• Police set up checkpoints on the Mitrovica-Leposavic highway (media)
• Serbs called to protest, KFOR ready to react if situation escalates (Koha)
• Kosovo Police investigating reports about kidnapping of Serbs in north (media)
• EULEX may increase number of police if needed (Klan)
• Kosovo Police confirms arrested ex-cop being held at police station (BIRN)
• After increase in attacks on journalists in Kosovo, police and international forces asked to provide better protection (Reporters Without Borders)
• Szunyog: Visa-free movement in 2024 is not yet final (Klan)
• Hovenier confirms support for Kosovo (RTK)
• Krasniqi: If Kurti can’t remove barricades, he should hand over mandate (Klan)
• Basha on KFOR's statement: “Offensive to state and victims of war” (media)
• Kosovo EU bid to get careful consideration early next year (Bloomberg)
• PSD calls on Assembly to amend law on specialist chambers (media)

Police set up checkpoints on the Mitrovica-Leposavic highway (media)

Kosovo Police have set up vehicle checkpoints on the Mitrovica-Leposavic main road, in order to guarantee circulation and freedom of movement for everyone without distinction, as well as the prevention of criminal activities and smuggling in general, police said in a statement on Wednesday.

"Management and control of the security situation in the country continues to be the main priority of the Kosovo Police and maximum efforts are being made to overcome the situation that has been tense for several days in the north of Mitrovica," reads a communique of the Kosovo Police.

"In order to fulfill the tasks and legal authorizations, the Kosovo Police has foreseen adequate operational planning in the engagement of its personnel and capacities in the most rational way in achieving the legal objectives throughout the country with the aim of creating a better environment safe for all citizens without distinction."

"On the Mitrovica-Leposavic main road, the Kosovo Police has established vehicle checkpoints to guarantee circulation and freedom of movement for everyone without distinction, as well as the prevention of criminal activities and smuggling in general."

"The Kosovo Police, specifically the police officers, are committed to maintaining order and guaranteeing general security throughout the country and, depending on the needs, to undertake necessary actions in the field in order to guarantee legality".

"We thank the citizens for their cooperation with the Kosovo Police and in providing relevant information, as well as reporting cases for addressing them professionally and for the benefit of all communities without distinction," the press release notes.

Serbs called to protest, KFOR ready to react if situation escalates (Koha)

The daily reports on its front page this morning that the crisis center in the north of Kosovo has called on local Serbs to protest today near the barricade in the village of Rudar. The protest is scheduled for noon. The organisers said that among the reasons for the protest is also a statement by Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti in an interview for The Guardian where he expressed fear that the removal of barricades could result in casualties. The organisers also expressed their opposition to what they called Germany’s support for the government of Kosovo.

Kosovo Police investigating reports about kidnapping of Serbs in north (media)

Kosovo Police said in a press statement on Wednesday that they are conducting the necessary investigations related to information and media reports about the kidnapping of some Serb citizens in the north of Kosovo. The police said that they are treating these cases “seriously”, Radio Free Europe reports.

“In the past few days, there have been information, reports, and publications in the media regarding the kidnapping, beating, and ill-treatment of some Serbian citizens by members of criminal structures in the northern part of the Republic of Kosovo,” the police statement notes.

Kosovo’s law enforcement authorities said tensions in the mainly-Serb inhabited north of Kosovo have required increasing police capacities to manage the security situation and to prevent “criminal activities”.

EULEX may increase number of police if needed (Klan)

EU Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) may increase the number of its police officers if this is required. The mission told the TV station on Wednesday that “depending on developments on the ground, a further increase in the EULEX Formed Police Unit cannot be excluded. For the time being, EULEX’s Formed Police Unit, is consisted of 105 Polish police officers, and the Mission’s Reserve Formed Police Unit, consisting of 24 Italian Carabinieri and five Lithuanian gendarmes”.

Asked if the mission is planning to increase the number of staff in the north, they said, “if conditions allow the safe use of alternative roads, our patrols try to reach several locations in northern Kosovo, including police stations. Due to adverse weather and road conditions, this is not always possible.”

Kosovo Police confirms arrested ex-cop being held at police station (BIRN)

Kosovo Police operations chief told BIRN that Dejan Pantic – who was arrested 12 days ago – is being held at a police station near the Serbian border and is receiving all the treatment he needs.

Gazmend Hoxha, Director of Operations of the Kosovo Police, told BIRN that detained policeman Dejan Pantic is being held in a police station in Jarinje, near the Serbian border, and is receiving all necessary medical treatment.

“He is being held at Jarinje police station,” Hoxha said, adding that the Serbian barricades erected immediately after his arrest made it impossible to transfer Pantic to a detention centre.

On Tuesday, Nebojsa Vlajic, his lawyer, told the media that he still did not know his client’s location, several days after his arrest.

“Everyone believes that he is at a base of the Kosovo Police”, near the Jarinje border crossing. “But whether it is really there or not, I don’t have any official confirmation,” he said.

Vlajic said that he had addressed the EU rule-of-law EULEX mission about Pantic’s whereabouts, noting that EULEX’s mandate is to supervise the judiciary in Kosovo. “More than two days ago, I asked for an answer to those questions, they still haven’t answered,” said Vlajic.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3VaShyI

After increase in attacks on journalists in Kosovo, police and international forces asked to provide better protection (Reporters Without Borders)

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls on the police and international security forces in Kosovo to provide journalists with better protection and to safeguard the right to information in the north of the country, where at least four media crews have been attacked by unidentified individuals since mid-November amid heightened political tension between Kosovo and neighbouring Serbia.

