Albanian Language Media:

• VV-LDK government program to be finalised next week (ekonomiaonline)
• Haradinaj: Thaci, Rama, Citaku, Vucic supported Kosovo’s partition (Telegrafi)
• Munter: Trump wants to bring Kurti and Vucic to Washington for a deal (media)
• Incoming government may cancel 2020 budget projections (RFE)

Serbian Language Media:

• Dacic: Serbia strengthened its foreign-policy position (RTS)
• “Same message to Belgrade and Pristina from all ambassadors at UN SC session” (Tanjug, B92)
• A secret even for CEC members to which country were sent votes from Serbia for the analysis (Politika, TV Most, Kosovo Online)
• Concluded hearing of a witness in connection with the case of Nenad Arsic (Kontakt plus radio)
• Kosovo Special Prosecutor announces first indictments for murder of Oliver Ivanovic (KoSSev, N1)
• “If the borders within former Yugoslavia begin to change, it will be a disaster” (RTS, B92)
• Surlic to N1: How to believe in the final agreement on Kosovo when the agreed so far is not implemented

Opinions:

• Mustafaj: Vjosa Osmani as a stateswoman (Telegrafi)

Humanitarian and Development:

• Kosovo Failing to Protect Diaspora Rights and Tap Potential (Balkan Insight)
• Kosovo rape: Teacher and policeman accused in teenager case (BBC)

Albanian Language Media

VV-LDK government program to be finalised next week (ekonomiaonline)

The Vetevendosje Movement (VV) and the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) are expected to finalise their government program next week after a series of meetings between the working groups. VV senior member Albulena Haxhiu told the news website that the working groups have agreed on the majority of topics discussed and that she does not expect any problems in their positioning on Kosovo’s most pressing issues.

“So far, all the meetings were held in an optimistic and positive spirit, therefore, I hope this will continue and now we have moved to talks on the government program. On Monday we talked about economic development; we agreed on 90 percent of issues, and we have to address several other issues and we need to find understanding and agreement,” she said.

Haxhiu said she is confident that the government program will be finalized next week and make way to the signing of a final agreement after the certification of election results. “Next week we will discuss foreign policy and social issues, healthcare and education. I believe that next week we will harmonize our program and then sign a final agreement which I believe will happen after the certification of election results”.

Haxhiu said the involvement of LDK senior member Lutfi Haziri in the working group is not a problem for the Vetevendosje, because his role in the team cannot change the VV position. “

Haxhiu said the post of Kosovo President would be discussed in a meeting between Vetevendosje and LDK leaders, Albin Kurti and Isa Mustafa. “The working groups don’t have the mandate to talk about individual names, neither for ministries nor other posts. This issue will be discussed in a meeting between party leader Kurti and Mr. Mustafa. I cannot comment on issues that were not raised in our meetings. I cannot comment on public statements. So far, we did not have such requests and it is not even in our responsibility. This level of discussion pertains to party leader Kurti and Mr. Mustafa,” she added.

Haxhiu said a priority for a Kurti-led government will be the vetting process. “A priority of the Kurti government will be to address a vetting process. The VV – LDK government will include the Kosovo Assembly in the vetting process, because we believe it is important. We have mentioned a two-year timeline for the process to be implemented in the high levels of the prosecution, courts, police and the Kosovo Intelligence Agency,” she said. 

Haradinaj: Thaci, Rama, Citaku, Vucic supported Kosovo’s partition (Telegrafi)

Acting Prime Minister of Kosovo Ramush Haradinaj said that all those that have supported partition of Kosovo made a huge mistake. 

“Many Kosovo officials that have aligned in support of Kosovo’s partition have made a big mistake be it Hashim Thaci, Vlora Citaku, Prime Minister Edi Rama and President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic. This mistake does not prevent them from serving the country in other situations but it is true they were part of the campaign for partition of Kosovo through exchange of territories,” Haradinaj said today in Pristina when asked by reporters to comment on last night’s debate between Kosovo’s Ambassador to the U.S. Vlora Citaku and Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic at the UN Security Council session on Kosovo.  

