Albanian Language Media: 

• Candidates for Prime Minister are ignoring “the elephant in the room” (RFE)
• Osmani sends cabinet delegation to President Trump's inauguration (RTK)
• Danish diplomat Peter Sorensen new envoy for Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (RTK)
• Haradinaj meets Richard Grenell (media)
• EU election observers deployed throughout Kosovo (RTK)
• Feride Rushiti and KRCT nominated for Nobel Peace Prize (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic on Kurti: ''This is a villain, he is not quite himself, he hates the SOC, but also me'' (KoSSev, TV Happy)
• Serbia’s PM believe the Trump administration will be more willing to listen to Serbia’s arguments (N1, Beta, TV Prva, media)
• Serbian List’s appeals rejected by EPAC; the party’s letter to international community (Tanjug, Kosovo Online, media)
• Petkovic: Persecution of Serbs in Kosovo of unprecedented proportions; Kurti interested in "Greater Albania" only (Kosovo Online, Radio Mitrovica sever, Newsmax)
• Support for students from Gazivode on Epiphany (KoSSev)

International Media:

• NATO, EU Bolster Kosovo Contingents Ahead Of Tense February Election (RFE)
• Professors, lawyers join students in anti-Vučić protests across Serbia (Euractive)
• 2025 Military Strength Ranking (globalfirepower.com, N1 Sarajevo)

Albanian Language Media 

Candidates for Prime Minister are ignoring “the elephant in the room” (RFE)

The news website reported on Sunday that the normalization of relations with Serbia is not in the top promises of any of the candidates for Prime Minister of Kosovo. In the first week of the election campaign, Vetevendosje’s Albin Kurti, Bedri Hamza of the PDK, LDK’s Lumir Abdixhiku, and AAK’s Ramush Haradinaj have focused their energies mainly on domestic policies and accusations against one another. With increased prices, an average wage of €570, a 10 percent unemployment rate, promises focused on improving living conditions, seem to get to voters’ minds easier, but they [the leaders] are aware that the dialogue, sooner or later, is inevitable. 

The dialogue, namely the normalization of relations with Serbia, is the condition that the international community has put on Kosovo to join the European Union and in other international organizations, like NATO and the Council of Europe. Kosovo is the only place in the Western Balkans without a candidate status for EU membership. 

The news website contacted the offices of every candidate for Prime Minister to ask them how they will approach the dialogue with Serbia if they win but received no response. It also notes that all four parties have led the government in different periods of time when Kosovo signed or reached agreements with Serbia as part of the dialogue for the normalization of relations. However, many of these agreements, remain unimplemented and tensions between Kosovo and Serbia are still high. 

Osmani sends cabinet delegation to President Trump's inauguration (RTK)

Kosovo President, Vjosa Osmani, has received an invitation from members of the United States Congress (Senate and House of Representatives) to participate in the inauguration of the new American President, Donald Trump. However, based on protocol tradition, most countries are represented at these ceremonies by their ambassadors accredited to Washington D.C.

"Assessing this event as an important moment in relations between Kosovo and the United States, the President has decided to send a delegation from her cabinet, which, together with the Ambassador to the United States, Ilir Dugolli, will represent Kosovo at the inauguration activities on January 19-21," Bekim Kupina, Media Advisor to President Osmani, told RTKlive.

Kupina said that President Osmani has already had the opportunity to personally congratulate President Trump during a substantive conversation they held last month at the Elysee Palace in Paris. “This continued engagement reflects Kosovo’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with the new American administration and advancing common interests,” he said.

Danish diplomat Peter Sorensen new envoy for Kosovo-Serbia dialogue (RTK)

According to diplomatic sources in the EU, Danish diplomat Peter Sorensen will succeed Miroslav Lajcak as European envoy for dialogue. According to the same sources, European foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has already sent Sorensen's name to EU member states.

The proposal for the new EU envoy for dialogue will be reviewed at the level of ambassadors of member states on Tuesday, January 21. All procedures for the appointment of the new envoy should be completed by the end of this month, so that he can take office on February 1, since Lajcak's mandate expires on January 31.

Haradinaj meets Richard Grenell (media)

As part of his visit to the U.S., the leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, and candidate for prime minister, Ramush Haradinaj, held a working meeting with Richard Grenell, Special Presidential Envoy for Special Missions, who will begin work today, the day Donald Trump will be inaugurated as U.S. President.

Haradinaj, through a post on Facebook, announced that on this occasion, he reconfirmed to Ambassador Grenell Kosovo's commitment to returning to strategic relations with the U.S., underlining the main goal, Kosovo's direct membership in NATO! "The Western Balkans, including Kosovo, are part of Ambassador Grenell's commitment in his new position in President Trump's second administration," Haradinaj wrote.

EU election observers deployed throughout Kosovo (RTK)

EU observers have been deployed to the field on Sunday to ensure a free electoral process. Head of Mission Nathalie Loiseau, who officially launched the EU election observation mission in Kosovo, expressed the EU's support for Kosovo to further strengthen democratic governance. "Expectations are high, especially since these elections will be held under the new law," she told RTK.

