Albanian Language Media:

• Ceku: Serbia violated the Brussels agreement (media)

• Joint session of Kosovo’s and Albania’s Assembly MPs to be held today (media)

• Italian President: Without KFOR, violence would have devastated region (RTK)

• Wisner: Trump administration shouldn’t be tempted by territorial solutions in Balkans (RFE)

• Albanian-American community organizations “regarding injustice” at the Hague (media)

• Kurti at Hovenier's farewell reception: Ambassador, Kosovo will always be your home (media)

• Rohde surprised no senior officials attended handover of head of Constitutional Court duty (Express)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic: Cluster 3 to be opened, respect given to Serbia more important (media)

• Vucic meets with O'Brien (Tanjug)

• Djuric meets with President of China Institute of International Studies (Tanjug)

• UNS and DNKiM request Kosovo police to investigate threats against journalist Ilir Mirena (Kosovo Online, media)

• Serbian People’s Movement extends support to youth and students in central Serbia (Radio KIM)

• Elezi: All political subjects and candidates passed verification by Kosovo Judicial Council (media)

• Kurti's Balkan tour: Messages for Belgrade, Brussels, or voters in Kosovo? (Kosovo Online)

International Media: 

• Serbia mulls shutting schools early for winter as protests spread (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media 

Ceku: Serbia violated the Brussels agreement (media)

Kosovo’s Minister of Culture, Hajrulla Ceku, reacted on Thursday to a decision by Serbian authorities to ban his visit to Presevo Valley. He said the purpose of his visit to Presevo was to meet mayor Ardita Sinani and to visit cultural institutions. “Serbia continues its dirty game. In Brussels it talks about constructiveness and advancing on the implementation of the agreement on official visits, whereas even before returning to Belgrade it rejects our request [for the visit]. Although we followed and respected all necessary procedures to get a permit for the visit to Presevo Valley, this was denied to us by the institutions of Serbia. The government of Serbia refused our entrance only hour before it was planned, thus violating the 48-hour deadline for a response as foreseen in the Brussels agreement,” Ceku said in a Facebook post. 

Ceku further argued that Serbia continues to prove that it is not interested in normal neighborly relations with Kosovo.

Joint session of Kosovo’s and Albania’s Assembly MPs to be held today (media)

The Assembly of Kosovo and the Assembly of Albania, will hold a joint session today, during which the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, and the Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama, are also expected to deliver speeches. The Assembly of Kosovo is expected to host around 60 MPs from Albania. The session is expected to start at 11:00 hours as scheduled by the Presidency of the Assembly of Kosovo, on 16.12.2024. The Head of the Parliamentary Group of the Vetevendosje Movement, Mimoza Kusari-Lila, said that the Agenda of this meeting will include the addresses of the two Speakers of the Assemblies, the two Prime Ministers and the Heads of the Parliamentary Groups. 

Italian President: Without KFOR, violence would have devestated region (RTK)

The President of Italy, Sergio Mattarella, has assessed the importance of the KFOR mission in Kosovo, stressing that without its presence, violence would have erupted in a way that would have destroyed not only Kosovo, but also the region. "Without KFOR, we would have seen outbreaks of violence that would have destroyed the region and the country," Mattarella said during a conversation with the Italian KFOR command mission.

The Italian president stressed that the mission has been vital at very sensitive moments, especially in areas with the presence of the Serb community, where there have been clashes and artificially created tensions. "For this reason, your mission is essential, as it guarantees the avoidance of direct clashes and the maintenance of an acceptable security climate," he added, Italian media reported.

Mattarella also raised the alarm about the risk posed by interventions from outside the Balkans, underlining that the KFOR mission is a shield against destabilization. “The risk of interventions from outside in the Balkans is extremely high, and this is evident,” he stressed.

Finally, Mmattarella stressed the importance of KFOR’s presence for the perspective of the Balkans’ integration into the European Union. “Your presence is very important for achieving peace, a necessary condition for EU membership,” Mattarella concluded.

Wisner: Trump administration shouldn’t be tempted by territorial solutions in Balkans (RFE)

Former U.S. envoy in the talks for Kosovo’s status, Frank Wisner, said in an interview with Radio Free Europe on Thursday that Kosovo today is a mixed story “it has not achieved everything it wanted but it has built itself as a sovereign state in the European family”.

Wisner said that to this day Serbia is still not ready to accept the reality of an independent Kosovo and that this is why the agreements reached between the two sides do not function. 

Wisner said that for its own reasons Kosovo should establish an Association of Serb-majority municipalities with very limited competencies in culture, education, taxes and similar issues, but one that would not have a sovereign status that would ruin the functionality of the state of Kosovo”.

