Albanian Language Media:

• Lajcak meets opposition leaders and other interlocutors in Pristina (media)
• Report criticizes Kosovo and Serbia for non-implementation of agreements (RFE)
• Krasniqi: Threats related to tense situation in the north (Kosovapress)
• Protest of Special Intervention Unit suspended, Kurti promises solution (Telegrafi)
• “We miss going to work”: Stories of Serbs that left Kosovo institutions (RFE)
• Osmani travels to Singapore, to meet senior state representatives (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• EC report on Serbia: Bad grades in key chapters (KiM radio, FoNet, RFE, N1)
• Meeting of Lajcak with Serbian List planned for next visit (Kosovo Online)
• Jeremic: EU offers continuation of membership illusion for real recognition of Kosovo (Radio KIM, BETA)
• Vucic receives Azerbaijani Foreign Minister (Tanjug)
• Gracanica Inspection: Construction near church in Laplje Selo started during time of previous mayors (KiM radio)
• Illegal construction next to church and cemetery in Laplje Selo? The priest reported several times (KiM radio, Kontakt plus radio)
• NIPHK: Continued increased presence of manganese in Lake Gracanica (KiM Radio)
• Jevtic meets KFOR commander Vacca, discuss security situation in Strpce (Kosovo Online)
• Journalists from Belgrade, Novi Sad, and Pristina visit KoSSev offices: Same problems, limited cooperation (KoSSev)
• Searches at three locations in Zubin Potok (Radio kontakt plus, Radio KIM)

International:

• Russia’s Second Front in Europe (Foreign Affairs)
• Politics, Smuggling, and Kosovo Relations, a Talk with Former Montenegrin PM Dritan Abazovic (Prishtina Insight)
• Serbia’s election campaigns all highlight Kosovo and inflation (Euractive)
• Palestinian, Israeli Diplomats in Balkans Differ Sharply on Gaza Conflict (Balkan Insight)

   

Albanian Language Media  

 

Lajcak meets opposition leaders and other interlocutors in Pristina (media)

EU Special Representative for the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, Miroslav Lajcak, met today with leaders of the three main opposition parties in Kosovo. After the meeting, and also meetings with the U.S. Ambassador Jeffrey Hovenier, EU officials in Kosovo, and KFOR representatives, Lajcak wrote in a post on X: “Had a very productive day in Kosovo today with good exchanges on latest developments in the EU-facilitated Dialogue and the way ahead. Grateful to all my interlocutors for their active role and support.”

Leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Memli Krasniqi, after meeting Lajcak, said that the latter informed them that the draft of the Association of Serb-majority municipalities is in line with the Constitution of Kosovo. “We had an informative meeting with envoy Lajcak about the course of the process of dialogue. The envoy expressed the position of EU member states that the draft of the Association which was proposed to the government is in line with the Constitution and does not go beyond the red lines,” Krasniqi told reporters after the meeting. 

Krasniqi said they did not have a chance to see and consult the integral text of the draft of the Association. “Our meetings will continue, but our concerns remain because we are not informed about the details and as the saying goes ‘the devil hides in the details’. We need to see details of the text to be sure that the formation of the Association will not lead to negative changes to the unitary character of our state,” he argued.

“I expressed the position of the PDK that we believe there should be greater determination to move forward in the process, but above all to have more transparency, because we are talking about one of the most controversial parts that has preoccupied the political landscape in Kosovo for years, namely the draft of the Association”.

Krasniqi also said he asked Lajcak that the EU sanctions on Kosovo be lifted as soon as possible “because we don’t believe this is the right approach especially after the September 24 attack which clearly showed the involvement of the Serbian state”.

Deputy leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Lutfi Haziri, said after the meeting with Lajcak that the latter did not show them the draft of the Association, and that the opposition and people of Kosovo remain in information darkness. “I believe his engagement should be appreciated, and also the fact that he found time to discuss with the LDK and other opposition parties, although we are still kept in one way or another in darkness because the document is not being revealed. At least in terms of principles and engagements, the Prime Minister of the Republic, as the chief negotiator, must tell the MPs and the people of Kosovo about this,” he said.

