• EU wants to see results of dialogue by February (Koha Ditore – front)
• Overcome differences (Express – p. 6)
• Government allocates 30mil euro for Skopje highway (Koha Ditore – front)
• Serious preparations underway in PDK for party elections (Express – front)
• Krasniqi: Kosovo’s orientation, EU and NATO (Epoka e Re – p. 2)
• Serbia’s leaders threatened (Zëri – front)

Kosovo Media Highlights

EU wants to see results of dialogue by February (Koha Ditore – front)
Koha Ditore reports that European diplomats accredited in Pristina under anonymity conditions said that Brussels expects that by February when EU marks 20th anniversary of the Maastricht Treaty, dialogue should have produced the “climate of normalization” between Kosovo and Serbia and thus reconfirm the commitment that integration of the Balkans region does not have any other alternative.

According to same sources, achievement of agreements on issues like telecom and energy, implementation of IBM, and opening of liaison offices are actions which EU is expecting to happen by the time the Treaty considered as the cornerstone for creation of European Union is celebrated.

Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi will report about the meeting with his Serbian counterpart Ivica Dacic and the dialogue process before Kosovo Assembly on Thursday. Inclusion of the north in the dialogue is not expected to present problems, the paper writes.

Overcome differences (Express – p. 6)
According to AFP, the United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, is on her way to the Balkans where she will request Serbia and Kosovo to overcome their bitter disagreements and fully integrate in the EU and NATO. This daily quotes a spokesperson from the State Department who preferred to remain anonymous as saying that “it is difficult, reforms are difficult, the road towards membership is long and if you do the right thing and implement what you have agreed for, you have actually crossed the final line.” According to AFP, this is a message addressed mainly to Serbia and Kosovo.

Government allocates 30mil euro for Skopje highway (Koha Ditore – front)
Government of Kosovo has decided to set aside 30 million euro for the start of construction works on the Skopje highway but only if certain conditions are met. The funds have been defined in the preliminary budget for 2013 but the budget can change upon review during the second half of the year.

“We have agreed that there should be a satisfactory level of banking balance and we also agreed that at the start of this project’s construction the level of the banking balance will be 300 million euro,” said Finance Minister Bedri Hamza. He also added that the Government has the support of the International Monetary Fund in this respect.

Serious preparations underway in PDK for party elections (Express – front)
Express reports that the largest political party, Democratic Party of Kosovo – PDK, is seriously preparing for internal elections and it seems that the leader Hashim Thaçi aims to hold this year the party’s convention. Apart from the changes in the statute, PDK is trying during this time to also form cabinets of good governance for each municipality where it is in the opposition but these changes will not reflect the way the party leader will be elected. An unnamed PDK official told the paper that the changes in the statute are connected with the election of the members of general council and with the tasks of the party presidency.

“One of the changes is that every PDK deputy is automatically elected member of general council”, said the source of newspaper. In an interview for Express, Adem Grabovci, one of the trusted people of Hashim Thaçi in PDK, said that elections will be certainly held this year.

One of the points where disagreements between Fatmir Limaj and Jakup Krasniqi with Hashim Thaçi lie is the way of election of the party leader. Limaj and Krasniqi support the principle of “one member, one vote” but this requests looks like it will not be fulfilled. Asked about this issue, Enver Hoxhaj, member of presidency, said that everything will be conducted based on the actual statute which says that the head of the party is elected with votes of delegates.

Krasniqi: Kosovo’s orientation, EU and NATO (Epoka e Re – p. 2)
The Speaker of the Assembly of Kosovo, Jakup Krasniqi met during his visit to Great Britain with the Lord Speaker at the Parliament of the United Kingdom, Baroness Frances D’Souza, and expressed appreciation for the support of the United Kingdom to Kosovo in all fields. Krasniqi informed the baroness on the work of the Assembly and the challenges ahead, and he made a comprehensive description of the current situation in the country.

“Kosovo’s strategic orientation is integration in the European Union and NATO,” said Krasniqi. Baroness D’Souza was interested in the recommendations that derive from the Report of feasibility study, implementation of Ahtisaari’s plan, constitutional, election reforms, and Kosovo’s integration processes. The delegation of the deputies from Kosovo met also with other members of the British Parliament reports this daily.