EU's long-term observers are from 18 countries, including EU member states, Norway and Switzerland. The mission will be reinforced with 36 short-term observers, from a delegation of MEPs from the European Parliament and 36 diplomats from EU member states, Canada, Norway and Switzerland, accredited in Kosovo until the end of the electoral process.

Feride Rushiti and KRCT nominated for Nobel Peace Prize (media)

All news websites report that Feride Rushiti and the Kosova Rehabilitation Centre for Torture Victims (KRCT) have been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. 

The European Union Office in Kosovo said in a Facebook post that Rushiti and the KRCT “since 1999 have been supporting and giving voice to torture and trauma victims, including survivors of sexual violence during the Kosovo war. Wishing them success in becoming a Nobel laureate!”

Serbian Language Media  

Vucic on Kurti: ''This is a villain, he is not quite himself, he hates the SOC, but also me'' (KoSSev, TV Happy)

"That man is a villain; he hates the Serbian people. He hates the Serbian Church in the most terrible way", this is how the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, spoke about Albin Kurti last night on TV Happy, reported KoSSev. 

Before referring to Kurti, he criticized the opposition in Belgrade, among other things, regarding the policy towards Kosovo, but also repeated the claim that they "want to kill him".

"It was not in my time that Kosovo declared independence, but in the time of some others, not in my time that 90 countries recognized Kosovo. 27, 28 countries withdrew their recognition of Kosovo, and that's why I should be killed?", he asked.

He also says that individuals in the opposition praised Kurti before he came to power, but he is sure that they would not do so now, that is, he states that they were wrong in their assessment of his personality.

Vucic, however, claimed that he did not do that, and that he never said a nice word about Kurti, reported KoSSev.

Asked about the dialogue taking place in Brussels, Vucic said that for him "compromise is a nice word", and that he does not think it is treason, but nevertheless, he admits that the people think differently.

On the other hand, he says - "now it is illusory to talk about it (dialogue), while Kurti is in power, but it will definitely happen".

Vucic spoke about the changes in the world "at least some", which he expects after Donald Trump takes over the post of US president. He does not expect Serbia to be a priority, but:

"I expect the most important thing from Trump - the absolute destruction of the existing corrupt system for the destruction of free states in the world."

He admits that "not all non-governmental organizations are corrupt" but also says that "some are" and predicts what Trump will do.

"I think he will say - 'these agencies no longer exist' and so end the story and save his budget and to stop funding. It is a salvation for dozens of freedom-loving peoples. Suddenly, America will jump in their eyes," said Vucic. 

The Serbian president also hopes that Trump will contribute to ending the war in Ukraine. If that happens, we should "raise a monument to him", he said.

Serbia’s PM believe the Trump administration will be more willing to listen to Serbia’s arguments (N1, Beta, TV Prva, media)

Prime Minister Milos Vucevic said that with the arrival of Donald Trump as president, he expected and believed that the new American administration will be at least a little more willing to listen to Serbia's arguments than the previous one.

“I do not expect them to change course; I do not expect a major turnaround in the positions of the United States, primarily on the issues that are most important to us, such as Kosovo and Metohija. But I believe that the new administration will give space to the Serbian side to present its arguments and that the Serbian voice will be heard – louder and clearer,“ Vucevic said on TV Prva.

As he pointed out, this may not be a huge opportunity for Serbia, but it is an opportunity that must be seized.

Vucevic said he believes that with Trump, there will be significant changes in the value system, as various “quasi-liberal currents” have largely imposed an unnatural system that is not rooted in people, but has been set as an ultimatum, with exclusion from public life as the consequence of non-compliance.

“Most people in the world have a free-spirited nature, and they are frustrated that they will be immediately labeled as politically incorrect if they do not adhere to that system. This undermines the diversity of thought and denies the right to one’s own opinion,” Vucevic said.

Serbian List’s appeals rejected by EPAC; the party’s letter to international community (Tanjug, Kosovo Online, media)

Serban List announced on Sunday and said that the Electoral Panel for Appeals and Complaints (EPAC) has rejected its appeals, as well as the appeal of its member in the Central Election Commission, thus confirming, they noted, an illegal and discriminatory decision regarding the composition of polling boards.

"With this decision, Serbian List will be severely damaged compared to previous parliamentary elections, as a large number of polling places will be without our members," warned the SL. 

They added that they perceived the decision as yet another pressure on the Serbian people and the SL. 

"However, that is exactly why we call on our compatriots for unity and harmony, to stand under one banner and show that we exist and that we are not intimidated, and that no obstacles set before us will prevent us from fighting for the interests of the Serbian people in this region," the SL stated. 

Serbian  List writes to international community over Pristina's moves 

In a letter to ambassadors of Quint states and the EU in Pristina and representatives of international missions, Serbian List said on Friday a recent raid by the Albin Kurti regime on Serbian institutions in Kosovo was a unilateral and escalatory move - the most dangerous one since the February 1 ban on the Serbian dinar.

“By that move, Kurti's regime has continued a policy of expulsion of Serbs and other non-Albanians by creating, and maintaining, unbearable living conditions with the aim of ultimately expelling the Serbs from Kosovo,” the SL said. 