Munter: Trump wants to bring Kurti and Vucic to Washington for a deal (media)

Cameron Munter, former U.S. Ambassador to Belgrade, in an interview to BBC, commented on the U.S. involvement in resolving the long-standing dispute between Kosovo and Serbia. Munter said U.S. diplomacy has changed dramatically because of President Donald Trump and said that he was surprised that Richard Grenell was appointed as Presidential Envoy for the Kosovo – Serbia dialogue. “I am surprised by this. This is not the Washington I remember,” he said. Munter added that the Trump administration is completely focused on internal affairs and that Grenell will try to help Trump win another term in office. “This doesn’t resemble the time when I was working as Ambassador in the Balkans. At the time my job was the same with what Matthew Palmer is doing now. Palmer’s mission focuses on long-term interests in the region. He speaks Serbian well and is very familiar with the region. He is here to understand how a balance between (political) power and principles can function,” he said.

Asked to comment on a final settlement between Kosovo and Serbia, which Trump called for early this year in his letters to Kosovo and Serbia Presidents, Thaci and Vucic, Munter used the example of what the U.S. President is doing with North Korea. “The President is very interested in a deal with North Korea, but at the same time he shows that he is not ready to do all the homework before such an agreement can be reached,” he said. According to Munter, Trump “wants to eat dessert before the main course” and that he has the same approach on the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia. He adds that Trump wants to do something that no one has done before and bring Albin Kurti and Aleksandar Vucic to Washington to sign an agreement. “Trump wants to be the President that says: I did something that others could not do. I brought Kurti and Vucic to Washington to shake hands,” Munter said.

The former U.S. diplomat said he wants to see a deal reached between Kosovo and Serbia but that experience in the Balkans shows that a lot of work is needed on issues such as “the tariff, border changes, the protection of minorities in Kosovo and economic development”. “A lot of work is needed, and you need Matthew Palmer for this,” he added.

Incoming government may cancel 2020 budget projections (RFE)

The incoming government of Kosovo may cancel the budget projections for 2020 foreseen by the outgoing government, the news website reports. Representatives of the parties that have won the October 6 parliamentary elections, the Vetevendosje Movement (VV) and the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), say they will review the 2020-2022 Mid-Term Expenditure Framework drafted by the outgoing government. 

VV senior member Arberi Nagavci told RFE that every government wants to plan and adopt the budget law and address priorities in its government program. “Bearing in mind that there have been many damaging contracts, and unprincipled interventions in the budget that do not allow for economic development, it is natural to review these projects based on the legislation in power. The legislation leaves room for this and we will most certainly review them,” she said. 

Nagavci also said they expect the certification of election results soon in order to make way for the formation of the new government and to prevent delays in the adoption of the 2020 budget.

Safet Gerxhaliu, economy expert, told the news website that it is challenging for an incoming government to implement a draft budget prepared by the outgoing government. “One of the current challenges in Kosovo is that we have an outgoing government and an incoming government which is expected to be formed by the Vetevendosje Movement and the LDK. One of the key topics in the debate is the 2020 budget,” he said. “The situation is very unclear … the outgoing government viewed the budget as a means to protect the interests of certain groups and political parties. This has damaged Kosovo”. 

Gerxhaliu said he expects the new government to review the outgoing government’s budget projections for 2020. “If the incoming government wants to show seriousness and professionalism and prove that it wants to work for the interests of the state and not for the interests of certain groups of political parties, it must urgently conduct a review so that the budget can be in the service of development,” he added.

Serbian Language Media

Dacic: Serbia strengthened its foreign-policy position (RTS)

Serbian Foreign Affairs Minister Ivica Dacic assessed following the UN Security Council session on Kosovo last night, that change of an attitude of the international community towards the Kosovo issue was noticeable, RTS reports. Dacic added this time there was no call to the UN member states to recognize independence of Kosovo, which rarely happens.

“It is obvious that Serbia had strengthened its foreign-policy position, that the activities of the President Aleksandar Vucic and his participation in one of the earlier UN SC session and our general policy contributed to the better understanding of the situation related to Kosovo and Metohija,” Dacic said.

“Things have changed, but we cannot be satisfied with the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, and about how Pristina implements international obligations it undertook, therefore it is necessary to discuss Kosovo and Metohija in the UN SC all the time,” Dacic added.

Commenting on the session, Dacic said he called upon the international community to voice their stance on the attempt of a staged alleged poisoning of the Pristina Central Election Commission members while counting votes from central Serbia, adding the conclusions of Pristina doctors were clearly presented and showed that there was no poisoning.

During the session, Dacic also called upon the international community to take a stance on the statements of Albin Kurti, who says that the Brussels agreement shall be “a dead letter on paper” asking “what does it mean,” “and why did we negotiate at all”.