Asked to comment on the U.S. criticism against the Kosovo government’s decision to remove the Serbian dinar from use in Kosovo and to shut down Serbia’s institutions, Wisner said: “I think now is the right time to wield all the sovereign responsibilities of an independent. Kosovo, in fact, is a little late in this respect. All these issues – the use of the Serbian dinar or the parallel structures – were designed by Serbia to undermine Kosovo’s sovereignty.”

Asked about a solution for the north of Kosovo, Wisner said it is a complicated issue because the north of Kosovo is inhabited by Serbs “but it is part of a sovereign Kosovo, and it needs to be integrated in the institutions of the state of Kosovo. This has not happened fully because Serbia sabotages that integration”.

Wisner said that the previous Trimp administration had ideas that aimed to reach a territorial agreement. “I think they have failed. If the new administration were to resort to those ideas, I think they would fail again. If you question the territorial integrity of countries, you open the Pandora’s Box, you start a crisis throughout the region, where the countries of the Balkans and their ethnic groups will fight over where the borders should be. Serbia has talked about recreating a Greater Serbia, which would be a curse for stability in the Balkans. Any move toward this objective would cause nothing but trouble in the Western Balkans. I hope the new administration will not be tempted by this,” he said.

Albanian-American community organizations “regarding injustice” at the Hague (media)

Albanian-American community organizations issued a statement on Thursday about the trial against the former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army at the Specialist Chambers in the Hague. The statement notes: 

As Albanian Americans, we are deeply committed to the ideals of liberty and justice — principles that serve as the cornerstone of any properly functioning democratic society. These ideals provide every citizen with security, dignity, and predictability in their daily lives, ensuring just interactions with fellow citizens and governmental authorities. It is the responsibility of every citizen to uphold and defend these principles. When liberty is arbitrarily taken, and justice is manipulated as a political weapon, it becomes the duty of citizens to resist, expose such injustices, and restore the integrity of these ideals through lawful means.

Nearly a decade ago, under immense international pressure stemming from the so-called Dick Marty Report — a report alleging organ trafficking by some members of the KLA (allegations of Russian origin, now eerily echoed against the Ukrainian resistance) — Kosovo’s Parliament voted to establish the Specialist Chamber, entrusting it to the international community. After a decade of investigation, no charges related to organ trafficking have been brought forward. It is now evident that these allegations were entirely fabricated for political purposes. However, instead of focusing on its original mandate, the Specialist Chamber has engaged in actions that undermine justice and peace. Four years ago, without an indictment, the President of Kosovo was detained while en route to the White House to sign a historic peace agreement with Serbia. This arrest clearly aimed to sabotage the American-led effort to secure peace in the region.

Since then, nine other prominent Albanian officials, including the current and former Speakers of Parliament, have been arrested — yet not a single Serb has been brought to justice by this Chamber. This glaring imbalance is even more troubling when considering Serbia’s role in Kosovo’s tragic past. During the war, the Serbian Army and paramilitary groups committed atrocities, including massacres, summary executions (including the murder of three Americans), and the brutal slaughter of women and children. These crimes resulted in over 13,000 deaths, 25,000 rapes, and the destruction of entire villages. Despite these facts, between the ICTY and the Specialist Chamber, only 6 Serbs have faced prosecution, while nearly 20 members of the Albanian freedom movement have been arrested.

Furthermore, the Specialist Chamber has violated fundamental due process, presenting fabricated evidence and relying on false, scripted witnesses. This court, through its actions, seeks to rewrite history by equalizing victims and aggressors — an outrageous attempt to relativize the noble results of NATO’s American-led intervention against Milosevic’s war machine. As Albanian-American community organizations, we vehemently oppose this shameful distortion of historical truth.

We are further dismayed that the Chief Justice and Prosecutor of this court engage with foreign diplomats while refusing to extend the same courtesy to Kosovo’s officials or the Parliament that established the court. This body does not even recognize the flag of the country that created it. Such actions undermine Kosovo’s sovereignty and its hard-won independence, which was recognized by the International Court of Justice and over 100 nations worldwide.

Now, with the prosecution’s weak case contradicted by its own witnesses and despite the detainees being subjected to 24-hour surveillance, including translators monitoring every meeting, the prosecution has resorted to witness tamperingcharges. This is unacceptable. Enough is enough.

We, the undersigned, make the following calls to action:

To President Osmani and Prime Minister Kurti:

We urge you to use your influence to bring international attention to the gross miscarriage of justice taking place within this judicial body. Furthermore, we call on Prime Minister Kurti to lift the cap on defense funds available to detainees, ensuring they receive a fair defense.