Haziri also argued that the government failed to capitalize the situation after the September 24 attack. “I confirmed the engagement of the LDK that there is no other option to dialogue. Dialogue is the only way to solve all problems with Serbia, and that the situation has changed after September 24. But the government unfortunately failed to capitalize this,” he added.

Under the headline “Haradinaj says he read the draft statute which PDK and LDK ‘did not see’”, Koha reports that Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) leader Ramush Haradinaj said they had the chance to read the document of the draft statute of the Association of Serb-majority municipalities in its entirety. “We read the draft in its entirety. The draft explains all the opportunities that the Association gives to the citizens in these municipalities. It always refers to the laws and the Constitution. Our comments on whether we agree with the draft will be made after it is reviewed by the Constitutional Court,” he told reporters after meeting Lajcak. Haradinaj also said that they discussed the steps that await Kosovo and what it can expect after the implementation of the French-German plan.

Klan Kosova quotes Haradinaj as saying, “I believe we should say it openly in the implementation after the review by the Constitutional Court, that Kosovo is making a big step forward, it is a major compromise by Kosovo that derives from an obligation assumed years ago and Kosovo will rightfully ask for a faster procedure to membership in NATO Partnership for Peace program, the Council of Europe, the lifting of sanctions, these are important elements that can guarantee that there will be no concerns in Kosovo”.

Report criticizes Kosovo and Serbia for non-implementation of agreements (RFE)

The European Commission in its progress reports for Kosovo and Serbia, criticizes both for failing to implement the agreements reached in the EU-facilitated dialogue in Brussels. The reports are expected to be published on Wednesday. The news website claims to have seen a draft of the 150-page report which evaluates the implementation or non-implementation of criteria by Kosovo, as well as the recommendations that the Commission made in previous reports.

Kosovo has made “limited progress” in the implementation of standards that are needed to join the European Union. This is the most frequent assessment in the report that the EC is expected to adopt on November 8 after the meeting of the College of Commissioners.

In individual reports for Kosovo and Serbia, the normalization of relations has been evaluated with the same text. Recalling the agreement reached in Brussels in February and the implementation Annex agreed a month later in Ohrid, the reports note that regrettably the parties have not yet started implementing their obligations. The basic agreement and its annex call on the parties to develop good neighborly relations, to recognize relevant documents and national symbols. For Kosovo, the agreement implies a de facto recognition from Serbia, while for the latter the implementation annex foresees that Kosovo will establish the Association of Serb-majority municipalities. “Both Kosovo and Serbia have yet to start implementing their respective obligations deriving from the Agreement, which are valid and binding for both parties, and part of their European paths. The parties must urgently start more constructive engagement and commence the implementation without more delays or preconditions,” the report notes.

Krasniqi: Threats related to tense situation in the north (Kosovapress)

Leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Memli Krasniqi, told reporters today that he never felt threatened but that it was the assessment and decision of law enforcement authorities to provide him with close protection. He said that the threats are related to the tense situation in the north of Kosovo. “I never felt threatened even when information was leaked or when reports about death threats were published, as you know, several months ago. But it was the assessment of security mechanisms, in this case the Kosovo Police, and I believe also other related mechanisms, to offer us close protection. I believe they should tell the reasons for this, but they are related to developments and the tense situation after the attacks in the north of the country,” he said.

Protest of Special Intervention Unit suspended, Kurti promises solution (Telegrafi)

Kosovo Police said in a statement today that the Special Intervention Unit, the Unit for Explosive Ordnance Disposal, and several other units of police, have suspended the protest they announced for today. The protest, which was scheduled to be held in front of the Kosovo government building, was suspended after Prime Minister Albin Kurti promised he would host the representatives of these units in an official meeting next week “to discuss their requests, namely to find a solution”.  

