• NATO declines Serbia's request to deploy its troops in Kosovo (Reuters)
• Two Serbs injured in Christmas Eve shooting, suspect arrested (euronews)
• Kurti strongly condemns attack on two citizens in Shterpce (media)
• EU condemns shooting of two Serbs on Orthodox Christmas Eve (media)
• Hovenier condemns wounding of two young people in Shterpce (RTK)
• UNMIK chief condemns shooting of two Serbs in Shterpce (media)
• One month detention for suspect of wounding two young Serbs (media)
• Protest in Shterpce after the injury of two young Serbs (media)
• Albin Kurti: Can Kosovo bond with its ethnic Serbs? (Al Jazeera)
• Chollet to visit Kosovo on January 11 (media)
• A bus with passengers from Kosovo gets attacked in Serbia (media)
• “Kurti will resign”, analyst gives details of plan for snap elections (euronews.al)
• PDK’s Krasniqi calls Svecla’s request for expired passports shameful (media)

NATO declines Serbia's request to deploy its troops in Kosovo (Reuters)

NATO's mission in Kosovo, KFOR, has declined a Serbian government request to send up to 1,000 police and army personnel to Kosovo after clashes between Serbs and the Kosovo authorities, President Aleksandar Vucic said on Sunday.

Serbia's former province of Kosovo declared independence in 2008 following the 1998-1999 war during which NATO bombed rump-Yugoslavia, comprising Serbia and Montenegro, to protect Albanian-majority Kosovo.

"They (KFOR) replied they consider that there is no need for the return of the Serbian army to Kosovo ... citing the United Nations resolution approving their mandate in Kosovo," Serbia's Vucic said in an interview with the private Pink television.

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

Two ethnic Serbs injured in Christmas Eve shooting, suspect arrested (euronews)

A Kosovo Security Force member was arrested after he shot and wounded two ethnic Serbs, one of them a minor, near Shtërpce/Štrpce on Friday, authorities said.

The shooting on Eastern Orthodox Christmas Eve came following weeks of ethnic tensions in the country.

Kosovo police said in a statement that they had arrested "a 33-year-old man" in southern Kosovo, a former Serbian province whose independence was declared in 2008 but never recognised by Belgrade.

The incident took place in the village of Gotovuša near the small southern town, which is predominantly populated by the ethnic Serb minority.

The two Serbs, one aged 11 and the other 21, were wounded by gunfire from a car that fled the scene, according to the same source.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3VPng3G

Kurti strongly condemns attack on two citizens in Shterpce (media)

The Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti has said that he condemns the attack on two citizens that happened on Friday afternoon in Shtërpcë.

“I strongly condemn the attack on two citizens of Kosovo in Shterpce. Deeply concerned about their injury. According to the information, the 11- and 21-year-old youths are out of danger and I wish you a speedy recovery. The Kosovo Police has arrested the suspect, who without a doubt must and will face the justice authorities”, Kurti wrote on Facebook.

Two people were injured by gunfire in the village of Drajkovc in Shterpce on Friday afternoon, a municipality inhabited by a majority of Serbs. The police arrested the author of the incident, who is an Albanian citizen.

EU condemns shooting of two Serbs on Orthodox Christmas Eve (media)

The EU on Saturday condemned the shooting of a Serb boy and a young man in Kosovo on Orthodox Christmas Eve.

"The European Union firmly condemns the shooting of a child and a young man in Kosovo. Important that authorities will fully investigate this despicable crime and justice is exerted," European Commission spokesman Peter Stano said on Twitter.

Hovenier condemns wounding of two young people in Shterpce (RTK)

The U.S. ambassador to Kosovo Jeff Hovenier said that he feels honored that Bishop Teodosije had invited him to participate in the Christmas liturgy.

“Honored that Bishop Teodosije invited me to attend this morning's Christmas liturgy. I also expressed our concern about the incident in which 2 individuals were shot in Strpce. We condemn that act and we are grateful that the authorities reacted quickly and arrested a suspect,” Hovenier tweeted.

UNMIK chief condemns shooting of two Serbs in Shterpce (media)

UNMIK chief Caroline Ziadeh expressed condemnation at the shooting of a young man and an 11-year-old boy in Shtërpcë/Štrpce, during the Orthodox Christmas weekend. “She wishes the injured a speedy recovery and welcomes the swift arrest of a suspect by Kosovo authorities. She condemns all acts of violence and calls for peace to be preserved and perpetrators brought to justice,” a Twitter post by UNMIK notes.

One month detention for suspect of wounding two young Serbs (media)

The Basic Court in Ferizaj has imposed a month's detention on the suspect with the initials A.K. aged 33, for injuring two people in Shterpce, a municipality inhabited by a majority of Serbs.

The court session for determining the measure against the member of the Kosovo Security Force (FSK), who is suspected of injuring two young Serbs, was held on Sunday.

In the announcement of this court, it is said that it has been assessed that there is a suspicion that in a village of the Municipality of Shterpce, the suspect intentionally tried to deprive the injured M.S. and S.S. of their lives.