Dacic noted the main message of the UN SC session relates to the presentation of an internal report of UNMIK on the incident that took place in May this year, when Pristina security forces practically deprived of freedom and used the force against one international and one local UNMIK staff members, inflicting heavy bodily injuries to them.

“The main conclusion was a call to Pristina to punish all those responsible. It is a clear response to all those stores of Vlora Citaku trying to justify such a Pristina gesture,” Dacic said.

Dacic further said that almost all UN SC member states condemned such violations of the regulations when it comes to the UNMIK members and urged such thing never happen again.

“We have presented all examples of the violation of the human rights of Serbs living in Kosovo and Metohija, to show what sorts of lies Pristina is using, starting from the stories about decolonization all the way to the stories that they had no right to use their own language and alphabet in former Yugoslavia,” Dacic said.

He added the next UN SC session on Kosovo should take place in April, next year.

“Same message to Belgrade and Pristina from all ambassadors at UN SC session” (Tanjug, B92)

Ambassadors of the United Nations Security Council member states called last night upon Belgrade and Pristina to resume the dialogue urgently, Tanjug news agency reports.

Russian Ambassador to the UN said the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, which was paralyzed, is in come now and exists on paper only. He added he expects that the EU, once the new administration is established, would be more productive and more impartial mediator.

“We see no improvements in the situation in Kosovo when it comes to the security and the rights of non-Albanians,” the Ambassador noted, emphasising that Pristina’s provocations must be stopped.

China Ambassador said that China respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia, understands its legitimate concerns in relation to Kosovo and welcomes the efforts of Serbia to find the solution to the Kosovo issue.

“We hope that Kosovo will demonstrate a political willingness, interrupt the practice of unilateral introduction of tariffs, commit to the implementation of the Brussels dialogue and make efforts for the continuation of the dialogue between the two sides,” Chinese Ambassador said.

He also urged for restraint from actions that could lead to the escalation of the situation and emphasized it is important to continue discussion on Kosovo at the UN Security Council.  

The US Ambassador to the UN said that Kosovo and Serbia must reach a long-term agreement on normalization of relations, adding the international community should encourage them to do so. He noted the US encourages Kosovo leaders to swiftly form the new government and revoke the tariffs on goods from Serbia, while Belgrade should cease its campaign of de-recognitions of Kosovo and refrain from provocations.

UK Ambassador said that following the elections in Kosovo the dialogue with Belgrade must be a priority. He called on both sides to remove all the obstacles to the continuation of the dialogue, refrain from provocative rhetoric and acts so the dialogue could prosper.

Ambassador of France said the crucial issue, that must be at the core of all efforts, is the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina in the context of a dialogue under the EU auspices.

German Ambassador also called on both sides to resume the dialogue urgently.

Ambassador of Indonesia expressed concern over the situation in Kosovo, adding the dialogue is the only way to reach “a win-win” situation for both sides.

Polish Ambassador called on Pristina to revoke the tariffs, while Belgrade is expected to refrain from actions that, as she said, undermine the integrity of Kosovo.

Ambassador of Peru regretted that the dialogue has been suspended for a year already. He called to remove all the obstacles to resume the dialogue. “Tariffs but also inflammatory rhetoric do not contribute to that”, he said.

Ambassador of South Africa said his country supports UNMIK aiming to reach reconciliation and a compromise through the dialogue.  

A secret even for CEC members to which country were sent votes from Serbia for the analysis (Politika, TV Most, Kosovo Online)

To which country and laboratory Pristina sent envelopes with votes from Serbia for analyses is an information that remains a secret for the public and even for members of the Central Election Commission, reports Zvecan based TV Most, quoting Belgrade’s daily Politika.

Slavisa Veselinovic, a CEC member in front of the Serbian List, told Politika that he also did not know where this material was sent for examination after an “allergic reaction” of Albanian representatives in the election commission. 

“I asked to be told to which Western country they have sent the envelopes; however, I did not get an answer,” Veselinovic says.

Veselinovic adds that the Serbian List won all the votes of displaced persons that arrived from Serbia, which is more than 3,000 votes, without three hundred that were not accepted.

“The displaced persons have recognized the politics of the Serbian List, so that 3,100 voters cast their votes in favour of a Serbian entity that has the support of the Government of Serbia and President of the State Aleksandar Vucic,” Veselinovic said.