“We miss going to work”: Stories of Serbs that left Kosovo institutions (RFE)

“We have become useless in society, eager to go to work, to socialize, to feel that we’re doing something useful”. This is how, a year later, a former employee of the judicial system in the north of Kosovo, comments for Radio Free Europe the decision for the resignations of Serbs from Kosovo’s institutions.

Three days after the decision for the collective withdrawal from Kosovo institutions, in November 2022, she had told RFE that she did not resign voluntarily, but that she was forced to do so after 20 years of service. She agreed to talk only on the condition of anonymity and circumstances still have not changed. 

She still claims that the decision to leave Kosovo’s institutions was “completely wrong”. “Absolutely nothing has changed,” she says, adding that there is still no plan for the employees that resigned in November 2022.

The collective resignation from Kosovo’s institutions in the four municipalities in the north – Mitrovica North, Leposavic, Zvecan and Zubin Potok – was initiated by the Serbian List, the biggest party of Kosovo Serbs supported by Belgrade. The reason was “the violation of Serbs’ rights' ' by Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti. The party had asked to annul the decision of Kosovo authorities for the reregistration of vehicles with symbols issued by Serbian authorities for Kosovo citizens and to form the Association of Serb-majority municipalities. In addition to employees in the judiciary, hundreds of police officers and administration employees resigned too. Most of them had been integrated in the Kosovo system after the signing of the first agreement in Brussels for the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia in 2013.

RFE talked with some of the employees, who were mainly dissatisfied with the decision to leave Kosovo’s institutions. Moreover, all of them insist that their identities should not be published, fearing targeting within the community.

A former employee of the judicial system in the north of Kosovo says she is not happy with her life because she has not gone to work for a year. She says the whole situation has “affected her mental state” and that in this regard she has become “intellectually buried”. “I am trying to pick myself up and to work privately, so that I can slowly but surely reach the point from which I dropped and I don’t know when this is going to happen,” she says.

A former member of the Kosovo Police expressed a similar position. “I was never happy when I did not work. I am used to earning, contributing to society, to be part of the community, to be useful in society,” she says. She also adds that she feels “completely useless” although she doesn’t have financial problems.

Belgrade supported the withdrawal of Serbs from Kosovo’s institutions. The employees that resigned were given contracts based on which they are paid. Persons interviewed by RFE confirm that they get these funds from the budget of the Serbian Government, but that these are “temporary contracts” and that they don’t know what will happen in the future.

A former employee of the judicial system says she believes getting a salary from Serbia “to stay at home” is not a sustainable solution. “The time will come when they will stop paying people who stay at home and who do absolutely nothing. We are on working contracts and they can be terminated at any point,” she says. She also says that she is afraid for her “financial status because no one can guarantee our return to Kosovo’s institutions”.

Another employee of the judicial system says the issue of their return to Kosovo institutions is “almost impossible”. 

Osmani travels to Singapore, to meet senior state representatives (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani traveled to Singapore on Monday where she will hold meetings with senior state representatives. On the first day of her visit, Osmani wrote in a Facebook post: “The joint meeting between businesses from Kosovo and Singapore is a promising step to further cooperation between our countries. This was an engagement we took upon jointly with Singapore in June 2022 and we implemented it this week, together with successful Kosovar companies and companies from Singapore”.

     

Serbian Language Media

 

EC report on Serbia: Bad grades in key chapters (KiM radio, FoNet, RFE, N1)

In the annual report of the European Commission (EC), Serbia received bad grades in key chapters 23 and 24 on the rule of law, while it is pointed out the importance of normalizing relations with Kosovo, as well as that Belgrade did not introduce sanctions against Russia, reported KiM radio, citing Radio Free Europe. 

In the report, which RFE had access to, it is stated that Serbia needs to make more efforts and make compromises in order for the process of normalization of relations with Kosovo to move forward, but also that it is necessary to fulfill its obligations within the dialogue and to commit full implementation of all previous agreements.