Protest in Shterpce after the injury of two young Serbs (media)

Local Serbs staged a protest in Shterpce on Sunday afternoon, which was held in front of the House of Culture in this municipality inhabited by a majority of Serbs.

The Kosovo Police announced that the Shterpce-Prevalla regional road, from the village of Drajkovc to Brezovica, will be closed to traffic until the end of the announced protest, which started at 12:00, writes REL.

The protest was announced a day before by the mayor of Shterpce Municipality, who is also the vice-president of the Serbian List, Dalibor Jevtic, after the injury of two young Serbs in this municipality.

On January 6, the Kosovo Police announced that two people, one about 11 years old and the other about 21 years old, were injured with firearms in the village of Drajkovc in the municipality of Shterpce.

According to the announcement, they were shot by suspects, who were in a moving passenger vehicle, which was traveling from Shterpce in the direction of Ferizaj. Regarding the case, the police identified and then arrested the suspect with the initials A.K. aged 33.

Albin Kurti: Can Kosovo bond with its ethnic Serbs? (Al Jazeera)

As 2022 was drawing to a close, the Balkans was once again on the verge of ethnic conflict.

Tensions had built up in July in northern Kosovo, and the situation escalated even further in December as ethnic Serb protesters blocked roads and cut off border crossings with Serbia.

After weeks of unrest, tensions have eased. But how fragile is this sense of calm? And how will Kosovo address its deep ethnic divisions?

The prime minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, talks to Al Jazeera.

See the full interview at: https://bit.ly/3GuMazU

Chollet to visit Kosovo on January 11 (media)

Senior councilor to the U.S. Department of State Derek Chollet will visit Kosovo on January 11. He will also visit North Macedonia and Serbia, a statement notes by the State Department notes.

According to the announcement, Chollet will meet in Pristina with government officials, other political leaders and civil society, to discuss U.S. efforts to help Kosovo advance towards Euro-Atlantic integration, "including the achievement of a comprehensive agreement between Kosovo and Serbia through the dialogue facilitated by the EU, which would have mutual recognition at the center".

After Pristina, Chollet will be visiting Belgrade. There, on January 12, in addition to energy security, regional economic integration and Serbia's progress towards EU membership, the topic of discussion will also be the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue.

"He [Chollet] will discuss the role of Serbia in strengthening regional peace and security and the continuous engagement in the dialogue facilitated by the EU to normalize relations with Kosovo," the announcement states.

Before Pristina and Belgrade, Chollet will visit Skopje. There he will meet with government leaders to discuss a range of issues, including energy, the economy and the fight against corruption.

His visit to these three countries, from January 11 to 13, according to the State Department, aims to "underline the continued commitment of the U.S. to the peace, stability and prosperity of the Western Balkans."

A bus with passengers from Kosovo gets attacked in Serbia (media)

A bus with Kosovar citizens traveling from Peja to Germany was attacked in Serbia. According to media reports in Kosovo, the incident happened around 21:00 Saturday evening in Krushevac. Fortunately, no one was injured in this incident.

Meanwhile, photos from the bus that was attacked with stones were also obtained, while the damages can be seen on the front glass of the bus.

The authorities in Serbia have not yet reacted regarding this incident.

“Kurti will resign”, analyst gives details of plan for snap elections (euronews.al)

Analyst Drizan Shala has provided details of the plan for snap elections in Kosovo. In an interview for Euronews Albania, he said that if the issue of the Association is not resolved, the prime minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, will resign.

He further emphasized that it is expected that after February 17 we will be in a situation where Kosovo will be without a government in office.

“The association is the cornerstone of continuing the dialogue. According to information, the government of Kosovo has drafted the association status of the municipality with a Serbian majority. Kosovo cannot escape responsibility regarding the establishment of this association. In the event that the government of Kosovo will try to find an alternative time, then our strategic partners have suggested finding alternative partners to implement this. Prime Minister Kurti should resign. The US has said that it will stand behind this association and will lead this association. It is expected that after February 17 we will be in a situation where we will be without a government in office. “Kurti’s mission is to bring the association to life as soon as possible, otherwise we will be in the elections on April 23 of this year, where the elections in the northern part are also planned,” he said.

PDK’s Krasniqi calls Svecla’s request for expired passports shameful (media)

Leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) Memli Krasniqi has described as shameful the request of the minister Xhelal Svecla to Germany to allow immigrants with legal residence to travel with expired Kosovar passports.

“Unfortunately, even in their visit, the Government failed to at least provide material for passports, the terms of which have already expired for many emigrants. The government, instead of making humiliating requests to friendly countries to allow the travel of citizens with expired passports, should urgently turn this problem into a priority,” Krasniqi said.

“No justification excuses the incompetent governors regarding the lack of material for the production of passports. It's been months and this bunch of incompetents can't solve a simple supply problem. Can anyone from the government of the linguists tell why only Kosovo in all of Europe does not have material for passports?” Krasniqi asked.