• Osmani: Aligning with US in Board of Peace strengthens Kosovo’s international voice (Telegrafi)
• Prosecution continues action against second group of vote tampering suspects in Prizren (Koha)
• AJK: Journalist Kushtrim Sadiku reports serious threats to police (media)
• Ismaili: Cooperation with EU institutions has crucial role in advancing CBK reform agenda (media)
• Stavileci: Scanner at Merdare in operational use, full implementation will facilitate trade (Kosovo Online)
• Gogic: The Constitutional Court delivered a Solomon’s solution, Self-Determination fell into its own trap (Kosovo Online)
• “SL in the north started campaign of removing Albanians from work, Kurti govt silent” (Nacionale)
• Jaksic: Rasic’s invitation is insincere and unacceptable (Radio Kim)
• US company Carlyle may buy sanctioned Lukoil’s Balkan assets (BIRN)

Osmani: Aligning with US in Board of Peace strengthens Kosovo’s international voice (Telegrafi)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, in a podcast with Telegrafi, said that Kosovo’s involvement in the Board of Peace is one of the most important developments in its foreign policy in the last couple of years, and that it directly strengthens Kosovo’s international standing.

“Kosovo’s membership in every international organization is good news for our country, and especially when it concerns an international organization led by our strategic ally, the United States of America, whose support and leadership has made it possible for Kosovo to be free, independent and democratic,” she said.

Osmani said that it is completely natural for Kosovo to be politically aligned with its ally – the United States – whenever there are such important international initiatives. 

“Kosovo has been honored by the United States. This is an exceptional praise for our people and country as an important factor for peace and stability, not only in the region but beyond. At the same time this strengthens the international standing of our country,” she said.

Osmani said that Kosovo’s membership in the Board of Peace gives it an equal voice in international decision-making, and it opens new diplomatic doors including with countries that have not recognized Kosovo’s independence. 

Osmani also said that at the signing ceremony of the Board of Peace she had meetings and direct communication with leaders of many countries, including non-recognizers, and that they saw Kosovo’s involvement as a powerful political message. 

Osmani explained that membership in the Board of Peace does not include financial obligations for Kosovo.

Osmani said that she has had several discussions with Trump since his election mainly focused on security issues and regional stability. “I have had several discussions with President Trump since his election. One of the main meetings was held in Paris at the Elysee. Discussions focused on the security situation and about the need for the US to continue to have a leading role in maintaining peace and security in our region, and discussions as part of meetings at the United Nations, where we had a substantial discussion about President Trump’s role for peace in our country and beyond, because our region is important for the US administration,” she said.

Prosecution continues action against second group of vote tampering suspects in Prizren (Koha)

The Basic Prosecution in Prizren has continued today its action against people suspected of vote tampering in the December 28 parliamentary elections. The prosecution said in a statement that in cooperation with Kosovo Police and after receiving public information about the results of vote counting at the Municipal Counting Center in Prizren, they are continuing extended investigations into a second group of suspects in Prizren. 

AJK: Journalist Kushtrim Sadiku reports serious threats to police (media)

The Association of Journalists of Kosovo said in a statement on Wednesday that it is concerned over “the alarming number of serious threats to life received in recent days by Kanal 10 journalist Kushtrim Sadiku”. “Sadiku has reported the threats to the Kosovo Police, while the AJK has urged security institutions to conduct a swift and thorough investigation and to provide protection, citing serious concerns for the physical safety of Sadiku and his family,” the statement notes.

The AJK also called on the public “to ensure that discussions regarding the content of the material broadcast on Kanal 10 on Monday remain within the bounds of free expression and opinion, without resorting to threats or endangering anyone’s safety”.