"Serbia and Kosovo are expected to engage more constructively in order to enable the start of negotiations on a comprehensive legally binding agreement on normalization and show flexibility in order to make quick and concrete progress. The normalization of relations is an essential condition on the European path of both sides and both risk losing important opportunities in the absence of progress," says the annual report for Serbia.

The document confirms that relations with Kosovo were affected by several crises of "different intensity" on numerous issues, with a violent attack on the Kosovo Police on September 24, 2023, in the village of Banjska near Zvecan. This event in the north of Kosovo was assessed in the document as "the most severe escalation in the last few years".

The European Union's expectation is underlined that the perpetrators be arrested and quickly brought to justice, and that Serbia fully cooperates and takes all necessary steps in this regard.

"The attack (in Banjska) should not serve as an excuse for any side to divert attention from the Dialogue led by the EU. Kosovo and Serbia must continue their ongoing efforts for de-escalation, as well as ensure that new elections are held in the north of Kosovo as soon as possible, with the active participation of Kosovo Serbs," the document says.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/2czc9ftp

Meeting of Lajcak with Serbian List planned for next visit (Kosovo Online)

The EU special envoy for Belgrade-Pristina talks Miroslav Lajcak will not meet Serbian List representatives during this visit because of lack of time, Lajcak’s cabinet told Kosovo Online portal.

It was also said that Lajcak plans to meet Serbian List representatives during the next visit that would be longer.

“Having in mind the duration of the visit and lack of time, the meeting with Serbian List representatives this time unfortunately was not possible and that is why there was no request from our side for the meeting. The EU special envoy plans to meet Serbian List representatives during the next visit that would be longer”, reads the replay sent to the portal.

Jeremic: EU offers continuation of membership illusion for real recognition of Kosovo (Radio KIM, BETA)

President of Serbian opposition Peoples’ Party (NS) Vuk Jeremic said the EU offer requesting Serbia to recognize Kosovo as independent and to obtain in return temporary continuation of the illusion that it would become an EU member should be rejected, BETA news agency reports.

“Serbia would not be admitted to the EU even if it recognizes Kosovo and that is why it has to reject Franco-German plan for independence of Kosovo and Metohija and redefines its relations with the EU by striving to the membership in European Economic Area (EEP) that is achievable and does not require recognition of Kosovo”, Jeremic said.

He also said no other Western Balkans state would become an EU member, but EEP member, which envisages internal reforms very similar to the one implemented in the EU accession process.

“EEP is everything that is the EU, apart from common foreign and security policy, which Serbia can not have with the EU because of unacceptable conditions that it recognizes Kosovo and imposes sanctions on Russia. It is also linked with Kosovo and Metohija, because one can not be at the same time against Kosovo independence and for sanctions on Russia, because of their right to veto at UN SC”, Jeremic said.

He also said the Peoples' Party chose to run at upcoming elections independently under the slogan “Safe Choice – Serious People” and it put forward rejection of Franco-German proposal, return of Serbia’s economic sovereignty and ban on lithium excavation. He also said subsidies offered to foreign companies that go up to 144.000 for a working place should instead be used to support agriculture in Serbia and for small and medium size enterprises. 

Vucic receives Azerbaijani Foreign Minister (Tanjug)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Tuesday received Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, expressing special gratitude to Azerbaijan for its unequivocal position on Serbia's territorial integrity and sovereignty, Tanjug news agency reported.

Vucic and Bayramov were pleased to note that bilateral relations were on a very high level and based on traditionally friendly ties, mutual trust and commitment to respect of the fundamental principles of international law, the presidential press office said in a statement.

Conveying to Vucic the regards of Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev, Bayramov expressed respect for Serbia's independent foreign policy as well as for its excellent economic results. They also discussed bilateral economic cooperation and said launching scheduled flights between Belgrade and Baku would definitely contribute to it. A Council on Serbia-Azerbaijan Strategic Partnership would also meet on the occasion to provide new opportunities for achieving key common interests of the two countries, the statement said.