Concluded hearing of a witness in connection with the case of Nenad Arsic (Kontakt plus radio)

The special prosecutor, Drita Hajdari, yesterday heard a witness in the investigation against Nenad Arsic from Caglavica, suspected of committing the crime of “war crimes against civilians,” said lawyer Dejan A. Vasic. 

Arsic is charged with torturing and robbing two members of the Shala family in Pristina during the war. He was arrested last week at the Merdare crossing and is currently under one-month custody at a high-security prison in Podujevo.

“I am pleased with the efficiency of the Special Prosecutor and I expect that all witnesses, as well as my client, will be heard in November. I am sure that after these actions the position of the defense will be confirmed that there is no well-founded suspicion for further proceedings,” says lawyer Vasic.

The radio recalled that Nenad Arsic lived in Caglavica until 2014 and after that he regularly came to his family home. On the day he was arrested, he set out to retrieve his identity documents. The family said that the family estate of Arsic borders with the family estate of the Shala brothers.

Kosovo Special Prosecutor announces first indictments for murder of Oliver Ivanovic (KoSSev, N1)

Marko Rosic and Nedeljko Spasojevic, suspected of involvement in the murder of Oliver Ivanovic, will be charged in the coming days, Kosovo Special Prosecutor Syle Hoxha confirmed to portal KoSSev. 

“This month, the next 15 to 20 days, indictments will be filed,” Hoxha told KoSSev.

He claims the prosecution has new insights of the case of the murder of a Serbian politician, and they will be made known to the public at the time the indictments are filed.

Detention to Marko Rosic and Nedeljko Spasojevic previously has been extended for the next two months.

Rosic’s lawyer, Mahmut Halimi, said at the time that during this extension of custody, the prosecutor had not presented any new evidence to justify his client’s continued detention.

Rosic and Spasojevic, who is a member of the Kosovo Police from the North, have been in custody since November 23, 2018.

Another police officer, Dragisa Markovic, was arrested at the time and later released from custody.

Serbian List Vice President Milan Radoicic, also one of those suspected of involvement in the killing, then escaped arrest. A warrant was subsequently issued for him, portal KoSSev recalls. 

So far is known that seven people are charged with the murder of Oliver Ivanovic, that is, involvement in the murder. The names of five persons have been confirmed – Nedeljko Spasojevic, Marko Rosic, Dragisa Markovic, Milan Radoicic, Silvana Arsovic.

The latest arrest action in northern Kosovo in connection with the murder, took place more than a week ago when police officer R.B. was arrested and the other suspect, Z.B, who is believed to be one of the highest police officials in the North, managed to avoid the arrest.

Oliver Ivanovic was killed on January 16, 2018 and so far, no charges have been filed.

“If the borders within former Yugoslavia begin to change, it will be a disaster” (RTS, B92)

North Macedonia President Stevo Pendarovski believes that Belgrade and Pristina cannot make an agreement without the intervention of the international community. Pendarovski reiterated his view that he is against changing of borders as one of potential solutions, stressing that he is taking care of his country and it is most important that state remains within its borders.

He added his earlier statement on the matter encountered negative reactions from the Serbian Government, which he says, is legitimate.

“I have no problem with that. I take care of my country. The most important thing is that the state remains within its borders,” Pendarovski told Serbian public broadcaster RTS. He said his position was that there is no agreement without the international community, although good will of Belgrade and Pristina is essential.

“I do not think that the Kosovo issue should be allowed to close at the expense of opening two or three others in the region and that the domino effect should not occur”, Pendarovski said. Even if borders do change, Pendarovski said, the international factor must guarantee that the Belgrade-Pristina solution will only apply to them.

“However, I think it will be a disaster if borders begin to change throughout the former Yugoslavia or Southeast Europe”, Pendarovski said, adding that it represents an “anachronistic solution.” He expects international guarantees that, if a solution involving a change of borders is reached, it will not affect North Macedonia and its territorial integrity.

Commenting on his proposal for a Western Balkans-EU summit with the aim of rejecting alternatives to European integration, Pendarovski says that “we do not see ourselves as EU neighbors”, but that these are Eastern Partnership countries, such as Moldova and Central Asian countries, as well as North Africans.

See at: https://bit.ly/2C2CjAx

Surlic to N1: How to believe in the final agreement on Kosovo when the agreed so far is not implemented

Assistant at the Belgrade’s Faculty of Political Science, Stefan Surlic, told regional broadcaster N1 that he expects the final phase of the dialogue on Kosovo in May or June, when new governments with full legitimacy to negotiate are formed in Pristina and Belgrade. 

