Albanian Language Media:

• Future of dialogue: First part of 2025 is considered lost (Koha)

• US Soldiers Conduct Flare Shooting Training at Bondsteel (media)

• Ombudsman concerned about arrests in The Hague (Indeksonline)

• Ursula von der Leyen deletes video after criticism for presenting Kosovo as part of Serbia (Indeksonline)

• Kupchan: Kurti is pursuing short-term political gains at expense of Kosovo's interests (Periskopi)

• Commission on Missing Persons: In 2024, 13 victims identified in 9 locations (media)

• IMC with new regulation for media during the election campaign (media)

• Former British diplomat: Trump administration will abandon Ohrid agreement (Politiko)

  Serbian Language Media:

• Vucic, after talks with US Under Secretary, says he has no good news but Serbia will preserve energy stability (RTS)
• Office for KiM: Auxiliary buildings of Djokic family from Radevo set on fire, significant material damage incurred (media)
• Slobodanka Djokic: Everything is destroyed, we don’t know how we will continue (Kosovo Online)
• Kupchan: Kurti was unnecessarily provocative, played nationalist card (Kosovo Online)

• Vucic: We are offering all kinds of assistance to Montenegro (Tanjug)

  International Media:

• Montenegro mourns victims after 12 killed in mass shooting (Balkan Insight)

Albanian Language Media 

Future of dialogue: First part of 2025 is considered lost (Koha) 

Experts on political developments consider that the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia will continue to be a slow and challenging process. According to them, without a radical change in the international approach and without a clear will for mutual recognition, the prospect of a sustainable solution remains distant. In this regard, the decisions of the new leadership in the United States of America and the European Union are seen as decisive for the direction the region will take. 

Augustin Palokaj, Koha’s Brussels based correspondent, said that the first part of the year will be lost for the dialogue, due to the elections to be held in Kosovo, the decision-making by the new EU leadership on the successor to the facilitator, Miroslav Lajcak, as well as the fact that these will be the first days of the new U.S. administration. 

“These are the main factors that will influence the dialogue process, so it is not expected that important things will happen in this process at the beginning of the year. But later in the year, it is expected to be seen how the international community, the QUINT countries, the European Union, the new U.S. administration will act and what the government's approach will be after the elections. As for Serbia, Vucic and his administration will be constructive only to the extent necessary for Serbia to advance in the negotiation process with the EU and to receive financial resources from the European Union fund", Palokaj said.

The U.S. expert on the Balkans, Daniel Serwer, has assessed that the lack of mutual recognition remains the main issue. "I do not know if the agreement is really such because it has been denied to a large extent by Serbia. So I do not think it is wise for people in Belgrade, Pristina, Brussels and Washington to think about implementing the Ohrid agreement. Parts of that agreement are now also included in the requirements for EU membership and we should all be satisfied with that. But I think the main thing is the issue of recognition and I don't know if there will be any progress in 2025. I doubt this because Vucic has concluded that he can avoid recognizing Kosovo, and still continue a slow process of EU membership," Serwer said. As for the policy that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump may apply in the dialogue, Serwer stressed that it remains unclear.

US Soldiers Conduct Flare Shooting Training at Bondsteel (media) 

U.S. Army soldiers assigned to Regional Command East Task Force Aviation of the NATO-led KFOR mission conducted training to obtain experience in shooting flares from an aircraft on Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo.

“These efforts are part of KFOR's daily mission to support all communities within Kosovo.

KFOR continues to implement its mandate - based on UN Security Council Resolution 1244 of 1999 - to contribute a safe and secure environment for all people and communities living in Kosovo and freedom of movement, at all times and impartially. KFOR works in close coordination with the Kosovo Police and the European Union Mission on Rule of Law in Kosovo (EULEX) in their respective roles as security responders,” reads a KFOR Facebook post.