Gracanica Inspection: Construction near church in Laplje Selo started during time of previous mayors (KiM radio)

The construction of the building, which is in the immediate vicinity of the Orthodox church in Laplje Selo, was started during the mandate of the previous mayors, and the inspection stopped the works then and took legal measures. The construction work has not been conducted for years, however, this year the investor continued the construction of the building, Aleksandar Kapetanovic, director of the Gracanica Department of Inspection, stated in a written reply to KiM radio today.

According to Kapetanovic, the investor started the construction of the wall (fence), in agreement with priest Bojan Krstic, reported KiM radio. 

"The inspector, during a regular inspection of the building (not on the basis of a priest's report), noticed the continuation of work on the building and immediately took measures by installing tape, which can be seen in the photo we are attaching to you. The investor was handed a decision to stop all works, as well as a decision to demolish, in addition, a complaint was filed with the prosecutor's office," he added.

Kapetanovic also announced that "the investor took off the tape on personal responsibility and thus committed a criminal act".

"After that, he poured the bearing plate on the building. There are no walls on the building, which is visible in the photos you published in yesterday's report, although the priest claims that the walls were erected during the weekend," he wrote.

The director of the Inspection Department in the Municipality of Gracanica added that the case was managed "by the construction inspector, without the director's approval, because the Inspection Department did not have a director during that period."

Kapetanovic also announced that he was surprised by the "insinuations or accusations" of priest Bojan Krstic, "whom he respects and appreciates very much" that someone "took money".

"I have no information, and I have only been in the position of director of the Inspection Department for ten days. I would ask Mr. Krstic, if he has information about the criminal offense of bribery, to share it so that we can file a complaint against that person together," stated Kapetanovic and added that "accusations of this kind require evidence", adding that "every false accusation also needs to be prosecuted".

Illegal construction next to church and cemetery in Laplje Selo? The priest reported several times (KiM radio, Kontakt plus radio)

KiM radio reported yesterday that In Laplje Selo, next to the Church of Saint Petka and the Orthodox cemetery, the construction of an object of unknown purpose has begun. Priest Bojan Krstic told Kim Radio that the builder does not have a permit to carry out the work, but that despite his complaints to the municipality and the police, the owner continued construction, and the walls were erected over the weekend.

Father Bojan asks the question "who allowed the building, and is it about money"? He said that he appealed to the Municipality of Gracanica and their Inspection Department, as well as to the police, but that it "didn't bear fruit".

"I trusted our (people) from the municipality that they would prevent the construction, but it's obvious that some inspector may have taken the money, and not only did they not prevent it, stopped the construction and put a tape, but the floor was raised, and the foundation was set to raise another one", he said.

The priest wonders how the builder got permission and from whom.

"About 15 days ago, I was with the mayor, she told me 'we'll see, we'll go out on the field.' I don't have confirmatory information about who took the money and how much, but this is a shame," he added.

He is disappointed, he said, because he fought for years to prevent construction.

"I appealed a million times, called the inspection, they never stopped the construction, they told me some nice stories, I'm not a little child. They put us in such a situation that one of our people from Gracanica gave permission. Everything is done through our people, they are in charge," he added. Father Bojan appealed to the authorities to react and stop the construction.

"I didn't give up on everything, I'm still going to sue them. No one came to help me, I want it to have some weight, a bigger resonance and to get people moving. If there is any way to stop it," said parish priest Bojan Krstic.

The plot on which the building of unknown purpose is being built is privately owned by an Albanian. However, a building permit must be issued by the Municipality of Gracanica. The editorial staff of KiM Radio addressed the question to the Municipality of Gracanica, but by the time this news was published, that is, by the end of the working hours of this institution, the answer had not arrived.

