Albanian Language Media:

• EU expects Brussels agreement to be implemented this year (Koha)
• Italian KFOR troops patrol Kosovo-Serbia administrative boundary line (media)
• Spain on recognizing Kosovo passport: Doesn’t imply Kosovo recognition (media)
• U.S. approach toward Vucic criticized; Serbia wants Congress to punish Kosovo (Koha)
• Hoxha: Early elections could happen in spring; “no other solution” (Telegrafi)
• Krastev: Kurti could look for compromise before U.S. elections (Express)
• Kosovo leaders’ messages for Orthodox Christmas (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Stano: High-level dialogue possible when there is willingness, agenda (Tanjug)
• Patriarch Porfirije served liturgy at Pec Patriarchate, met with mayor (KoSSev, social media)
• Visoki Decani Monastery react to Koha article on Holy Virgin of Ljevis Church, say it represents misrepresentation of history (KoSSev, Kosovo Online, social media)
• Vucevic: SNS to request mandate to form next government (TV Pink, Tanjug)
• ODIHR spokesperson: Final report on elections expected by end-February (N1)
• Svecla visits northern Kosovo twice in two days (KoSSev)
• Arsenijevic on Svecla’s visit to northern Kosovo (social media)
• Former KLA member arrested at Merdare last week sent to one-month detention (KoSSev, Klan Kosova)

Albanian Language Media

EU expects Brussels agreement to be implemented this year (Koha)

Spokesperson for the European Union, Peter Stano, said on Monday in Brussels that the start of implementation of the agreement on license plates by Kosovo and Serbia shows that “when there is readiness from the parties, progress is possible”, the daily reports on its leading front-page story. “Work on the dialogue continues and the focus remains on the implementation of what was agreed upon in Brussels and later in Ohrid last year. We saw with the recognition of license plates that progress is possible. The parties agreed on the implementation of the decision on license plates,” Stano said. He also said that the EU will work to help the parties implement what they have agreed upon and that the agreements are binding for the parties.

Italian KFOR troops patrol Kosovo-Serbia administrative boundary line (media)

NATO’s peacekeeping mission in Kosovo (KFOR), said in a Facebook post on Monday that “Italian soldiers of the Regional Command West (RC-W) conducted operational patrols along the administrative boundary line (ABL) between Kosovo and Serbia in order to monitor the territory and ensure an adequate security framework”. The post also notes that “KFOR is always committed to supporting peace, cooperation and progress for all people living in Kosovo, as its mandate based on United Security Council Resolution 1244 of 1999, contributing to the maintenance of a safe and secure environment for all communities living in Kosovo and freedom of movement.”

Spain on recognizing Kosovo passport: Doesn’t imply recognition of Kosovo (media)

The Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday that Kosovo citizens would run into difficulties when visiting Spain and other countries in the Schengen zone that don’t recognize Kosovo’s passport, if they were not agreeing to recognize the Kosovo passport. “All Schengen countries that don’t recognize Kosovo have agreed to accept the Kosovo passport. This is no way implies the recognition of Kosovo,” a spokeswoman for the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Radio Free Europe.

U.S. approach toward Vucic criticized; Serbia wants Congress to punish Kosovo (Koha)

The daily reports that several U.S. political commentators have criticized the approach of the Biden administration toward Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic saying that the U.S. is treating Serbia more softly compared to other countries in the region. Serbia meanwhile is trying to push an initiative by several U.S. legislators which would stop U.S. aid for Kosovo until the latter “meets the obligations” of the Brussels agreements.

Edward P. Joseph, U.S. political commentator on the Balkans, said in an interview with PBC News Weekend that “there is a disparity in the Balkans where the United States treats Serbia's neighbors to a much harsher, higher standard. And I should point out, we've had two violent confrontations in Kosovo this year. We've had potential issues in Montenegro, which is a NATO ally. And now within the government, there are pro-Russian elements within that NATO ally. And we have a brewing crisis, possibly even beginning this month in Bosnia Herzegovina.”

Hoxha: Early elections could happen in spring; “no other solution” (Telegrafi)

Ylli Hoxha, political commentator, said on Monday that early general elections in Kosovo could be held in spring and that if elections are not held the Kurti-led government will be faced with increased pressure.