"The alarm signal sent by the wave of attacks against journalists in northern Kosovo must be taken seriously by Kosovo Police, the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR) and the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) before there is another tragedy. We urge them to carry out a rapid and thorough investigation into these attacks, and to take additional protective measures in coordination with associations of journalists representing the two ethnic communities.

The attacks against at least four crews of journalists since mid-November have come against the backdrop of a dispute over vehicle licence plates between the government of Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia in 2008, and the government of Serbia, which refuses to recognise Kosovo’s independence and wields political influence over the mainly Serb population in northern Kosovo.

The latest attack took place on 19 December in Zubin Potok, where a group of masked individuals insulted and threw stones at a Klan Kosova TV crew consisting of reporter Haris Ademi, cameraman Agon Bejtullahu and driver Elsad Sinani, who had come to cover the barricades that had been erected in this municipality. They were easily identifiable as journalists because their vehicle was displaying a “Press” sign.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3VbtOtf

Szunyog: Visa-free movement in 2024 is not yet final (Klan)

European Union Head of Office in Kosovo, Tomas Szunyog, said in an interview with Klan Kosova on Wednesday that the entire process has not yet been finalized so that Kosovars can move without visas at the beginning of 2024. He has shown the steps that must be taken until the liberalization of visas for Kosovo is finalized.

"If you look at the text of the draft, it says when the ETIAS system will be operationalized, that is, no later than January 1, 2024."

"So, January 1 is the latest, it can also happen a few weeks earlier, so it is still not finalized in terms of the formal procedure because like any other law it must be finalized and announced in the official gazette, signed, etc."

Hovenier confirms support for Kosovo (RTK)

US Ambassador to Kosovo, Jeffrey Hovenier, said on Wednesday that he had great discussions with the heads of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and with the ambassadors of Kosovo. "Great discussions with MFA leader and all Kosovo's Ambassadors at RKSAC22. We shared our experiences in working in foreign and national affairs security, and I reiterated my vision in support of Kosovo's regional, European, and Euro-Atlantic integration,” Hovenier wrote.

Krasniqi: If Kurti can’t remove barricades, he should hand over mandate (Klan)

Leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) Memli Krasniqi, said in an interview with Klan Kosova on Wednesday that the intention of the French-German plan is to achieve what is possible between the parties and not what is necessary.

"There is an essential difference between what is possible and what is necessary, because in negotiation processes, especially such as we have, it is difficult to convince both parties for an agreement because there are quite opposing positions."

Krasniqi said that it is unacceptable for the barricades to become part of the dialogue in Brussels. He emphasized that if Prime Minister Albin Kurti cannot remove the barricades, he must resign.

Basha on KFOR's statement: “Offensive to state and victims of war” (media)

Vetevendosje Movement MP Dimal Basha said on Wednesday that he was offended by KFOR’s statement that it is analysing Serbia's request for the deployment of Serbian troops and police in the north of Kosovo.

"KFOR's mandate is to guarantee of a safe environment, which includes the free movement of citizens of all communities, and not consider Vucic's banal demands, nor to allow criminal structures to hold Serbian citizens hostage in the north of the country for so many days now!"

"Furthermore, KFOR knows very well that Serbian forces are not returning to Kosovo, at least not without a fight, and therefore the fact that they say, "we are considering it," is offensive to the entire state, and especially to the victims of the war," Basha wrote on Facebook.

Vela: Vucic uses barricades to threaten peace in Kosovo and the region (media)

Chief of Staff to Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, Blerim Vela, reacted on Wednesday to a statement by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic who said that barricades in the north will not be removed until Kosovo forms the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities. Vela wrote in a Twitter post: “Serbia has totally lost its plot. Vucic’s is in desperate mode to justify its order to illegal structures in Kosovo to erect barricades in the north. Truth is that there is no reason for barricades to exist, besides for Vucic to use them to threaten peace in Kosovo and the region”.

Vucic: Barricades will be removed when Association is formed (media)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Wednesday that the barricades in the north of Kosovo will be removed when Kosovo forms the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities.

"First the Association of Municipalities, then we will remove the barricades," Vucic told journalists in Azerbaijan. According to Vucic, Kosovo does not want to listen, but only wants to humiliate Serbia.

"We are facing great insolence coming from outside, from some Western powers. They say remove the barricades and return to the institutions, first form the Association, this is the first obligation according to the Brussels agreement."

"When you're backed into a corner, you have nothing to lose. We must develop our countries, fight for our peoples. We will defend ourselves with all four hands," he is quoted as saying.

He emphasized that the behavior of the NATO mission in Kosovo, KFOR, is fairer compared to the behavior of most Western governments.

"They [KFOR] are treating the situation seriously and responsibly," Vucic said. He asked for an explanation from Kosovo regarding the arrest of the former Kosovo Serb policeman, Dejan Pantic, adding that Belgrade does not know the reason for his arrest.

Kosovo EU bid to get careful consideration early next year (Bloomberg)

The European Union will look into Kosovo’s application to join the bloc as soon as Sweden takes over the rotating presidency in January. The bid will have to be carefully mulled as it’s a sensitive issue for many member states, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity. Five of 27 EU states haven’t recognized Kosovo as a country following its unilateral declaration of independence from Serbia in 2008.

PSD calls on Assembly to amend law on specialist chambers (media)

The Social Democratic Party of Kosovo (PSD) submitted a request to the Kosovo Assembly on Wednesday calling for the amendments of two articles of the Law on the Specialist Chambers and the Office of the Specialist Prosecutor. According to PSD leader Dardan Molliqaj, articles 6 and 16 are not in compliance with the International Law on War Crimes and international conventions for war crimes. The PSD, which is not a parliamentary party, has also called a protest on Saturday to oppose the recent conviction of a KLA unity commander by the Specialist Chambers.