have ‘secret’ meetings and let alone with Marko Djuric. At one of these meetings in Switzerland, he was invited as a speaker but Djuric did not take part in that meeting. So, Deputy Prime Minister Bislimi did not have any meetings in Switzerland with Marko Djuric and has never met him”.

Kupina: The President welcomes any verification, not smearing campaigns (RTV21)

The Office of Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani reacted today to reports in some media according to which the Anti-Corruption Agency has initiated an asset verification procedure on Osmani, saying that they do not have such information. An advisor to Osmani, Bekim Kupina, said they welcome any verification. “President Osmani welcomes any verification by any institution, which is based on impartiality, integrity, law and facts, but not smearing campaigns which are obvious why they are happening,” Kupina told RTV21 today.

Telegrafi news website reports that the Anti-Corruption Agency has said that at this point they cannot comment on the matter, neither confirming nor denying that a verification procedure has been initiated.

Rainfall causes flooding in several cities in Kosovo (media)

Radio Free Europe reports that the Kosovo Hydrometeorological Institute (KHMI) said in a statement today that the rains of the last few days have caused floods in several cities, mainly in the western part of Kosovo. KHMI pointed out that constant rainfall over several days in places such as Gjakova, Junik, Decan, Malisheva, Rahovec and Klina have caused rivers and streams to emerge from their banks. “These rainfalls, with different intervals and intensity, are expected to continue in the coming days, leading to potential local floods, problems in traffic, sewerage systems, as well as difficulties in traffic,” the statement notes. The Regional Water Supply Company "Mitrovica" has announced that it has temporarily interrupted the water supply due to the "rise of the high level of turbulence in the Iber-Lepenc canal". "This measure is being taken to guarantee the safety and quality of drinking water, in accordance with the technical and health standards in force", it is stated in the announcement of RWC “Mitrovica”. Similarly, RWC "Prishtina" has also announced reductions in water supply for Fushe Kosova, Drenas, Obiliq and a part of the Calabria neighborhood in Pristina. In Pristina, the municipality has appealed for caution, adding that the cause of the floods can cause problems in road traffic, sewerage and landslides. On social networks, residents, municipal officials and local media of various cities have published photos and videos showing the floods.

Albanian Post reports that the Kosovo Energy Distribution Company (KEDS) has cut off electricity in the municipalities of Drenas, Malisheva and Rahovec due to security reasons and until the situation becomes more stable. Indeksonline reports that the situation in the municipality of Drenas has escalated with houses and properties getting flooded. The municipality said in a Facebook post that it has evacuated 20 families from their homes. Gazeta Express reports that the situation with floods is critical in several villages in the municipality of Gjakova.

Leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) Ramush Haradinaj said in a Facebook post that the situation created after the constant rainfall which has caused floods in several parts of Kosovo is extremely concerning. “People are being evacuated in several settlements. I have contacted the mayors of municipalities from the Alliance to get informed about the actions taken by local governments to overcome this difficult situation. It is a national urgency for the relevant institutions, both at the central and local level, to step up their efforts and actions to overcome this situation,” he said.

Net FDI inflow to Kosovo rise 27.8% in Jan-Oct (SeeNews)

Net inflow of foreign direct investment (FDI) to Kosovo amounted to 846.8 million euro ($991.6 million) in the ten months through October, up from 662.3 million euro in the same period of last year, the central bank said.

Investors based in Germany were the main contributors to FDI inflow to Kosovo in the ten months through October, with 221 million euro, followed by Switzerland-based investors with 186.4 million euro, and Albanian investors, with 85.3 million euro, the central bank said in a monthly data release on Monday.

Real estate was by far the leading sector for foreign investment, attracting a total of 647.2 million euro, followed by financial and insurance activities, with 96 million euro.

In October alone, FDI into Kosovo almost doubled compared to the same month in 2024.

CDHRF calls for mass protests against high energy tariffs (EO)

The Pristina-based Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms (CDHRF), in a statement today, slammed the high energy tariffs and called on people to organize mass protests and to block the offices of the Energy Regulatory Office, KESCO and private operators. “The CDHRF also calls on the government and opposition to protect the interests of the people and not the interests of the energy mafia. ERO and the government need to tell the people about the billing rate in the north of Kosovo and why energy prices there are lower than in the rest of Kosovo. If the people and their political representatives do not stand up for their interests then the spiral of increased energy prices will become bigger. Statements that energy prices will go higher, which is in major discordance with the majority of households and businesses, are a flagrant violation of human rights and they threaten the quality of life and could lead to businesses going bankrupt,” the statement notes.

Kosovo Police in the north wishes Orthodox believers a merry Christmas (Kossev)

Kosovo Police in the north, in a statement today, wished a merry Christmas to Orthodox believers. “We wish you good health, peace in your families, prosperity and all the best, wishing that you spend your holidays in happiness, joy and together,” Kosovo Police Deputy Director for the north, Veton Elshani said. “The Kosovo Police, during the holidays, will be present on the ground and undertake all necessary measures to ensure public order and quiet and safety in traffic. We are familiar with the holiday activities of the people and we call on everyone to act responsibly toward themselves and others”.