To the Parliament of Kosovo:

We demand immediate hearings on this matter. The Justices and Prosecutors of the Specialist Chamber must be called to testify regarding the court’s mono-ethnic character and its repeated violations of due process.

To the United States Government:

We urge you to thoroughly investigate this matter and take all necessary steps to restore justice, fairness, and accountability to this one-sided process.

The ideals of liberty and justice must not be weaponized. History must not be rewritten. We will remain vigilant in defense of the truth, the dignity of our people, and the sacrifices made for Kosovo’s freedom.

Kurti at Hovenier's farewell reception: Ambassador, Kosovo will always be your home (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, participated Thursday evening in the farewell reception of the Ambassador of the United States of America to Kosovo, Jeffrey Hovenier, which was held at the premises of the American Embassy in Pristina. The Prime Minister's Office announced that in his address, Kurti stated that in the almost three years that Hovenier has served as ambassador in Kosovo, the special relations between Kosovo and the United States of America have grown on a number of levels, as stated there, from increased cooperation in the fields of defense, security and intelligence, to support for the expansion of Kosovo's energy capacities, and to Kosovo's first credit rating.

The Prime Minister also stated that the work and dedication of Ambassador Hovenier have been essential in Kosovo’s progress. “Your time in Kosovo has been defined not only by your professionalism and integrity, but also by your humanity and unwavering support for our people,” he said. The statement says that Kurti expressed that Kosovo and the United States of America enjoy an extraordinary relationship and that according to him, the United States of America is our main partner, a reliable ally and a special friend.

Kurti called Hovenier a distinguished man, a loyal friend of Kosovo and who, as he said, ‘will always have a place in our hearts.’ “Ambassador, know that Kosovo will always be your home. We will be here to welcome you – as a dear friend of ours,” Kurti said.

Rohde surprised no senior officials attended handover of head of Constitutional Court duty (Express)

German ambassador to Kosovo Jorn Rohde, expressed surprise that “no senior government representative” was present at the solemn ceremony of handover-acceptance of duty of the head of the Constitutional Court. The President of the Constitutional Court, Grese Caka-Nimani, handed over on Wednesday her duties to the elected president Nexhmi Rexhepi. Rohde congratulated the former president on the completion of her mandate, highlighting the role that the Constitutional Court has in supporting democracy.

“Congratulations to Ms. Caka-Nimani on the completion of her mandate and Mr. Rexhepi on his election as the next president of the Constitutional Court. I agree with Aivo: The role of the Constitutional Court in supporting the rule of law and democracy is indispensable. Surprisingly, no top government official attended yesterday's solemn session to value the Court's work," Rohde wrote in "X".

Serbian Language Media  

Vucic: Cluster 3 to be opened, respect given to Serbia more important (media)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Thursday Cluster 3 in Serbia's EU accession talks would quite certainly be opened in late January or early February but that a positive signal and respect given to Serbia in Brussels were much more important, Tanjug news agency reported.

"To be completely frank - we will open Cluster 3 at the end of January or at the beginning of February. But the signal Serbia was given here - respect - is much more important than that", Vucic said in response to questions from reporters after a European People's Party-Western Balkans summit in Brussels.

He said the number of countries opposing the opening of the cluster had shrunk from eight to two, and added that he expected the issue to be resolved. "The atmosphere here is good. I regret that some in Pristina, and in Belgrade, tried to erode Serbia's reputation and worked hard to knock down Serbia's position, but they failed", he said. He added that the EPP summit had been good and that speakers included European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Parliament President Roberta Mezzola and EPP leader Manfred Weber.

"I spoke on behalf of Serbia, and I was especially thankful for the words of (Greek PM) Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Cypriot President (Nikos) Christodoulides, who requested and demanded not only that Serbia be treated better, but that clusters be opened more quickly. I am also grateful to all others who listened to what we had to say, we also discussed geopolitical challenges, the problems the world is facing today", Vucic said.

Vucic meets with O'Brien (Tanjug)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met with US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs James O'Brien in Brussels on Thursday, noting the significance Serbia is attaching to strengthening its relations with the US, but also potential US sanctions on Serbia's majority Russian-owned oil company NIS were discussed.

"One of the topics was also the issue of NIS and consequences that introduction of US sanctions could have for the economy and the citizens of Serbia, especially in light of the global energy crisis", Vucic wrote in an Instagram post.