Ombudsman concerned about arrests in The Hague (Indeksonline) 

In an interview with Indeksonline, the Ombudsman, Naim Celaj, said that he was concerned about the interference and arrests in relation to the procedures and the protective effects of the accused in The Hague. “In fact, it was concerning for me as an Ombudsman the way in which the interference or arrest occurred, and then also the procedure in relation to the defense effects of the accused in The Hague. This part was concerning because I have the legitimate right as an independent human rights institution to suspect on the impact that these actions have had on the defense and in this case may have had an impact on the violation of a right that everyone has in this trial according to the Convention on Human Rights and our Constitution for protection in judicial proceedings”, Celaj told Indeksonline. 

He further stated that the most worrying fact was that the actions were taken against persons who once held high positions in the Kosovo Institutions. “It was worrying for me when the actions that were taken were taken against persons who held very high institutional positions and undoubtedly all this does not leave a good impression in terms of how these actions could have affected the distrust that citizens have in this court”, Celaj stated.

Asked if Kosovo’s institutions could take steps to protect the rights of the accused in The Hague, Celaj said that he did not think that they could do anything. “The court itself should take care of respecting the rights of the accused, I do not think that the Kosovo Institutions can do anything. Because it is a standard that is respected in every democratic state, it is the separation of powers, and in this case the judicial power is separated from the executive, whether it is the Ministry of Justice or others," he said. 

Ursula von der Leyen deletes video after criticism for presenting Kosovo as part of Serbia (Indeksonline) 

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has faced a wave of criticism from friends of Kosovo after the publication of an official video in which she congratulated Romania and Bulgaria on their membership in the Schengen area. In the video, Kosovo was presented as part of Serbia, which sparked widespread outrage on social media.

Residents, activists and public figures expressed their indignation, criticizing the inclusion of such an error in an official message. One of the strongest voices was German politician Doris Pack, who reacted publicly by asking Von der Leyen: “Where is the state of Kosovo?”

After widespread criticism and widespread public pressure, the controversial video was removed from Ursula von der Leyen’s profile on the X platform. 

Kupchan: Kurti is pursuing short-term political gains at expense of Kosovo's interests (Periskopi) 

American professor of international affairs and expert on political developments in the Western Balkans region, Charles Kupchan, spoke in an interview about Trump's return and the expectations the region may have from the new American Administration. Kupchan said that he expects the U.S. to deal with the region as in the first term, although he noted that this will not be a priority considering other problems around the world such as Ukraine and the Middle East. 

Speaking about Kosovo and Serbia dialogue, Kupchan said that Trump may seek to close the agreement, given that "he is a transactional president and not a statesman". 

Regarding the idea of ​ the exchange of territories, the American professor said that it is always on the table, however, he does not see it as an imminent possibility.

Speaking about the actions of Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti over the past four years, Kupchan said that the Kosovo Prime Minister has been unnecessarily provocative by playing the nationalist card. According to him, this has led to the weakening of Kosovo's position internationally and the stagnation of the dialogue. He said that Kurti is pursuing short-term political gains at the expense of Kosovo's long-term interests. American professor Charles Kupchan, who also served as a special assistant to President Barack Obama and as the Director for European Affairs at the National Security Council during the first administration of President Bill Clinton, said that if Kurti is perceived as stubborn and an obstacle to the normalization process by the Trump Administration, then his relations with Washington will be very tense. Kupchan said that it would be unwise for Kosovo to risk U.S. support.

Commission on Missing Persons: In 2024, 13 victims identified in 9 locations (media) 

The Governmental Commission on Missing Persons emphasized that the past year has been faced with great challenges, including the lack of reliable information and the politicization of the process by Serbian institutions. However, according to them, continuous cooperation with the families of the missing, family associations and international partners has brought positive results towards justice and truth. 

“Out of the 23 locations in question, only 9 of them have resulted in the discovery and exhumation of mortal remains. According to forensic experts, 13 individuals have been exhumed from these locations (however, this data can only be confirmed after all the necessary forensic examination procedures, including identification through scientific DNA analysis, are completed),” the commission said. 