Ismaili: Cooperation with EU institutions has crucial role in advancing CBK reform agenda (media)

Most news websites cover a press release issued by the Central Bank of Kosovo about a meeting between Governor Ahmet Ismaili and Hubert Perr, the newly appointed Head of Cooperation at the European Union Office in Kosovo, accompanied by his team. “Governor Ismaili expressed his sincere appreciation to Perr and the European Union Office for their continued support and excellent cooperation. He also conveyed his gratitude for the strong partnership that the CBK maintains with the European Central Bank (ECB) and various European Commission Directorates-General, emphasizing that cooperation with EU institutions plays a crucial role in advancing the CBK’s reform agenda and supporting the development of Kosovo’s financial sector. During the meeting, Governor Ismaili presented a comprehensive overview of the CBK’s ongoing activities and reforms aimed at further aligning Kosovo’s financial framework with European Union legislation and best practices. He informed Perr of the progress made toward Kosovo’s integration into the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), despite recent legal challenges, highlighting that this initiative will significantly enhance the efficiency of Kosovo’s payment systems and ensure full compatibility with EU standards. He also outlined the CBK’s intensified efforts in legislative advancement, supervisory reforms, the strengthening of financial and monetary sovereignty, and the fight against counterfeit euro currency. Governor Ismaili underscored the CBK’s strong interest and active role within the EU Growth Plan, noting that the institution continues to contribute to key financial-sector components that support Kosovo’s broader economic development, subject to parliamentary approval. In addition, he provided updates on legislative developments, including new Law on Banks, and the need to re-process the Law on Payment Services, and the adoption of the updated Law on Anti-Money Laundering (AML). These initiatives are designed to further align Kosovo’s regulatory framework with EU directives and supervisory expectations. The discussion also addressed the CBK’s ongoing work on the regulation and monitoring of crypto assets, reflecting the importance of keeping pace with evolving European approaches in this rapidly developing area,” the press release notes.

Read more at: https://shorturl.at/lfk22

Stavileci: Scanner at Merdare in operational use, full implementation will facilitate trade (Kosovo Online)

The scanner at the Merdare border crossing has already been put into operational use and is currently being applied in line with existing procedures and risk assessments, Kosovo Customs spokesperson Adriatik Stavileci told Kosovo Online.

As he explained, the scanner is a donation from the Government of the United States of America, implemented through the EXBS program, and was officially inaugurated on January 22, after the installation and training process carried out by experts engaged by the equipment manufacturer was successfully completed.

“Parallel with its commissioning, the recommended activities by experts related to improving the accompanying infrastructure at the border crossing itself were also implemented,” Stavileci said.

He added that, in this context, Kosovo Customs successfully carried out staff training as well as scanner testing, thereby creating all the necessary conditions for its safe, efficient, and professional use in everyday operations.

“Although part of the infrastructure expansion is still in the final phase, the scanner is already being used in practice. We expect that the full implementation of this technology will further increase efficiency in identifying and managing risks, as well as in facilitating trade, which is one of the key priorities of Kosovo Customs. In this regard, it is important to note that, according to measurements within CEFTA mechanisms, the Republic of Kosovo records the best results in customs clearance time, which clearly confirms the commitment of Kosovo Customs to applying best practices and the most appropriate tools in order to serve the economy and international trade,” Stavileci emphasized.

He concluded that all the aforementioned activities are being carried out in accordance with international standards and best practices, including the conventions of the World Customs Organization (WCO), of which Kosovo is a full member.

Gogic: The Constitutional Court delivered a Solomon’s solution, Self-Determination fell into its own trap (Kosovo Online)

Political scientist Ognjen Gogic told Kosovo Online that by ruling that the election of Nenad Rasic as Deputy Speaker of the Kosovo Assembly from the ranks of the Serbian community was unconstitutional, the Constitutional Court sent a message to MPs that a similar move in the future would also be contrary to the Constitution.

According to Gogic, the Constitutional Court reached a Solomon’s solution, but also decided that the ruling would not be applied retroactively, meaning it would have no consequences for the previous Assembly term.

