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UNMIK Media Observer, Afternoon Edition, February 20, 2020

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Albanian Language Media:

• Kurti: Border change project has failed but the idea is not dead (media)
• Kosnett in a diplomatic offensive to lift the tariff (Gazeta Express)
• Haradinaj meets Kosnett: U.S. involvement in dialogue, necessary (media)
• Osmani: Not only men will represent Kosovo in Brussels (Klan Kosova)
• Kurti warns in Stan Terg: There will be new dismissals of the boards (Express)
• Positioning prior to dialogue with Serbia, Osmani: Trepca is inviolable (Express)
• Minister Haxhiu annuls notaries appointment process (media)
• AAK continues collecting signatures, requests session on the tariff (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

• SRSG Tanin: Following integration of judiciary, Kosovo moves towards strengthening of rule of law (Radio KIM)
• Dacic: Lack of reaction to the announcement of Tirana and Pristina on joint lobbying is hypocritical (Tanjug, RTS)
• Everything changes now: A man sent to Serbia heads US national intelligence services (Tanjug, B92)
• Milena Ivanovic joins SNS (Tanjug, B92)

Opinion:

• Albin Kurti – New Hope or New Disappointment? (crnobelisvet.com)

International:

• Trump Appoints Balkan Envoy Grenell to Head National Intelligence (Balkan Insight)
• Juratovic: The arranged situation in the Western Balkans means the arranged situation in the EU (EWB)

Humanitarian/Development:

• “The suspension of the construction of MHE is very important”(KIM radio)
• Denmark’s Integration Experiment Reflects European U-turn (Balkan Insight)
• Wild and exotic animals kept captive in Kosovo ‘zoos’ (Prishtina Insight)

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Albanian Language Media:

  • Kurti: Border change project has failed but the idea is not dead (media)
  • Kosnett in a diplomatic offensive to lift the tariff (Gazeta Express)
  • Haradinaj meets Kosnett: U.S. involvement in dialogue, necessary (media)
  • Osmani: Not only men will represent Kosovo in Brussels (Klan Kosova)
  • Kurti warns in Stan Terg: There will be new dismissals of the boards (Express)
  • Positioning prior to dialogue with Serbia, Osmani: Trepca is inviolable (Express)
  • Minister Haxhiu annuls notaries appointment process (media)
  • AAK continues collecting signatures, requests session on the tariff (RTK)

Serbian Language Media:

  • SRSG Tanin: Following integration of judiciary, Kosovo moves towards strengthening of rule of law (Radio KIM)
  • Dacic: Lack of reaction to the announcement of Tirana and Pristina on joint lobbying is hypocritical (Tanjug, RTS) 
  • Everything changes now: A man sent to Serbia heads US national intelligence services (Tanjug, B92)
  • Milena Ivanovic joins SNS (Tanjug, B92)

Opinion:

  • Albin Kurti – New Hope or New Disappointment? (crnobelisvet.com)

International:

  • Trump Appoints Balkan Envoy Grenell to Head National Intelligence (Balkan Insight)
  • Juratovic: The arranged situation in the Western Balkans means the arranged situation in the EU (EWB)

Humanitarian/Development:

  • “The suspension of the construction of MHE is very important”(KIM radio)
  • Denmark’s Integration Experiment Reflects European U-turn (Balkan Insight)
  • Wild and exotic animals kept captive in Kosovo ‘zoos’ (Prishtina Insight)

 

 

Albanian Language Media

 

Kurti: Border change project has failed but the idea is not dead (media)

Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti gave an interview with the German daily newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung where he spoke about dialogue with Serbia, fight against corruption, land swap between Kosovo and Serbia, and unification with Albania.

On the recent agreement signed in Munich on establishing railway and highway links between Kosovo and Serbia, Kurti said that what has been signed is a declaration of expression of intent, “without much detail.”

“Negotiations were conducted by the previous government, we were not involved. I have reservations, among others, about whether the funding would be in accordance with the Constitution. I have not seen the final version. Neither the minister of infrastructure, nor me as prime minister, have approved the signing.”

Speaking about the role the U.S. envoy Richard Grenell on the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, Kurti said he has brought on a new energy to the process. “I don’t think he has bad intentions. But now that Kosovo has a new government, such negotiations cannot take place between presidents. This should be done by elected governments.”

Kurti also spoke about corruption saying that he is hopeful the new government will manage to successfully fight it. “We need urgent procedures for selection of judges, prosecutors and senior police officials. We need courageous prosecutors, who will be more famous than me. The success depends on whether we will have a Kosovo Elliot Ness,” he said.  