In the letter, this party requested that international representatives react urgently in a visible, concrete and tangible manner.

Read more at:https://tinyurl.com/36bfc8wt

Petkovic: Persecution of Serbs in Kosovo of unprecedented proportions; Kurti interested in "Greater Albania" only (Kosovo Online, Radio Mitrovica sever, Newsmax)

Petar Petkovic, the Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, stated that Albin Kurti demonstrates with every action that he has no interest in dialogue, the Community of Serb Municipalities (CSM), or the survival of the Serbian people. Instead, his focus is on an ethnically pure Kosovo and the creation of "Greater Albania". Petkovic emphasized the importance of the Serbian List securing all 10 seats allocated to the Serbian community in the upcoming elections for the survival of Serbs in Kosovo.

Speaking to Newsmax, Petkovic highlighted that since Albin Kurti's rise to power, there has been an ongoing persecution of the Serbian people in Kosovo, a persecution of unprecedented proportions.

"Just a few days ago, we all witnessed another escalatory move by Kurti when he closed over 35 Serbian temporary government institutions in the south - social work centers, post offices. He did this on the day I and my team were in Brussels to discuss the missing persons. It’s not the first time Kurti has caused unrest either just before or on the day of the dialogue, showing that he has no interest in dialogue, the CSM, or the survival of the Serbian people," Petkovic pointed out.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/bp59crcf

Support for students from Gazivode on Epiphany (KoSSev)

"Support for students, professors, workers, peasants, everyone who puts Serbia first. Everything for the Homeland, Serbia for nothing," said a Kolasin resident from Gazivode yesterday. 

Yesterday was Epiphany, and the central event for Serbs yesterday was swimming for the Holy Cross.

According to KoSSev yesterday there was a record number of registered swimmers at Lake Gazivode, 205, and it is believed that even more swam.

The event also brought together those local Serbs who, even yesterday, publicly expressed their support for students and high school students who have been protesting for the second month with their professors and an increasing number of Serbian citizens, with the main demands that the institutions start doing their work, and that the laws and the Constitution are consistently applied.

Milentije Jaksic (53) from Kolasin came with his family to Lake Gazivode to participate in swimming for the Holy Cross, but at the same time to support the students and pupils who have been protesting for the second month in Serbia. "Thank you for everything you do for us and for your better tomorrow," said this economist in a statement through KoSSev portal.

This portal recalled that the support to students came from another individual from Zvecan Fortress, as well as that over 360 professors and students from Kosovo have signed the petition of support so far. They have been joined by one party - the Serbian People's Movement, as well as two opposition movements - Fatherland and the Serbian National Forum, and part of the collective of the National Theatre. The number of protestors and supporters is increasing day by day.

International Media

NATO, EU Bolster Kosovo Contingents Ahead Of Tense February Election (RFE)

NATO and the European Union are beefing up their resources in Kosovo amid rising tension in the Balkan nation ahead of February 9 parliamentary elections.

The Western military alliance said it has sent 200 additional Italian soldiers to bolster the NATO-led KFOR peacekeeping mission, which has been in the country since 1999 and now has some 4,000 troops, down from a peak of 50,000.

"Today, Italian troops from KFOR's reserves completed their arrival...reinforcing KFOR's presence in Kosovo," a statement said. The "Italian mechanized infantry brigade 'Sassari,' will carry out a range of activities, together with KFOR troops."

It said the force "will be deployed in response to any relevant developments in the security situation including during the election period."

Separately, the EU said an election observation mission has been established to oversee the parliamentary vote.

Read more at:https://tinyurl.com/5bdkkdwu

Professors, lawyers join students in anti-Vučić protests across Serbia (Euractive)

The students blame President Aleksandar Vučić for corruption and nepotism.

Serbia's student-led protests against President Aleksandar Vučić gathered more steam on Saturday, as professors joined those who are demanding justice for the collapse of the canopy of the Novi Sad train station that killed 15 people last November.

In Novi Sad, the country's second-largest city, professors, citizens, and students gathered to pay tribute to the victims of the tragedy at the railway station. Afterward, they initiated a protest march titled '4,000 Teachers, 4,000 Steps' in support of the students.

The students accuse the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) of President Vučić of corruption and nepotism, which he and the party deny. Vučić faces a criminal complaint for inciting violence, filed by a civil society organisation after a driver rammed a student protest in Belgrade on Thursday, injuring one woman.

“It is our duty as professors to unconditionally support students in their demands for a better and fairer society,“ said Professor Ljubica Oparnica of the Faculty of Education in Sombor, speaking in front of the Rectorate in Novi Sad, as quoted by local independent media N1.

“It is time for a new era... Believe me, change is coming,“ Oparnica told those gathered.

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

2025 Military Strength Ranking (globalfirepower.com, N1 Sarajevo)

Ranking the nations of the world based on current available firepower.

The final Global Firepower rankings use over 60 individual factors to determine a nation's PowerIndex (PwrIndx) score with categories ranging from troop size and financial standing to logistics and geography.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/6tb2msdm