Hoxha said that despite progress on the issue of license plates and the energy, he doesn’t predict quick progress on the crucial point which in his opinion is the Association of Serb-majority municipalities. “I am seeing the implementation of previous agreements or certain parts of agreements that are not related to the French-German plan. We are seeing the implementation of two agreements that are outside the Basic Agreement … Serbia will continue to sabotage the [Basic] Agreement, while Kosovo will hesitate to deliver on its primary duty and which is the implementation of the Association,” he said.

Krastev: Kurti could look for compromise before U.S. elections (Express)

Ivan Krastev, director of the Centre for Liberal Strategies in Sofia, Bulgaria, said in an interview with the Balkan Debrief of the Atlantic Council, that progress in the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia is difficult but that if something were to happen the likelihood is at the end of this year.

Krastev said that increased international pressure could help find a solution but that domestic politics is important as both Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic will have to convince their electorates. “This is way the game field does not belong simply to the great powers alone. Local leaders will have their say and they can change things if they decide to,” he argued.

Krastev also said that new elections in the north of Kosovo and forming the Association of Serb-majority municipalities are two conditions that Kurti needs to meet in order to achieve normality with Serbia. Influenced by wider politics and especially by Trump’s possible return to the White House, he thinks that “Kurti could seek a compromise because Kosovo could lose much more than Serbia from a possible change of administration in the U.S.”

"Kurti is aware that it is perhaps better to try and find a solution during the Biden administration because he doesn’t know what could happen later,” he argued.

Kosovo leaders’ messages for Orthodox Christmas (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani said in a message on Orthodox Christmas on Sunday that “may this festive season bring an abundance of joy, peace, and good health”. Prime Minister Albin Kurti said in a post on X “wishing a joyful holiday to all those Orthodox believers who celebrate Christmas today. May the festivities bring peace, kindness, and shared moments of happiness on this sacred day.”

Serbian Language Media 

Stano: High-level dialogue possible when there is willingness, agenda (Tanjug)

EU spokesperson Peter Stano said Monday a continuation of high-level dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina was possible "any time when there is willingness to meet and when there is an agenda to discuss", adding that the EU did not speculate on any upcoming meeting, Tanjug news agency reported.

"The work on the dialogue continues and the focus of this work is indeed on the implementation of what was agreed in the spring of last year in Brussels and in Ohrid, so this is very important. We have seen that progress is possible a few days ago, when both Kosovo and Serbia agreed on the recognition of license plates without the stickers regime. This is concrete proof that progress is possible if there is enough good will", Stano told a press briefing in Brussels.

"So we hope that this will continue also after, of course, the new Serbian government is constituted, and we will continue working and engaging with partners to help them, because this is not the task for us, it is a task for them to implement everything that was agreed. That was a binding agreement and the EU member states and the EU institutions are expecting both sides to proceed as soon as possible, there is no time to lose on this", he added. 

Patriarch Porfirije served liturgy at Pec Patriarchate, met with mayor (KoSSev, social media)

KoSSev portal reported that on the Christmas Day, January 7, Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC) Patriarch Porfirije served the liturgy at Pec Patriarchate which marked the central celebration of Christmas in Kosovo.

Following the liturgy, Patriarch Porfirije met with Pec mayor Gazmend Muhaxheri and the photos from this meeting were published. Belgrade media also reported that the meeting took place in the guest house of Pec Patriarchate, and representatives of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija were also present. Mayor Muhaxheri was accompanied by municipal department of culture director Xhenet Suka and director of the finance department, Jeton Abazaj, Tanjug news agency reported.

KoSSev portal reported that Pec mayor Muhaxheri also visited Pec Patriarchate in October 2022, when he was guest of honor at the enthronement of the Serbian Orthodox Church Patriarch Porfirije. He also attended the enthronement of previous Patriarch Irinej in 2010 in Pec Patriarchate. 

Read the SOC statement on ceremony in Pec Patriarchate at: t.ly/IKQJB

Visoki Decani Monastery react to Koha article on Holy Virgin of Ljevis Church, say it represents misrepresentation of history (KoSSev, Kosovo Online, social media)

On Orthodox Christmas Day, an article was published by the Pristina-based Koha portal stating that the church of the Holy Virgin of Ljevis was allegedly built on the “foundations of the pagan Dardanian sanctuary“ – and not during Serbian or Byzantine times. “Misrepresentation of history“ – the Visoki Decani Monastery said in their reaction to the article, adding that there is no concrete written evidence “about any Dardanian ethnic churches“, KoSSev portal reports.