Kurti reiterated that dialogue with Serbia should be guided by clear principles. “Serbia needs to recognise the reality: Kosovo is an independent country. And we cannot go back to Milosevic’s time. The sooner they recognise this, the better for both sides.”

On the issue of border changes between Kosovo and Serbia, Kurti said the project as such has failed but “the idea is not dead.” “We need to be careful. Such solutions involving land swaps could open Pandora’s Box.”

In connection with the unification with Albania idea, Kurti said: “Letting people choose is different than bringing World War I generals hanging over their maps. Everything would have to be peaceful, democratic, and transparent.” 

Kosnett in a diplomatic offensive to lift the tariff (Gazeta Express)

The U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo Philip Kosnett made it clear to the leaders of Kosovo, PM Albin Kurti and Assembly Speaker Vjosa Osmani that the imposed tariff on products from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina should lift.

He reiterated his position also at the meeting with the Minister of Interior Agim Veliu today.

“Ambassador Kosnett continues his ongoing meetings with representatives of the new government by meeting with Interior Minister Veliu today. He has met with the Prime Minister, Speaker Osmani, Deputy Prime Ministers Hoti and Abazi, and with Foreign Minister Konjufca, and he looks forward to meeting the other ministers. He is also continuing his regular meetings with the leaders of the opposition parties.

In all of these meetings, as in his regular meetings with Prime Minister Kurti, Ambassador Kosnett speaks about the importance of the U.S. relationship with Kosovo, with a focus on advancing our mutual goals of securing peace, justice, and prosperity, and the economic benefits to come by immediately eliminating the tariffs,” reads a press release issued by the U.S. Embassy. 

Haradinaj meets Kosnett: U.S. involvement in dialogue, necessary (media)

Leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) had a meeting today at his party’s premises with the U.S. Ambassador Philip Kosnett.

“I told Ambassador Kosnett that U.S. engagement in dialogue is welcomed and necessary. The United States should not equalise Kosovo with Serbia as parties because our foreign policy orientations have opposite directions. While Kosovo stoically stands behind the U.S. in all global challenges, Serbia continues to be Russia’s main satellite and weapon in Europe,” Haradinaj wrote on social media.

He said that he also spoke to Kosnett about the need for a final agreement with Serbia which he said should result in mutual recognition under existing borders and which should be reached as quickly as possible.

Osmani: Not only men will represent Kosovo in Brussels (Klan Kosova)

Kosovo Assembly Speaker Vjosa Osmani said yesterday that Kosovo will no longer be represented only by men in negotiations for normalisation of relations with Serbia in Brussels. 

“Let’s not see ever again the picture of 14 men that go to Brussels to represent the Republic of Kosovo. And I call on all women MPs if they see such an attempt to all come together and prevent it from happening,” Osmani said. 

She also said that representation of women in the new government is “historic” with five women at ministerial posts. 

Osmani made the remarks yesterday at the Balkans Policy Research Group conference that focused on strengthening the role of Women Caucus. 

Kurti warns in Stan Terg: There will be new dismissals of the boards (Express)

The Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti and Assembly Speaker Vjosa Osmani were waited by protests at Trepca mine today. 

PM Kurti told the protesters that just as he acted with the Telekom board, he will act with the others. “Yesterday we dismissed the Telekom Board and we will continue with the other boards as well. But we need time to act as we are only on our second week of governing,’ he said. 

Arsim Musa from the organizing council of the protest requested from Kurti to dismiss Trepca Board as according to him they committed violations by employing family members on the latest job advertisement. 

The protest quietly disbursed and Kurti promised to meet them at his office to analyze further the matter. 

This is not the first time that these miners are protesting, a few days ago they also requested dismissal of the board of this enterprise. 

Positioning prior to dialogue with Serbia, Osmani: Trepca is inviolable (Express)

One of the most significant issues that the ruling coalition will be facing is the dialogue with Serbia, notes the news portal. Assembly Speaker and deputy leader of the LDK Vjosa Osmani gave two messages during her visit to Stan Terg in Mitrovica, while participating at marking of 31 anniversary of the miners’ strike. She said Trepca is inviolable.

“In the historic context, Trepca can be treated in two fields. As peaceful active resistance to defend the existence of the Albanian population in the period of classic occupation by Serbia and secondly, as resistance to the arbitrary suppression of Kosovo’s autonomy,” Osmani said.