He warned, however, that confidence in the implementation of the final agreement was shaken if we have the absence of the will to apply what has already been achieved in the past.

Surlic said that the session of the UN Security Council on Kosovo, held yesterday, indicated that there was a frozen conflict, that the problem had not been resolved, and that the dialogue so far had not achieved results.

Neither the signed agreements have been implemented in the field, nor do we see any initiative to continue the dialogue, said Surlic.

“A new government is expected in Kosovo, but the pre-election game in Serbia begins, so I expect that in May or June we will have two governments that have full legitimacy to negotiate, and are entering the final stage of negotiations,” the N1’s guest said. 

He also recalled that Self-determination leader Albin Kurti, who was seen as the new Prime Minister of Kosovo, has made quite extreme statements, e.g. that the Community of Serbian Municipalities is “just a dead letter on paper”.

“That is a big problem. If we have an absence of will to implement what has been achieved in the past, how can we believe, and in particular how the Serbian community in Kosovo can believe in the implementation of the final agreement,” Surlic asked.

In doing so, he criticized the European Union, which is a mediator in the dialogue, for failing to develop a concrete sanctions mechanism for not implementing the agreements reached. If the EU wants to be a relevant factor, it must offer Belgrade and Pristina a credible perspective on European integration, which – as we see in the example of Northern Macedonia and Albania – is missing, warned N1 interlocutor.

Therefore, Serbs and Albanians, he added, should not view the dialogue as a condition of the EU or Washington, but as an opportunity to normalize life and establish cooperation.

The question is whether societies in the Western Balkans are truly ready to appreciate the democratic performances of society, freedom of the media and the rule of law without pressure from the EU, Surlic noted, but also asked what would happen if the EU did not exist. Surlic therefore recommended the involvement of internal forces in a society for building a democratic state.

Opinions

Mustafaj: Vjosa Osmani as a stateswoman (Telegrafi)

Besnik Mustafaj, former Foreign Minister of Albania, writes in an opinion piece that in an extensive interview to Radio Free Europe, Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) candidate for Prime Minister, Vjosa Osmani, showed “a high level of awareness about the historic responsibility she will assume in a few weeks for the nation and the country, as she addressed the key challenges that await” of a future ruling coalition between the Vetevendosje Movement and the LDK. 

“My overall impression upon reading the interview is that Vjosa Osmani has extensive knowledge about the challenges, she is realistic in their assessment and has a vision how to resolve them. She speaks with a clear political talent and I am full of hope that together with Albin Kurti they will make up a skilled duo that will open a new and successful page in the history of the state of Kosovo or in her words to mark ‘the expected change for Kosovo’s future,” Mustafaj writes. 

He adds that as a mature stateswoman, Osmani is well aware of the need to build an honest and sustainable trust between the VV and LDK, to govern together for Kosovo’s capital interest, “and is also aware that this trust cannot be achieved with political statements by the leaders of the two parties”.

“During the interview, Vjosa Osmani expresses many opinions and concepts that help one understand how she will perform tomorrow as a stateswoman. One of them that attracts special attention is her vision to include the opposition in resolving the most pressing issues of the country. She does not see the opposition as an enemy. She does not even see it outside the responsibility for the country’s fate. Used to the practice of a bitter conflict between the majority and the opposition, we hope that Vjosa Osmani and the team, in which she will play an important role, will bring a new experience among us. This certainly depends on the will of the opposition too. We pray that this opposition, which has long been in power, will answer positively to the readiness for cooperation,” Mustafaj concludes.

Humanitarian and Development 

Kosovo Failing to Protect Diaspora Rights and Tap Potential (Balkan Insight)

Kosovo must do more to guarantee the rights of roughly 800,000 Kosovars living abroad and to tap their potential as a source of social remittances, not just much-needed money.

The money they send home accounts for more than 15 per cent of Kosovo’s national economic output; the cash they spend while returning to visit family accounts for 75 per cent of the country’s revenue from tourism.

See at: https://bit.ly/2N44ENk

Kosovo rape: Teacher and policeman accused in teenager case (BBC)

Kosovo prosecutors have charged six people over the alleged rape of a teenager that has shocked the Balkans.

The teenager is said to have been abused by a teacher and then by a police officer over two years from 2017, when she was 16. Prosecutors opened the case following reports by an investigative website.

See at: https://bbc.in/2N4LKFV