Regarding the locations in Serbia, it is said that despite the agreements, there has been no progress in the excavations. Meetings of the Working Group on Missing Persons, organized with the mediation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), have enabled the addressing of requests for progress in the process of identifying and clarifying the fate of missing persons. 

In addition to local commitments, cooperation with international organizations and embassies for technological and scientific support has intensified during the year, including the use of LiDAR technology and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) to locate bodies. In the identification process, 124 reports from scientific DNA analysis were conducted, resulting in 38 new identifications of victims. In addition, 25 mortal remains were submitted for reburial, respecting the rights of families to know the fate of their loved ones. 

IMC with new regulation for media during the election campaign (media) 

The Independent Media Commission (IMC), in accordance with the legal obligations of the Law on General Elections of Kosovo, has issued Regulation IMC-2024/03 on the obligations of media service providers during the election campaign.  

“Broadcasting stations (television and radio stations) that decide to organize their program during the election campaign shall declare to the IMC whether they will cover the campaign no later than seven (7) calendar days before the start of the election campaign (Article 6.2 of Regulation IMC-2024/03),” the announcement states. 

Also, in accordance with the Election Law, the licensed media are obliged to submit election news to the IMC: News A for free slots, News B for paid slots. The news are completed and submitted to the IMC on Monday of each week to report on the previous week, according to Article 11, paragraph 3 of Regulation IMC-2024/03.

Finally, it is stated that one week before the start of the election campaign period, the price list (price lists) applied during the elections are to be sent to the IMC, according to Article 9, paragraphs 3 and 4 of Regulation KPM-2024/03. 

Former British diplomat: Trump administration will abandon Ohrid agreement (Politiko)

Former British diplomat Timothy Less has commented on the situation in Kosovo, stating that Pristina's main failure is the inability to convince the US and the EU to accept the idea that northern Kosovo should be integrated without special status.

Less emphasizes that Pristina failed to convince the US and the EU that Kosovo should be accepted into international institutions without recognition from Serbia. 

He added that he believes that in 2025 the dialogue will shift from the EU to the US, which is the only external power that Belgrade and Pristina take seriously.

"The first thing to say is that if events follow the precedent of 2017, the leadership of the dialogue will shift from the EU, which has once again proven its inability to broker a solution, to the US, which is the only external power that Serbia and Kosovo take seriously. The appointment of Richard Grenell as the special mission envoy is a strong signal that the US is ready to regain control," Less emphasizes.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/38anrc9e

Serbian Language Media  

Vucic, after talks with US Under Secretary, says he has no good news but Serbia will preserve energy stability (RTS)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said he had open and difficult talks with US Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy and the Environment Jose Fernandez on the topics of energy and possible sanctions to Serbian Oil Industry (NIS), RTS reported.

Particular topic of discussion related to the sanction of which the public will be informed in the upcoming days, RTS added.

“Open, honest and difficult talks with Fernandez. We discussed important topics of bilateral cooperation between Serbia and the US, in particular in the field of energy. A particular topic related to sanction, and full details, I would be able to reveal in the few days. Certainly, I do not have much nice news for the citizens of Serbia, however, Serbia will preserve its stability and energy safety”, Vucic wrote in a post on his official Instagram account. 

Office for KiM: Auxiliary buildings of Djokic family from Radevo set on fire, significant material damage incurred (media)

The Office for Kosovo and Metohija said in a statement that significant material damage was caused to the Djokic family from Radevo village near Lipljan, when their auxiliary buildings used for storing clover, corn, and agricultural machinery were set on fire two nights ago. The five-member Serbian family, which is engaged in agriculture, was directly affected by this act of violence, Kosovo Online portal reported.

The Office added in a statement that holiday season is repeatedly used to send a message to the Serbian population in Kosovo they cannot relax and they can never be at peace any day of the year. "This level of politically sponsored hatred and aggression has not been seen in Europe for decades, and it is incredible that, despite the harsh daily reality, there are still those in the international community who talk about democracy and rule of law in Kosovo and Metohija", Office for KiM said.