“Similarly, today, miners want defense of the independence of Kosovo, territorial integrity, sovereignty of the country and civic dignity. Thanks to this sacrifice and values which lead us and which lined up on our side democratic countries of the world, this dream is fulfilled and Kosovo’s independence is irreversible. Trepca is inviolable,” Osmani said.

She added that this strategic asset of Kosovo faces development challenges and promised institutional engagement for improvement of the working conditions for the miners. 

Minister Haxhiu annuls notaries appointment process (media)

Online media report that Kosovo’s Minister of Justice Albulena Haxhiu has annulled the appointment of the notaries citing lack of transparency and legality in the process.

“I cannot move forward a compromised process,” Haxhiu said adding that the majority of candidates that passed the notaries’ test are either affiliated to political parties or friends with the members of the evaluation commission.

“After consultations with relevant departments, as minister of justice I have taken the decision to annul the notaries’ process,” Haxhiu said today at a press conference. 

AAK continues collecting signatures, requests session on the tariff (RTK)

The Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) continues to collect signatures for the call of an extraordinary session to discuss lifting of the 100 percent tariff on Serbian goods.

Pal Lekaj, MP from the AAK, said they managed to collect 31 signatures so far: 13 from the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), five from the Social-Democratic Initiative (NISMA) and 13 from AAK.

The Alliance for the Future of Kosovo has objected to the position of the Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti to replace the tariff with complete reciprocity on economy, politics and trade.

AAK leader Ramush Haradinaj has recently requested from Kurti to lift the 100 percent tariff only in case of the final contract of recognition of Kosovo with existing borders. 

 

 

Serbian Language Media

 

SRSG Tanin: Following integration of judiciary, Kosovo moves towards strengthening of rule of law (Radio KIM)

The rule of law is a very important step in achieving sustainability of peace and security, and following the integration of the judiciary, Kosovo moves towards strengthening of the rule of law, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General (SRSG) and head of UNMIK, Zahir Tanin said yesterday, Radio KIM reports.

SRSG Tanin recalled that the process of integration of judiciary in the north of Kosovo was a complex one.

“UNMIK is one of the organizations that offered the greatest support to the integration, knowing that this process was part of the Brussels agreement between Belgrade and Pristina, but also because the implementation had a positive impact on people, citizens in the north of Kosovo,” Tanin said. He made these remarks in a conference on the judiciary and legal practise in Kosovo, organized at the International Business College in Mitrovica North.

UNMIK also supports the employment of translators and acquiring equipment for simultaneous translation at the Basic Court in Mitrovica, Tanin added. He noted UNMIK will continue to support the judicial system in Kosovo, including the legal practise.

“The Basic Court in Mitrovica is the biggest and the most important court in entire Kosovo, because this is an institution in which, since 2017, an idea of free access to justice could be fully achieved,” President of the Basic Court Nikola Kabasic said.   

Kabasic added that the court has 45 judges and 261 staff members. The court covers seven municipalities – Mitrovica North, Leposavic, Zubin Potok, Zvecan, Mitrovica South, Vucitrn and Srbica. Since the integration the court faced, among other challenges, insufficient number of translators. However, thanks to the wholehearted support of GIZ, UNDP and UNMIK this barrier was overcome to a certain extent. Backlog of the cases is another challenge that the court is facing, Kabasic explained.

He also said the court remains open to the young professionals, offering them legal training.

“In 2018 we had around 55 young legal professionals, interns, and UNMIK provided financial aid for that year, so they received allowances for 12 months. In 2019, only in Mitrovica we had 40 interns, 15 in Vucitrn, and 12 in Srbica. This is in total 71 young legal professionals who will complete the training at the court and would be ready to take the judicial exam,” Kabasic said.

Shkelzen Maliqi, Director General of the Kosovo Judicial Council Secretariat and Osman Havolli, the Chair of Kosovo Chamber of Advocates also spoke at an event.

The event was supported by UNMIK and implemented by the Advocacy Centre for Democratic Culture (ACDC), Radio KIM reported.

Dacic: Lack of reaction to the announcement of Tirana and Pristina on joint lobbying is hypocritical (Tanjug, RTS) 

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia Ivica Dacic estimates the lack of reactions from the international community, to Tirana’s announcement that it would agree with Kosovo on common costs for lobbying Kosovo’s recognition of independence, as demonstration of the pinnacle of hypocrisy, reports Radio television of Serbia (RTS).