In recent weeks, Momčilo Trajkovic from the Serbian National Forum, but also Branimir Stojanovic and Milija Bisevac from the newly formed Serbian People's Movement, mostly pointed to illegal construction. They warned of illegal construction in Caglavica and other areas in the municipality of Gracanica, however, the authorities in this local self-government did not respond to their demands by preventing construction, but only with accusations and insults against those who have a different political opinion.

NIPHK: Continued increased presence of manganese in Lake Gracanica (KiM radio)

The National Institute for Public Health of Kosovo announced that it continuously monitors the quality of water in Gracanica Lake, and that the level of manganese reference values in the water and in the distribution network is still present to a large extent, reported KiM radio.

The Institute urges citizens not to use water for drinking or preparing food.

"The latest laboratory analyzes still show higher values than the maximum allowed level of manganese in the water of the lake and in the distribution network, according to the standards established by Administrative Instruction no. 10/2021 - Water quality for human use," they said.

On the other hand, they emphasize that the teams are on the ground and that daily physical and chemical analysis of the water are still being conducted.

Areas affected by water supply from the Gracanica lake are among others: Gracanica, the villages of Gracanica, that are supplied with water from the lake, the villages it supplies in the region of Lipljan, the whole Ajvalija, the settlement of Veternik as well as all other settlements that gravitate from Gracanica to Pristina.

The Institute stated that it would continue to monitor water quality and inform citizens about the normalization.

Jevtic meets KFOR commander Vacca, discuss security situation in Strpce (Kosovo Online)

Strpce mayor Dalibor Jevtic met today with the KFOR West Regional Command commander Gabriele Vacca and discussed with him the security situation in this municipality, Kosovo Online portal reports.

Jevtic said that during the meeting the emphasis was also placed on political developments impacting the functioning of this local self-government.

“I once again reiterated as a fact some issues from this year and what happened on January 6, when Stefan and Milose were shot at (by KSF member) and decisions of certain institutions to release the person who shot them, as a bad example of what should have been built here, and that is security and safety for all citizens”, Jevtic said.

“The fact is that this event and everything else happening in a negative context, in relation to the security in Kosovo and the situation we are in, is result of the policy of the current regime in Pristina and refusal to find a solution that would enable different situation on the ground”, Jevtic added. 

Journalists from Belgrade, Novi Sad, and Pristina visit KoSSev offices: Same problems, limited cooperation (KoSSev)

Cases of cooperation between Serbian and Albanian journalists are few and far between, despite numerous opportunities. The recent crisis in the north of Kosovo was one such occasion. Dozens, perhaps even over a hundred media crews from Kosovo, Belgrade, the region and from all over the world, in addition to local news teams, reported on protests, conflicts, dialogue – each from their own point of view.

Over the weekend, KoSSev organized a debate on conflicting narratives in the media, an event that gathered journalists from different sides. Journalists from BIRN Serbia, the Independent Journalists’ Association of Vojvodina, Internews Kosovo from Pristina, along with several local journalists, attended the debate.

In fact, it was a three-part media event, which included the presentation of joint research by two media outlets from Pristina and Belgrade, followed by a two-day visit to KoSSev’s offices.

A group comprised of six journalists, some of whom were visiting the north for the first time, as well as young journalists from Pristina, whose first work assignment in the north was to cover the protest, that is, the conflict between the Serbs and KFOR at the end of May, visited our newsroom.

Antigone Isufi, a journalist from Pristina, revealed that during the unrest in the north of Kosovo, she reported from the field and was present in all municipalities.

She emphasizes that she faced difficulties while reporting, noting that she believes that would not be the case if she had had more contact with Serbs from the north or Serbs living in Serbia.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/3r4uevvc

Searches at three locations in Zubin Potok (Radio kontakt plus, Radio KIM)

Kosovo police carried out searches at three locations in Zubin Potok, Kosovo police deputy commander for region North Veton Elshani confirmed to Radio kontakt plus.