Serbia’s leaders threatened (Zëri – front)
A document classified as “top secret” reported on by Serb local media in Mitrovica threatens any Serb leader that dares signing the act of giving up Kosovo saying that whoever does so, be it the prime minister or president of Serbia, will sign their own death. The Serb state document further notes that not only would this constitute an act in conflict to the Constitution of Serbia but would also seal the political career of any of the leaders that would agree to give up Kosovo.

Kosovo Press Headlines

Koha Ditore

Front page
• EU wants results of dialogue by February
• Government allocates 30 million euro for Skopje highway
• Vllasi: Kosovo to explain some things before talks
• Government announces increase of prices and economic development
• Kosovo used as transit country for contraband of emigrants

Other headlines
• E15 asks for platform of talks approved by Assembly (2)
• Police, ready for Clinton and Ashton visit (2)
• Thaçi: Kosovo looking forward to visit from Clinton and Ashton (3)
• Government says from 1 Jan it has good legal basis to fight organized crime and corruption (4)
• Sydow: CoE’s support to focus on Kosovo’s needs (5)
• Mitrovica-Skenderaj road blocked because of KEK (4)
• Works on Pristina-Mitrovica road not to finish this year either (5)
• Krasniqi in London meets Baroness D’Souza (6)

Zëri

Front page
• Thaçi “voluntarily” to appear before Assembly
• IMF lowers forecast for Kosovo’s economy
• Coffee and talks at PDK
• Kosovo is not without platform
• Government approves draft budget
• Serbia’s leaders threatened

Other headlines
• Hoxhaj visits Denmark (2)
• Ceda doesn’t support plan for Kosovo (2)
• Blomeyer reconfirms support for Kosovo (2)
• Dacic doesn’t expect “tough meeting” with Clinton and Ashton (4)
• Police ready for Clinton’s visit (4)
• My plan normalizes Kosovo-Serbia relations (4)
• Sydow: CoE continues support for Kosovo (8)

Kosova Sot

Front page
• 2013 budget, 1 billion and 586 million euro
• Scandalous judge protected by judicial system!
• Clinton asks Kosovo and Serbia to overcome differences
• MPs with mouth shut on Thaçi’s reporting
• Editorial: Survival budget

Other headlines
• PDK discusses elections (2)
• We have a platform (3)
• Progress on interethnic climate in the country (8)
• Evidence of police violence in protest being gathered (10)

Epoka e Re

Front page
• Report on December
• Thaçi: Visit of Clinton and Ashton, historical
• Kuçi: Talks will be finalized with peace treaty
• Budget, 1 billion 586 million euro

Other headlines
• Krasniqi: Orientation of Kosovo, EU and NATO (2)
• Messages of Secretary Clinton for Balkans (2)
• Preparations for internal election underway in PDK (3)
• Thaçi on Thursday briefs MPs on meeting with Dacic (3)
• Police ready for visit of Clinton and Ashton (5)
• Hoxhaj welcomed new German ambassador (6)

Express

Front page
• Serious on elections
• Good with IMF
• Delay it Xhabir, delay

Other headlines
• Absurd request (2)
• To inform the Assembly on Thursday (5)
• Treaty, at the end (5)
• Hoxhaj waited on German Ambassador, Blomeyer (6)
• Overcome differences (6)
• They find the replacement (8)
• NGOs profit (9)

Bota Sot

Front page
• Ferat Shala, former SHIK chief, to replace Dino Asanaj
• Welcome great lady, Hillary Clinton
• LDK reacts
• Is the Government keeping the platform of discussions a secret?

Other headlines
• Constitutional and legislative reforms at a cross road (2)
• UNDP hands over grants for advancement of gender rights (2)
• Hoxhaj for an official visit in Denmark (2)
• Women’s Network requests dignity before elections (3)
• Police increases readiness for the visit of Secretary Clinton (3)
• Kosovo’s integration in EU will not be a burden for the European family (4)
• Berisha: Hillary Clinton arrives as a great friend (4)
• Serbia to discuss the platform next week (6)
• German Ambassador hands over credential letters to the Minister (7)
• Strategic orientation of Kosovo, EU and NATO integration (7)
• Governing party tries to control the Academy of Sciences of Kosovo (8)
• Kosovo’s budget for 2013, “weighs” 1.6 billion euro (9)