In a statement to Tanjug news agency, Ivica Dacic said it was the pinnacle of hypocrisy and “an indication that they are actually bothered by the number of countries recognizing Kosovo which has fallen to less than half of UN members.”

Dacic warned that Albanian Foreign Minister Gent Cakaj’s announcement that he would sign a joint lobbying agreement for the recognition of Kosovo at a joint session of the governments of Albania and Kosovo in Skadar remained without any comment from EU, US, France, Germany, UK officials and Italy, the so-called Quint.

Dacic asked if they would have a shred of morale to continue asking Belgrade to stop doing what Pristina and Tirana are allowed, reports RTS.

Everything changes now: A man sent to Serbia heads US national intelligence services (Tanjug, B92)

The US President is expected to nominate US Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell as acting director of the US National Intelligence Service

“I am pleased to announce that our highly respected Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell will become the Acting Director of National Intelligence,” the US President Donald Trump tweeted.

The US President thanked Acting Director of Intelligence Joe Maguire, who has been in office since August.

Grenell will be in charge of 17 US intelligence agencies, including the CIA, the FBI, the Military Intelligence Agency, the NSA …

Appointment as Acting Officer means that Grenell will not have to be confirmed in the Senate, AP reports.

The news of the Grenell election, first reported by the New York Times, comes just before the March 11 deadline to appoint a new intelligence director or a new acting director because under federal law, Maguire cannot remain in office after that date, CNN reports.

Grenell is expected to be in the position for only a couple of months, well-informed sources told CNN. One source told CNN that Grenell would hold the post for about 90 days and he accepted the job being aware of that. Theoretically, Trump could use that time to continue his search for the right director of intelligence agencies.

“This is just a short-lived thing,” one source said. Another source states that some Republicans are dissatisfied with his ambassador’s work so “there is no way to confirm it” in the Senate.

Still, his appointment allows Trump to immediately appoint a loyal man to the post while coming up with a long-term solution.

Grenell’s appointment has received criticism primarily for his inexperience in the intelligence field. Virginia Democrat Senator Mark Warner, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Trump “selected an individual without any intelligence experience to serve as the leader of the nation’s intelligence community in an acting capacity”, AP reports.

Warner accused the president of trying to sidestep the Senate’s constitutional authority to advise and consent on critical national security positions. “The intelligence community deserves stability and an experienced individual to lead them in a time of massive national and global security challenges,” he added.

Grenell retweeted the US President as well as Republican Kevin McCarthy, who said Grenell was a great choice and proved he was fighting for his country.

He also retweeted Congressman Matt Gaetz, who wrote that fifty years ago, a gay person could not work in the intelligence community, and that now Grenell, openly declaring himself, has been named acting National Intelligence Officer.

The media says Grenell will be the first member of Trump’s cabinet to openly declare himself gay. Grenell has also been the US President’s Special Envoy for the Belgrade-Pristina talks since October.

Fifteen years ago, he was the assistant to the then United States Ambassador to the United Nations, John Bolton, and was particularly active during US diplomatic attempts to bring to the Security Council a change to Resolution 1244 on Kosovo and the adoption of a plan drafted by a Finnish politician Martti Ahtisaari.

https://bit.ly/2SLczSC

Milena Ivanovic joins SNS (Tanjug, B92)

Milena Ivanovic, wife of murdered leader of Civic Initiative Freedom, Democracy, Justice (SDP) Oliver Ivanovic, joined today ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), Tanjug news agency reports.

The news was announced on Twitter by Office for Kosovo and Metohija Director Marko Djuric.

Djuric wrote on Twitter that SNS became “enriched with a person of remarkable energy, endurance, and sacrifice for her family and Serbia,” Tanjug news agency reports.  

 

 

 

Opinion

 

Albin Kurti – New Hope or New Disappointment? (crnobelisvet.com)

OpEd by Sanja Sovrlic

After months of counting votes, the affair “poison” and tense coalition negotiations between the two parties that won the biggest number of votes, Kosovo has got a new prime minister – the leader of Self Determination Party, Albin Kurti.

The new Kosovo prime minister is perceived differently by the Serbian and the Albanian public. While the Serbian public considers him to be a radical leader whose campaign is based on nationalist and populist statements and hostility towards Serbia, the Albanian public hopes that he can make life better and that ”he will defend their interests in Kosovo’’ during the dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo.

After years spent in opposition, Kurti rise to power begins. That’s why there are people who are not sure whether he will bring significant changes in Kosovo society, or that he will only continue the discourse of political leaders before him.