Searches are related to last week’s arrests for extortion, Elshani told the Radio. He also said that no one was arrested during the action today, adding that police confiscated material items. Kosovo police arrested two persons last week in Zubin Potok over, as it said, extortion, and are still looking for the third person. 

 

International 

 

Russia’s Second Front in Europe (Foreign Affairs)

In late September, Serbia deployed advanced weapons to its border with Kosovo, in what amounted to one of the largest Serbian military buildups since the end of the Kosovo war nearly a quarter century ago. In the United States, a spokesman for the National Security Council called it “an unprecedented staging of advanced Serbian artillery, tanks, and mechanized infantry units.” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic to demand an “immediate de-escalation.”

Although the buildup was largely overlooked by Western media at the time—and has since been forgotten amid the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas—it is part of an alarming development in the Balkans. The immediate pretext for the Serbian mobilization was months of unrest between Kosovo and Serbia, which have maintained a fragile peace ever since a NATO bombing campaign helped Kosovo win de facto independence from Belgrade in the 1998–99 war. In May, Serbia placed its troops on combat alert after ethnic Serbs living in Kosovo clashed with Kosovo police. And then in September, just before the recent mobilization at the border, 30 heavily armed ethnic Serbs attacked a police patrol in Kosovo, leaving four people dead.

But there are many indications that these incidents go beyond the familiar tensions that persisted in past years. These incidents also show the growing threat that Russia, Serbia’s partner, is posing to the region. In 2022, for example, Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said that Kosovo and Serbia were “on the brink of armed conflict.” And Moscow—which does not recognize Kosovo’s independence—fanned the flames, using information operations to fuel Kosovar-Serbian distrust and to spread hawkish messages that polarize the region along ethnic and religious lines. Russia has also armed Serbia while increasing Serbia’s energy dependence on its companies by providing gas and oil at a sharp discount. Moscow has promised Belgrade that it will block Kosovo from becoming a UN member state. “A big explosion is brewing in the center of Europe,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in May. It might have been a boast.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/bdhvf38s

Politics, Smuggling, and Kosovo Relations, a Talk with Former Montenegrin PM Dritan Abazovic (Prishtina Insight)

Former Prime Minister of Montenegro, Dritan Abazovic, recently opened up in an interview, shedding light on a tangled web involving politics, narcotics, cigarette smuggling, and also discussed Montenegro's relations to Kosovo.

The fight against smuggling has been the key word of his government’s success, declared the former first Albanian PM of Montenegro Dritan Abazovic.

In an interview with the investigative journalist, Jeta Xharra Abazovic mentioned the fight against cigarette smuggling, which according to him had also landed in Kosovo, narcotics and political relations between Kosovo and Albania.

Abazovic also spoke about the non-extradition of the Serb Momqillo Vukotic, who is wanted by the Kosovo authorities on suspicion of committing war crimes during the war in Kosovo in 1999.

Abazovic said that they have not made extraditions even in Russia.

“We have not extradited even to Russia,” said Abazovic, while being asked by Jeta Xharra how he is comparing Kosovo with Russia.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/yc8j37tn

Serbia’s election campaigns all highlight Kosovo and inflation (Euractive)

Inflation, the standard of living, and Kosovo are the main topics highlighted in the ruling party and the opposition’s campaigns ahead of the 17 December elections.

Political scientist Boban Stojanović told Euractiv Serbia that this campaign will be the dirtiest yet.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/mh9vuecf

Palestinian, Israeli Diplomats in Balkans Differ Sharply on Gaza Conflict (Balkan Insight)

The Palestinian Ambassador to Montenegro and Israel’s Ambassador to Kosovo, in separate interviews, told BIRN they viewed what is going on in Gaza very differently – seeing events there either as ‘genocide; or as a ‘war on terror’.

What Palestinian diplomat Rabii Alhantouli describes as “genocide against Palestinians” is for his Israeli counterpart, Tamar Ziv, a “war against the terror organisations in Gaza Strip”.

Read more at:https://tinyurl.com/46z5wfhj