He added that the discussion with O'Brien had been substantial and a good opportunity to exchange views on important current topics concerning the future of the region and the role of diplomacy in resolving outstanding issues. "I reiterated the significance Serbia attaches to strengthening the relations with the US, and expressed the expectation the US will support the European integration of Serbia as well as that the American administration will be committed to preserving peace and stability in the Western Balkan region, advocated by Serbia in a consistent and uncompromising manner since day one", Vucic noted in the post.

Djuric meets with President of China Institute of International Studies (Tanjug)

Kicking off a visit to China, Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric met with the President of the China Institute of International Studies, Chen Bo, on Thursday, and the parties agreed Serbia-China relations were at a historic high.

In a statement, the Serbian MFA said Djuric and Chen had agreed that, through a comprehensive strategic partnership, the two states and the two nations had become steely friends and noted that an excellent relationship between Presidents Aleksandar Vucic and Xi Jinping had greatly contributed to that.

Djuric said the two countries had achieved a high level of complementariness when it comes to confronting common challenges and added that a pluralism of opinions on many topics existed in the Serbian society but that there was a full consensus on the attitude to China. Djuric said he was pleased to meet again with Chen - a former Chinese Ambassador to Belgrade - and expressed the confidence that, at the helm of one of the main research and advisory centres of the Chinese MFA, she would continue to contribute to strengthening of Serbia-China relations. Djuric informed the Institute's representatives of Serbia's political priorities and economic results achieved in the past decade, the statement added. 

UNS and DNKiM request Kosovo police to investigate threats against journalist Ilir Mirena (Kosovo Online, media)

Association of Journalists of Serbia (UNS) and its branch in Kosovo (DNKiM) condemned the death threats targeting the director of Pristina-based Periskopi portal, Ilir Morena and requested Kosovo police to urgently investigate the case, Kosovo Online portal reported.

UNS said in a statement that intimidation and threats against journalists are unacceptable, and perpetrators must be held accountable.

"UNS recalled that at the beginning of October, a threat was sent to the editorial email of the Tanjug news agency, which the Special Prosecutor's Office for High-Tech Crime (VTK) in Belgrade confirmed was sent from the territory of Kosovo. Even after the request of the UNS, no institution in Kosovo, including international ones, has provided an answer as to whether an investigation is being conducted and what the results of the investigation are", the statement added. 

Serbian People’s Movement extends support to youth and students in central Serbia (Radio KIM)

Serbian People’s Movement (SNP) extended full support to the youth and students in central Serbia in achieving their rights and demands, Radio KIM reported. President of SNP Milija Bisevac said in a video message published on Facebook that young people for a long period of time are leaving those areas because of bad living conditions.

“Our youth and students have left those areas a long time ago, mostly because of bad living conditions. Some of them are temporarily stationed at faculties in Kosovska Mitrovica and the question remains how long will they stay there, thanks to the politics of Serbian List and everything that happens to us because of Pristina. That is why we extend full support to students and youth to fight for their rights, for their voice to be heard and get involved in decision making about their destinies”, Bisevac said.

Elezi: All political subjects and candidates passed verification by Kosovo Judicial Council (media)

Kosovo Central Election Commission spokesperson Valmir Elezi said yesterday all 28 political subjects with 1.280 candidates for MPs, who put forward candidacy for participation in upcoming February 9 parliamentary elections, have passed verification of the Kosovo Judicial Council, Kosovo Online portal reported citing Teve 1.

He added not a single candidate of political subjects was part of a “black list” that would prevent verification of candidates for MPs.

Kurti's Balkan tour: Messages for Belgrade, Brussels, or voters in Kosovo? (Kosovo Online)

Sarajevo, Zagreb, Ljubljana, then Pristina. Prime Minister Albin Kurti finishes his "Balkan tour" on Friday at home, with a joint session of the Kosovo and Albania assemblies. For Kosovo Online's interlocutors, it's undeniably a pre-election "ride". The only uncertainty lies in the "road signs" - were they more directed towards Belgrade, Brussels, or the voters ahead of February 9th.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/oEZYS

International Media

Serbia mulls shutting schools early for winter as protests spread (Balkan Insight)

As a growing number of pupils join student protests demanding accountability over the Novi Sad railway station disaster, the Education Ministry calls for the school winter break to start earlier than planned.

Serbia’s Education Ministry has proposed starting the school winter break next Tuesday, earlier than was planned for most schools. The government is expected to adopt the decision on Friday.

“Considering the circumstances that affect the quality and preservation of the teaching process, as well as the interest and right of students to education, the Ministry … has submitted a proposal … to begin the winter break equally for primary and secondary schools … on Tuesday, December 24,” it said.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/9IcKz