There are a lot of comparisons between Albin Kurti and Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic. Namely, some people believe that both Kurti and Vucic will make a political turnaround and that they will change their political actions after coming to power.

The question is whether he will meet the expectations of its voters or not. In the first few days after the election, Albanian intellectuals in Kosovo may get disappointed when it comes to his determination to fight for what he has promised.

This is primarily seen in the fact that Agim Veliu, deputy leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo has become a Minister of the Interior and he is known for corruption. He’s got his longstanding promises to fight corruption stained by this fact.

However, the first tests he had to pass were related to the Serb community in Kosovo. Members of Self Determination Party kept repeating in public that they would never sit at a table with representatives of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija. But soon after the election, a photo of Kurti’s Self Determination Party representative, Xhelal Sveçla, and the director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Marko Đurić, appeared in public.

This photo quickly went viral on social media. Under normal circumstances, it would not be strange for two politicians to talk, but the public perception of the photo was negative, precisely because of Kurti’s earlier statements.

The second challenge was related to his statement about ministers from the Serbian community in Kosovo. After the elections, Albin Kurti stated that he didn’t want the Serb List in the Government and announced that he would negotiate with members of other parties from the Serb community.

On the other hand, it is a constitutional obligation that one of the ministers from the Serb community must be from the party that has the biggest number of votes among Serbs. At the Kosovo Assembly session, when the new government was approved, Kurti announced the names of two ministers from the Serb List. It remained unclear whether that decision was a gesture of goodwill and the beginning of his cooperation with the Serb List, or the result of pressure by the international community.

At the aforementioned Kosovo Assembly session, when MPs voted on the composition of the new Government, it was possible to conclude that Kurti’s term wouldn’t be easy at all. The opposition showed that it wouldn’t spare Kurti, and immediately hit him where it hurt most and tackled him about his “patriotism”. Among other things, Kurti was criticized for the fact that he’s got Albanian flag, rather than Kosovo’s flag in his office.

In addition to doubts about Kurti’s personal capacity in running the new government, there are objective obstacles that he can face in the first few days of his term. The fact that Hashim Thaçi is still the president of Kosovo can make Kurti’s rule much more difficult. This also applies to the possibility of continuing the dialog with Belgrade. From this point of view, it is difficult to imagine that Kurti and Thaçi form Kosovo delegation together. However, we can’t say that it can never happen, especially bearing in mind the miraculous powers of the international community and the fact that, in Kosovo, the impossible can become possible.

The fact that there is a large number of members of both Democratic Party of Kosovo and Alliance for the Future of Kosovo who work in Kosovo institutions is also an obstacle in the “premiership” of Albin Kurti, and the issues he will face in the coming period are taxes for goods from Serbia and pressures to abolish them, dialogue in Brussels, as well as the issue of Special Court for alleged KLA war crimes.

The (un)stability of the coalition between Democratic League of Kosovo and Self Determination Party is also an issue that has been widely discussed in public. There are opinions that indicate the need of both of these parties to maintain this government until the end of its term. For Albin Kurti’s Self Determination Party, it is a good opportunity to prove itself. For Isa Mustafa, it is his desire to end his career as the president of Kosovo.

These obstacles can make the work of the government difficult, but thanks to them, Albin Kurti can make excuses for failing to meet the expectations of its electorate.

Despite his mistakes, according to a lot of Albanians and Serbs, although Serbs do not admit it in public, Kurti should still be given a chance. We will see if he will prove himself.

If ”morning shows the day”, it could be said that Albin Kurti’s first moves did not meet the high expectations of voters.

https://bit.ly/2PaFWLN

 

 

International

 

Trump Appoints Balkan Envoy Grenell to Head National Intelligence (Balkan Insight)

After only a few months as his envoy to the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Donald Trump has promoted the trusted diplomat to head up US National Intelligence, overseeing America’s 17 security agencies.

Serbian and Kosovo officials have congratulated Richard Grenell – who served as US envoy for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue – on his new appointment as acting director of National Intelligence in the US, where he will oversee the work of some 17 agencies.

President Donald Trump appointed Grenell to his Balkan role last autumn, and he has since played a key role in overseeing the resumption of transport links between Serbia and its former province – whose independence it does not recognise.

The director of the Serbian Government’s Office for Kosovo, Marko Djuric, said Grenell was making a deservedly important career move. “This appointment is an important step in the ambassador’s fruitful career and reaffirms him as a patriot of his country and a professional. Good luck!” Djuric wrote on Twitter.