“Regrettably, despite positive coverage of #Orthodox #Christian #Christmas in #Kosovo and the positive Christmas wishes from major Kosovo political leaders, the news portal Koha, once known for professional journalism, has now become an outlet frequently publishing one-sided, pseudo-historical texts that incite ethnic and religious hatred, particularly against the #Serbian #Orthodox #Church. Today, on Christmas Day itself, Koha published an article that grossly misrepresents the history of the Church of the Holy Virgin of Ljeviš in Prizren, Kosovo”, Visoki Decani Monastery said in a post on X social network.

Read the full reaction of Visoki Decani Monastery at: t.ly/jcm-s

Vucevic: SNS to request mandate to form next government (TV Pink, Tanjug)

Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) leader Milos Vucevic said on Monday the party would request a mandate to form the next Serbian Government and that, even though it would have a majority in the new parliament, the SNS would hold talks with potential coalition partners - the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians, Bosniak parties and the Socialist Party of Serbia.

"We will certainly have 129 or perhaps 130 seats, which is sufficient for a majority in the Serbian Parliament, and I think we will go with a concept of an inclusive approach and invite, above all, the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians and the Bosniak parties, and we will also hold talks with the Socialist Party of Serbia and perhaps with someone else, too, to see who shares the same values", Vucevic told Pink TV.

ODIHR spokesperson: Final report on elections expected by end-February (N1)

ODIHR spokesperson Katya Andrusz told N1 that ODIHR will be making every effort to complete the final report on Serbian December 17 elections in the coming weeks, and that it is expected to be published by the end of February. The final report will contain assessment of the entire election process as well as recommendations to improve it for the future, for the benefit of all Serbian citizens, she added.

Andrusz also told N1 that “ODIHR’s cooperation with the national authorities is important in every country in which we observe”.

“Our conversations with people involved in the elections, including government officials and politicians from across the political spectrum, as well as civil society and the media, are a mainstay of the information we gather and a key element of our election observation methodology”, she explained.

Svecla visits northern Kosovo twice in two days (KoSSev)

Kosovo Interior Minister Xhellal Svecla visited the so-called Military Overhaul site in Mitrovica North on Friday, KoSSev portal reported, adding the visit of the Pristina official was not announced. According to the portal Svecla stayed at this location briefly, and their media team did not manage to find him there. On Friday, Svecla also visited Jarinje and Brnjak crossing points.

The KoSSev media team intended to ask Svecla about the reasons for his visit to Mitrovica North and for a comment on his frequent visits to this area during festive season. The portal further said they intended to ask him about concrete details of the Mitrovica North MA earlier claims that a police station will be built on this location. Mitrovica North MA in a session on December 29, last year, apart from previously announced agenda, adopted a decision to allocate the land at the so-called Military Overhaul site in Mitrovica North for the operational needs of the Ministry of Interior. It was also said that a new police station will be built on that location.   

One day prior to his visit to Mitrovica North, Svecla visited Zubin Potok in the north with two other officials and Kosovo police. The portal reported that they also drove quads in the mountain areas of Brnjak village in this municipality during the visit. On that day, Svecla was supposed to visit Medvedja, Presevo and Bujanovac, but the visit was not permitted by Serbian authorities.

Arsenijevic on Svecla’s visit to northern Kosovo (social media)

Leader of the Serbian Democracy party, Aleksandar Arsenijevic took to X (formerly Twitter) media platform to react to Svecla’s visit to Zubin Potok municipality last week.

“Imagine, Petkovic is banned from entering Kosovo, and he out of frustration to compensate for it, goes to Presevo, with Serbian special police officers armed with long-barrelled weapons on quads to flex muscles on local Albanians, respectively his own citizens, who he should serve”, Arsenijevic wrote in a post.  “And this only to show to his majority hard core (supporters) how he disciplines this unwanted minority that must subjugate to the Serbs”, he added.

“That is what Mr. XSvecla did today. Are institutions there to serve or intimidate?”, Arsenijevic said in a post. 

Former KLA member arrested at Merdare last week sent to one-month detention (KoSSev, Klan Kosova)

Former member of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) H.D. arrested by Serbian authorities at Merdare crossing point on Friday, has been sent to one month detention, KoSSev portal reports citing Klan Kosova.

His lawyer Xhevdet Smakici told this to Klan Kosova. “Yes, this had been confirmed in a communication with a lawyer from Serbia who informed me late last night with email”, Smakiqi added. H.D. had been transferred from the detention unit in Kursumlija to the main detention center in Belgrade, the portal added.