They criticized “the lack of legal action against Albanian extremists over the years, noting that in a normal and peaceful society, the role of the police would be to prevent and solve hate crimes. However, no Albanian extremist has been convicted for hate speech or ethnically motivated attacks for years”. It also pointed out that “each act of violence against Serbs in Kosovo is driven by the ideology of hate promoted by Albin Kurti” and urged the international community in Kosovo to take more decisive steps to normalize the political and social climate and restore it to peaceful conditions.

Slobodanka Djokic: Everything is destroyed, we don’t know how we will continue (Kosovo Online)

Slobodanka Djokic from Radevo village near Lipljan, owner of a household where auxiliary buildings burned down two nights ago, expressed her concern about how her family will continue to engage in farming. As she pointed out, the flames engulfed the land cultivation machines, hay, clover, and a corn trailer.

Djokic told Kosovo Online portal yesterday that the fire occurred a night before around 9:30 p.m. while her family members were gathered in the house. A neighbour informed her about the fire, she added. "It was the second evening of the New Year. The neighbour called us and said that the barn was burning. Then the boys and my husband went there. When they arrived at the scene, everything was already ablaze, the fire first caught the clover. There were machines and implements. We had all possible tractor implements there, two presses, a cyclone for sowing, two trailers, one of which was full of corn with bags, 3,000 bales of hay, about 500 bales of clover. We had all sorts of things there, firewood for heating, building materials, material we kept to remodel something", Djokic said.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/tSFj0

Kupchan: Kurti was unnecessarily provocative, played nationalist card (Kosovo Online)

Charles Kupchan, former director of European Affairs at the U.S. National Security Council and a professor at Georgetown University, assessed that Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti has been unnecessarily provocative during his four-year term and played on nationalist sentiments, which according to him has harmed Kosovo position on the international stage and led to a stagnation in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, Kosovo Online portal reported citing Gazeta Express.

Kupchan pointed out that the new U.S. administration will demand a resolution within the framework of the dialogue, and there is a possibility that Kurti could be an obstacle on this path. "Kurti is achieving short-term political gains at the expense of Kosovo's long-term interests. If Kurti is perceived as stubborn and a hindrance to the normalization process by the Trump administration, then his relations with Washington will be very tense", Kupchan noted. He added it would not be wise for Kosovo to risk U.S. support. As he said with Trump's return, the U.S. will engage with the region as in his first term, but it will not be a priority given other global issues like Ukraine and the Middle East.

As far as Belgrade and Pristina were concerned Kupchan said Trump might seek to close deals, considering that "he is a transactional president, not a statesman". As for the idea of territorial solutions or land swaps, the American professor said that it is always on the table, but he does not see it as an immediate possibility.

Vucic: We are offering all kinds of assistance to Montenegro (Tanjug)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Thursday reiterated his condolences to Montenegro over a tragedy in which 12 people have been killed and four others seriously wounded in a shooting spree at Cetinje and offered all kinds of assistance on behalf of Serbia, Tanjug news agency reported.

"Firstly, and above all, I want to extend my condolences again to the people and citizens of Montenegro. I have spoken on the phone with President (Jakov) Milatovic and Prime Minister (Milojko) Spajic", Vucic said in an appearance on Pink TV.

"We have offered all kinds of assistance. That was all we were able to do", he said.

International Media

Montenegro mourns victims after 12 killed in mass shooting (Balkan Insight)

Montenegro is holding three days of mourning after a gunman killed 12 people, including two children, in the city of Cetinje – the worst mass shooting in the country’s history.

Montenegrins on Thursday began three days of mourning for the victims of a mass shooting in the western city of Cetinje the previous day. Twelve people were killed including two children before the gunman killed himself. Four other victims sustained serious injuries.

The prosecution has established that the suspect, Aco Martinovic, first opened fire in a bar on Wednesday afternoon and then continued his shooting spree in four other locations.

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