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci likewise called Trump’s decision an “excellent choice”.

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

Juratovic: The arranged situation in the Western Balkans means the arranged situation in the EU (EWB)

“My impression is that the European Union is Yugoslavia in the 1980s. The European Union needs more sovereignty against nationalism in response to right wing and populism, where groups of states have different visions”, said MP from the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) and Bundestag Rapporteur for Southeastern Europe, Josip Juratović, during the Panel discussion “Serbia’s European Integration 2016-2020: How much progress have we made towards EU membership?” held in Belgrade, aiming to bring to the public the results of Serbia in the fulfillment of its obligations in the process of accession negotiations with the European Union since the beginning of the Government of Serbia’s mandate in 2016.

https://bit.ly/2HH3Qu5

 

 

Humanitarian/Development

 

“The suspension of the construction of MHE is very important” (KIM radio)

Deputy Minister for Infrastructure and Environment Avni Zogiani has announced that he will temporarily halt the construction of mini hydropower plants and suspend the issuance of new permits. This news provoked positive reactions from the residents of Sirinicka Zupa, reports RTV KIM. 

Dobrivoje Stevanovic, one of the organizers of the protest the construction of the hydroelectric power plants in Strpce, said in a telephone statement to RTV Kim that this was good news and that he hoped it was a sincere intention.

“This news will not only make me happy, but all those who constantly ask me ‘what will we do next’. Now I’m going to let people know, have a meeting and somehow celebrate this good news. This announcement gives us hope that at least for that matter we will live easier and preserve our beauty. They (companies) have seized the waters from the national park, and the basic backbone of the development of our parish is tourism, and the development of tourism without a healthy and clean environment makes no sense and no perspective,” said Stevanovic.

Stevanovic hopes for the support of the newly appointed Secretary of the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment, Izedin Bitiqi.

“We will now have the support to activate and stop the further construction of mini hydropower plants on the Lepenac River tributaries,” Stevanovic added.

Resident of Donje Bitinje, Idriz Arifi said that after the protests against the construction of the mini hydro power plants, which lasted for five years, the temporary suspension of works is very significant, but one does not know “how long it will last and what will be later.”

“The police have documented that we have protested 200 times against constructions of mini-hydro power plants. This is positive news and people are very happy that construction has been suspended,” Arifi pointed out.

KIM radio recalls that there are 14 mini hydropower plants operating throughout Kosovo and 21 more that are in various stages of construction.

Denmark’s Integration Experiment Reflects European U-turn (Balkan Insight)

In the last decade of the 20th century, Western Europe threw open its doors to those fleeing the collapse of Yugoslavia. Today, Denmark says integration has failed and is pursuing a worrying experiment in dismantling immigrant ‘ghettos’.

Avni still remembers the crisp white bed linen the night he arrived in Denmark from his native Kosovo, via a squalid refugee camp in the foothills of northern Macedonia.

It was 1999, and Europe had thrown open its doors to Kosovo Albanians fleeing the last act in the disintegration of federal Yugoslavia.

Hundreds of thousands found refuge in Western Europe in the 1990s as Yugoslavia’s bloody demise triggered the largest displacement of people on the European continent since World War Two.

See at: https://bit.ly/3bSZCNV

Wild and exotic animals kept captive in Kosovo ‘zoos’ (Prishtina Insight)

Zoos and restaurants in Kosovo housing wolves, lions, ostriches and monkeys are part of a growing trend in wild and exotic animals being illegally trapped, imported and held captive in poor conditions.

On the outskirts of the city of Gjakova lives a wolf named Trump. But rather than stalking between the trees in the countryside as one might expect of a wild animal, Trump is living in a cage, surrounded by wire and sleeping on a concrete floor.

Trump and his pack – three other wolves and six new-born pups – were trapped and domesticated by Hysni Rexhaj, the proprietor of the ‘Mbreti Gjakova Ujku Trump’ (King Gjakova Trump Wolf) private zoo.

If you visit the zoo, you can see Trump do tricks. He obeys verbal commands from Rexhaj to the letter, jumping from side to side on command without hesitation. “He only listens to me, no one else,” Rexhaj tells visitors.

Visitors can pay one euro each to come and see Trump in his cage, alongside another 200 animals, including ostriches, deer, parrots, eagles, rabbits, cats, peacocks, snakes and a fox.

According to Taulant Hoxha, who works for the organisation FOURPAWS that runs the Prishtina Bear Sanctuary, the establishment should not even be considered a zoo.

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

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