“That is rendered moot by the fact that the term has been dissolved. At the same time, the Court noted that this would jeopardize legal certainty, because it would then annul all actions taken afterward. Therefore, it used the legal standard that the ruling is not applied retroactively, but that it has consequences for future processes. The Constitutional Court essentially told MPs that a similar move in the future would have consequences, because it would be unconstitutional,” Gogic said.

He assessed that the Constitutional Court, through its ruling, responded to objections heard in the public that it had delayed too long in issuing a decision that is very important for the processes of constituting institutions in Kosovo.

“It preempted problems that could potentially arise in the future by timely stating its position on how the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly from the Serbian community should be elected ahead of the constitution of the parliament that is to follow in some upcoming period, depending on when the election results are confirmed. With this ruling, the Constitutional Court has effectively rounded off this issue,” Gogic said.

"SL in the north started campaign of removing Albanians from work, Kurti govt silent" (Nacionale)

The news website reports that after it won in the four northern municipalities, the Serbian List has started a campaign of removing Albanian workers from the municipal administrations there. In a matter of weeks, the new municipal leaderships have fired several Albanian workers.

The news website published on Wednesday the decisions of Mitrovica North mayor Milan Radojevic for firing three Albanian staff from their jobs. Local media have meanwhile reported that Albanian workers were fired in the other northern municipalities too. The news website notes that the Kurti-led government, which has boasted for wielding sovereignty in the north, has remained silent about the removal of Albanian workers from the municipal administrations. No representative of the central institutions, including the Ministry of Local Government led by Elbert Krasniqi, have commented on the matter.

Jaksic: Rasic’s invitation is insincere and unacceptable (Radio Kim)

“Under the circumstances surrounding us, when the government in which Rasić sits has undertaken an unprecedented series of malicious moves against the Serbs, this invitation seems more than disingenuous. And as such, it is unacceptable” said the leader of CI “North For All”, Marko Jaksic.

“Faking a dialogue on the two aforementioned laws, when their implementation is an overture to the closure of educational and health institutions and part of a series of moves in Kurti’s version of the ‘Croatian scenario’, i.e. the political program of Vetevendosje ‘Alternative’, represents giving the appearance of normalcy to another anti-Serb activity of his regime, aimed at the complete disappearance of Serbs from Kosovo,” Jaksic said in an interview with Radio Kim.

He also claimed that Rasic and Serbian List are “different sides of the same coin in erasing Serbs from the area”. “It’s just that their bosses are different - Kurti for the first, Vucic for the others,” he said.

In this regard, he accused official Belgrade of what he perceives as a lack of transparency, asking if the current situation is “a consequence of accepting the agreement”. “It’s time for official Belgrade to stop hiding behind cheap political demagoguery and tell the truth about whether all this is a consequence of accepting the implementation of the agreement, especially the Ohrid one, and if not - to say what reciprocity measures will be taken against this destructive policy” Jaksic said.

US company Carlyle may buy sanctioned Lukoil’s Balkan assets (BIRN)

The US private equity firm Carlyle Group may buy most of the foreign assets of Russia’s second-largest oil producer Lukoil, in a move which will affect several countries in the Balkans, where Lukoil has major holdings and handles most of the oil supply. 

“The company is also continuing negotiations with other potential buyers,” a statement from Lukoil on Thursday said. 

Approval of such a deal with Carlyle should be issued by the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, OFAC, owing to the existing US sanctions on Lukoil. The Trump administration imposed the sanctions last October, citing Russia’s refusal to end its war against Ukraine.

Lukoil operates in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Central Asia and Mexico. The Bulgarian branch of Lukoil also sends supplies oil to Romania and Serbia. The refinery in the Black Sea town of Burgas was established in 1998. Bulgaria stopped importing Russian crude oil in March 2024 after a gradual phase-down, shifting to alternative sources from Kazakhstan, Iraq and Tunisia, but still transferred through Lukoil.

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